Hi friends,
Have you heard? HBO Max is still on a deleting rampage, silently erasing many streaming-only titles from its library. Apparently, the creators themselves have been kept in the dark about this; Summer Camp Island creator Julia Pott had this to say after learning about the announcement online.
It’s a disappointing development to be sure, and yet another blow to animation as it always seems to come first on the chopping block. Anyway, if you are a fan, we do have a list of nice streaming animated films over at the site. Here’s hoping the tides finally turn for this genre!
I hope you have a good weekend.
OUR TOP TV SHOW OF THE WEEK
Uncoupled
On Netflix 🍅 rating: 76%
For the first time in 17 years, New York broker Michael (Neil Patrick Harris) is single again. Shocked and blindsided by the breakup, he scrambles to get back into the dating scene. Many things have changed, apparently, but thankfully he’s got trusty colleague Suzanne (Tisha Campbell) and a loyal pack of friends to help him get back on track.
Cliché premise notwithstanding, Uncoupling is a highly watchable treatise on dating in your 40s as a gay man. Buoyed by the snazzy comedy that has come to define the work of creator Darren Star (Sex and the City, 90210), Uncoupled is the kind of fizzy escapist show you’d love to chug after a hard day’s work—it goes down nice and easy, while also packing a tender punch.
OUR TOP MOVIE OF THE WEEK
Kusama: Infinity
New on Amazon Prime 🍅 rating: 94%
For art lovers, a treat—Kusama: Infinity is now streaming on Amazon Prime. It’s a worthy profile of Yayoi Kusama, a singular artist who also happened to live a rather unsettling and eventful life. Kusama came from a conservative family in Japan, made her way to America in the 1960s, and battled (and won) her way into the art scene.
The film is told mainly through interviews and thoughtful shots of the artist’s art, and it’s this duality that makes it quite the watch. As one reviewer observes, “Here is what she made, [the documentary] says; is it not wondrous? Here is the hand she was dealt, it says; is it not unjust?” You’d be hard-pressed not to take a closer into Kusama’s lifework (or maybe even check into art therapy) after seeing this documentary.
Top picks outside of Netflix and Amazon Prime
This Fool, streaming now on Hulu, may just be my new favorite comedy. The 10-part series follows Julio Lopez, a self-proclaimed “punk-ass bitch” and pushover who’s still in the process of learning to stand up for himself. Julio works for a gang rehab center called Hugs Not Thugs, where he also helps his cousin Luis get back on his feet. The show’s heart lies in the cousins’ love-hate bromance, and to quote a recent article from Vulture, “it’s all so golden”—just a refreshingly biting comedy unafraid to go beyond its depth. Executive produced by SNL alum Fred Armisen.
Despite HBO Max’s recent trim fest, the platform still has a number of good new titles under its belt, one of the most notable of which is Belfast. The film is a heartwarming coming-of-age loosely based on writer-director Kenneth Branagh’s upbringing in Belfast, Northern Ireland. The film won this year’s Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
New titles worth your time
Still no new noteworthy titles over at Netflix, but Amazon Prime subscribers rejoice! Recent arrivals on the platform include the charming musical romance Once, the offbeat dramedy Lucky, and the underrated fantasy series Good Omens. Also new on the platform is the Amazon Original News of a Kidnapping and the Korean series Stranger.
Great titles that will soon expire
On August 27, the brilliant murder mystery film Wind River, starring Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen, will be leaving Netflix. Meanwhile, no notable titles are leaving Amazon Prime soon.
That’s all for this week. This edition of the newsletter will be back on Friday, August 26.
Till then,
Renee
Halfway through "This Fool" 👌Brilliant and hilarious