To fight writer’s block for this week’s top pick, director Alice Wu came up with a courageous solution. This is from her New York Times interview:
When she tried her hand at a second movie, something for her to direct, Wu froze. So she did what any sensible, blocked writer would do: she wrote a check for $1,000 to the National Rifle Association […] “I gave it to one of my best friends, CJ, who’s a butch firefighter,” she said. “I gave myself five weeks, and told her, if this first draft is not written, you are sending that check in.”
THE TOP MOVIE OF THE WEEK
The Half Of It
New on Netflix today.
This lovely drama is about Ellie, a straight-A student who takes money from a classmate, Paul, to write love letters for him. Ellie does this to help with the household bills but there is one big problem: the girl Paul is in love with is also the girl Ellie has a crush on.
This might seem like the set-up for a standard Netflix comedy (and if you’re thinking Bergerac, you’re right, it is based on the famous play) but as the introduction of the film reads: “This is not a love story … not one where anyone gets what they want."
It is in fact, personal work from a brilliant and quality-focused director, Alice Wu. Her last movie, Saving Face, a pioneering lesbian romance set in an Asian American context, was released a long 15 years ago.
📰 The Washington Post: “This breezy, self-aware and utterly adorable coming-of-age tale keeps one eye on literary and cinematic classics, and the other firmly on a future full of exploration, self-expression and buoyant expectation.”
📺 on Netflix everywhere; 🍅 rating: 100%
THE TOP TV SHOW OF THE WEEK
Upload
New Amazon Prime today.
This satire takes place in the year 2033 where it’s possible to “upload” oneself to a specific software-powered afterlife. It was created by Greg Daniels, The Office U.S. creator.
In the variety of afterlives possible, there is no heaven or hell, but the same class struggles of life. There are ads, you have to pay for data, and there are many levels of luxury available.
Upload is an easy and funny show with a great premise. If you liked The Good Place or Silicone Valley, you will love this.
📰 Hollywood Reporter: “It's probably not as good as The Good Place, but it's got plenty of laughs and ideas to make you think.”
📺 on Amazon Prime everywhere; 🍅 rating: 86%
Readers’ top picks
The South-Korean romance on Netflix Tune in for Love is our readers’ favorite movie. It’s an easy watch about two people who meet while working in a bakery in 1990s Seoul.
Caliphate on Netflix gets our readers’ 🏆 for the second week in a row. It’s a thriller set between Sweden and Syria about a group of young people who are radicalized by ISIS.
New titles worth your time
Jarhead with Jake Gyllenhaal and Jamie Foxx, the 2005 Operation Desert Storm drama, is now available on Netflix. So are Back to the Future 1 and 2.
Our top movie pick today, The Half of It, is also new on Netflix today.
Upload, the top TV pick, is the only noteworthy arrival on Amazon Prime this week.
Great titles that will soon expire
Gabriel and the Mountain leaves Netflix this Friday, May 8th. It’s a true story of a Brazilian who travels the world and spends a lot of time in East Africa, with his journey tragically ending in Mount Mulanje in Malawi. If you liked Into the Wild, don’t miss this.
No new titles expiring on Amazon Prime this week.
The Newsflash: The “We Are One” Virtual Film Festival
Many of the world’s biggest festivals, now canceled, have teamed up to offer one big virtual festival on Youtube. This initiative will be completely free.
It is organized by a partnership between the Tribeca Film Festival mother company and Youtube. The 20 participating event list includes:
Cannes Film Festival
Toronto International Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
Berlin International Film Festival
Tribeca Film Festival
Venice Film Festival
BFI London Film Festival
New York Film Festival
Locarno Film Festival
Proceeds from We Are One will go to COVID-19 relief funds. Every film festival will curate its own selection of titles that wouldn’t get their premieres because of the current crisis. None of these lists have been shared yet, but I will let you know when the program is available.
We Are One will run for 10 days from May 29th to June 7th on YouTube. Here is the official Youtube channel of the event and the announcement for more information.
That’s it for today, I hope there is something in there for you.
If you can, please support this newsletter by subscribing or giving it as a gift:
The next edition will be in your inbox on Friday, May 8th.
Until then,
Bilal Zou, founder [bilal@agoodmovietowatch.com]
Carried with the support of the Creative Europe Program – MEDIA.