2023 Emmy Picks: Limited/Anthology Series and Movies

LIMITED/ANTHOLOGY SERIES
Beef (Netflix)
Black Bird (AppleTV+)
Dahmer (Netflix)
Daisy Jones & the Six (Prime Video)
Love & Death (Max)

Potential surprises:
Documentary Now! (IFC)
Fleishman Is in Trouble (Hulu)
George & Tammy (Showtime)
A Small Light (National Geographic)

In my dreams: The English (Prime Video)

TV MOVIE
Boston Strangler (Hulu)
Dolly Parton’s Mountain Magic Christmas (NBC)
Fire Island (Hulu)
Reality (HBO)
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (Roku)

Potential surprises:
The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die (Netflix)
Prey (Hulu)

In my dreams: Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe (Paramount+)

ACTOR IN A LIMITED/ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Steve Carell, The Patient
Taron Egerton, Black Bird
Evan Peters, Dahmer
Daniel Radcliffe, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story
Michael Shannon, George & Tammy
Steven Yeun, Beef

Potential surprises:
Sam Clafin, Daisy Jones & the Six
Billy Crystal, Mr. Saturday Night
Jesse Eisenberg, Fleishman Is in Trouble
Woody Harrelson, White House Plumbers
Ben Whishaw, This Is Going to Hurt

In my dreams: Chaske Spencer, The English

ACTRESS IN A LIMITED/ANTHOLOGY SERIES OR TV MOVIE
Jessica Chastain, George & Tammy
Riley Keough, Daisy Jones & the Six
Elizabeth Olsen, Love & Death
Bel Powley, A Small Light
Rachel Weisz, Dead Ringers
Ali Wong, Beef

Potential surprises:
Emily Blunt, The English
Lizzy Caplan, Fleishman Is in Trouble
Dominique Fishback, Swarm
Betty Gilpin, Mrs. Davis
Kathryn Hahn, Tiny Beautiful Things
Sydney Sweeney, Reality

In my dreams: Amber Midthunder, Prey

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2023 Emmy Picks: Comedy and Variety

COMEDY SERIES
Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Barry (HBO)
The Bear (Hulu)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Prime Video)
Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Shrinking (AppleTV+)
Ted Lasso (AppleTV+)
What We Do in the Shadows (FX)

Potential surprises:
Atlanta (FX) – 2 nominations
The Great (Hulu) – 1 nomination
Poker Face (Peacock) – new show
Wednesday (Netflix) – new show

Ineligible: Curb Your Enthusiasm, Hacks

In my dreams: Reservation Dogs (Hulu)

ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Bill Hader, Barry
Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building
Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building
Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso
Jeremy Allen White, The Bear

Potential surprises:
Donald Glover, Atlanta – 3 nominations including 1 win
Nicholas Hoult, The Great – 1 nomination
Bob Odenkirk, Lucky Hank – new show
Adam Scott, Party Down – never nominated in this category
Jason Segel, Shrinking – new show

Ineligible: None

In my dreams: Nathan Fielder, The Rehearsal

ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Rachel Brosnahan, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Quinta Brunson, Abbott Elementary
Selena Gomez, Only Murders in the Building
Natasha Lyonne, Poker Face
Jenna Ortega, Wednesday

Potential surprises:
Christina Applegate, Dead to Me – 2 nominations
Linda Cardellini, Dead to Me – 2 nominations
Bridget Everett, Somebody Somewhere – never nominated
Elle Fanning, The Great – 1 nomination

Ineligible: Kaley Cuoco, Issa Rae, Jean Smart

In my dreams: Devery Jacobs, Reservation Dogs

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2023 Emmy Picks: Drama

DRAMA SERIES
Andor (Disney+)
Better Call Saul (AMC)
The Crown (Netflix)
House of the Dragon (HBO)
The Last of Us (HBO)
Succession (HBO)
The White Lotus (HBO)
Yellowjackets (Showtime)

Potential surprises:
The Boys (Prime Video) – 1 nomination
The Handmaid’s Tale (Hulu) – 4 nominations including 1 win
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Prime Video) – new show
The Mandalorian (Disney+) – 1 nomination
Queen Charlotte (Netflix) – new show
Yellowstone (Paramount Network) – never nominated

Ineligible: Euphoria, Ozark, Severance, Squid Game, Stranger Things

In my dreams: The Sandman (Netflix)

ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Brian Cox, Succession
Kieran Culkin, Succession
Bob Odenkirk, Better Call Saul
Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us
Jeremy Strong, Succession
Dominic West, The Crown

