Gal Gadot’s spy thriller Heart of Stone leads a diverse selection of movies on this week’s streaming releases, while the series side of things boasts two potentially controversial entries in court doc Depp v. Heard and religious comic book adaptation The Chosen One.
SERIES
The Chosen One S1
Netflix – 16 August 2023
I have to admit I was shocked when I realized that this new fantasy series was releasing next week as I’ve seen next to no PR push for it. Maybe that has a little bit to do with its potentially controversial subject matter: The Chosen One is the live-action adaptation of hugely popular writer Mark Millar’s thorny comic book, American Jesus, about a teenage boy who discovers that he’s developing the divine abilities of Jesus Christ, sending him on a coming-of-age journey that could reshape the world and all it believes in. The fact that Netflix already renamed the series shows that it knows its courting controversy from conservative audiences, hence why it’s almost stealth dropping this one.
Depp v. Heard S1
Netflix – 16 August 2023
It was the court case that gripped and divided the internet for months. What should have been just a trial between actors Johnny Depp and Amber Heard about years of issues on both sides, escalated into a bona fide circus when the media were allowed inside the courtroom to make public every messed-up detail. The result was respective armies of very vocal supporters springing up for both Depp and Heard, micro-analyzing each answer and piece of evidence to vilify the other side – often in disgusting ways. This is on top of the contentious career impact it had for Depp and, admittedly to a lesser degree, Heard. And now you can watch how this whole messy spiel unfolded in this no-holds-barred three-part documentary series.
MOVIES
Heart of Stone
Netflix – 11 August 2023
From superhero to super-spy, Gal Gadot is back to saving the world again, but this time without godlike comic book powers. Heart of Stone sees Gadot as Rachel Stone, a member of an independent spy organization (whose members are seemingly forbidden personal lives?) who has its super-secret high-tech “Heart” stolen as its agents are taken out. The Heart is one of those nebulous movie MacGuffin’s that can hack anything and bring down total networks with just some ones and zeroes, so this is bad business if Rachel and what’s left of her fellow spies can’t get it back. Heart of Stone is one of Netflix’s big releases this year and they’ve rolled out the PR red carpet for it, but early critical consensus has been mixed. You can decide for yourself.
Jagged Mind
Disney+ – 11 August 2023
I have to admit, I had not heard of Jagged Mind until it popped up on the Disney+ release schedule. And this one seems rather intriguing. Maisie Richardson-Sellers of The Originals and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow fame stars as a young woman plagued by blackouts and strange visions discovers, who discovers she’s stuck in a series of time loops, possibly related to her mysterious new girlfriend. Sounds intriguing!
Red, White, and Royal Blue
Prime Video – 11 August 2023
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum (well, besides for the same-sex romance) comes Red, White, and Royal Blue. This one feels like a stereotypical, over-the-top meet-cute rom-com, but with a gay twist. Adapted from the best-selling 2019 novel of the same name by Casey McQuiston, this one sees the Taylor Zackhar Perez stars as the unrefined son of the first female President of the United States (Uma Thurman) who is sent as a representative to the UK for a royal wedding. While their though, he meets and publicly bumps heads with the cultured British Prince, played by Nicholas Galitzine. However, despite their differences, there is a romantic attraction between the two young men, which they have to keep a secret, and pretend to just be good friends, unless they want to spark a public and diplomatic crisis.
Black Phone
Showmax – 14 August 2023
Director Scott Derrickson and writer C. Robert Cargill’s biggest hit may have been Marvel’s Doctor Strange, but their first collaboration was the horror masterpiece Sinister. And back in 2021, after departing Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness over creative differences, the duo reteamed with star Ethan Hawke to go back to their chilling roots with The Black Phone. Adapted from a short story by Joe Hill aka the son of Stephen King, the film follows an abducted teenager who uses a mysterious telephone to communicate with the previous victims of his deranged captor. The film was one of the first post-pandemic success stories, earning heaps of critical praise as well as grossing $161 million on just an $18 million budget. If you missed it in cinemas back then, you can now finally catch it on Showmax.
Bodies Bodies Bodies
Showmax – 17 August 2023
Another horror entry that drew critical acclaim on its release is Bodies Bodies Bodies. Starring Maria Bakalova, Amandla Stenberg, Lee Pace, Pete Davidson, and more, this is a is a slasher film for the TikTok age, putting a Gen-Z spin on all the genre tropes, satirizing current youth’s obsession with cellphones and the internet, and even reframing modern social politics in a horror context. That’s a lot, and having seen it last year, I don’t think Bodies Bodies Bodies nails it all, but it is still a pretty fun and bloody time that should keep you guessing.
VOD RENTALS/PURCHASES
The following movies have recently become available for digital purchase/rental:
Paint
Rental: Apple TV – R45
Purchase: Apple TV – R130 / Google Play Movies – R135