Yes, it’s that time again, the weekend, and time to review the best new movies and television shows added online this week, to Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. And there are some exciting new adds this week, so let’s get started.
HULU
Hulu has an exciting new add this week with A Murder at the End of the World, a 2023 FX mystery thriller limited series. This has 9 people, including amateur sleuth and tech-savvy hacker named Darby Hart(Emma Corrin), invited to the retreat of billionaire Andy Ronson (Clive Owen), in Iceland, along with other myriad geniuses and activists. But Darby, the author of a moderately well selling true crime memoir, can’t figure out why she was invited, or why her partner in crime solving (and ex-boyfriend)Bill, scored an invite, too. But soon the guests begin to die, and Darby really starts to worry that someone has a lethal plan. Harris Dickinson stars as Bill, and Kellan Tetlow, Alice Braga, Edoardo Ballerini, Raúl Esparza, Jermaine Fowler and Brit Marling also star, and Marling directed, along with creating this series with OA partner Zal Batmanglij. an this series gets an impressive 7.6/10 on IMDb, and a solid 87% on Rotten Tomatoes. Robert Lloyd of the
Los Angeles Times says its “beautiful without being self-consciously stylish, stealing a little Scandinavian aesthetic without involving any Scandinavians, A Murder at the End of the World moves slowly but remains compelling.” I agree and I’m definitely tuning in. Hulu has another great add with Deutsches Haus, a 2023 German historical drama Disney+ series. Also called The Interpreter of Silence and based on the novel by Annette Hess, this takes place in 1963 Germany, where twenty four-year-old Eva Bruhns(Katharina Stark) innocently takes job as a Polish translator for the Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials. As Eva led a sheltered life with her parents, she had little idea of the import of the trials, what she would hear there, or how little her friends and neighbors would want to hear it. And she may be unprepared for how personal the court testimony might become. Iris Berben, Anke Engelke, Aaron Altaras, Max von der Groeben and Sabin Tambrea also star, and there are 5 episodes available now. And this gets an incredible 7.4/10 on IMDb, and Oliver Armknecht of film-rezensionen wrote “the drama series is solid, especially since Disney was able to assemble an illustrious ensemble.” And I’m tuning in. Hulu also offers The Lady Bird Diaries, a 2023 award-winning doc. This tells the story of Lady Bird Johnson‘s experience as First Lady, beginning with the assassination of J.F.K., in a very eye-opening way, by use of her audio diaries. Using archival video footage, and the 123(!) hours of audio, we get the very words of Claudia Alta Johnson, or Lady Bird( a childhood nickname), as she confronted the very unexpected challenges of First Lady, and advised her husband in his new job. And so director Dawn Porter(Rise Again: Tulsa and the Red Summer) give a much more intimate and personal view of a first lady you may only have known by name, before. And this move has already won the Louis Black/Lone Star Award at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival, and may be nominated at the Oscars next year. And it gets a stupendous 100% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.1/10 on IMDb. Ann Hornaday of the Washington Post said “a film as graceful and laser-focused as its subject, The Lady Bird Diaries finally gives a fascinating figure her due, by literally letting her have the last word.” And I’m definitely watching. And finally, Hulu has added Arthdal Chronicles: The Sword of Aramun, a 2023 South Korean Disney+ fantasy series. Loosely based on the story of Dangun, the founder of the first Korean Kingdom of Gojoseon and Asadal, this takes place in the ancient mythical land called Arth, in the city of Arthdal, where Eun Seom (Lee Joon Gi) seeks to fight for his people, the Ago Tribe. But Ta-gon (Jang Dong Gun) seeks total rule in the kingdom, and he and his queen Tae Alha (Kim Ok Vin) will do anything to achieve that goal. And the High Priestess of Arthdal, Tan-ya(Shin Se Kyung)seeks a more utopian world. Lee Joon-gi, Park Hae-Joon, Cha Yong-hak, Yoon Sa-Bong and Lee Chae-Kyung also star, and there are 6 riveting episodes available for bingeing now. And this series gets a whopping 8.9/ 10 on IMDb, and there is a Season 1 of the Arthdal Chronicles on Netflix here , but Greg Wheeler of The Review Geek says “season 2 is arguably better than the first in some respects, especially given the action and urgency on display….fans should be pleased with this offering, and Arthdal Chronicles season 2 is an enjoyable romp. “And I’m definitely tuning in.
