What to Watch
Colombia's Oscar entry and Kore-eda's first TV series on Netflix
Hi friends,
I came across a very interesting article this week from the New Yorker, about how a big chunk (70 percent!) of Netflix’s subscriptions come from outside the US and Canada. This has meant creating more foreign-language shows than any other streamer in the market, and whether that’s good or bad for business is what the article observes.
I hope you have a nice weekend.
OUR TOP TV SHOW OF THE WEEK
The Makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House
New on Netflix 🍅 rating: —
The critically acclaimed Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda (Still Walking, Shoplifters, Broker) directs the nine-episode series The Makanai, which follows two young girls chasing their dreams to become geishas—a well-respected cultural profession more than anything in contemporary Japan.
The Makanai follows these girls over the course of their apprenticeship, and we bear witness to their trials, triumphs, and everything in between. One of them becomes a geisha prodigy and one of them finds excellence in the kitchen (hence the title), but despite the different roads they take, their friendship remains endearingly steadfast.
It’s a supremely gentle and culturally rich show with a tender heart; a truly great watch on all accounts.
OUR TOP MOVIE OF THE WEEK
The Kings of the World
New on Netflix 🍅 rating: 83%
The Kings of the World is a surreal coming-of-age movie that follows Rá, Culebro, Sere, Winny and Nano, street kids who are on their way to claim land that’s rightfully theirs. Their one goal is to finally make a home after living without one for so long, but they’re hindred by the inevitable tragedies that befall kids of their kind: indigent, alone, and abandoned.
The title is ironic, but it also hints at their state of mind: these boys are unstoppable, rabblerousesrs who live like there’s no tomorrow. They tear down private property and invade inns not out of spite, necessarily, but out of a knowledge that whatever they do they’re gonna be put down anyway, so might as well live without rules.
Tackling powerful themes like land reclamation and youth neglect, The Kings of the World is one of the most agonizing movies I’ve seen in a while. It’s also Colombia’s official Best Foreign Language Film entry in the 2022 Academy Awards.
Top picks outside of Netflix and Amazon Prime
If you’re a fan of well-crafted mysteries, a new detective series arrived on streaming this week. It’s called Will Trent, and it follows the titular special agent as he solves mysteries for the Georgia Bureau of Investigations. Much like Sherlock Holmes, Trent is awkward and not always liked, but what he lacks in social graces he makes up for in outstanding smarts. If you’re a fan of geniuses solving puzzles like they’re nothing, Will Trent could just be your new favorite watch. Streaming on Hulu.
Another great watch outside of Netflix and Prime is If These Walls Could Sing, a pleasant documentary about the iconic Abbey Road Studios, which has seen many a golden record made. Beatle daughter Mary McCartney directs this film, giving it a distinct and openly earnest personal touch. Coupled with interesting archival footage and all-star interviews, If These Walls Could Sing is a worthy tribute to the one of the music industry’s most enduring studios. Streaming on Disney+ and Hulu.
New titles worth your time
On Netflix, the docuseries on fraudster Bernie Madoff, Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street and season 2 of historical drama Vikings: Valhalla are new and worth checking out.
Meanwhile on Amazon Prime, a new season of Hunters, the star-studded series about Nazi hunters in the 1970s, arrived on the platform. It features Al Pacino and Logan Lerman in lead roles.
Great titles that will soon expire
On Netflix, the the biopic Steve Jobs expires on January 15, while the Uruguayan tragicomedy Whiskey expires on the January 21.
And on Amazon Prime, the masterpiece psych drama The Hunt leaves January 16, while all seasons of beloved sitcom How I Met Your Mother leaves the next day, January 17.
That’s all for this week. This edition of the newsletter will be back on Friday, January 20.
Till then,
Renee
Wow these look so interesting. Thanks.