We’re getting awful close to Fall movie time, but we aren’t there just yet (or, maybe you prefer to start early, and we support you if that’s the case!). But what do you watch in that awkward, end-of-summer time frame then?
This week, that selection is actually pretty easy, especially over on Prime Video. Off the top, you can pay tribute to the icon that was Hayden Panettiere, with one of her early 2000s best. Then, you can check out another film from 2004, that doesn’t star Panettiere, but is leaving soon. To finish us off, we’ve got an indie from earlier this year that you might have missed in theaters.
Here are the three best movies to stream on Prime Video this week.
Raising Helen
There are some celebrity losses that hit harder than others, and the death of Hayden Panettiere on Aug. 16 was definitely one that cut deep for a lot of people. So, what better way to remember her than to keep her with us by rewatching her work?
Panettiere had several bangers over the years, from “Remember the Titans” to “Bring It On: All or Nothing” and more. Much of her work is over on Disney+, but you can stream “Raising Helen” on Prime Video right now. And this week, it might be a comforting watch.
Here, Panettiere stars as Audrey Davis, one of three siblings who lose their parents in a car accident. Kate Hudson plays Helen, their aunt who is unexpectedly given guardianship of the kids, and must now figure out how to go from being the fun, occasionally irresponsible aunt to the mom figure.
It’s truly sweet family tale, and it’s Kate Hudson doing her Kate Hudson thing, surrounded by an incredibly stacked cast, including Panettiere.
We’ll miss Hayden, and we’ll always be grateful for the work she left behind.
Saved!
Just a few years after “The Princess Diaries,” Mandy Moore and Heather Matarazzo ended up starring in another film together. That film was called “Saved!” and it really is a delightful watch.
The story follows a teenage girl named Mary (Jena Malone, who I fear we have not appreciated enough in general), who attends a Christian high school with very traditional values. She has sex with her boyfriend in an attempt to “cure” him of being gay, only to discover she’s gotten pregnant.
If you’re a fan of “But I’m a Cheerleader,” you’ll probably enjoy this just as much. The thing is, if you haven’t seen it yet, or you’ve been meaning to get around to a rewatch, you’ll really want to do it this week.
“Saved!” leaves Prime Video on Sept. 1.
Idiotka
If you’re a fan of supporting true indie films, go ahead and give “Idiotka” a run this week.
It stars “Dickinson” vet Anna Baryshnikov as Margarita Levlansky, an aspiring fashion designer who lives in West Hollywood’s Russian district. When she gets the chance to compete on a new reality show to achieve that dream — one that’s very much a “Project Runway” send-up — she jumps at it, even though her family doesn’t want them or their drama to be highlighted on the show.
“We really tried to enjoy the satirical aspects but also really dig into the fact that this is an art form, and people care very deeply about making good entertainment,” Baryshnikov told TheWrap. “We were trying to strike the balance of respecting and being fans of the medium and also skewering some of how it puts people under the spotlight in an uncomfortable way.”
It’s the kind of comedy that Baryshnikov shines with, and it makes it worth the watch.
