Below are the best films and shows you’ll find in streaming at the moment. I’m going to finish binging The Night Agent (a surprisingly enjoyable treat from Netflix) now, but as always, I hope you have a nice, restful weekend.
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It’s been a while since Netflix released a genuinely engaging political thriller. The Recruit was okay, but it was more funny than gripping, while Luther: The Fallen Sun’s big stars couldn’t save the story’s messy goals.
But The Night Agent, Netflix’s latest series, finally works. It follows FBI agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) as he gets inadvertently entangled in a conspiracy that leads him all the way to the White House.
The 10-part series isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel or say something particularly relevant, but by faithfully sticking to a formula, it ends up being fulfilling, a true treat for fans of action-packed classics.
OUR TOP MOVIE OF THE WEEK
Missing
Available for rent on Amazon Prime Video 🍅 rating: 87%
When Big Tech and trolls have all but villainized the internet, it's hard to forget that good can come out of it sometimes. But Missing makes a case for its usefulness: in the film, the internet is the sole means by which an 18-year-old tries to find her missing mother.
Played by Storm Reid, June Allen is endlessly creative in the cyber sphere. She makes use of geotrackers, earth cams, and even digital watches to get ahead of the authorities, who for their part, are tied down by legalities and red tape.
Missing shows us the potential of technology, what it can do if used for good, and it's a refreshing take given the (understandably) many films that are fearful of it.
Top picks outside of Netflix and Amazon Prime
The Hulu series Unprisoned tackles serious issues with a light and comical touch.
Unprisoned follows therapist Paige (Kerry Washington), an upbeat and ambitious therapist who reluctantly welcomes her father, the recently released Edwin (Delroy Lindo), back into her life. The series tackles pretty heavy themes, from child neglect to racial injustice, but it does so with a surprisingly comical touch. Paige and Edwin laugh through a lot of their pain, not to brush them off but to acknowledge them in their own way. It’s moving, charming, and informative; certainly worth giving a watch, especially since each episode only runs for 30 mins long. Streaming on Hulu.
Fans of Brooklyn Nine-Nine will be happy to know that lead Andy Samberg is back on TV with Digman!, an adult animated series Samberg writes, produces, and stars in. It’s silly and adventurous, a mix between Rick and Morty and National Treasure (Samberg puts on a voice that is amusingly reminiscent of his Nicholas Cage impersonation), and it’s worth putting on if you’re a fan of this sort of irreverent humor. Streaming on FuboTV.
New titles worth your time
If you feel the need for speed, you can now stream Top Gun: Maverick on Amazon Prime.
Waco: American Apocalypse, a compelling docuseries about the cult leader David Koresh, is new and worth checking out on Netflix. The 2015 film Carol, which stars Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara as lovers, also just arrived on Netflix. The romantic film is not new, but it certainly warrants a rewatch.
One of last year’s biggest films, Top Gun: Maverick is finally on Amazon Prime! Time to rewatch the instant classic.
Also new on Amazon Prime is Boy and the World, a Brazilian animated adventure film that was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2015 Oscars.
Great titles that will soon expire
March is coming to a close next week, so many great titles will be leaving soon. Ready your to-watch lists!
The endlessly intriguing Burning will be leaving Amazon Prime soon.
On Netflix, the period thrillers The Imitation Game and Official Secrets are set to expire on March 27 and March 28, respectively. Coincidentally, both star Keira Knightley, queen of period films.
Still on Netflix, the Indian comedy classic 3 Idiots and the Australian drama Lion leave March 30. While on March 31, noteworthy movies set to expire are the action film Minority Report, the biopic Molly's Game, and the coming-of-age horror flick Raw. Older classics expiring on the same day (and still worth mentioning in case you want a rewatch) are Forrest Gump, Labyrinth, The Aviator, and Seabiscuit.
Meanwhile, on Amazon Prime, the worthy films leaving on March 30 are the mystery thriller Margin Call, the Michael Moore documentary Bowling for Columbine, the action thriller Ronin, the New Zealand classic Whale Rider, the Korean mystery Burning, and the critically-acclaimed adaptations Of Mice and Men and Much Ado About Nothing.
Still on Prime, more well-known but equally notable movies expiring on March 31 are Erin Brockovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Minda, Escape from New York, Inside Man, and The Breadwinner.
That’s all for this week. This edition of the newsletter will be back on Friday, March 31.
Till then,
Renee
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