I'm back with another What I've Been Watching post. And this month there have been some great (and not so great) releases on NOW TV and Netflix in particular. I've got a combination of movies, documentaries and TV shows to share with you in this today's post. So let's get onto exactly what to watch on NOW TV and Netflix this month:
Promising Young Woman ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
After hearing the incredible buzz around this movie I was quick to give it a watch when it premiered on Sky Cinema via NOW TV. And I haven't ever seen anything like it. First of all, there is a brilliant cast. And it was a nice touch to see actors that we normally think of in a positive light, having played good or funny characters in the past, play predatory men. I'm talking Adam Brody (Seth Cohen from The O.C.), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (McLovin from Superbad) and Max Greenfield (Schmidt in New Girl). As soon as it starts something in my gut told me that something bad could happen to Cassie, who is played expertly by Carey Mulligan.
And this is even though the 'revenge' parts of her plans are relatively tame. In most cases she just tells the men off. Which feels like a strange cop out given the lengths that she is going to most nights. She's almost tougher on the women, psychologically anyway, who haven't spoken up or done anything to stop the culture that sadly we are in in real life. But that's not to say that I wasn't wholly invested from start to finish. The ending is both devastating and truly shocking. I was honestly stunned. And once the credits started to roll, I knew that this was something unlike anything else that I'd seen before. If you've not seen it already, I really to implore you to give it a watch as soon as you can.
Currently streaming on Sky Cinema/NOW TV
The Woman In The Window ⭐⭐⭐.5
Having read the book that this movie is based on, I was really looking forward to seeing how it would play out on the big screen. Particularly when I saw who had been cast in it. But sadly it was all a bit meh for me. Had I not read the book I wouldn't have believed who is eventually revealed as the killer. I also wouldn't really have understood why David, her downstairs tenant, is even in the movie.
What worked in the book, that I ultimately gave 4 stars, doesn't really translate to the screen. Finding out about Anna's family *SPOILER ALERT* isn't as impactful as it was in the book or as well detailed, to give you some kind of understanding as to why Anna is the way she is. There's also little suspense or real drama. Amy Adams is still good in this. But it almost feels like a watered down version of her character in Sharp Objects, where she gave an incredible performance. I don't know, it just fell short for me.
Currently streaming on Netflix
Stowaway ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I'm not the biggest fan of movies set in space or sci-fi. I'll just never understand why people willingly want to get there. But as soon as I saw that Anna Kendrick was in this one and that it had a pretty interesting concept, I was on board. Stowaway follows a mission to Mars where unbeknownst to the three crew on board, someone was accidentally left on the ship when it took off. As it takes years to get to and from Mars, this person will now lose years of their life. But things go from bad to worse when the oxygen system is damaged and they don't have enough for all four of them.
They really do ramp up the tension as the movie goes on. And unlike a lot of other space movies, I actually cared about the characters in this. All of the characters feel authentic. The ending also felt particularly strong. Even if, like me, you normally stay away from space movies, this is definitely worth your time.
Currently streaming on Netflix
Friends: The Reunion ⭐⭐⭐⭐
As a teenager I resolutely declared that Friends was my favourite TV show of all time. Since then Friends has been the background noise to many a day of my life. And I've seen every episode multiple, multiple times. It may not be my favourite TV show of all time anymore, Parks & Recreation or even Sex and the City has since usurped it. But it still means a lot to me. However, saying that, I wasn't losing my mind that they were doing a reunion show. I was even decidedly less excited when James Corden's name was attached to it. But I, like many others, just had to watch it and if you're a Friends fan, I've got a feeling that you will have sought it out too.
The Reunion definitely made me nostalgic and more emotional than I thought I would be. So many parts made me smile or gave me that fuzzy feeling in my stomach. I loved the new take on 'the quiz' and finding out some of the behind the scenes facts, like Jennifer Anniston and David Schwimmer having a crush on one another that first season. But there were a few awkward bits, like how every guest star, including some of the main Friends players like Janice, the Gellers and Gunther, were only spoken to for what felt like seconds. Plus, where was Paul Rudd?! And then there was the fashion show, which just felt cringeworthy. But I still liked looking back at a TV show and cast of characters who will always be special to me.