NETFLIX
And Netflix has an amazing add this week with Rustin, the 2023 historical biopic. This tells the true story of civil rights activist Bayard Rustin, played by Colman Domingo, a pivotal force for the movement, though lesser known. As a more outspoken for civil rights, including the interned Japanese Americans in WWII, this movie opens with Rustin‘s resignation from the NAACP, after rankling their more conservative leadership by pushing for a march on Washington. And Rustin‘s open gayness did not help with acceptance from the more conventional members of his associates, but he managed to come back with a roar, bringing the March on Washington and other civil rights actions into being. Interspersed are flashbacks informing us of Rustin‘s life, and numerous challenges, like his beating by police in a 1942 demonstration. Sadly, he was always threatened with exposure and condemnation over his being openly gay or a socialist, but the fact that he found a way to triumph even then, is celebrated here. Aml Ameen plays Rustin‘s good friend, Dr. Martin Luther King, Rashad Demond Edwards as Medgar Evers, and Da’Vine Joy Randolph(!) ,Glynn Turman, Jeffrey Wright(!), Audra McDonald (!) and Chris Rock(!) also star, and George C. Wolfe directs. And Barack and Michelle Obama served as executive producers on this movie that premiered at this year’s Telluride Film Festival, and has already won 6 awards, like the Audience Award for Narrative Feature at the 2023 Philadelphia Film Festival, and seems poised for more nominations, at least, in the coming awards season. And it gets an 86% on Rotten Tomatoes, with Thelma Adams of AARP Movies for Grownups calls it ” a bold and generous movie that sets its conventional biopic wrapper on fire.” And I’m definitely tuning in. Netflix has also Feedback, a 2023 Polish thriller series. This follows of Marcin Kania(Arkadiusz Jakubik), an ex-rocker and whose alcoholism has ruined his relationships with his family, but also addled his brain. So when his eldest son Piotrek (Jakub Sierenberg)goes missing, and Marcin was the last person to see him, and he can be of no help because he was drunk, he becomes frantic to not only sober up, but solve his son’s disappearance. Luckily, Commissioner Cezary Karlowicz is a fellow member of his alcoholism support group and a police detective, but as the pair search for clues, the police begin to zero in on Marcin himself as the culprit behind the crime. And this series gets a smashing 7.7/10 on IMDb, and Joel Keller of the Decider says “it’s an effective psychological thriller, with a main character that you get to know pretty well by the end of the first episode.” So I’m watching. Also new on Netflix is Nothing to See Here, a 2023 Mexican comedy series. Alexis plays Alexis, here, a young man determined to be a stand up comedian, despite the fact that his parents, and relatives want him to stay safe at home, because he is blind. His only real advocate is his best friend Charly, dealing with cerebral palsy himself, and together they set off for the wild scene of Mexico City. There, they encounter many adventures, new friends, and perilous situations they barely survive, but always with humor. Kike Vázquez, Enrique Arreola, Alejandro Calva, Verónica Merchant and Tete Espinoza also star, and there are 8 episodes available for streaming now. And this warmly humorous series gets an incredible 8.1/10 on IMDb, and Shabnam Jahan of LeisureByte writes “a poignant celebration of resilience, camaraderie, and the pursuit of dreams, the series stands as a testament to the power of determination in the face of societal expectations.” And I agree, its on my list. Netflix also offers The Queenstown Kings, a 2023 South African drama. This finds South African football(or soccer) star Buyile Mahamba or Mkhulu(as he is called), played by Zolisa Xaluva, returning home to Queenstown after his father’s death, and multiple humiliations of injury, being cut by his team and alcoholism that lands him in court. Meanwhile, his son Fezile, played by Likhona Mgali, has been dealing with being virtually abandoned by his father, but living with his mom, and becoming an excellent soccer player himself. The only trouble is his team, the Queenstown Kings, stinks and Mkhulu‘s offer to be assistant coach might be the answer to all their problems, if only Fezile would let him. But will his resentment of his father stand in the way of their potential success? Unathi Faku, Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa, Tessa Twala and Thoko Ntshinga also star, while Jahmil XT Qubeka directs. And this movie’s 5.4/10 on IMDb( due mostly to trolls?)is misleading, because it gets only good reviews online. Ashima Grover of Leisurebyte calls it “yet another loveable underdog sports story…exactly the kind of movie you need after a long week’s work that’ll help you unwind and relax. Sports dramas like this always work their magic in uplifting your mood.” And I agree. I’m definitely watching. And, finally, Netflix has added Crashing Eid, a 2023 Saudi romantic comedy series. This finds Razan, played by Summer Shesha, returning home to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from London with her teenage daughter (Bateel Qamlo),from a previous marriage, and her British Pakistani fiancé Sameer (Hamza Haq). But they haven’t come just because it’s Ramadan, but to get her parents permission for her new marriage, and Hasan and Mona, her dad and mom, are more conservative than she. And though Razan‘s first marriage ended after she was abused by her husband, her family just can’t seem to give up on their pretensions about that, or doubts about her choosing her own husband. Yasir Alsaggaf, Khalid Albhari, Amawri Ezayah, Amani Aljameel and Nagya al Rabiea also star, and Nora Aboushousha created this 4 episode series. And it gets a fantastic 7.2/10 on IMDb, with Ayush Awasthi of Film Fugitives calling it “a refreshing example of how to make a dramedy out of a complicated family situation that doesn’t have easy resolutions.”. And I’m definitely watching.
