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 only one movie added this week, It Lives Inside, a 2023 horror flick. This follows Samidha(Megan Suri), or Sam, an American East Indian high school student, who, though popular and successful, tries to escape her heritage. So when her friend Tamira (Mohana Krishnan), begins to fear one particular monster of her childhood is tormenting her, Sam ignores her, and when Tamira then disappears, Sam feels guilty. But her troubles are just beginning. For the horrific ghoul that haunted Tamira is now haunting Sam‘s dreams, and then, begins attacking those she loves in real life. Neeru Bajwa, Mohana Krishnan, Betty Gabriel, and Vik Sahay also star, and Bishal Dutta directs her first feature here. And this movie gets a 62% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Brandon Yu of the New York Times says “it’s a promising debut from Dutta, who offers a fresh premise that proves a natural fit for the genre.” But you know it’s way too scary for me. Luckily, Hulu also offers Maestra: Strings of Truth, a 2023 South Korean Disney+ mystery/drama series. this tells of Conductor Cha Se-eum(Lee Young-ae), who begins a prestigious stint leading the Hangang Philharmonic, but finds a strange mystery there, but has secrets of her own, to hide. While investigating that mystery, she also has to endure intense pressure of being a woman in a male-dominated field, and an unhappy marriage, as well. Lee Moo-saeng, Kim Young-jae, Hwang Boreumbyeol, and Park Ho-san also star, while Kim Jung-kwon directs all 8 episodes. Based on the French series Philharmonia, this show gets an astounding 8.1/10 on IMDb, and Isabella Endrinal of a Good Movie to Watch calls it “a compelling drama, with such a compelling personality, and it’s scored with some of the best classical pieces in the world.” And I’m watching. Hulu also has My Home Hero, a 2023 Disney+ Japanese Crime drama series. This considers the dilemma of Tetsuo Toso(Kuranosuke Sasaki), an average office worker and family man, who impulsively kills his daughter’s abusive boyfriend, Nobuto. His wife Kasen(Tae Kimura) , upon finding him with the body, helps him in the confusion of what to do with the body, but luckily, Tetsuo is a fan of crime fiction and mysteries. But the problems keep coming, because Nobuto was yakuza, and his friend Kyoichi(Kyôhei Takahashi) wants answers and starts zeroing in on Tetsuo and his family. And so Tetsuo sinks deeper and deeper into the criminal world, and his crime. Asuka Saitô, Yasushi Fuchikami, Takuma Otoo, Shuichiro Naito and Tae Kimura also star, and there are 12 episodes available now. And this series, based on an anime series, gets an amazing 7.1/10 on IMDb, and Kristen Lazur of the Review Geek wrote it “still packs a punch, albeit with some added physical humor.” Which is why I’m watching-it’s funny, along with murder and mystery. So I’m tuning in. And finally, Hulu has Susie Searches, a 2022 mystery/comedy. Kiersey Clemons stars as Susie, an awkward Ohio college student and overachiever, as well as a mystery buff with a true crime pod cast. But just when her numbers start to go down, another college student disappears, and Susie, miraculously follows the clues and finds him. Becoming the town hero may change her life, but when people become suspicious about her incredible good luck, they find she actually committed the crime. And now it may be murder for her to clean things up. Jim Gaffigan, Alex Wolff, Rachel Sennott, Isaac Powell, Ken Marino and Geoffrey Owens also star, and Sophie Kargman directed, along with writing the script. this premiered at the and has been nominated for two awards, including New Voices/New Visions Grand Jury Prize at the 2023 Palm Springs International Film Festival. and it gets a 6/10 on IMDb, and Noel Murray of the L.A. Times said “as a Hitchcockian thriller with a slippery hero, this film can be ruthlessly effective.” And it’s funny too, so I’m watching.