Potential surprises:
Jeff Bridges, The Old Man – new show
Kevin Costner, Yellowstone – never nominated
Harrison Ford, 1923 – new show
Diego Luna, Andor – new show
Jeremy Renner, Mayor of Kingstown – never nominated
Matthew Rhys, Perry Mason – 1 nomination

Ineligible: Jason Bateman, Lee Jung-jae, Adam Scott

In my dreams: Patrick Stewart, Star Trek: Picard

ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Melanie Lynskey, Yellowjackets
Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale
Bella Ramsey, The Last of Us
Keri Russell, The Diplomat
Sarah Snook, Succession
Imelda Staunton, The Crown

Potential surprises:
Sharon Horgan, Bad Sisters – new show
Helen Mirren, 1923 – new show
Sophie Nélisse, Yellowjackets – never nominated

Ineligible: Jodie Comer, Laura Linney, Sandra Oh, Reese Witherspoon, Zendaya

In my dreams: Juliette Lewis, Yellowjackets

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Streaming Picks: July 2023

Programming Note: Paramount+ has merged with the Showtime app, but subscribers don’t automatically get access to all Showtime programming without paying an additional fee. So while the app will henceforth be known (clunkily) as Paramount+ with Showtime, I’m only using that name for titles only available on that higher tier.

FILMS
Top Pick
Knock at the Cabin – Prime Video 7/25
M. Night Shyamalan’s latest mind-bender opened a little softer and to more mixed reviews than 2021’s knockout Old. But this claustrophobic thriller about the (dangerous) power of faith is another win for the director who has continued to bet on himself after several high-profile failures.

Other Recommendations
3:10 to Yuma (2007) – Paramount+ with Showtime 7/1
20th Century Women – Max 7/1
The 40-Year-Old Virgin – Prime Video 7/1
Aftersun – Paramount+ with Showtime
Air Force One – Peacock 7/1
Alien – Hulu 7/1
Aliens – Hulu 7/1
Alien 3 – Hulu 7/1
American Gangster – Peacock 7/1
American Psycho – Peacock 7/1
Apollo 13 – Peacock 7/1
The Aviator – Paramount+ 7/1
Billy Elliot – Peacock 7/1
Bridesmaids – Netflix 7/1
Bullitt – Max 7/1
Caddyshack – Max 7/1
Charlotte’s Web (1973) – Paramount+ 7/1
Chinatown – Paramount+ 7/1
Closer – Hulu 7/1
Collateral – Paramount+ 7/1
Compliance – Max 7/1
The Descent – Max 7/1
Die Hard – Hulu 7/1
Die Hard with a Vengeance – Hulu 7/1
Do the Right Thing – Peacock 7/1
Dunkirk – Max 7/1
Election – Max 7/1
Eyes Wide Shut – Paramount+ 7/1
Father of the Bride (1991) – Hulu and Prime Video 7/1
The Firm – Paramount+ 7/1
A Fish Called Wanda – Paramount+ with Showtime 7/1
Ford v Ferrari – Hulu 7/1
Forgetting Sarah Marshall – Hulu and Peacock 7/1
Gaslight – Prime Video 7/1
The Godfather series – Paramount+ 7/1
Good Will Hunting – Max 7/1
Harold and Maude – Paramount+ with Showtime 7/1
How to Train Your Dragon – Prime Video 7/1
The Hunger Games series – Peacock 7/1
Inside Man (2006) – Peacock 7/1
The Iron Giant – Prime Video 7/1
Jackass Number Two – Paramount+ 7/1
Jaws – Peacock 7/1
Kick-Ass – Hulu, Netflix and Prime Video 7/1
King Kong (1933) – Max 7/1
King Kong (2005) – Hulu 7/1
Klute – Max 7/1
Legally Blonde – Prime Video 7/1
Lethal Weapon series – Max 7/1
The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers – Hulu 7/1
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King – Hulu 7/1
Marathon Man – Paramount+ and Prime Video 7/1
Meet the Parents – Peacock 7/1
Men in Black – Prime Video 7/1
Mouse Hunt – Paramount+ and Prime Video 7/1
Mrs. Doubtfire – Hulu 7/1
No Country for Old Men – Paramount+ and Prime Video 7/1
One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest – Paramount+ with Showtime 7/1
The Other Guys – Prime Video 7/1
Paths of Glory – Prime Video 7/1
Pride & Prejudice (2005) – Netflix 7/1
Pulp Fiction – Max 7/1
Rain Man – Paramount+ with Showtime 7/1
Reds – Paramount+ with Showtime 7/1
Risky Business – Paramount+ 7/1
The Road Warrior – Max 7/1
Role Models – Peacock 7/1
Saturday Night Fever – Paramount+ and Prime Video 7/1
Saving Private Ryan – Prime Video 7/1
Searching for Bobby Fischer – Paramount+ with Showtime 7/1
The Shawshank Redemption – Prime Video 7/1
The Shining – Paramount+ with Showtime 7/1
Shirley (2020) – Max 7/1
Shoplifters – Max 7/1
The Skeleton Twins – Max 7/1
The Squid and the Whale – Netflix 7/1
A Star Is Born (2018) – Prime Video 7/1
Star Trek (2009) – Netflix 7/1
Step Brothers – Hulu 7/1
Support the Girls – Hulu and Prime Video 7/1
Titanic – Netflix 7/1
Trainspotting – Paramount+ with Showtime 7/1
The Truman Show – Prime Video 7/1
Uncle Buck – Netflix 7/1
Under the Silver Lake – Max 7/1
V for Vendetta – Max 7/1
Vanilla Sky – Paramount+ with Showtime 7/1
Where the Wild Things Are – Max 7/1
Whiplash – Hulu 7/1
Wild Things – Hulu 7/1
The Outfit – Peacock 7/2
It Follows – Paramount+ with Showtime 7/12
Ambulance – Peacock 7/23