AMAZON
Amazon has few new interesting adds this week, but luckily, there are some award winning movies added during my absence that you won’t want to miss, like Full Time, the 2023 French thrilling drama. This features the dilemma of single mother Julie (Laure Calamy) , who seems to work overtime just to keep her exhausting job as a maid, while trying to get a better office job, while caring for her children. But when there is a train strike, she can’t commute easily and cheaply to Paris(her ex-husband not having paid her alimony), and she suddenly lose her childcare, and the breaking point finally comes. Anne Suarez, Geneviève Mnich, Nolan Arizmendi, and Sasha Lemaitre Cremaschi also star, and Eric Gravel directed, along with writing the script. had its world at the 78th Venice International Film Festival this year, where it won the Orizzonti Award for Best Director and Best Actress for Calamy, among others, and so, looks primed to win more this winter at the Oscars. And it gets a stunning 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, and a 7.4/10 on IMDb. Beatrice Loayza of the New York Times calls it a “breathlessly tense portrait of modern labor, this French drama stars Laure Calamy as a single mother who hits her breaking point during a nationwide strike.” I totally agree, and I am so watching. Amazon also offers Of an Age, a2022 Australian romance. This tells of a summer in 1999 Melbourne, when Kol, played by Elias Anton, an 18 year old dancer, meets the brother of his ballroom dancing partner, Adam (Thom Green) and they gradually fall in love. Kol had previously been in the closet, even to himself, and the affair has a wonderful but jarring impact on him. When the pair meet again decades later, their attraction may still be there, but they may not find the opportunity they abandoned in their youth. Hattie Hook plays Adam’s sister, Ebony, and Toby Derrick, Verity Higgins, Jack Kenny and Senuri Chandrani also star, and Goran Stolevski directed and wrote the script here. And this movie has already won the CinefestOZ Film Prize at the CinefestOz, among others, and after being named one of the top movies of 2023, so far, by Vanity Fair, more awards may be in the offing the the coming months. And it gets an impressive 7.1/10 on IMDb, and Katie Walsh of the Tribune News Service called it a “profoundly moving film about the beauty and the horror of what it means to be seen for the first time, to love for the first time, and how the past and future are constantly informing each other.” And I’m watching. And finally, Amazon offers the first season of Paris Police 1900, a 2022 French mystery series from the MHZ Choice channel . This follows young detective Antoine Jouin (Jérémie Laheurte), of the Police Prefecture, as he is assigned to investigate the murder of a woman whose torso was found in a suitcase in the Seine. As he goes to work for Police Chief Louis Lépine, they begin to use more modern forensics and technology to aid in solving the crime, along the investigations of legal assistant, Jeanne Chauvin, who is not allowed to practice the law because of her gender. And all the while, the city simmers with talk of revolution, after the death of President Félix Faure. Marc Barbé plays Lépine, and Eugénie Derouand, Valérie Dashwoode, Evelyne Brochu and Thibaut Evrard also star, and there are 8 episodes available for bingeing now. And this series gets a remarkable 7.1/10 on IMDb, and Neely Swanson of the Easy Reader (California) said “corruption, murder, right wing fanatics, anarchists, sex, blackmail. As the French would say, ‘délicieux.'” And I love a mystery, so I’m watching. But remember, it leaves Prime in 12 days!! So maybe a Thanksgiving binge is in order.
So sit back and binge this weekend, on classics, old and new, on Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. Enjoy!
Grownups Guide to Streaming 