Currently available on Sky/NOW TV
The Sons Of Sam ⭐⭐⭐.5
If you know me, you know that I love a good true crime documentary. And as soon as a new one pops up on Netflix I normally watch it that same day. So I had high hopes for The Sons Of Sam, a documentary about the theory that there was more than one killer in the notorious Son Of Sam case in America.
This was interesting but it really didn't need to be 4 episodes long. A lot of it felt drawn out just for the sake of it. And whilst I definitely took away the message of what can happen when you let something consume you, like it Maury Terry. I'm not entirely sure what I think about the theory. It was definitely crazily convenient that basically every suspect, who could have been involved, died in suspicious circumstances/'accidents'. I do think that there could have been more than one killer, especially when witnesses saw Berkowitz on another street when one of the murders was taking place. But a lot of the devil worship/cult connections felt like he was grasping at straws. I also found the bizarre voice over by Paul Giamatti more than a little bit distracting.
Currently streaming on Netflix
Mare Of Easttown ⭐⭐⭐.5
Now there's one episode of Mare Of Easttown left to go. But I wanted to include it in this month's post just in case you were thinking of watching it. This is definitely more of a slow burn kind of detective drama/mystery. And I simultaneously enjoy parts of it and feel like it's pretty flawed. And that's even with some pretty solid performances, mainly from Kate Winslet and a few others.
I'm used to watching shows where each episode ends in a cliffhanger. But Mare Of Easttown is essentially 55 minutes of sometimes incredibly slow pacing and then an exceptional, attention grabbing final 5 minutes. And that is the case in every single one of the episodes. Also, there is not a single male character in it (other than Detective Zabel, played brilliantly by Evan Peters) who isn't dodgy, creepy or suspect. There's having a few red herrings and then there's literally every single person being shady enough to make you think it's them that's behind the murder and/or kidnappings. Mare's mother is a welcome comedic relief at times. But it's a 3.5 stars at the moment for me. It could all redeem itself in the final episode but I'm not sure.
Currently streaming on Sky Atlantic/NOW TV
The Crime Of The Century ⭐⭐⭐⭐
After watching The Pharmacist (see my review here) and even seeing the devastating effect that the US opioid crisis has had on shows like Louis Theroux's Dark States series. I was really interested to see that there was a new two part documentary available on Sky Documentaries. The Crime Of The Century takes you right back to when and how ridiculously addictive prescription drugs like OxyContin were introduced in the US. It's absolutely maddening seeing the companies care only about profit, with no care at all for how these prescription drugs can ruin and end lives.
Like a lot of documentaries, it is truly frustrating to see what has happened. From bills being written by people who then go onto work for the big pharma companies that they were meant to be protecting the public from. To doctors and even senators taking bribes to sell more. It's hard not to get angry. We also see the human cost that this crisis has had in the US. And how difficult it is to try and reverse what has been done by these big pharma companies. The US healthcare system will always baffle me. But to see how easily it can be abused for profit really is ridiculous.
Currently streaming on Sky Documentaries/NOW TV
Class Action Park ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Let's just say, this documentary and the story that it showcases is absolutely wild! I'd heard a little bit about Class Action Park after ending up down a rabbit hole on YouTube after watching Walt Disney World vlogs. Even though Action Park couldn't be further away from the magic and relative safety of WDW. If you haven't heard of it before, Action Park was an amusement park in New Jersey, USA that was beyond dangerous, with many even losing their lives there.
When you see some of the rides and stories your jaw will quite literally drop. There's a comedic take mixed with real life horror, as we hear about some of the most dangerous rides and parts of the park. I mean, if even one person drowns in a wave pool, you would think they would shut it down. But this wave pool was nicknamed 'the grave pool' because of how many people lost their lives in it. It's truly unbelievable stuff and well worth a watch.
Currently streaming on Sky Documentaries/NOW TV
So those are just a few suggestions of what to watch on NOW TV and Netflix.
What have you been watching recently? Have you watched any of the movies or shows that I featured in this month's post? If so, what did you think of them?
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