Steamy Streaming This Week

BY: Zak Wojnar

In answer to that always lingering question, “What’s on TV tonight?” we’ve got you covered. Whether it’s a brand new series to Netflix, and oldie but goodie film on Hulu, or a must-see original of Amazon Prime, you’ll never have to search too hard to find the best of the week anymore. Here are PROVOKR‘s Picks for the best programs to watch in dog days of summer. Enjoy.

#MeToo: Now What? (Amazon Prime)

Hosted by Zainab Salbi, founder of Women for Women International, #MeToo: Now What? is a five-part series about sexual harassment and assault. Through one-on-one interviews and extensive roundtable discussions, Saibi talks with newsworthy guests like Angela Rye, Mychal Denzel Smith, and many more. One episode, in particular, deals with a woman, “Caroline,” and her non-consensual sexual encounter with film critic Devin Faraci. The episode contains intimate interviews with both people, and truly goes to great lengths to examine this phenomenon from all possible angles.

American Gigolo (Hulu)

One of the coolest movies of the 1980s, American Gigolo has it all: a heartthrob leading man (Richard Gere) in beautiful designer clothes (courtesy of Giorgio Armani), and a killer soundtrack from the legendary electronic music pioneer, Giorgio Moroder. Fortunately, this movie is more than just style over substance; its claustrophobic film noir sensibilities and slowly unraveling mystery leaves audiences guessing until the end. Writer/Director Paul Schrader is best known for penning the script for Martin Scorsese‘s Taxi Driver, and he’s still at it today – he made waves with his latest feature, the Ethan Hawke thriller, First Reformed.

Get Shorty (Amazon)

Season 2 of the acclaimed EPIX original series, Get Shorty, debuts on August 12, so now’s as good a time as any to check out the film which inspired the show. Based on the book by Elmore Leonard, the movie boasts an all-star cast (John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Danny DeVito, and James Gandolfini) and flawlessly adapts Leonard’s signature light-footed take on seriously deranged subject matter. Get Shorty is a modern classic and features one of Travolta‘s all-time best performances. Just make sure to skip the ill-advised sequel, Be Cool. It’s not cool.

Species (Amazon)

The 1990s saw the “erotic thriller” genre reach peak popularity with movies like Basic Instinct, Jade, and The Last Seduction, among others. One of the most novel takes on the genre came with 1995’s Species. Like most erotic thrillers, it stars a beautiful femme fatale (Natasha Henstridge) who tears her way through every man she encounters on her path to conquest. Only, in this case, she literally tears through them.

Sil is a genetically-engineered alien/human hybrid on a quest to mate with a human male, a goal which could spell doom for the human race. The film’s monster designs were created by H.R. Giger, the man responsible for the design of the titular creatures from Ridley Scott’s iconic film, Alien. It’s terrifying and thrilling, but also dangerously erotic and uncomfortably electric. In addition to Henstridge, the film also stars Michael Madsen, Ben Kingsley, Forrest Whitaker, Alfred Molina, and a young Michelle Williams as the younger version of Sil.

Wentworth (Netflix)

If you’re already jones-ing for the beloved Orange is the New Black, we’ve got your fix! Wentworth is the Australian version of the prison drama. The first season of this dynamic drama focus on new prisoner Bea Smith (skillfully played by Danielle Cormack), incarcerated for the attempted murder of her husband. Separated from her daughter, she’s living in limbo in the scary, unpredictable setting as she awaits her trial and conviction. As she adjusts to the prison and her fellow ruthless convicts, Bea eventually works her way up to the top tier of the system, commanding the troops. The sixth season of the series is currently airing down under, but you can catch up on the first five seasons right now.