NETFLIX
Netflix has few big titles added this weeks, but some wonderful adds, nonetheless, with series like Berlin, a 2023 thriller series. A prequel to Money Heist(!), this tells of legendary thief Berlin, played by Pedro Alonso, in his glory days in Paris, when, after breaking up with his third wife, his team shows up for one of their biggest heists ever. this time, the theft of 44 million euros worth of jewels from 34 cities, in one night. But, Berlin, unfortunately, sets his sights on a woman named Camille (Samantha Siqueiros), the wife of his target, that may bring the whole enterprise down. Michelle Jenner, Julio Peña, Begoña Vargas, Tristán Ulloa and Najwa Nimri also star, and there are 8 episodes available now. And this series gets an amazing 7.4/10 on IMDb, but be forewarned, critics say it’s not as good as the original. Daniel Hart of Ready Steady Cut writes “Berlin has a brilliant cast. The heist team has great chemistry, like its sister series. However, with all the nonsense surrounding Berlin’s obsession, the series quickly departs from an exciting heist halfway through.” But it’s still Money Heist , so it’s on my list. Netflix has also added Three of Us, a 2023 Indian drama. Here, Shailaja (Shefali Shah) suffers from early onset dementia, and so wants to make a trip to her small hometown of Kombal, from Mumbai. Her husband, Dipankar (Swanand Kirkire) goes with her, expecting a tame nostalgic journey, but when her old flame, Pradeep Kamat (Jaideep Ahlawat) reappears, he is less than pleased, but Shailaja’s traumatic past looms large. And their trip home may offer her liberation from it, and absolution, too. Payal Jadhav and Kadambari Kadam also star, and Avinash Arun Dhaware directs. This premiered at the International Film Festival of India and it gets a stunning 8/10 on IMDb. Prati Suur of Outlook calls it “a masterpiece in acting [and] the Best Film I’ve seen this year. I am going with 5 stars.” So I’m watching. Netflix also offers Thank You, I’m Sorry, a 2023 comedy. Here, heavily pregnant, Sara , played by Sanna Sundqvist, finds herself alone after the sudden death of her husband, Daniel. Stunned and alone, her estranged older sister, Linda(Charlotta Björck) arrives, with her boyfriend/live-in partner. And though the two sisters are almost exact opposites, they manage to navigate the difficulties of grief and family, together. Amaël Blomgren Alcaide, Ia Langhammer, Juan Rodriguez, Peshang Rad and Ville Virtanen also star, while Lisa Aschen directs. and this movie gets a 6/10 on IMDb, and Pooja Darade of LeisureByte says “for those intrigued by the exploration of human relationships amid personal crises, it proves to be a compelling watch.” And I’m tuning in. Also new on Netflix is Bad Lands, a 2023 Japanese thriller. No, this has nothing to do with the American 70’s classic movie Badlands, but tells the story of Neri , played by Sakura Ando, who has finally found a life of stability and success, after experiencing abuse and hardship. But when her stepbrother, Yashiro(Ryosuke Yamada), shows up with a lot of cash, he threatens everything she’s accomplished. Because the money isn’t his, of course, and the mob wants it back. Katsuhisa Namase, Mitsuo Yoshihara, Yasumasa Oba, Yasushi Fuchigami, and Ryudo Uzaki also star, and Masato Harada directs. And this movie gets a respectable 6.4/10 on IMDb, and ofthe Midgard Times says its “”a film that will resonate deeply with aficionados of the crime thriller genre, offering a tantalizing peek into a world where survival hinges on cunning and nerve.” And I’m watching. And, finally, Netflix has added Secret Royal Inspector & Joy, a 2021 K-historical drama/comedy series. This takes place during the classic Joseon dynasty, when Royal Inspectors are being killed, and so the inept Yi geum (Kim Myung Soo) is chosen to pose as one, to discover the killer. Luckily, he meets Kim Joy(Kim Hye-yoon) , a divorcee who dreams of becoming a Royal Inspector herself, which is not allowed in the misogynistic culture at that time . and so she joins forces with Yi-geum, to bring down killers, corrupt officials and other bad actors in their world. And who knows what else will happen, in the mean time. Kwon Na-ra, Lee Yi-kyung, Lee Tae-hwan and Jae-Kyoon Lee also star, and there are 16 episodes available for bingeing now. And this series gets an incredible 7.2/10 on IMDb, and Pierce Conran of the South China Morning Post says it “has it all: food, murder, divorce, corruption, even a superhuman feat..” And I’m definitely tuning in.
AMAZON
Amazon has no worthwhile new adds this week, but still, some notable newer adds, like Deep Water, a 2023 British drama series. This tells of three friends, Roz, Lisa and Kate , living in England’s Lake District, grappling with problems that lie under the surface of their everyday lives. Roz(Sinead Keenan), a physiotherapist, deals with gambling debts of her partner, Winston, , Lisa(Anna Friel) lives with the frustrations of her unfulfilled dreams , and Kate(Rosalind Eleazar) struggles with past trauma. But when Kate’s daughter, Lucinda, disappears, panic ensues, and then, trouble snowballs, that may threaten their relationships and even, their lives. Alastair Mackenzie, Nell Williams, Indeyarna Donaldson-Holness and Steven Cree also star, and there are episodes available for streaming now. and it gets a 6.5/10 on IMDb, and Mariano Gonzalez of CinemaGavia says “comparisons with Big Little Lies may be tangential in the approach, but Deep Water finds its own tone. Without being a very original series, it has something interesting to say.” But too soapy for me. Amazon also has The Lost King, a 2023 fantasy drama. This put a fantastical spin on the true story of amateur historian, Philippa Langley(Sally Hawkins), who has visions of Richard III,(Harry Lloyd) telling her where to find his burial place. With a faltering marriage to John (Steve Coogan), a boring job and ill health, Langley devotes herself to her passion, Richard III, and his lost burial place. Langley is also drawn to Richard‘s own ‘disability,’ his scoliosis, that had contemporaries deem him as monstrous, and his adversaries, who used ‘fake news’ to vilify him after his death. Mark Addy, James fleet, Robert Jack, and Jessica Hardwick also star, and Stephen Frears directed. And while this film isn’t totally successful, Sally Hawkins, of course, pulls it out. And so it gets a 77% on Rotten Tomatoes, and Tim Cogshell of Filmweek wrote “it’s sweet and nice, but it didn’t need the extra stuff.” But it’s still on my list. And finally, Amazon has some great streaming deals for the first two months of your subscription, with providers like Starz, BET+, Paramount+ or MGM+ for $1.99/month for 2 months or first run movies like Aftersun or You Hurt My Feelings, to rent for only $4.99, or buy for only $6.99. There are some very good deals, but they only last through January 1, so act now if you want a treat for the New Year!
So sit back and binge this weekend, on classics, old and new, on Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime. Enjoy!
Grownups Guide to Streaming 