A designer’s guide to must-watch picks on Mubi

When you were scrolling through those DesignThinkers emails leading up to the big event? All the way to the bottom to check out the generous and supportive sponsors. 

There are some offers for our movie lovers, including 30 free days of Mubi, a streaming service with a curated, wide-ranging collection of films. You can watch on your favourite web browser, smartphone or tablet (with iOS 15+ or Android 5.1+). Or if you want to watch on the bigger screen, you can stream using the Mubi app on your smart TV, or a streaming device like AppleTV, Roku, Amazon FireStick, or Chromecast.

I’ve been a film lover for many years, going back to the days of browsing the shelves of VHS tapes at the local video store. Streaming has given us the opportunity to access way more films without having to get our shoes on to walk to the store. We get the chance to discover something new to us, even if it’s a classic that’s decades old. We can see perspectives from all over the world and get lost in a story—whether it’s a real-life story in documentary form, or a fictional story that’s true to life…or very much not! Mubi has a huge catalogue of films, many of them challenging works of art. I’ve only seen a fraction and I’m already populating my wishlist with some movies I’ve either been dying to see or am just curious about.

Like graphic design, film is a visual medium, communicating meaning through colour and composition. And like design, film tells a story and engages the viewer in a journey. Some of these films might not necessarily be treatises on the human condition (but some are). They are a treat for the eyes, even as they make you chuckle, cry or ponder the why of it all. I hope you get as much joy (or occasionally a cringe in horror) that I did. These titles are all currently available on Mubi. Some of these I had the opportunity to see in the past (I saw Europa in the theatre). A few of these, I had the chance to see by signing up for Mubi! 

The Substance

Not for the faint of heart, this is a brash body horror about Hollywood’s obsession with youth and beauty and how far it could go, written and directed by Coralie Fargeat. The art department must have had a ball with this one.

Decision to Leave

Park Chan-Wook’s neo-noir detective film that delves into the complicated relationship between a police detective and the woman he suspects killed her abusive husband. As with many South Korean police procedurals, there are some hilarious and absurd moments thrown in for good measure. Not quite as intense as some of his other films (Oldboy, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Lady Vengeance…which I also love).

Europa

One of Lars von Trier’s earliest films. Beautiful, surreal, shot in black and white. Narration by Max von Sydow!

The Boss of It All

A hilarious Lars von Trier film about a company who dreams up a boss who’s the guy responsible for relaying all the bad news to employees…and hires an actor to play him.

We Need to Talk About Kevin

A mother (played by the always amazing Tilda Swinton) deals with the aftermath of a horrific act of violence committed by her son, co-written and directed by Lynne Ramsay, based on the novel by Lionel Shriver.

The Fall

Two patients at a Los Angeles hospital in 1915—one an injured stuntman, the other a little girl recovering from a workplace injury—connect over a fable to help them forget their current situations and painful pasts. A beautifully shot ode to storytelling and filmmaking by director Tarsem Singh. It’s gorgeous…you’ll laugh and cry.

Burning

South Korean director Lee Chang-Dong’s adaptation of a Haruki Murakami (one of my fav authors) story about obsessive love and larger ideas.

Eagle vs Shark

A sweet, quirky and funny romcom directed by Taika Waititi and starring Jemaine Clement from Flight of the Conchords.

If you don’t have 2 hours, check out these short documentaries that delve into important subjects.

You Hide Me

A short documentary made by Ghanaian filmmaker Nii Kwate Owoo in 1970, exploring the issue of African Art taken during the colonial era and kept hidden away in the British Museum’s basement. An interesting watch now that there’s a growing trend to repatriate artistic works and anthropological exhibits to their countries of origin.

Meeting the Man: James Baldwin in Paris

Another short doc, directed by Terence Dixon, that features the always erudite American author James Baldwin who had moved to Paris. The filmmakers don’t get what they were expecting from him (and say as much in the narration) and it’s a fascinating watch. It explores how impossible it is for Baldwin to separate his creative work from his life and the political realities around him.

There are so many more I could recommend and so many more I want to watch! Enjoy the wide world of cinema! Even fun cult B-movie classics like Ed Wood’s Plan 9 from Outer Space.

Mubi is free for 30 days, and if you love it, $16.99 per month after.