NEW SHOWS & SPECIALS
Top Pick
What We Do in the Shadows (Season 5) – Hulu 7/14
At this point, it doesn’t matter how long this saga of four vampires (and their increasingly impatient familiar) runs or what shenanigans they get up to. It’s firmly cemented itself as one of the funniest comedies of the decade.

Other Recommendations
Wham! – Netflix 7/5
Bluey (Season 3, Part 3) – Disney+ 7/12
Full Circle – Max 7/13
Futurama (Season 11) – Hulu 7/24
How To with John Wilson (Season 3) – Max 7/28

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Streaming Picks: June 2023

FILMS
Top Picks
Tár – Prime Video 6/6
Avatar: The Way of Water – Disney+ and Max 6/7
While I wouldn’t consider Lydia Tár a “Strong Female Lead,” Cate Blanchett gave one of last year’s best performances in one of the best movies of last year: a twisty drama open to multiple interpretations.

Also one of last year’s best movies? James Cameron’s follow-up to his world-conquering ecological opus. It won’t look quite as good on even the largest TVs, but it’s still magnificently constructed and stunning to look at.

Other Recommendations
2 Days in the Valley – Paramount+ and Prime Video 6/1
10 Things I Hate About You – Peacock 6/1
3:10 to Yuma (2007) – Hulu, Max and Prime Video 6/1
Adventureland – Paramount+ 6/1
The Apartment – Prime Video 6/1
Army of Darkness – Max 6/1
Arrival – Paramount+ and Prime Video 6/1
Bananas – Prime Video 6/1
Black Dynamite – Prime Video 6/1
Blazing Saddles – Prime Video 6/1
Borat – Hulu 6/1
The Bourne Legacy – Peacock 6/1
Bourne Trilogy – Peacock 6/1
Boyz N the Hood – Prime Video 6/1
Breach – Max 6/1
The Breakfast Club – Netflix 6/1
Brokeback Mountain – Prime Video 6/1
Bronson – Hulu 6/1
Bulworth – Max 6/1
Casino – Peacock 6/1
Courage Under Fire – Paramount+ 6/1
Demolition Man – Max 6/1
Devil in a Blue Dress – Prime Video 6/1
Dog Day Afternoon – Prime Video 6/1
Eastern Promises – Max 6/1
The Evil Dead (1981) – Max 6/1
Evil Dead II – Max 6/1
The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift – Peacock 6/1
Fast Five – Peacock 6/1
Glory – Prime Video 6/1
The Good Shepherd – Hulu 6/1
Grease – Max 6/1
Grosse Pointe Blank – Paramount+ 6/1
Groundhog Day – Netflix 6/1
Hairspray (2007) – Max 6/1
Hot Fuzz – Prime Video 6/1
The Hurt Locker – Max 6/1
I’m Gonna Git You Sucka – Prime Video 6/1
Idiocracy – Hulu 6/1
If Beale Street Could Talk – Paramount+ 6/1
Jackie Brown – Max 6/1
Jarhead – Netflix 6/1
Jurassic Park – Peacock 6/1
The Kingdom – Netflix 6/1
Kingdom of Heaven – Prime Video 6/1
The Little Hours – Hulu 6/1
Little Shop of Horrors (1986) – Max 6/1
Man on Wire – Hulu 6/1
Mean Girls – Netflix 6/1
Moneyball – Max 6/1
Moonlight – Max 6/1
My Cousin Vinny – Paramount+ 6/1Silv
One Hour Photo – Hulu 6/1
Out of Sight – Peacock 6/1
Philadelphia – Prime Video 6/1
Rango – Paramount+ 6/1
RoboCop (1987) – Prime Video 6/1
Saved! – Prime Video 6/1
Say Anything – Paramount+ 6/1
Selena – Max 6/1
Selma – Paramount+ 6/1 and Prime Video 6/20
Shaun of the Dead – Prime Video 6/1
Silver Linings Playbook – Prime Video 6/1
Snatch – Paramount+ 6/1
The Social Network – Paramount+ 6/1
Spider-Man Trilogy – Netflix 6/1
A Star Is Born (1954) – Max 6/1
Superbad – Peacock 6/1
Terminator 2: Judgment Day – Netflix 6/1
