The final weekend of Advent is here, with Christmas Eve jingling its way to us this Sunday and Old Saint Nick squeezing down our chimneys in time for Christmas morning.
It’s the first very wintry weekend in these parts also, with a rainy morning gone chilly, transforming into a very wet snowfall just in time for Yuletide.
What better way to spend such a cold, grey, festive weekend than kicking back in the cozy warmth of your home and streaming some new shows and movies? There’s both new content and some recent theatrical releases that have made their way to streaming this weekend. Let’s dive right in . . . .
Rebel Moon: Part One — A Child Of Fire (Netflix)
Zack Snyder’s big Star Wars / Dune knockoff, Rebel Moon, lands on Netflix this Friday. It’s getting panned by critics with a dismal 22% Rotten Tomatoes score, but fans—Snyder has a passionate, vocal following—are being gentler, with a 72% audience score. I’ll have to watch for myself this weekend and report back. I generally enjoy some stuff about Snyder’s films, while almost always walking away disappointed by the script. Also, movies should be stand-alone or trilogies or longer epics like Harry Potter, but not this two-part nonsense. A trilogy is usually comprised of three complete movies which form a three-act whole, but a two-parter (like the most recent Mission Impossible) is just one long movie with a cliffhanger. Stop it, Hollywood!
What If…? (Disney+)
Marvel’s much-loved What If…? animated show returns with another season of hypothetical stories that ask the question in the title. What if Iron Man made his suit out of glass instead of iron? That sort of thing. A new episode releases Friday, Saturday and Sunday before settling into a normal weekly release cycle. I like this idea! Kind of halfway between dropping a whole season and releasing weekly.
Percy Jackson and the Olympians (Disney+)
I’ve actually (weirdly) never read the Percy Jackson books despite being an avid YA reader, and I didn’t see the movies, either. But I watched the first two episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney+ and really enjoyed it! (Here’s my review). It’s not perfect, but it’s a charming, family-friendly fantasy series that I have high hopes for. I think the first two episodes were still finding their feet, and I’m excited to see where the show takes us when our heroes set out on their quest.
Beaue Is Afraid (Paramount+)
I’ve been waiting for the weird A24 Joaquin Phoenix-led Beau Is Afraid to hit streaming and now it’s finally out on Paramount+ / Showtime. It’s sort of a horror movie, I guess. More theater of the absurd by the looks of it. But director Ari Aster has scared us before with such grim films as Midsommar and Hereditary.
Saltburn (Amazon Prime Video)
Another very, very weird-looking film, Saltburn only recently left theaters (and might actually still be in some). A story of debauchery, decadence and wealth that follows an Oxford student who invites another student to his family estate for the summer. This was written and directed by Emerald Fennel and has quite a cast, including Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi and Rosamund Pike, who I’ve only seen in The Wheel Of Time in recent years. Margot Robbie co-produces. It looks . . . very strange!
Slow Horses (Apple TV)
We’re now in the back half of our little weekend streaming guide. These are three of the shows I’m currently watching with weekly episodic releases on their respective streaming platforms.
Slow Horses is once again a top-tier spy thriller-comedy and Gary Oldman is at his rather disgusting best once again. My only complaint about the Apple TV series is how short each season is. I’m sorry, but six episodes per season is simply not enough and I feel (once again) that we’re being sold a little short. And this season is really good! I don’t want it to end in just one more episode!
Fargo (Hulu)
I’m really loving Season 5 of Fargo. The blend of Minnesota midwest crime, The Wizard Of Oz and The Nightmare Before Christmas (with just a spoonful of Home Alone) really makes for a wild ride. I just think the political commentary is too heavy-handed and on-the-nose. Other than that, it’s great!
Reacher (Amazon Prime Video)
I need to write a review of Season 2 of Amazon’s Reacher, based on the thriller novels by Lee Child. I liked Season 1 . . . a lot more. This one feels off, with more plot holes, less chemistry between actors and other issues that are harder to pin down. I think Alan Ritchson is perfect for the role, but did he need to bulk up even more? Reacher isn’t gym-bulky in the books. And there was a certain seen with a tossed barbeque that just really made no sense. It’s still fun, but, eh. Not as good. And if I hear “nobody messes with the Special Investigations Unit” one more time . . . But gripes aside, it’s still good brainless fun, kind of like the novels.
What are you watching this weekend? Any Christmas recommendations? Let me know on Twitter or Facebook.
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