Hi friends,
Many of 2022’s best films are now being made available on VOD! I tried to pick the best ones in this edition of the newsletter, but I think they’re all going to be exceptionally good till the year-end at least. Let me know your favorite!
I hope you’re having a nice Wednesday.
OUR TOP PICKS
Decision to Leave
🎞 On Mubi 🍅 rating: 94%
One of the most critically acclaimed films of the year is finally on streaming—Decision to Leave, by South Korean auteur Park Chan-wook, follows detective Jang Hae-jun as he falls into an obsession with murder suspect Song Seo-rae. They engage in a sort of cat-and-mouse chase in an attempt to be one step ahead of the other, but conflicted as they are by duty and feelings, things don’t exactly pan out as they’ve planned.
Elevated by crazy twists and mindblowing camerawork, this romantic crime thriller proves that no one is quite doing it like Park Chan-wook. Bonus: we actually had a chance to pick his brilliant brain in an interview over at Projektor, which you can read here.
Little America
📺 Season 2 is new on Apple TV+ 🍅 rating: 97%
Based on Epic magazine’s column of the same name, Little America is an anthology series based on real-life immigrant stories. The episodes vary in plot, topic, and even era—they’re as diverse as the characters themselves—but they are all connected by one thing: the hope of achieving the American Dream. In one episode, an Iranian father sets out to build his family’s dream home in a bid to prevent his son from moving out. In another (the opener of season two), a second-generation Korean-American struggles to find his calling, much to the dismay of his war-survivor parents (“What do you know about suffering?” the mother, played by Parasite’s Lee Jung-eun asks when her son complains about med school).
Co-created by Kumail Nanjiani and Emily Gordon (The Big Sick) and directed by Sian Heder (CODA), Little America is a heartwarming collection of stories, as moving as it is urgent. It’s easy to miss this over splashier shows on TV at the moment, but trust that this one’s worth tuning into.
The Fabelmans
🎞 Available for rent on Amazon Prime and Vudu starting at $19.99 🍅 rating: 92%
The Fabelmans is often described as director Steven Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical movie about his inauguration into filmmaking, and while it certainly is that, I’d venture to say that it also functions as a universal coming-of-age tale, with protagonist and Spielberg stand-in Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle) learning harsh truths about identity, family, and passion for the first time.
In The Fabelmans, we see how so much of filmmaking is intertwined with his life, and how the movies inspire his personality (and vice versa). Whether you’re a fan of Spielberg or not, this movie will surely win you over with its beautiful shots, impressive technique, and big, big heart.
READERS’ TOP PICKS
Dogtooth & Minx
Our readers’ top movie pick this week is Dogtooth, a Greek psychological drama by award-winning director Yorgos Lanthimos. It’s the story of how strict, borderline totalitarian, parents have managed to trap their children thus far in an isolated estate and made them ignorant of the outside world. Our writer says of the film: “Those who enjoy dark, comical situations told with dry humor will be amused by Dogtooth. Those who enjoy stories that quietly build up to gruesome conclusions will also be amused by Dogtooth.” Streaming on Kanopy, Tubi, and Hoopla; available for rent everywhere else.
Meanwhile, the top TV pick is Minx, which made headlines this week for an unfortunate reason—it’s one of many shows HBO Max decided to cancel despite the cast and crew already finishing production on a new season. The move is cruel and unfathomable, especially considering how good Minx is. Set in the 1970s, it’s a charming comedy about the first erotic magazine made for women. Thoughtfully written and wonderfully performed, it’s worth checking out while it’s still available to stream. Streaming on HBO Max for now.
That’s all for this edition of the newsletter. We’ll be back with the very best streaming has to offer on Wednesday, December 28.
Till then,
Renee