They Came Together – Peacock 6/1
Three Identical Strangers – Hulu 6/1
True Lies – Prime Video 6/1
The War of the Worlds (1953) – Prime Video 6/1
Win Win – Hulu 6/1
The World’s End – Prime Video 6/1
World’s Greatest Dad – Prime Video 6/1
X-Men: Days of Future Past – Max 6/1
You’re Next – Max 6/1
Living – Netflix 6/1
Keanu – Hulu 6/3
Crazy Rich Asians – Prime Video 6/6
Sully – Prime Video 6/6
A Star Is Born (2018) – Max 6/8
Interstellar – Prime Video 6/11
Dunkirk – Netflix 6/12
Armageddon Time – Prime Video 6/20
Barbarian – Hulu 6/25
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Hulu 6/30
What If – Prime Video 6/30

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The List: Top 10 ‘The Office’ Episodes

The Office ended 10 years ago this week. I was an early champion of the show, but fell off in its third season when the show sent Jim to Stamford, then back to Scranton with his new girlfriend Karen (Rashida Jones) and ultra-annoying Andy (Ed Helms). But the show kept extending its life thanks to riding a wave of new-ish technology. After its short, low-rated first season, iTunes downloads convinced NBC to give it another shot. Then, DVD sales kept it a staple of the network’s attempts to resurrect Must See TV. And its long run on Netflix made it one of the most popular shows in the world. The latter two developments meant it was always on in someone’s dorm room or apartment in my college years and after.

So to celebrate the legacy of one of the most beloved shows of the 21st Century, here are my 10 favorite episodes. (But do take this list with a grain of salt; I like “Scott’s Tots.”)

10. “Traveling Salesmen” (Season 3, Episode 13)
In this underrated episode, the crew at Dunder Mifflin pairs up to make some sales calls, leading to great visual gags like Phyllis and Karen with matching blowouts and Ryan freezing in front of Stanley’s all-Black clientele. This is one of the rare episodes that shows some employees are actually quite good at their jobs! But the main reason I chose this over many other fine selections was Dwight’s principled stand in his relationship with Angela. Though they wouldn’t get married until the series finale, his willingness to protect her job and her reputation make for a romantic moment that’s not maudlin.

9. “Gay Witch Hunt” (Season 3, Episode 1)
Creator Greg Daniels won the show’s only writing Emmy for this cringe-inducing half-hour, which sees Michael out Oscar, then compound the awkwardness by kissing him on the lips. Every conference room scene is wildly uncomfortable but undeniably hilarious. It also serves as an introduction to the doomed Stamford branch, which isn’t nearly as laid-back as Scranton.

8. “Health Care” (Season 1, Episode 3)
Season 1 gets a bad rap, but while it’s a little rough around the edges, I’ve always liked Michael a little meaner and a lot sweatier. (So more like David Brent.) Rather than admit corporate is demanding cuts to the company health insurance plans, he passes the buck to Dwight, who lets the busywork go to his head. The fake diseases the other employees make kill me, but Michael trying and failing to come up with a “surprise” to make up for the overlords’ rotten penny-pinching hits close to home.

