Streaming services saved our sanity during the pandemic, which is obviously still going, and they are still here for us. Every single weekend, they are cranking out the content, so we are going to lay it all out here on a weekly basis. One thing, though: it’s slightly unfair to start this process at the end of a month, since there will be a fresh crop of library editions and releases that appear in February, so consider this a trial run. With that unfairness acknowledged for all to see, the obvious winner here is Netflix.
Again, this is unfair! HBO Max has an enormous back catalogue, Amazon Prime is currently prepping some major series for us, Disney+ is bringing us new MCU offerings for the first time in a year, and Hulu can’t be beat with the next-day offerings. Still, the sheer variety and quantity coming from Netflix is crushing all competition for the next few days, but we’ll be back for more next week, when surely, a challenger will emerge. Here are the best streaming shows to check out this weekend.
NETFLIX:
We Are: The Brooklyn Saints (Netflix series) — Rudy Valdez, the Emmy-award winning filmmaker who poured his soul into HBO’s The Sentence, is here with more intimate verité footage of his newest subject. Here, Valdez turns his camera upon a youth football program in the heart of inner city Brooklyn. The program, of course, is much more encompassing than a pastime but also a vehicle for opportunity for these boys. They also become family with an incredible support system of coaches and parents, all while they strive for victory and overcome losses on and off the field. All of this, hopefully, will point toward a brighter future for all involved.
50M2 (Netflix series) — This Turkish hitman series (and how can you not be intrigued?) revolves around Gölge doing the second-chance thing while doing dirty work for Servit Nadir while taking refuge in a tailor shop. Gölge is masqurading as the late tailor’s son, and he’s transforming the neighborhood and vice versa. Meanwhile, Gölge doesn’t recall his own childhood, so get ready for the photograph-related fallout there.
Finding ‘Ohana (Netflix film) — Two siblings who hail from Brooklyn head to rural O’ahu, where they explore their Hawaiian heritage and head off on an epic adventure in search of long-lost treasure. Naturally, this involves a cryptic pirate’s journal, and one of the siblings is very skeptical while the other’s plowing full-steam ahead. In the process, they learn to love their native culture and discover that the true treasure is family.
Fatma (Netflix series, Sunday) — A cleaning lady transforms into a killer, which is, yeah, a little unexpected, but it’s almost hilarious when she’s only considered a “cleaner” because her clients have no idea.
The White Tiger (Netflix film) — Priyanka Chopra Jonas stars as passengers for a young hero jockey who becomes a driver, Balram Halwai (Adarsh Gourav). He narrates this purportedly epic story about his darkly humorous rise from rags to riches in modern India. He’s cunning and ambitious and doesn’t want to sit in his socially acceptable box, and his journey takes an unconventional and somewhat rogue turn, which leads him to become a different type of master than, again, also socially acceptable. The film’s based upon the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name.
And here’s what else you might want to catch from the rest of the streaming services with new offerings this weekend.
HBO MAX:
The Little Things — Three Oscar winners headline a film that’s mostly landing on streaming (there are few limited theaters in the mix), so thank goodness for the Internet during pandemic times. The movie stars Denzel Washington and Rami Malek as police officers hunting a 1990s-era serial killer in Los Angeles. (Yep, Denzel is playing a cop again! You can’t hate on that.) Their prime suspect is portrayed by Jared Leto, and this is a tale of overarching obsession and secrets that are best left uncovered.
Euphoria: Second Special Episode — This installment is called “F*ck Anyone Who’s Not a Sea Blob,” so, yes, that’s cryptic. We do know that this episode will be a mirror reflections for what happened after Rue was left standing alone at a train station by Jules after the two scrapped their joint getaway plan. This led to some sad Zendaya diner action by the former, and the second episode (directed by creator Sam Levinson) will inform the audience of what went down on Jules’ end. Hunter Schafer, who portrays Jules, also co-wrote this one.
DISNEY+
Wandavision: Episode 4 (Disney+ series) — The Marvel Cinematic Universe has launched into Phase Four with abandon, and oh boy, things got seriously dark this week. The good news is that we got a lot of answers this week, and there’s one heck of a villainous curveball coming your way if you haven’t watched yet. The show’s more inventive than most superhero-oriented fare that we’ve seen in the past few years, and it’s fantastic to finally see the Marvel titles coming our way once more.
Beyond the Clouds: A Promise Kept: Finale (Disney+ series) — It’s finale time for this incredible true story in miniseries form. The story’s an ode to the life of 17-year-old Zach Sobiech, a singer/songwriter who embarked upon a tragic and unforgettable journey after learning that he’s diagnosed with a rare bone cancer. He spends the last of his time on earth chasing after his dreams with the help of his best friend and a teacher who’s also a mentor. Before all is said and done, a record deal emerges.
AMAZON:
Flack: Season 1 (PopTV series moving to Amazon Prime) — Flack came out two years ago on Pop TV, presumably as a limited series, but all that has changed now. Amazon picked up the Anna Paquin-starring show for an unexpected second season, which will arrive later this year. If you are in need of some guilty-pleasure escapism, consider giving this series a whirl. It’s voyeuristic and at times thrilling to watch. Flack also feels like an amalgamation of many shows and movies you’ve seen before, including The Devil Wears Prada, Scandal, and Sex and the City.
HULU:
The Sister: Season 1 (Hulu series) — ITV commissioned this series with Hulu, and it’s already a hit in the U.K. The show’s based upon Burial, a best selling novel by Neil Cross (Luther) and involves a family’s life being rocked into oblivion when a presence from the past literally shows up on the porch with some unwelcome and shocking news. This development, of course, transforms into catastrophic decisions and long-lasting effects that aren’t so desirable.
Jann: Complete Seasons & 2 (Distribution 360 series on Hulu) — This is a weird one but delighfully so. The show revolves around a former pop star, Jann, who’s attempting to get over. breakup, deal with her mother’s health issues, and finally conquer archrival… Sarah McLachlan? Alright.
