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 Netflix – Mandy
It’s fair to say that prior to this film, Nicolas Cage was in a rut. An Oscar winner, the actor had been relegated to direct-to-video C-movies for much of his late career.
But with one singular performance in an incredible genre film, Cage turned around his entire career and started a resurgence.
A horror film with verve and bite, Mandy follows a couple living in the forest whose lives are changed when a cult and crew of demon bikers commit a brutal home invasion.
The events set off a bloody revenge tale for heartbroken Red Miller, and things get very, very interesting from there.
Turns from Andrea Riseborough, Linus Roache, Ned Dennehy, Richard Brake, and Bill Duke are suitably campy and creepy, but Nicolas Cage puts the audience under his spell entirely.
It’s definitely not a movie for everyone, but those who are entranced by it will never forget its effect.
On Amazon Prime Video – Golda
It’s an intense, truly politically-charged time in our culture, and for good reason. Golda – for me – was a movie I watched about a historical event that became difficult to separate from our current issues.
However, as a dramatized chronicling of the battle during the Yom Kippur War, this is a difficult and challenging film that succeeds due to the performances.
Helen Mirren is astounding as leader Golda Meir, also known as The Iron Lady Of Israel. She is sympathetic, harsh and also manages to balance a tight-rope very well. Mirren is one of only a few who could pull this off.
Performances from Liev Schreiber, Rotem Keinan, Rami Heuberger, Emma Davies, and so many more are fabulous, with an incredible and diverse cast to propel this forward.
Director Guy Nattiv and writer Nicholas Martin make an engaging, difficult political film that showcases Mirren’s considerable talent.
On Crave – Sisu
A foreign-language cross between John Wick and Inglourious Basterds, this hidden gem Sisu was one of my favourite films of 2023 that got no attention.
It follows a former soldier who discovers gold in the Lapland wilderness, and during his journey to take it to the city, but Nazi soldiers try to steal his new find on his way.
He ends up in a brutal fight to keep what he found, and draws the ire of the entire German army.
The best thing about Sisu is there are no A-list distractions. Jorma Tommila is not well-known in North America, though he does have a large resume. He does a fantastic job in the lead.
He has a screen presence that makes this a must-watch, and for those who like their revenge films absolutely full of carnage, you can’t get much better than this one.
On Disney+ -- Echo
I have not truly enjoyed a Marvel offering since End Game in 2019, and had no belief that Echo would change that. And yet, this new Disney+ show knocked me off my feet.
It follows Maya Lopez, a young Indigenous and deaf woman who rejects her villainous adopted uncle Kingpin following the realization he killed her father years prior.
She goes back home to reconnect with her Native American roots and take Kingpin’s criminal empire down for good, but realizes she has a lot from her past she needs to reconcile.
Alaqua Cox is a star, and her role as Maya proves it. Vincent D’Onofrio is once again amazing as Kingpan, reprising his role from Daredevil. But this largely Indigenous cast – including Tantoo Cardinal, Graham Greene, Chaske Spencer, and Devery Jacobs – is the reason this works.
They are so full of breezy charm and talent, and many of them have been character actors for decades. To see them getting more fulsome, important roles is amazing, and needs to happen more for Native American actors.
This show is connected to Hawkeye and Daredevil, and it fits perfectly in Marvel canon while also carving out its own niche. It’s one of the best series I’ve watched in the last few years, truly.
On Paramount+ -- The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial
Director William Friedkin was a titan, known for his Oscar-winning work on The French Connection and classic horror movie The Exorcist.
This is the last film he made before his passing, and it leaves a lasting, indelible impression on those who sit down to enjoy it.
It follows a trial where naval officer Maryk is facing charges for mutiny following his forceful takeover of the Caine ship. He believed Captain Queeg was mentally unsound due to his decisions as they pushed into a storm, and instead decided to use his own knowledge to keep the men safe.
But the trial is a merry-go-round of accounts and ideals about what happened with no clear way forward. As things continue to become more muddled, the judges must sort fact from fiction.
Young star Jake Lacy – of The White Lotus fame – is fantastic. Let it be known Jason Clarke, the late Lance Reddick, Monica Raymund, and Lewis Pullman are all also great, but this does not work without the bravura turn from Kiefer Sutherland as Queeg.
An under-appreciated 2023 film, it is a fantastic send-off for legendary director Friedkin, and a captivating watch.
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]
