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 – The Outfit
Just when you figured there was nothing new to eek out of the crime genre, a film like The Outfit will come along and prove you wrong.
It follows a cutter who tailors for the community and the mob. But when his shop become ground zero for a bloody tragedy one night, he must use his cunning to push back against the mob in order to survive.
The acting is uniformly fantastic, with Mark Rylance giving an understated, intelligent performance. He’s joined by young actors Zoey Deutch, Johnny Flynn, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and a really good Dylan O’Brien here.
Co-writer and director Graham Moore (writer of The Imitation Game) creates a thoughtful, intriguing picture here, even if it falls apart a bit at the end. It’s overall a great flick, and a cut above your typical genre fare.
On Amazon Prime Video – Apocalypse Now
I’m not joking when I say this is one of the absolute best movies of all-time, and a triumph for all involved.
Director Francis Ford Coppola’s war epic had a spectacularly difficult shoot, but overcame it all to become a heralded classic.
It follows a U.S. Army Officer tasked during Vietnam to assassinate a Special Forces Colonel who has slipped into delusion and gone rogue.
The cast is beyond incredible, and features turns from Martin Sheen, Marlon Brando, Frederic Forrest, Robert Duvall, Laurence Fishburne, Harrison Ford, Dennis Hopper, and more.
It’s the greatest war film ever made, and I find myself immersed in the film with every single viewing.
On Crave – Suze
This is a tender film that features a close relationship not marked by sex or romance, and this comedy is bounds above others of its ilk for that reason alone.
Suze follows a mother dealing with empty nest issues following her daughter’s departure for university. Her child Brooke stops taking her calls, and through a number of trials and tribulations, she finds herself bonding with her daughter’s aloof ex-boyfriend.
He’s also been left by Brooke, and the two end up living together under strange circumstances. But sometimes you find you have more in common with people you detest than you imagined.
Michaela Watkins is wonderful, as is New Brunswicker Charlie Gillespie. Sara Waisglass, Sandy Jobin-Bevans, and Sorika Wolf also give good performances.
It’s a good-natured film with a kind beating heart, and definitely worth investing some time in.
On Disney+ – The Acolyte
Amidst cries from the Star Wars fanbase that it’s becoming “too woke” a franchise, The Acolyte has received its fair share of criticism.
But I’d be remiss if I didn’t tell you this is one of the absolute finest shows of the year, and anyone who doesn’t like it likely isn’t a true fan of Star Wars.
A former Jedi is pulled into a murder investigation when she is seen as the prime suspect, but they soon realize there’s more afoot than they originally imagined.
As memories from the past come to the forefront, there are a number of complex issues that come into play.
Amandla Stenberg gives an incredible turn, and she’s joined by Dafne Keen, Lee Jung-jae, Jodie Turner-Smith, and more.
It’s a promising show that I’ll definitely be watching weekly as things continue to unfold.
On Paramount+ -- The Social Network
This film about Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg pulls no punches in its portrayal of a brilliant man who isn’t the best-liked.
It begins during the social media conglomerate’s humble beginnings at Harvard University and sees Zuckerberg take on lawsuits by those who claimed he stole the idea. He also faced legal battles from a co-founder.
One thing I love about director David Fincher’s film is it doesn’t paint Zuckerberg as some perfect being, which many biopics do for their subjects.
Jesse Eisenberg gets the role of a lifetime here, and doesn’t squander it. He’s joined by Andrew Garfield, Justin Timberlake, Armie Hammer, and Rooney Mara.
The film is so much better than I could have ever expected, and remains one of the best of the 2010s.
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]
