Alex Garland’s critically acclaimed Civil War leads the streaming release schedule this week, along with a pair of star-studded movies in animated family adventure Spellbound, and Steven McQueen’s WWII drama Blitz.
SERIES
The Helicopter Heist S1
22 November 2024 – Netflix
On an early morning in September 2009, a helicopter landed on the roof of a building in an inconspicuous suburb in Stockholm, Sweden. The rather nondescript building was actually the most secure cash depot in the country, operated by multinational security company G4S. Twenty minutes later, the helicopter took off again. It was filled with an undisclosed (but rather large) sum of money and some very triumphant robbers. Not a single shot was fired, despite police being alerted and on the scene. The Helicopter Heist is the eight-episode dramatization of the incredible true story of how a motley crew of thieves planned and executed one of the most daring robberies in European history.
It’s In the Game S1
When it comes to EA Sports titles, South Africa is very much a FIFA country (or as it’s now known EA FC). But, in the US, it’s American Football video game franchise Madden NFL that reigns supreme. And not just in the US though, as the long-running video game franchise has sold over 130 million copies worldwide making it one of the biggest game series of all time. It is a veritable global phenomenon. And it almost never happened. It’s In the Game is a six-part docuseries speaking to developers, sportspeople, and celebs, as they tell this incredible story of how this unlikely underdog would become a world champion, living up to the name of the NFL legend emblazoned on its covers.
The Madness S1
28 November 2024 – Netflix
Colman Domingo is one of those incredibly charismatic actors who could make something as mundane as reading a telephone book (kids, ask your parents to explain what those are) sound exciting. And all of that is to say that I had no idea what new Netflix thriller series The Madness was actually about, but it already been added to my list. For those of you actually need more convincing than just Domingo’s name, here’s the official blurb: “Muncie Daniels is a political consultant-turned-TV pundit who may have lost his way in life. While on a work sabbatical in the Poconos to write the great American novel, Muncie finds himself the only witness to the murder of a well-known white supremacist, and now he’s being framed for the crime. Muncie is forced to go on the run in a desperate fight to clear his name and unravel a global conspiracy before time runs out. Along the way he’ll reconnect with his family, find unlikely allies, and fight against disinformation in a post-truth age.”
MOVIES
Spellbound
22 November 2024 – Netflix
There hasn’t really been much in the way of fanfare for upcoming animated family fantasy adventure film Spellbound, which is rather surprising given all the talent involved. The adventures of Ellian, the tenacious young daughter of the rulers of Lumbria who must go on a daring quest to save her family and kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms her parents into monsters, is directed and co-written by Vicky Jenson, the director of both Shrek and Shark Tale. The original music score is composed by none other than Alan Menken, the legendary EGOT-winning composer that gave us the music of such classics as Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahonts, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and more. And the voice cast for Spellbound is an A-list dream led by Rachel Zegler, John Lithgow, Jenifer Lewis, Nathan Lane, Tituss Burgess, Javier Bardem, and Nicole Kidman. Yeah, this is kind of a big deal.
Blitz
22 November 2024 – Apple TV+
Steve McQueen (that’s the very much alive British filmmaker, not the long-deceased American actor) has always made very interesting, and often award-winning films. And his latest is Blitz, a World War II-set drama starring Saoirse Ronan, Elliott Heffernan, Harris Dickinson, and Benjamin Clementine, which looks absolutely thrilling. The film follows the epic and dangerous journey of George, a 9-year-old boy in London during the German blitz, whose mother Rita sends him to safety in the English countryside. However, when George doesn’t reach his destination, and tries to return home on his own, it sets off a series of life-changing events for those he encounters.
Joy
22 November 2024 – Netflix
On 25 July 1978, Louise Joy Brown was born at Oldham General Hospital, Lancashire, to parents Lesley and John Brown. She was healthy lively baby. She was also, somewhat of a miracle, and as the first human successfully conceived and born through in vitro fertilization, would change medical history forever. Joy is the remarkable true story of the world’s first “test tube baby”, and the tireless 10-year journey of nurse/embryologist Jean Purdy, scientist Robert Edwards, and surgeon Patrick Steptoe, who pioneered this incredible medical procedure that would go on to enrich the lives of millions of people.
Bread & Roses
22 November 2024 – Apple TV+
Directed by Sahra Mani and produced by Jennifer Lawrence and Malala Yousafza, Bread & Roses is a hard-hitting feature documentary. Described as “a moving portrayal of strength amid struggle,” the film follows three women in real time as they fight to recover their autonomy after the Taliban seized control of Afghanistan in 2021, and summarily instituted laws severely restricting the rights of women. Not content to be silenced like past generations, these women risked their lives to protest against their patriarchal oppressors.
Civil War
25 November 2024 – Showmax
Acclaimed Oscar-nominated writer-director Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation) is back with another super tensely directed, thought-provoking thriller in Civil War. Just don’t think too hard about it. It’s not that this film, which is set in a near-future America violently divided by civil war, is brain dead. Far from it. As Noelle noted in her 8/10 review, it’s superbly crafted with amazing performances from stars Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny, and Wagner Moura – with a nightmarishly memorable short appearance from Jesse Plemons – but as Garland focuses this story squarely on a team of military-embedded journalists on a dangerous cross-country expedition for a potential scoop of a lifetime, the filmmaker seems to not want to make any statements one way or the other about the parallels between his film and real-world USA. This despite the fact that these comparisons are positively shouting at you from the screen. Either way, get ready for a white-knuckled ride of tension and character drama.