Looking for your next binge-worthy series or film to add to your streaming queue? Check back with Village Life every Friday for Jordan Parker's comprehensive insights on the week's most buzz-worthy programs from top streaming services like Netflix, Crave, Amazon Prime, and beyond.
On Crave – Tar
I’m still absolutely shocked that Cate Blanchett didn’t take home her third Oscar statuette for this tour-de-force performance.
Nominated for six Oscars, this is the story of a famed, lauded composer-conductor whose misdeeds in her personal life threaten to send her professional accomplishments crumbling to the ground.
Lydia Tar is the first female director of a major German orchestra, and is considered an absolute trailblazer, but is accused of using her position of power to take advantage of students and young, impressionable women.
The #MeToo era film is stunning, and a truly difficult watch. Blanchett plays a character who – in a career turn – is spiralling out of control. Paired with a difficult screenplay and steady direction from Todd Field, it’s a shocking piece.
I’d put this in my top five from last year, and it’s worth seeing for Blanchett alone.
On Amazon Prime Video – Phantom Thread
There are few actors as well-regarded as Daniel Day-Lewis. Over the last 30 years, he’s amassed three Oscars and six overall nominations.
Notoriously picky, Phantom Thread was his final film before his retirement, and he once again gives an incredible performance.
It follows a dressmaker in 1950s London who finds his entire world changed by a young woman named Alma, who quickly becomes his muse.
Day Lewis lost the Oscar to Gary Oldman, but the film did win for its beautiful Costume Design. Lesley Manville and Vicky Krieps also give inspired turns.
This is my favourite recent Paul Thomas Anderson film, and his best since There Will Be Blood. It’s art at its finest.
On Paramount+ -- The Offer
I had no idea this mini-series even existed until two weeks ago, and I binged it immediately. I just could not stop watching.
Nominated for three Critics Choice Awards, this is the tale of the making of The Godfather, one of the best movies ever produced. It’s told through the eyes of real-life producer Al Ruddy, who helped write the teleplay here.
The reason this thing works is the cast – many of whom have big shoes to fill. Miles Teller is Ruddy, Dan Fogler plays legendary director Francis Ford Coppola, and Grey’s Anatomy alum Justin Chambers is Marlon Brando.
Matthew Goode is Emmy-worthy as Paramount Studios head Robert Evans, and Juno Temple, Burn Gorman, Colin Hanks, and Giovanni Ribisi (doing his best work in years) all bring this show to life.
It’s funny, engrossing, and never for a second boring. If you love The Godfather – and who doesn’t? – this behind-the-scenes look will leave you clamouring for another viewing.
On Disney+ -- No One Will Save You
This phenomenon of a film has the Internet buzzing, and for good reason. Stephen King and director Guillermo Del Toro have given it the stamp of approval, and that was enticing enough in itself for me to throw this one on.
There are exactly five words spoken in this cross between a home-invasion thriller and alien movie, and the rest of it is told through body language and the incredible performance from Kaitlyn Dever.
Writer-director Brian Duffield’s film is – on the surface – about a young woman who faces an alien attack at her home, but it’s so much more than that.
A story about angst, anxiety, and coming to grips with your past, it’s a meditation on grief and the fact we must forgive ourselves to heal from our misdeeds.
I don’t want to spoil much, but suffice to say this is one of the most impactful movies of 2023, and those who seek it out will absolutely adore it.
On Netflix – Reptile
This film is the very definition of a slow-burn, and your enjoyment of it depends solely on your patience for this methodical endeavour.
We don’t get atmospheric, journey crime films like this anymore, but audiences willing to follow our protagonist Detective Tom Nichols as he tries to solve the central crime will be rewarded.
The story begins with the murder of real estate agent Summer in one of the homes she was to show, and the grief felt by her boyfriend Will Grady, who runs a real estate company with his mother.
But in a case that points in many directions, Nichols can’t rule anyone out. His journey to the truth is spell-binding, and with Benicio Del Toro as Nichols, he provides his best performance in years.
Turns from Alicia Silverstone, Eric Bogosian, Michael Pitt, and Frances Fisher are fabulous, with Justin Timberlake being the major weak spot as Will.
While there are some pacing issues – it could be trimmed by 20 minutes – it’s a solid debut from music video director Grant Singer, and a triumph for Del Toro.
About The Author:
Jordan Parker is a freelance journalist and runs entertainment firm Parker PR. A huge lover and supporter of the local arts scene, he’s an avid filmgoer and lover of all genres.
A 2SLGBTQIA+ professional, he also works doing Events & Fundraising for the AIDS Coalition of Nova Scotia and has a passion for giving a platform to queer events and artists.
His writing often skews toward local businesses, productions, events, and covering arts & entertainment. He’s also an avid sports fan and spends every May getting let down by the Maple Leafs in the first round of the playoffs.
Jordan believes in an open-door policy and welcomes story pitches and questions from readers.
Email: [email protected]