7. “Women’s Appreciation” (Season 3, Episode 22)
If you thought Michael and Oscar were awkward, the entire opening had me covering my eyes. After Phyllis is attacked by a flasher in the parking lot, Michael mocks her, then pretends his thumb is his penis. It’s insensitive but also incredibly funny. But the episode packs an emotional punch as Michael takes all his female employees out for lunch and shopping, and shares his relationship difficulties with them, getting brutally honest feedback in return.

6. “Christmas Party” (Season 2, Episode 10)
By Season 2, Michael had become less of a dick and more of a needy people-pleaser. This disastrous holiday gathering represents him at his worst/best. After spending more than 10 times the agreed-upon limit on his Secret Santa gift for Ryan, he’s annoyed his gift from Phyllis is homemade. This obnoxiousness is Michael in a nutshell: I did something I shouldn’t have (with good intentions) and people are mad, but I’m the boss and I need everyone to love me so I have to fix this. His solution? A white elephant exchange, which sees everyone fighting over the iPod and Jim unable to get every piece of his romantic multi-gift surprise for Pam. It’s no wonder everyone wants to get drunk after this ordeal.

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The List: Top 10 ‘Happy Endings’ Episodes

One of the finest sitcoms of the 2010s ended 10 years ago this week. Happy Endings took the same set-up and premise as Friends, but updated it for Millennials, tripling the number of jokes per minute. Yet it constantly seemed like it was fighting ABC for air. Its first season aired confusingly out of order. The second season had an episode punted to the middle of the third season for reasons that remain baffling. And halfway through its third season it was doomed to a Friday Night Death Slot. Had it gotten at least one final season, it would have hit its syndication numbers and gotten a proper send-off, and probably be better remembered today. But this cult favorite still endures, and here are 10 (well, 11) reasons why.

HONORABLE MENTION
“And the Pandemmy Goes To…”
The only lockdown content worth a damn, this Zoom session actually featured a script that had its characters react the way they would if the real pandemic invaded their Chicago. Dave’s way-too-intimate restaurant idea still makes me laugh.

10. “Cazsh Dummy Spillionaires” (Season 3, Episode 1)
The third season kicked off with Dave and Alex on again, but refusing to define their romantic reunion, preferring to keep it “cazsh.” That lack of commitment would doom their relationship as the season wore on, but it kept the show fresh. The real humor of the episode came from Max’s attempts to sabotage Penny’s recovery so he can spend more time with her physical therapist. Also, Brad brought out his ventriloquist dummy! Like Arrested Development‘s Franklin, Sinbrad is a give-no-fucks Black puppet that never fails to leave me in stitches.

9. “Dave of the Dead” (Season 1, Episode 7)
Season 1 tends to get skipped over because it was finding its footing, and until the streaming era began, was nearly impossible to watch in its intended order. But it actually figured itself out pretty quickly, and this episode has always been my favorite from those first thirteen. As the group becomes obsessed with the zombie apocalypse, Dave realizes his work at restaurant supply company is turning him into a zombie. Finally breaking his stupor, he quits his 9-to-5 and sets out on his own, working on the eatery that will eventually become his food truck Steak Me Home Tonight.

8. “The Kerkovich Way” (Season 2, Episode 17)
As you’ll see by the rest of this list, there was a month-long stretch in early 2012 where this was the best thing on TV. This wonderfully convoluted episode capped that run with Jane giving Alex a refresher in the titular method of deception. (Had it aired today, self-righteous recappers would have called it gaslighting.) Meanwhile, Max and Penny realize how little they have going for themselves and decide to put all their energy into winning a John Hughes-themed scavenger hunt.

7. “Cocktails and Dreams” (Season 2, Episode 16)
In an effort to draw new business to his food truck, Dave gets a liquor license and converts his spot to a speakeasy. (If you weren’t of drinking age in the early 2010s, just know this was extremely popular.) But his house cocktail causes everyone in the group to have a sex dream about their longtime pal, scored to Gerry Rafferty’s “Baker Street.” Bonus points for Colin Hanks being such a good sport playing a douche-y version of himself.

6. “No-Ho-Ho” (Season 3, Episode 7)
One of the few Christmas episodes that could compete with its contemporary Community, I try to rewatch this every year. After the group learns Jane’s birthday is actually on December 25th (she had successfully forged documents to show otherwise), they vow to throw her a party free of any signs of Christmas cheer. But their unwelcome desire for eggnog, animatronic Santas and their own gifts keep finding a way into the festivities. The slo-mo retelling of Max’s relapse is one of the show’s funniest moments.

