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 – The Chi
As it readies for season six on Crave, The Chi is literally the best show on television no one is talking about.
This show is both a coming-of-age story and a saga about the criminal underworld of residents of Chicago’s South Side. The show starts with a murder and the ripple effect it creates for so many in the community, but it has morphed into a whole different show.
Its sixth season just began, but if you’re starting from the beginning, you’re in for a real treat. Endlessly funny, dramatic and sometimes downright-scary, this is a show that manages to blend all genres in a unique, perfect manner.
It’s created by Emmy winner Lena Waithe – best known for Master of None and Daniel Kaluuya film Queen & Slim – and it’s brimming with incredible characters and unforgettable moments.
Starring Jacob Latimore, Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine, Alex R. Hibbert, Michael Epps, Birgundi Baker, Curtiss Cook, and so many more, you’ll notice many of these actors aren’t household names. And yet you’ll be astounded by each member of the ensemble.
It’s a show that will stick with you, and I can’t believe it’s not a serious Emmy contender.
On Netflix – Matrix: Resurrections
Like most other people, I was captivated by the original Matrix film and let down completely by the final two part of the trilogy.
So when this fourth film was announced, I didn’t hold too much hope for a hit. Box-office returns and audiences spelt disappointment, but for once I sided with critics, who were mostly favourable to the return of Neo.
Though Laurence Fishburne’s absence is notable here, both Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss return as Neo and Trinity, and they do the characters justice. In the story of two realities – everyday life and the background behind it – we see Neo dealing with delusions and general anxiety.
He goes back to the Matrix to find answers for his unexplainable feelings of dread, and to find out if things aren’t rosy behind-the-curtain.
While I miss Fishburne, newcomers Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Jonathan Groff, Jessica Henwick and Neil Patrick Harris all add some gravitas. Jada Pinkett Smith, Christina Ricci, and Priyanka Chopra Jonas also make up this great cast.
Co-written and directed by Lana Wachowski, it’s got the signature Matrix flair. It may not become the classic the original did, but it’s certainly an improvement on the other two films in the franchise.
On Amazon Prime Video – Mr. Brooks
An unsung masterpiece of the 2000s, Mr. Brooks is the rare suspense film that brings brains along for the ride.
It follows rich and famous businessman Earl Brooks, who has everything: A wife who loves him, a successful firm and a doting daughter. But he’s plagued by addiction – Mr. Brooks is a serial killer, and struggles to control himself.
When he kills a couple – his first uncontrolled impulse in two years – he’s captured in photographs committing the crime by Mr. Smith, who blackmails him into teaching him how to become a killer himself. The two play an uneasy game of cat-and-mouse with a driven detective on their tail.
We don’t talk about it now, but there was a good 10-year period after the 1996 flop of Waterworld where Kevin Costner’s options were limited, and this is a contender for best pre-Yellowstone project, along with western Outer Range.
Costner is joined by Demi Moore, a villainous William Hurt, Marg Helgenberger and Danielle Panabaker. The weak link is definitely Dane Cook as Mr. Smith, but this even represents a high for the comedian.
Save for the Oscar-nominated adapted screenplay he wrote for Stand By Me, this is a high point in the career of director Bruce A. Evans, and a hidden gem you must seek out.
On Paramount+ -- Face/Off
In their heyday, two of the absolute biggest stars in Hollywood combined for one of the most outlandish, ridiculous and awe-inspiring action films ever made.
The film was Face/Off, which saw FBI agent Sean Archer undergo a facial transplant with comatose criminal Castor Troy in order to stop a terrorist plot. But when Troy wakes up prematurely and assumes Archer’s identity as well, this high-octane role-reversal film really gets going.
As Archer struggles to get his life back, he is also struggling with the memories of his son’s murder at the hands of Troy years prior. This is a topsy-turvy, insane movie that I absolutely love.
Watching John Travolta and Nicolas Cage go full bore is invigorating, and you can tell they’re having a great time. Joan Allen, Alessandro Nivola, Gina Gershon, Nick Cassavetes (director of The Notebook) and Colm Feore also star.
This is just an absolutely silly film – You need to suspend your disbelief and strap in, and you’ll absolutely love it.
On Disney+ -- The Sessions
This is a hilarious, beautiful film that works chiefly because the performances are exquisite from top-to-bottom.
It follows a man in an iron lung who desperately wants to lose his virginity. His priest and therapist help him track down a sex surrogate they hope can help him. It’s a heartfelt comedy-drama that deserved way more kudos when it came out in 2012.
John Hawkes plays Mark with a grace and sparkling sense of humour that makes this his best role ever. Helen Hunt was nominated for an Oscar here, and William H. Macy, Rhea Perlman and Adam Arkin are all great too.
This one has a strong beating heart and is adorable and adult at the same time – I highly recommend it.
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]
