Anass Zouheir: My Curated Picks on Streaming Services
Hailey (Lola Kirke) is a struggling musician that has dedicated her life to the oboe. As the New York Symphony Orchestra reluctantly welcomes its new conductor, the controversial Rodrigo de Souza (Gael García Bernal), Hailey gives her all and tries to join the orchestra. But getting to play with some of the world’s best musicians isn’t only a difficult goal to attain, it is also a life-consuming struggle. Inspired by the accounts of oboist Blair Tindall in her book Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs and Classical Music, the show follows the orchestra through its ups and downs , portraying the current state of classical music with all its power struggles, insane competitiveness , and reluctance to change. While Mozart in the Jungle has a strong cast (Malcolm McDowell, Saffron Burrows, Bernadette Peters), Gael García Bernal steals the show with a golden globe-winning performance that perfectly fits the charming, lighthearted nature of the series.
Free journalism versus government control is an issue that most of us feel strongly about, but it’s not often that we hear about people fighting with their lives for it. Journalist Rachel Armstrong (Kate Beckinsale) finds herself in the midst of such a fight. After she releases a controversial article where she exposes the president for ignoring the findings of a covert CIA agent (Vera Farmiga), Rachel is instantly put under pressure from the government to name the source of her story, since someone who knows and shares the identity of undercover CIA agents poses a threat to U.S security.
This is a movie about principles and how far one would go to defend them. Rachel loses many things during her fight, and you’re always fearfully waiting for the moment when she would break under the pressure. This one quote from Rachel’s lawyer (Alan Alda) sums up her story perfectly: “…With great people there’s no difference between principle and the person.”
A coming-of-age comedy about David, a 20 year old assistant tennis pro at a country club in 1985’s New Jersey. As with most people his age, David (Craig Roberts) struggles with making important life choices; his parents want him to pursue a career he’s not interested in, he starts falling in love with a girl when he’s in a relationship with another, and so on. Yet David’s story is not the only one driving the show; The excellent cast of side characters all struggle with their own dilemmas: His parents are getting bored of their relationship, his ex is doubting her imminent marriage, and his pothead friend is in love with a lifeguard he thinks is too good-looking for him. However, Red Oaks never strays from being a comedy first and an excellent show for a chill binge.
Terrace House is the perfect show to binge on a lazy day, it will make you feel intimate not only with its cast, but also with the Japanese culture and lifestyle. The premise here is nothing that hasn’t been done before, and usually very terribly: Six strangers -three boys and three girls in their twenties – are given a beautiful home to live in for several months in Tokyo. We get to observe their interactions and the slow building of their friendships. What sets it apart from others in its genre is that it’s wholly unscripted and nothing is forced. The cast are normal people whose lives don’t revolve around the show: they have jobs, they’re free to come and leave the house whenever they want, they can travel, sleep all day, or date people not on the show. You might think this makes for bad TV, but it really doesn’t: Terrace House is really well-made and it knows how to make mundane life interesting and engaging. To round it up another cast of established japanese entertainers appear on interludes each episode to share their opinions on the happenings inside the house and to offer some comedic insight.
Based on the Hugo and Nebula award-winning novel by Neil Gaiman, American Gods the show is an ambitious new take on visual storytelling. Set in modern day America, it follows Shadow (Ricky Wittle), a newly released ex-convict shaken by the sudden death of his wife, as he is begrudgingly introduced to a world of warring deities, where the old gods’ existence is threatened by the rise of new gods. Mr Wednesday (Ian McShane), Shadow’s new employer, travels America as he recruits an army in preparation for this war. The show’s extravagant set pieces and eerie long soundtracks offer a bizarre, otherworldly experience, backed by superb writing and a great cast. If you’re tired of unoriginal, formulaic stories and visuals in tv show, look no further: American gods is ambitious, unique, and definitely deserving of your attention.
If you’re familiar with Ricky Gervais’s wild, over-the-top sense of humor, you’ll be getting a lot of that in here, for better or for worse. But this show is much more than that. Derek( Ricky Gervais) is a seemingly mentally lacking helper in a nursing home where people spend their last days together. Derek and his colleagues Hannah (Kerry Godliman), Kev (David Earl) and Dougie (Karl Pilkington) help take care of the elderly residents in their everyday lives, while struggling with their own problems ranging from social ineptitude to alcoholism.
While the show is mostly lighthearted and very funny, its more emotional segments are surprisingly well-done. In its essence it’s an interesting reflection on the way the elderly and the social outcasts are treated in our society.