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Streaming Picks: May 2023

Programming Note: On Tuesday, May 23, HBO Max will become Max. Warner Bros. Discovery has promised a seamless transition, so theoretically anything added to HBO Max this month will also be on Max thereafter. But there’s always a possibility some titles may not be available on the new service.

FILMS
Top Picks
Babe and Babe: Pig in the City – Prime Video 5/1
A Man Called Otto – Netflix 5/6
There’s no way to recommend these films without sounding corny, so here goes: The two films about the “Sheep-Pig” and this remake of the Swedish sensation are about the beauty of life, even in the dark moments. They’re all lovely, mostly family-friendly and feature terrific performances.

Other Recommendations
The Adventures of Tintin – Prime Video 5/1
American Gangster – Netflix 5/1
Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery – Netflix 5/1
The Aviator – Paramount+ 5/1
A Beautiful Mind – Prime Video 5/1
Beetlejuice – Hulu 5/1
Bend It Like Beckham – Paramount+ 5/1
Best in Show – Hulu 5/1
Black Dynamite – Hulu 5/1
Black Hawk Down – Netflix 5/1
Blue Valentine – HBO Max 5/1
Bottle Rocket – Hulu 5/1
Boogie Nights – Hulu 5/1
Booksmart – Peacock 5/1
Bound – Prime Video 5/1
Calvary – HBO Max 5/1
Captain Phillips – Netflix 5/1
Cast Away – Paramount+ 5/1
Cliffhanger – Netflix 5/1
Clockers – Peacock 5/1
Crooklyn – Peacock 5/1
Dead Poets Society – Paramount+ 5/1
Enemy of the State – Peacock 5/1
Face/Off – Peacock 5/1
Fatal Attraction – Prime Video 5/1
Flight – Netflix 5/1
Forgetting Sarah Marshall – Prime Video 5/1
Hard Eight – Prime Video 5/1
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle – Prime Video 5/1
The Hunger Games series – Hulu 5/1
I Am Not Your Negro – Prime Video 5/1
Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) – Paramount+ and Prime Video 5/1
King Kong (2005) – Peacock 5/1
Kingsman: The Secret Service – HBO Max 5/1
Kung Fu Hustle – Prime Video 5/1
Léon: The Professional – Netflix 5/1
Life of Pi – Peacock 5/1
Mean Girls – Paramount+ 5/1
The Meddler – Hulu 5/1
Mission: Impossible series – Paramount+ 5/1
Mo’ Better Blues – Peacock 5/1
Moneyball – Paramount+ 5/1
Moonrise Kingdom – Prime Video 5/1
The Mummy (1999) – Peacock 5/1
My Cousin Vinny – Peacock 5/1
Notting Hill – Peacock 5/1
Once – Hulu 5/1
The Other Guys – Paramount+ 5/1
Paper Moon – HBO Max 5/1
The Quiet Man – Paramount+ and Prime Video 5/1
The Rundown – Prime Video 5/1
Schindler’s List – Peacock 5/1
School of Rock – Paramount+ 5/1
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World – Peacock 5/1
Selena – Hulu 5/1
Shutter Island – Prime Video 5/1
Sicario – Peacock 5/1
Some Like It Hot – HBO Max 5/1
Something Wild (1986) – Paramount+ 5/1
Speed – Hulu and Peacock 5/1
Starship Troopers – Netflix 5/1
Steel Magnolias – Netflix 5/1
Step Brothers – HBO Max 5/1
Thelma & Louise – Prime Video 5/1
Titanic – Paramount+ 5/1
Tombstone – Paramount+ 5/1
Traffic – Netflix 5/1
True Grit (2010) – Prime Video 5/1
True Lies – Paramount+ and Peacock 5/1
West Side Story (1961) – Paramount+ 5/1
Keanu – Peacock 5/3
The Conjuring – HBO Max 5/8
Unbreakable – HBO Max 5/15
Men in Black – HBO Max 5/16
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping – Hulu 5/16
The LEGO Batman Movie – HBO Max 5/19
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – HBO Max 5/19
Parasite – HBO Max 5/19
Three Thousand Years of Longing – Paramount+ 5/16 and Prime Video 5/23
Violent Night – Prime Video 5/26
Top Five – Paramount+ and Prime Video 5/28

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20 After 20: 2002

20. My Big Fat Greek Wedding (dir. Joel Zwick)
In the running for my most rewatched film ever, Nia Vardalos’s sweet-natured rom-com has endured. While it lacks the sophistication of some of the genre’s masterpieces, its comic timing and sense of identity are top-notch. It also has time for little moments of pure humanity. It’s a shame none of her other ventures – including sequels to this film – found that register.

