Hi friends,
If you’re in New York or LA this weekend, I implore you to catch Return to Seoul in theaters. It’s an electric, subversive film that follows an adopted woman returning to her home country for the first time. See it if you can! I had a chance to interview the brilliant director behind it, Davy Chou, so you can read that after if you like (yes, it contains spoilers).
As always, have a lovely weekend.
OUR TOP TV SHOW OF THE WEEK
Earthstorm
On Netflix 🍅 rating: —
Comprised of four 40-minute episodes, Earthstorm is an informational docuseries that aims to explain the science behind common natural disasters, as well as the human costs of neglecting to address them.
I would say it’s more scientific than dramatic, but it still has tender moments to humanize the phenomena and further bring points about environmental awareness home. It makes for a solid instructional show if ever you’re looking for one.
OUR TOP MOVIE OF THE WEEK
The Inspection
Available to rent on Amazon Prime and Vudu starting at $4.99 🍅 rating: 89%
Ever since he was kicked out of his home for being gay, Ellis French (Jeremy Pope) has been living from shelter to shelter, with whatever change he can muster. In a desperate bid to escape his dire situation, he enlists in the Marines, where he encounters needless brutality but also unexpected camaraderie.
The Inspection is based on director Elegance Bratton’s real-life experience joining the marines while the “don't ask, don't tell” policy was still in place. It’s moving and artful (the film is an A24 production), but somehow also lighthearted and humorous at times. It’s a contradictory movie but is all the better for it.
And if I may add: Gabriel Union gives a career-defining performance. To be honest, I didn’t even know it was her until the credits rolled. It was that powerful and transformative.
Top picks outside of Netflix and Amazon Prime
My favorite out of all the picks this week, Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence is the true story of how bright kids from prestigious colleges were manipulated and abused into joining a cult. Specifically, it’s about the Sarah Lawrence students who were swayed by one of their classmate’s father, Lawrence Ray (you may have heard or read about the news when it first came out in 2017). The three-episode series is at once chilling, compelling, and revolting. I finished it in one sitting. Streaming on Hulu.
Our final pick is the Georgian film What Do We See When We Look at the Sky? Something to watch if you still feel the love in the air and are in the mood for something airy and romantic. It follows two lovers who wake up to realize they’ve transformed into entirely different people, and just before their second date too. It’s an enchanting romantic fable, slow but stunning, that will have you swooning in no time. Streaming on Mubi.
New titles worth your time
Season 2 of the French crime series Ganglands is new and worth checking out on Netflix.
On Amazon Prime, new seasons of the fantastical Carnival Row and the delightfully homey Dinner Club have also just arrived. For movies, new arrivals Arracht, about the Great Famine of Ireland, and Spitfire, about the titular fighter plane that helped Britain win the second world war, are also worth checking out.
Great titles that will soon expire
On Amazon Prime, February 20 is your last chance to see the exhilarating Norwegian thriller Headhunters, which follows a headhunter who sidelines as an art thief. It’s also the last day before the documentary Good Ol' Freda leaves again the platform again; it’s the firsthand account of a dedicated Beatles fan’s experience of fanhood.
No notable titles are leaving Netflix soon.
That’s all for this week. This edition of the newsletter will be back on Friday, February 24.
Till then,
Renee
Headhunters!