Yes, it’s that time again, the weekend(as well as Groundhog’s Day), and we’re talking about the new additions to streaming, on the big three, Hulu, Amazon Prime and Netflix. So let’s get right to it!
HULU
The most exciting new add on Hulu this week is Down, Hulu’s February episode of Into the Dark, their once-monthly holiday horror anthology. This one takes place on the night of Valentine’s Day, with two office workers getting stuck in an elevator, together on the holiday weekend. The pair are played by Natalie Martinez and Matt Lauria, and what looks romantic at first, may not turn out that way. It also stars Arnie Pantoja, Diane Sellers, and Christina Leone, and is directed by Daniel Stamm(The Last Exorcism, 4 episodes of Intruders). As it just premiered yesterday, there are very few reviews or scores on IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes, but Bloody-disgusting.com calls it “the perfect, twisted thriller to lock yourself in with for Valentine’s Day.” You decide. If you want something cheery, after Down, Hulu has also added Love, Gilda, the 2018 documentary directed by Lisa DePolito. This is a loving look at the life of Gilda Radner, comedian extraordinaire, with heretofore unseen footage, and reminiscences from coworkers and friends, like Chevy Chase, Laraine Newman, Garrett Morris, Amy Poehler, Lorne Michaels and Gene Wilder(archival). And it gets an 89% on Rotten Tomatoes. I’m watching, for sure. Also, new on Hulu is Bad Reputation, the 2018 documentary about Joan Jett, rocker. This one is directed by Kevin Kerslake, and in it, he portrays the arc of Jett‘s career, through seven decades, and how she’s remained relevant through that time. It has lots of good music, sung by Jett and others, like David Bowie, and also insights from friends and fans like Debbie Harry, Michael J. Fox and Miley Cyrus. And it gets a 76% on Rotten Tomatoes. And finally , if you don’t love football, but adore the Puppy Bowl, and can’t stream it, Hulu has Pick of the Litter, a 2018 documentary. Co-directed by Dana Nachman and Don Hardy Jr., this film documents the lives of five darling Labrador puppies, on their two year journey to become guide dogs for the blind. It’s an arduous one, and I don’t want to spoil the ending, but it’s a happy one, none the less. And the movie gets a stunning 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
NETFLIX
The biggest addition this week on Netflix is The Velvet Buzzsaw, an art-house satire, with some horror overtones. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as an art critic, who gets pulled into a murder, and maybe art theft, too, with Rene Russo starring as a gallery owner, and Zawe Ashton as a friend in caught in the middle of all this. It also stars Toni Collette, Natalia Dyer(Stranger Things!), Tom Sturridge, Daveed Diggs and even John Malkovich and it’s directed by Dan Gilroy(Nightcrawler). It’s not the greatest movie, it gets a 68% on Rotten Tomatoes, but it has a killer cast, and Richard Roeper says of it “Velvet Buzzsaw has the kind of bite that leaves a mark.” And murder, too. Also, new on Netflix is Russian Doll, a 2019 comedy series from creators Natasha Lyonne, Amy Poehler and Leslye Headland. In this series, a 36 year old woman, played by Natasha Lyonne, dies over and over again, at her own birthday party. But this isn’t a tale of redemption, like Groundhog Day, it’s a story of a woman going mad, trying to avoid dying, a different way each time. It also stars Greta Lee, Yul Vasquez, Charlie Barnett and veteran actress Elizabeth Ashley(!). It’s trailer is hilarious and it gets a 7.8/10 on IMDb.Netflix has also added Dear Ex, the 2018 award winning drama from Taiwan. Dear Ex tells a family’s descent into chaos, when the recently deceased father’s gay lover is revealed, told from the mostly from the 13 year old son’s perspective. It stars Joseph Huang, Roy Chiu, Ying-Xuan Hsieh and Spark Chen and is directed by Mag Hsu. This film won three Golden Horse Awards(the Chinese Oscar) and it gets a 7.4/10 on IMDb. Also, new on Netflix is Agatha and the Truth of Murder, an 2018 mystery movie from Britain. it’s an alternative history that places young Agatha Christie, played by Ruth Bradley, investigating the murder of Florence Nightengale‘s goddaughter, during the famous 11 day period when Christie famously disappeared. It also stars Pippa Heywood, Bebe Cave, Ralph Inerson, Tim McInnerney, Samantha Spiro and Amelia Rose Dell. It was a big hit on Channel 5 in Britain, last Christmas, but it’s very fanciful and not you’re average mystery.And it gets a 6.5/10 on IMDb. And, finally, Netflix has added Crime Time, a Brazilian thriller series from 2017. It stars Augusto Madeira as a cop from the favelas, and a wannabe actor, who decides to forge his own path to celebrity, through violence. The cast also includes Érico Brás, Gustavo Muchado, Antonio Saboia,Vicky Justiniano and Fernanda Vianna. There was almost no information on this show online, but it does get a 6.8/10 on IMDb.
AMAZON
Thank goodness it’s February and Amazon has finally added
The ABC Murders, starring John Malkovich. In this mini- series, Malkovich stars as the famed detective Hercule Poirot, this time, investigating a string of murderously threatening letters, and the killing that inevitably ensues. It also stars Rupert Grint, Andrew Buchan, Tara Fitzgerald and Shirley Henderson and was directed by Alex Gabassi. This is one of Christie’s better mysteries, and this production has gotten good ratings, with an 83% on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 6.6/10 on IMDb. I’m definitely watching. Also, new on Amazon is Generation Wealth the 2018 documentary from director Lauren Greenfield. In this film, she considers the ambition of gaining ridiculous wealth in this country and it’s repercussions. She follows different people who have either gained great wealth, or those that desire to. This is yet another insightful and interesting movie from Greenfield, who in the past has produced outstanding movies like The Queen of Versailles. And it gets a 6.1/10 on IMDb. And Amazon will offer Hanna, a 2019 series, tomorrow, after the Super Bowl. This series is based on the 2011 movie of the same name, about a young woman, raised in the forest and trained to kill, trying to evade the CIA and discover who she is. It stars Esme Creed-Miles, Joel Kinnaman and Mireille Enos, and was created by David Farr. No ratings or reviews are available yet, but it looks action-packed. And, finally, Amazon has added some fantastic older films, everything from Cecil B DeMille silent epics, like Joan the Woman, fromSo staystarring Geraldine Farrar, to comedy classics like Merrily We Go To Hell, with Sylvia Sydney(!) and Frederic March, to horror, like The Ghost Walks, with John Miljan and Helen Collier. I really appreciate the fact that Amazon has added so any older movies to their line-up, something that is ordinarily hard to come by while streaming. I plan to watch as many as I can, while they’re available!
So stay inside and binge while it snows, and enjoy a weekend of classics, new and old, at the big three streamers, Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime!
The ABC Murders starring John Malkovich. this mi
Grownups Guide to Streaming 