Hi friends,
I finally saw Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio after putting it off for so long—I had somehow confused it with the inferior Disney Pinocchio adaptation, which was released this year too so that’s not entirely on me. And del Toro’s take is good! More enjoyable, at least, than I’d expect a movie that has been endlessly adapted would be.
I hope you have a lovely weekend.
OUR TOP TV SHOW OF THE WEEK
Smiley
On Netflix 🍅 rating: 100%
You may have heard about Bros, the first major studio gay romcom that hit theaters a few months ago. Smiley, a Netflix series from Spain, is a lot like the American movie—sweet and raunchy—but I’d say this ends up being more likable thanks to a colorful cast of characters, including the disarmingly charming leads Alex and Bruno (Carlos Cuevas and Miki Esparbé, respectively).
After Alex accidentally sends an impassioned voice call to Bruno, a stranger, the two decide to meet up for drinks. They end up liking, then hating, then desiring one another. There are strong feelings to be sure—confusing, but strong—though whether it’s enough for true love, which they’re both on the lookout for, is what the eight-episode series spends its time trying to answer. Forgive the pun, but Smiley will put a smile on your face especially if you like progressive updates on the classic rom-com setup. And bonus: it’s set during the holidays, so if you’re in need of some Christmas cheer, this could be one of your remedies.
OUR TOP MOVIE OF THE WEEK
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
On Netflix 🍅 rating: 97%
I think it’s safe to say you’ve never seen a Pinocchio adaptation quite like Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio. It still largely stays true to the source material, which is to stay it’s still about a father grappling with the loss of his son and a boy figuring out where he figures in the world. But the movie departs from it in significant ways too. Instead of a fairy tale setting, for instance, this Pinocchio has 1930s fascist Italy as its background, lending the film a realism and historicism that weren’t there before.
Stars Ewan McGregor, Christoph Waltz, Tilda Swinton, and newcomer Gregory Mann lend their voice in this tender and stellar stop-motion animated movie.
Top picks outside of Netflix and Amazon Prime
Our first pick outside of the usual Netflix and Prime is The Banshees of Inisherin, an Irish dark comedy film that begins with the breakup of longtime friends Pádraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson). Averse to the sudden split, Pádraic tries to repair their relationship, even though his every attempt is thwarted in increasingly violent ways. The last time Farrell and Gleeson were together was in the expert thriller In Bruges, and their reunion in Banshees shows how powerful and chemistry-filled their pairing is. Adding to the film’s strong strong performances are Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon. Additionally: the film works as a sort of fable about the Irish Civil War, and if you’d like to know more about that element of the movie I recommend this explainer from Vox. Streaming on HBO and HBO Max.
Another pick outside of Netflix and Prime is season two of Slow Horses, the crime-comedy series starring Gary Oldman as the head of MI5 rejects solving high-stakes crime in their dingy place at Slough House. The new season finds the team solving an entirely new case—the death of a former spy, possibly at the hands of the KGB—but also exploring other options outside of Slough House. Streaming on Apple TV+.
New titles worth your time
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths is out now on Netflix. Directed by Alejandro Iñárritu, it tells the story of an LA-based filmmaker who descends into an existential crisis after returning to his homeland Mexico. The excellent 2013 thriller Prisoners, starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal has also just arrived on the platform.
On Amazon Prime Video, the Brazilian comedy series Elected, which sees an influencer ruling Brazil in a not-so-distant future, is new and worth checking out.
Great titles that will soon expire
On Netflix, the horror film It expires on December 18, the sci-fi comedy The History of Future Folk on December 19, the Charlize Theron-led drama Monster on December 20, and the docuseries about mythical European areas Myths & Monsters on December 22.
Over at Amazon Prime Video, noteworthy titles leaving the platform are the found-footage horror Cloverfield on December 18 and The anxiety-inducing satire The Square on December 19.
That’s all for this week. This edition of the newsletter will be back on Friday, December 23.
Till then,
Renee
Glad to have found you! I'll be curious to watch Bardo - I really enjoy Alejandro Iñárritu, but Bardo hasn't received great reviews. I also just watched Prisoners on Netflix - I'm a forever fan!
Watched "Banshees of Inisherin" last night, before reading The Watch's latest newsletter, and had a complex response. Appreciated the Vox explainer very much. Anticipating readers' needs is yet another reason to subscribe. Thanks!