19. 13 Conversations About One Thing (dir. Jill Sprecher)
An early example of the decade’s trendy “hyperlink” movie (to borrow a phrase from the late, great Roger Ebert), it blows all the others out of the water, including a certain notorious Best Picture winner. Each of its four main characters rides high and gets laid low, and the film chronicles their journeys without judgment. But it wouldn’t work without its excellent cast, including a pre-renaissance Matthew McConaughey and the incomparable Alan Arkin, whose role as a weary insurance investigator fits him like a glove.

18. About Schmidt (dir. Alexander Payne)
Payne has often been accused of mocking his midwestern characters, but the joke is actually on the selfish, uptight Warren (Jack Nicholson, in his funniest role). After the death of his wife, he goes on a road trip to stop his daughter’s wedding. While his future in-laws are loud, crude and susceptible to pyramid schemes, they’re far more welcoming and vivacious than he ever was.

17. Road to Perdition (dir. Sam Mendes)
In what may or may not be a surprise to you, this was the first R-rated movie I saw in theaters. While it occasionally struggles with tone, this gorgeous adaptation of Max Allan Collins’s graphic novel features a powerful but restrained turn from Tom Hanks, a marvelously nasty villain role for Jude Law, and an early look at Daniel Craig’s greatness, playing the Fredo of this Irish crime family.

16. Chicago (dir. Rob Marshall)
Over the course of 20 years, I’ve gone back and forth on this movie. I was initially dazzled, but found it more style than substance as I grew older. Revisiting it recently, what struck me was the bone-deep cynicism, a hallmark of Kander & Ebb’s music. And while the film racked up four acting Oscar nods including a win, Richard Gere (who has somehow never been nominated) impressed the most as the gladly amoral Billy Flynn.

15. 24 Hour Party People (dir. Michael Winterbottom)
More biopics should follow the lead of this comedy: Some of it’s true, a lot of it’s exaggerated, and a little bit is just straight-up fiction. Steve Coogan is absolutely dynamite as the founder of Factory Records. He knows good music and how to throw a party, but knows zilch about business. It goes about as well as expected. It may not have been a sound enterprise, but it resulted in some killer tunes, as evidenced by the year’s best soundtrack.

14. The Quiet American (dir. Phillip Noyce)
Graham Greene’s novel about American and European interlopers in Vietnam got a morally repugnant adaptation in 1958, with an uncredited rewrite by the CIA, making the U.S.A. the good guys. This version stays true to the novel, but it’s not as if it turns Michael Caine’s Fowler into a hero. He’s already been morally compromised, but even he can see through the flat-out evil plan pushed into action by Alden Pyle (Brendan Fraser, in one of his best roles). Shelved for a year after 9/11, it is downright anti-American. It’s also clear that it must be.

13. Punch-Drunk Love (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson)
PTA harnessed Adam Sandler’s raging man-child energy into this lovely, stunning and concise romantic comedy. Jon Brion’s score, Philip Seymour Hoffman’s unhinged turn and a nagging sense it could all go awry at any moment make for a sneakily potent film.

12. Signs (dir. M. Night Shyamalan)
Internal logic be damned. This is my favorite film from the man who would be “The Next Spielberg.” While some of his other films might be tighter or more daring, this is a patient, nakedly emotional film about four broken people facing an inexplicable situation. While its religious themes and implications are clear, it’s a story about faith that can be applied pretty liberally. Even if you don’t believe in God or extra-terrestrials, you can believe in each other, even in the toughest of circumstances.

11. Talk to Her (dir. Pedro Almodóvar)
Spain’s finest director finally won a long-overdue Oscar for this script about two men and the comatose women they love. But his commitment not to judge his characters becomes a challenge when one of them does something unforgivable. But that’s just one of the incredible things about this film! Even though much of it takes place in hospital rooms (and later, a prison), there’s a ton of eye-popping color. And an X-rated black-and-white film within a film is magical, provided you’re not a prude. It may not be Pedro’s greatest film, but it’s one of his most emotionally complex and thoughtful.

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Streaming Picks: April 2023

FILMS
Top Picks
Holy Spider – Netflix 4/7
Life Itself – Prime Video 4/12
While Holy Spider made the shortlist for the Oscars’ Best International Feature, it somehow did not make the final five. But a debut on Netflix means it will likely get more viewers than all the other nominees combined. Based on a true story of an Iranian serial killer in the early 2000s, this has all the tension of a great thriller, but told through a feminist lens.