Mushishi is one of those shows that you watch one episode at a time to relax after a long day of work. It’s a slow, atmospheric animation about a world where peculiar plant-like creatures called Mushi live alongside humans who are usually unaware of them. Think of Mushi as the most basic form of life. While being purposeless, they can unintentionally have a wide variety of effects on humans, sometimes helping them but always at an unforeseen cost. Ginko is a traveler who studies Mushi and on his way helps villagers with their problems.Each episode is an independent short story about a chapter of Ginko’s travels. The stories feel weirdly the same as folklore you grew up with. They are comfy, they hold a few moral lessons at the end of each one, and they’re sometimes scary and thought-provoking. Despite being “anime”, this show might as well be a genre on its own. It holds none of the stereotypes surrounding anime, and it’s really just a collection of solid short stories coupled with great animation and an amazing soundtrack. If you’re tired and need a show to watch late at night with a loved one or by yourself, pick an episode at random and see for yourself how great of a show this is.
Based on the 1962 award winning novel of the same name by Philip K. Dick, The Man in the High castle presents a world in which World War II concluded with the victory of the Axis powers, dividing the United States of America into two powers on the verge of conflict, the Greater German Reich and the Japanese Pacific States. The show follows Juliana Crain (Alexa Davalos) and her boyfriend Frank Frink (Rupert Evans) as their lives quickly turn into chaos when they come across a film reel that shows a glimpse into the world that could have been, ours, bringing the couple to the restless attention of both governments and of the resistance. The Man in the High Castle will captivate you with excellent writing, a superb cast, and a carefully crafted world that is as believable as it is terrifying.
Bates Motel is a prequel to the 1960 Hitchcock cult classic Psycho. Need I say more? Set in modern-day Oregon, It portraits the unusual relationship between protagonists Norman (Freddie Highmore) and his mother Norma (Vera Farmiga) as they go about their lives inside the Bates Motel. While it is a great show in every way, nothing beats the premise, it’s wildly interesting to discover what Psycho’s Norman Bates’ teenage years would have looked like. You guessed it: Lots of murder, intrigue, and a healthy dose of psychopathic disorders.
This psychological horror drama’s clever writing and splendid performances do a great job of building tension and making the viewer feel uncomfortable, not to mention keeping you on the edge of your seat throughout its 5 seasons.
Director Noah Baumbach’s autobiographical film is a strikingly realistic take on divorce and the turmoil it sets on an already-dysfunctional family. Bernard (Jeff Daniels) is a selfish decadent writer who’s splitting with his unfaithful wife Joan (Laura Linney). Their two sons, Walt (Jesse Eisenberg) and Frank (Owen Kline), are taking different sides that reflect their personality. This separation only reinforces their insecurities as they quickly fall into depression and grow away from their friends. The parents, however, find unconventional lovers just as quickly, Bernard with a student of his, and Jane with her son’s tennis coach. The Squid and the Whale is a funny, emotional, and gripping story that finds a perfect balance in tone despite dealing with bitter divorce and troubled adolescence.
Danny (Callum Turner) is a young man struggling to make ends meet in New York. His brother, spending the night in jail, urges him to take his place in a small heist. His job is simple : He would meet Ellie (Grace Van Patten), she would drive him to take a briefcase, and then to a train station where he would exchange the briefcase with a woman holding a green purse. You’ve probably guessed what might go wrong in a plan like this: another woman with another green purse. Danny makes the trade quickly and, being the nervous guy that he is, storms off only to find later that he had taken the wrong briefcase. This is how Danny and Ellie’s little adventure begins as they track down the woman with the green purse throughout New York.
Tramps is a simple romantic comedy filled with genuine charm that will make you fall in love with the characters, and maybe even the two first-time actors that portray them – as they slowly grow closer to each other. The lively soundtrack and engaging writing are all the more reason to watch this lovely little film.
This is a great movie to watch on say a Sunday. The story of three homeless people who find a newborn baby while foraging through trash on Christmas eve and decide to care for the baby and track down its parents. Middle-aged Gin, aging Hana and teenage runaway Miyuki form a makeshift family haunted by its members’ past and troubled by their present. As expected, Satoshi Kon (who also directed Paprika) delivers a beautifully animated story with unique characters and unique dynamics. The result is a very humane and moving animation, not to be missed by both Kon fans and those willing to be introduced to his style.
The 1868 semi-autobiographical novels of Louisa May Alcott have been adapted into film, television and theatre so many times: 6 movies, 4 TV shows, even a broadway musical. It’s a compelling story to watch as it unfolds, and it’s easy to see why many hold this one as the best adaptation of the novels. For one, the cast is top-notch and perfect for the roles: Christian Bale as Laurie, Susan Sarandon as Mrs. March, and Winona Ryder, Trini Alvarado, Claire Danes and a very young Kirsten Dunst as the four sisters.
Little Women is the story of these four girls living in post-civil war America. We watch them grow together, find love, have their little fights, and try to find their place in the world. Everything from the costumes and settings to the dialogue do an excellent job of conveying the heartwarming story and the emotional impact behind it.