Here’s a quick rundown of some of the newest content, with capsule reviews to let you know if they’re worth watching, and your type of show.
Mare of Easttown (HBO Go) - Here’s a small town, blue-collar detective Series that’s been critically acclaimed, and well-received by audiences all over. It stars Kate Winslett, and you can forget the Winslett you may remember from Titanic. Always known as a great Method actress, Kate inhabits the character of Mare with impressive acumen, taking on a limp, vaping incessantly, and victim to a bad hair dye job with roots showing. Mare is a downtrodden, broken woman, who’s stuck in a working-class Pennsylvania town, working as a detective on the local police force.
At times, she reminded me of an updated female version of Peter Falk’s disheveled Columbo. But the big difference is how Winslett knows Mare would never hog the spotlight. She lets the action ebb and flow around her as she takes on a missing girl and murder case in the course of the eight episodes. The backstories of the people she encounters, the twists and turns of the cases, become part of the fascination we’ll be swept in, as the episodes unfold.
Stream or Skip?: If you’re after a thinking series that carries emotional heft and texture, you should definitely put this on your Watchlist. Just don’t expect a detective series with glamour or artificial shine.
Without Remorse (Amazon Prime) - Based on a Tom Clancy character from his novels, and starring Michael B. Jordan, here is a film that’s brief on running time, and creates as many action sequences with geopolitical ramifications, as it can muster. It starts off strong enough; but honestly, gets bogged down by the story-telling and soon degenerates to your typical revenge film. At some point in the watching, you’ll either be confused by how ridden with holes the premise and plot are, or you’ll be tempted to press the Fast Forward button to get to the next action sequence.
Clancy has always been popular for integrating military technology in his novels, and turning it into a Fool’s Gold bonanza. It’s his political views that fall short, and are often too simplistic. Here, there’s a point when our main villain explains to Jordan’s character that Americans have grown too soft, and that’s why they had to ferment civil unrest and domestic violence. Uh, that’s like telling a black man that there’s no historical basis for racial inequality or Black Lives Matter. Oh well, Jordan does handle his action star chores creditably.
Stream or Skip?: If you’re fine with an action film that doesn’t carry much weight in the Rhyme or Reason Department, then do watch this, as Jordan gets a more than passing grade.
Oslo (HBO Go) - This is a film adaptation of a stage play that romped off with all the major Drama awards in 2017; from a Tony, to the NY Critics Circle, and more. It centers on diplomacy and back room negotiating, on what transpired in Oslo, Norway in 1993, as a Norwegian junior diplomat and her sociologist husband try to bring Israel and Palestine to the negotiating table and bring peace to the Middle East. It stars Ruth Wilson and Andrew Scott as the couple from Norway, who utilize unconventional methods to try and bring the two sides together.
Short on high drama, but leavened with wry humor, and a telling understanding of what makes people tick; this is a fascinating show for those who are patient and willing to invest the time in appreciating nuance. In light of what’s going on today in the Middle East, and how the Oslo Peace Accord eventually broke down in 1993; it’s a potent indictment of how little has progressed since the events depicted here. The glimmer of hope created by Oslo was eventually dimmed, but the film still stands as a testament to what is possible, and that we should never lose Hope.
Stream or Skip?: Personally, I really liked this, but it’s akin to watching Two Popes; and you have to commit to see it through, and be rewarded. Not for everyone.
We hope to make this a regular #PlayItRight feature! #PlayItRight is Globe’s anti-piracy campaign to stamp out piracy, sustain the profession and jobs of content creators, and protect the content created by filmmakers from all over the world. As the pandemic continues to affect the global movie and entertainment industry, content creation hasn’t really changed; but what has, are our access points vis-a-vis said content.
Without cinema runs, streaming services have become our primary source of films and film series. Piracy is a major issue though, so make it a habit to #PlayItRight and catch your shows via legitimate streaming platforms only. You can access some of the best streaming apps like HBO Go through Globe’s selection of highly affordable promos and plan bundles. To learn more, visit https://www.globe.com.ph/apps-content/hbo-go.html#gref.