For the first time in a long time, there isn’t a single major Hollywood release among this month’s VOD (Video on Demand) and digital releases. December would have been a hard act to follow after Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour and Killers of the Flower Moon went on-demand. But January looks pretty lackluster by comparison.
Having said that, there are a handful of titles worth renting or buying in January, particularly Eileen, which only had a brief stay in theaters last year. Considering that January is a pretty dry month for movies of all kinds, you may be better off staying home with one of these titles rather than going out to a theater.
Read on for our updated list of what’s new on VOD and digital in January 2024. If you decide to rent or buy any of these titles, you should be able to find them at the major digital outlets, including Prime Video, Apple TV, Vudu, and Google Play.
All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt (2023)
Poet-turned-filmmaker Raven Jackson turned many heads in the indie scene with her film All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt. It’s a story that takes place across the span of a lifetime of a Black woman named Mackenzie or “Mack,” who is played as a young child by Kaylee Nicole Johnson, with Charleen McClure portraying Mack as a young woman, and Zainab Jah as an older Mack.
This film will not be for everyone, and some may find its storytelling frustrating because it’s seemingly told out of order and skips over some pivotal moments. But as a critically acclaimed portrait of one woman’s life, it could be a contender during the upcoming awards season.
Release Date: January 2
You can rent or purchase All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt on Prime Video and other digital outlets.
Eileen (2023)
Eileen only had a brief stay in theaters last month, so most movie-goers probably missed it entirely. But it has a very impressive cast, including Oscar-winner Anne Hathaway and rising star Thomasin McKenzie (Jojo Rabbit), who portrays the title character, Eileen Dunlop. In the ’60s, Eileen works as a secretary in a juvenile prison and lives at home with her emotionally abusive father, Jim Dunlop (Shea Whigham).
Hathaway plays Rebecca, the prison’s new psychologist, who captures the romantic interest of Eileen. Rebecca somewhat reciprocates those feelings but is more focused on helping a young inmate named Lee Polk (Sam Nivola). And when Rebecca goes too far in her urge to help, Eileen is put in a very difficult position.
Release Date: January 2
You can rent or purchase Eileen on Prime Video and other digital outlets.
Mayhem! (2023)
No one can say that Mayhem! doesn’t live up to its title, exclamation point included. Nassim Lyes stars as Sam, a disgraced boxer who fled his native France and found a new life in Thailand. Sam even married a woman named Mia (Loryn Nounay), and they have a daughter, Dara (Sahajak Boonthanakit), both of whom inspire Sam to move beyond his troubled past to find a new dream.
Unfortunately for Sam, the local crime boss, Narong (Olivier Gourmet), has other ideas. And once Narong strikes at Sam and his family, Sam feels that he has no choice but to get his revenge on Narong, even if it costs him everything he has left.
Release Date: January 5
You can rent or purchase Mayhem! on digital outlets.
The Disappearance of Shere Hite (2023)
It would not be inaccurate to say that the late Shere Hite wrote the book on female sexuality. The book in question, The Hite Report, caused quite a stir in 1976 by shaking up many pre-existing notions about the sexual experiences and preferences of women.
In The Disappearance of Shere Hite, director Nicole Newnham and narrator Dakota Johnson recount the life of Hite and explore the impact she had as both a sex educator and a feminist. Many of Hite’s findings paved the way for modern ideas about “gender, sexuality, and bodily autonomy,” and the film also explores why Hite is largely forgotten nearly five decades after her seminal book.
Release Date: January 9
You can rent or purchase The Disappearance of Shere Hite on digital outlets.
He Went That Way (2023)
The setup for He Went That Way sounds so bizarre that some viewers may not realize it is actually based on a true story. Zachary Quinto stars as Jim Goodwin, an animal trainer traveling with his pet chimpanzee when he picks up a hitchhiker named Bobby Falls (Jacob Elordi). What Jim doesn’t realize is that his new traveling companion is a serial killer. The real incident that inspired the film took place decades ago when animal trainer Dave Pitts picked serial killer Larry Lee Ranes, a murderer who targeted anyone unfortunate enough to pick him up.
This is also the first and only film directed by Jeffrey Darling, who passed away in 2022 following a surfing accident. That makes this film Darling’s cinematic legacy.
Release Date: January 12
You can rent or purchase He Went That Way on digital outlets.
The Seeding (2024)
All Wyndham Stone (Scott Haze) wanted to do was go out to the desert and photograph an eclipse. But he finds himself in a horror story in The Seeding. Somehow, Wyndham has become trapped in a desert ravine, and the strange feral children who watch him from the top are extremely unhelpful when he asks them to get him out. If anything, the kids seem to take pleasure in his torment.
The only other person in the ravine is Alina (Kate Lyn Sheil), who is far more resigned to her fate than Wyndham. But what secrets are being hidden by Alina? And why won’t the children help them escape? Those are the questions that Wyndham needs answered, but he probably won’t be happy when he learns the truth.
Release Date: January 26
You can rent or purchase The Seeding on digital outlets.
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