Summer is always that time of year where you say you’ll relax and put your feet up, but before you know it, family engagements, friends’ birthdays, days when the heat is pushing 40 degrees and then heading back to work seem to clog your precious summer schedule. Luckily, SBS On Demand has a fantastic range of bold, courageous and brilliant titles that can seamlessly slot into your summer days and help carve out some unique me time. From the perfect post-beach watch to a thrilling family movie to a flick perfectly compatible alongside an afternoon of arts and crafts, check out some examples of how to go where others don’t this summer with engaging, exciting and enchantingly weird films on SBS On Demand.
Silence
Perfect for: when it’s too hot outside to do anything
Your weather app is saying 38 degrees. You promised yourself you’d go to the beach today, but you woke up past 10am, and you couldn’t possibly head out now. It’s time to plant yourself in front of the fan (or aircon if you’re lucky) and watch a movie you always tell yourself you don’t have time for. Enter Martin Scorsese’s underrated 2016 epic Silence, starring Liam Neeson, Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver. This completely unique masterpiece chronicles 17th-century Jesuit priests as they journey from Portugal to Japan to track down their missing mentor. In classic Scorsese fashion, expect nail-biting suspense, magnificent performances and breathtaking imagery.
Silence is streaming at SBS On Demand.
Stream free On Demand
Silence
Historical drama • Drama • 2016
Historical drama • Drama • 2016
What We Do In The Shadows
Perfect for: after a long day at the beach or pool
Vampires, crypts and blood-eating rituals might not sound like very summery fare on the surface, but in the hands of New Zealand comedy juggernauts Taika Waititi and Jermaine Clements, it’s a perfect bookend to a leisurely day at the beach or the pool with some mates. Sleepy from the sun and takeaway ordered? Here is something to tune into while the sun sets with your friends. FYI: sunset is definitely imperative if your friends have anything in common with the on-screen Auckland-based gang.
What We Do In the Shadows will be streaming at SBS On Demand from 1 January.
Upcoming On Demand
What We Do in the Shadows
Comedy • Horror • 2014
Comedy • Horror • 2014
Godzilla Minus One
Perfect for: family movie night
Summer often means spending time with family, and after days of rehashing all the old family stories, sometimes everyone just needs to be planted in front of the TV for a good old-fashioned family movie night*. We all know the story of Godzilla - a giant lizard gatecrashes Tokyo, chaos ensues - but Godzilla Minus One (winner of Best Visual Effects at the 2024 Academy Awards) masterfully takes us back in time to post-WWII Japan, where a former kamikaze pilot is haunted by an encounter with Godzilla years before the creature storms a metropolis. In the wake of real-life post-war mass destruction, the stakes are overwhelmingly high and the action even more engaging.
[*This one has some intense moments, best for adults and older teens.]
Godzilla Minus One airs 8.30pm Monday 5 January on SBS World Movies and will be streaming at SBS On Demand for 30 days.
Priscilla
Perfect for: watching alongside a new hobby
You begged your parent/sibling/best friend/significant other for knitting supplies/watercolours/colouring books this (or last) holiday season, and now they seem to be gathering dust in the corner of your room. What you need is some creative inspiration, and no one is going to give that in spades more than Sofia Coppola. Her latest directorial effort, Priscilla, stars Cailee Spaeny in the titular role and Jacob Elordi as Elvis Presley, for an intimate and enthralling peek into the duo’s headline-making relationship, told from Priscilla’s perspective. The costumes, colours and set pieces are so gorgeous you almost want to reach out and touch the screen, but reach for those knitting needles instead! Artistic motivation galore!
Priscilla airs 8.30pm Thursday 8 January on SBS World Movies and is also streaming now at SBS On Demand.
Stream free On Demand
Priscilla
Drama • Romance • 2023
Drama • Romance • 2023
A Taxi Driver
Perfect for: the Sunday before heading back to work
It’s not an easy feat transitioning back into the full-time workload after the summer break, and 2017’s gem A Taxi Driver is the perfect flick to instil some courage in taking on the working week.
Based on a true story, South Korean acting royalty Song Kang-ho (Parasite, Shoplifters) plays Kim Man-seob in 1980s Seoul, a taxi driver who finds himself thrown into the midst of the deadly Gwangju Uprising. Heartwarming, devastating and deeply human, this movie demonstrates the immense spectrum of life and will leave you with an admiration for the bravery of regular people.
A Taxi Driver is streaming at SBS On Demand.
Stream free On Demand
A Taxi Driver
Action • Historical drama • 2017
Action • Historical drama • 2017
La Chimera
Perfect for: a mid-week escape
Summer doesn’t stop even though you’re back at work, and a cheeky midweek getaway is exactly what you need to keep the summertime feelings going. Not a literal getaway, of course, but watching the charming and romantic film festival hit La Chimera will transport you out of your living room and into the idyllic Italian countryside. Surrounded by eccentric locals, beautiful scenery and wonderful music, the film follows Josh O’Connor as an ex-convict who reunites with his colourful gang of rogue archaeologists in the Italian town where his wife disappeared. Order a pizza or throw on some spaghetti for the full experience!
La Chimera is streaming at SBS On Demand.
Stream free On Demand
La Chimera
Comedy drama • 2023
Comedy drama • 2023
Anatomy of a Fall
Perfect for: date night
A courtroom thriller about a woman on trial for the murder of her husband may seem like the absolute opposite of a date night movie choice, but after the first scene of this Oscar-nominated murder mystery, you’ll realise why you can’t possibly watch this alone. Written by a married writing duo (director Justine Triet and her husband Arthur Harari), twists and turns abound in the French trial of Sandra (Sandra Huller), who is accused of pushing her husband out the window of their chalet in the French Alps. Pausing midway through to discuss theories is absolutely encouraged. Plus, you can enjoy taking a break from the suffocating summer heat by watching the heavy winter snow enshroud nearly every scene.
Anatomy of a Fall airs 8.30pm Saturday 10 January on SBS World Movies and is also streaming now at SBS On Demand.
Stream free On Demand
Anatomy of a Fall
Mystery • Drama • 2023
Mystery • Drama • 2023
Bring It On
Perfect for: literally anything
We’ve all seen it a million times, but that doesn’t mean it’s gotten old. This classic 2000 teen comedy follows a cheerleading battle for the ages, and brought Kirsten Dunst and Gabrielle Union a couple of their most iconic roles. Jokes, chants and stunts come a mile a minute in this 90-minute masterpiece, and it is the perfect filler for a busy summer day. Need something to make you giggle after work? Something to throw on with the housemates mid-afternoon? Something to show your teenage cousin to make them think you’re super cool? There’s literally not one situation in which Bring It On doesn’t fit. Be aggressive! Be be aggressive!
Bring It On is streaming at SBS On Demand.
Stream free On Demand
Bring It On
Comedy • 2000
Comedy • 2000
Looking for more summer movies? Check the program guide to see what else is on SBS World Movies, or dive into the SUMMER OF MOVIES COLLECTION at SBS On Demand.
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