It’s hard to believe Roger Ebert’s been gone for 10 years now. The titan of film criticism gets a marvelous tribute in this documentary, which chronicled his life, career, romance with Chaz, and declining health. I always thought Roger would have appreciated how unsentimental the final film is.

Other Recommendations
The Adventures of Tintin – Paramount+ 4/1
American Psycho – Hulu 4/1
As Good as It Gets – Paramount+ 4/1
The Aviator – Prime Video 4/1
Bend It Like Beckham – Hulu 4/1
The Bourne Trilogy – Netflix 4/1
The Breakfast Club – Prime Video 4/1
Bridesmaids – Hulu and Peacock 4/1
Brokeback Mountain – Peacock 4/1
Charlie Wilson’s War – Netflix 4/1
Clean and Sober – HBO Max 4/1
Coraline – HBO Max 4/1
Courage Under Fire – Hulu 4/1
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon – Prime Video 4/1
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind – Peacock 4/1
Face/Off – Paramount+ and Prime Video 4/1
Fast Times at Ridgemont High – Prime Video 4/1
Fatal Attraction – Paramount+ 4/1
Father of the Bride (1991) – Hulu 4/1
Fight Club – Paramount+ 4/1
Forrest Gump – Prime Video 4/1
Friday Night Lights – Netflix 4/1
Get Shorty – Paramount+ 4/1
Ghost World – Paramount+ 4/1
The Godfather Trilogy – Paramount+ 4/1
Haywire – Hulu 4/1
High Fidelity – Hulu 4/1
The Host (2006) – HBO Max 4/1
How to Train Your Dragon – Netflix 4/1
Inception – Netflix 4/1
Inside Man (2006) – Netflix 4/1
Keeping the Faith – Prime Video 4/1
The Land Before Time – Netflix 4/1
A League of Their Own – Netflix 4/1
Life of Pi – Prime Video 4/1
Lincoln – Hulu and Paramount+ 4/1
The Long Goodbye – Paramount+ 4/1
Moneyball – Peacock 4/1
Mother! – Paramount+ 4/1
Moulin Rouge! – Hulu 4/1
My Cousin Vinny – Prime Video 4/1
Once – Hulu 4/1
Philomena – Prime Video 4/1
Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping – Peacock 4/1
Psycho (1960) – Netflix 4/1
Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion – Paramount+ 4/1
Ronin – Paramount+ 4/1
Shanghai Noon – Paramount+ and Prime Video 4/1
Shrek – Hulu 4/1
Shrek 2 – Hulu 4/1
Shutter Island – Paramount+ 4/1
The Sisters Brothers – Prime Video 4/1
Snatch – Peacock 4/1
Speed – Prime Video 4/1
Spider-Man Trilogy – Netflix 4/1
Tangerine – HBO Max 4/1
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy – Prime Video 4/1
Titanic – Prime Video 4/1
Vanilla Sky – Prime Video 4/1
WarGames – Paramount+ 4/1
Whiplash – Prime Video 4/1
Zombieland – Netflix 4/1
Jesus Camp – Hulu 4/8
The Hateful Eight – Netflix 4/25
Moonage Daydream – HBO Max 4/29

NEW SHOWS & SPECIALS
Top Picks
Barry (Season 4) – HBO Max 4/16
John Mulaney: Baby J – Netflix 4/25
After three increasingly intense seasons, there’s no reason to doubt Bill Hader will land the plane in the show’s final outing. And if it somehow does fail, he’ll have no one to blame but himself: he’s directing all eight episodes.

The great stand-up delivers his first special since his stint in rehab, his divorce, his whirlwind romance with Olivia Munn, the arrival of his first kid and the sudden, intense hatred of a certain sect of the internet. Should make for some great material.

Other Recommendations
The Diplomat (Season 1) – Netflix 4/20
Leguizamo Does America – Peacock 4/17
Mrs. Davis (Season 1) – Peacock 4/20

OLD SHOWS
Top Pick
Better Call Saul (Season 6) – Netflix 4/18
The final season of the exploits of Albuquerque’s most infamous lawyer was split into two parts on AMC this year. But if you waited, you can binge it all and not have to wait months after that cliffhanger.

Other Recommendations
Broad City (Complete Series) – Paramount+ 4/5
New Girl (Complete Series) – Hulu and Peacock 4/17
Yo! MTV Raps (Season 2) – Paramount+ 4/26

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