Sure-Fire Streaming: Jumanji, Begin Again, Superstore, and more
By Jordan Parker
https://parkerandpictures.wordpress.com/
The best in TV and film from your living room.
Just Mercy – Available On Netflix
This is an incredible courtroom drama that was one of the most unfairly ignored movies of the last few years.
Just Mercy follows civil rights attorney Bryan Stevenson as he attempts to free a man he believes is wrongly on death row.
Based on the true story, co-writer and director Destin Daniel Cretton – who went on to direct Shang-Chi – does an admirable job here, proving he can continually handle important dramatic material.
Michael B. Jordan gives his best performance since Fruitvale Station here, and it was incredibly nice to see Jamie Foxx nab his best live-action role since Django Unchained.
Brie Larson – an incredible actress and Cretton mainstay – does an admirable job as well, and the acting really propels this movie forward.
It's not particularly surprising, but it does represent an engaging piece of adult entertainment you'll assuredly enjoy.
Jumanji: The Next Level – Available On Netflix
The Jumanji sequel Welcome To The Jungle came out of absolutely nowhere and entirely surprised everyone in 2017.
While the sequel never reaches the same height, The Next Level is also a fun ride with a game cast, and sometimes that's all you need.
The same group from the original come back for more, as they're transported into the game again. They try to rescue a friend, but face all kinds of challenges – weather-related, animal-related and more – along the way.
Co-writer and director Jake Kasdan – known for Freaks And Geeks and Orange County – may just revisit the same gags as the original, but his cast helps him greatly.
Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Awkwafina and Nick Jonas are all wonderful and hilarious. But with Alex Wolff, Danny DeVito, Danny Glover and Colin Hanks also aboard, this one is more star-studded than the original.
It's a fun little romp, and if you're looking for family entertainment, this is a good option.
Begin Again – Available On Prime Video
One of my favourite feel-good movies of all time, this adorable little gem is about finding hope, even in the most difficult of circumstances.
It follows a business executive with rough edges, a bad family life and an alcohol issue who's lost his stride. But when he meets a young singer-songwriter going through a break-up, the two realize they may just be what each other needed.
Writer-director John Carney (Once and Sing Street) excels with films about music, and the amazing original songs and talent here shine through.
Mark Ruffalo, Keira Knightley, Haillee Steinfeld, James Corden, Katherine Keener, and even Maroon 5's Adam Levine all give nuanced turns.
It's a beautiful movie that you can return to again and again, just as I have for the last eight years.
Superstore – Available On Netflix
After waiting for what feels like forever, the sixth and final season of the modern classic sitcom Superstore has hit streaming.
This nuanced, refreshing, hilarious take on employees and their interactions at a big-box story is one of my favourite, most pleasurable viewing experiences.
Frankly, it's really hard to discuss breakout cast members because this is very much an ensemble show. At any given moment, there are four or five actors who deserve recognition throughout the series.
Everyone gets to shine, and it's so refreshing to see such an inclusive, diverse cast on-screen as well.
I absolutely love this show, and I cannot wait to finish it up this Christmas season.
The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain – Available On Prime Video
I have to say this: This truly is an incredible, undeniably fantastic year for Benedict Cumberbatch.
The Oscar nominee for The Imitation Game has been on-screen three times this year, for The Mauritanian, his likely Oscar contender Power Of The Dog, and this interesting little indie.
Here, he stars as Louis Wain, an English artist and eccentric who begins to exhibit off-kilter behaviour as his health declines in the 19th century.
The make-up, hair design and cinematography are fantastic, and Cumberbatch and Claire Foy, as his wife, are both really wonderful.
With Andrea Riseborough and Toby Jones also turning in interesting supporting turns, this one is a whole lot of intrigue, and one well worth checking out.