If you somebody that likes sci-fi with giant robots, classic rock & roll, and Kevin Hart being Kevin Hart, then you’re in luck as this week’s streaming releases are led by Netflix actioner Atlas, The Beach Boys documentary, and action-comedy sequel Die Hart 2.
SERIES
Kings from Queens: The Run DMC Story
23 May 2024 – Showmax
As a child of the 80s who grew up on the Cape Flats, rap music was a big part of who I was. And there were few rappers out there with the influence of Run DMC. The musical trio from Queens, New York may not have been the pioneers of the hip hop genre, but they were hip hop’s first true superstars, boasting the very first rap album in history to go platinum. But who were Joseph “Run” Simmons, Jason “Jam Master Jay” Mizell, and Darryl “D.M.C.” McDaniels? Where did they come from and how did they make it so big so fast? Kings from Queens is a three-part documentary series that dives deep into the origins of Run DMC and how they became one of the most influential acts in music history, shaping a genre and ushering in a golden age of rap. It also gives an unfiltered look at the hardships they endured, both in the recording studio and their personal lives as they attained wealth and success at a staggering rate.
Eric S1
30 May 2024 – Netflix
I’m not going to lie, I have no idea what to expect from Eric. The upcoming six-episode miniseries thriller from writer Abi Morgan (The Iron Lady, Shame) seems pretty straightforward at first: Set in the 1980s it sees Benedict Cumberbatch as Vincent, a family man whose young son goes missing, prompting him to get ever more volatile as authorities fail to find his child. But here’s where things seem to get a bit weird. Vincent is a puppeteer on a children’s TV show, and out of desperation he creates a 7-foot-tall puppet monster based on his son’s own drawings, becoming increasingly convinced that this “Eric” can help him get his son back. And it seemingly gets a tad bit trippy.
MOVIES
Atlas
24 May 2024 – Netflix
If you’re anything like me, then the moment you saw the great first teaser trailer for Atlas, you immediately thought “OMG! They’re basically making a Titanfall 2 movie!” and then squeed like a pre-teen at a Taylor Swift concert. But not so swiftly! The full trailer above dropped about a month back giving us a much more in-depth look at this new Jennifer Lopez-led action sci-fi flick, and while it did indeed still have those iconic elements from one of the greatest modern video games – a lone pilot in a crashed mech on a far future battlefield who has to learn to trust her robotic companion – there was a lot more to it than that. Including Simu Liu as some kinda AI messiah. Didn’t see that coming! I must admit that some of what I see is putting a bit of a damper on the hype I initially felt, but it’s a super rare live-action mech movie, so I’m sure as hell going to watch it.
The Beach Boys
24 May 2024 – Disney+
Run DMC aren’t the only massively influential musicians getting featured this week. Co-directed by acclaimed producer/filmmaker Frank Marshall and award-winning concert film and music video director Thom Zinny, The Beach Boys is a feature-length documentary film billed as “a celebration of the legendary band that revolutionized pop music”. Originally formed in 1961 by brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, with their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine, The Beach Boys combined elements of 1950s rock and roll, harmonious R&B, and unconventional jazz elements and recording techniques to create an iconic sound that would eventually lead to over 100 million albums sold worldwide and their songs being selected for the Grammy Hall of Fame and even chosen for preservation in the USA’s National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress. But before that level of historic superstardom, The Beach Boys had humble family beginnings. This film, with never-before-seen footage, documents just how that incredible journey happened, including all the highs and lows, the various band member changes, and how the group would change the recording industry itself with their unprecedented artistic control of their music.
Fast Charlie
27 May 2024 – Showmax
I can’t say I’m a fan of Welsh-born Pierce Brosnan’s Southern American accent in Fast Charlie (at least he’s no Foghorn Leghorn!), but at least the thriller has a surprising amount of talent behind it. Besides for the former James Bond actor, it co-stars Morena Baccarin (Deadpool, Firefly) and is directed by Phillip Noyce (Salt, Clear and Present Danger) off a screenplay from Richard Wenk (The Equalizer trilogy) … and yet, this is the first time I’m hearing about it. Adapted from Victor Gischler’s 2001 novel “Gun Monkeys”, Fast Charlie follows Brosnan as the titular veteran mob hitman and fixer whose boss, Stan, is targeted by a rival. When Stan’s entire operation is wiped out, it leaves Charlie the sole survivor. But he’s not about to go down without a fight.
Die Hart 2: Die Harter
30 May 2024 – Showmax
I am really not a fan of Kevin Hart’s comedic antics, so it should come as no surprise that I never watched Die Hart, an action-comedy series in which Kevin Hart played Kevin Hart. The show followed Hart as a fictionalized version of himself as he tried to turn himself from a comedian into a legitimate action star with the help of the unhinged leader of an action star boot camp, played by John Travolta. The show originally aired on the ill-fated Quibi service in a series of short episodes, but when that service went under, it was repackaged for Prime Video as a feature film. The reception was so good that it was picked up for a second season aired on The Roku Channel, a streaming service that’s not exactly big time over here in SA. But luckily, once again, the series has been repackaged as a feature film for Prime Video, and so next week sees the release of Die Hart 2: Die Harter for all you Kevin Hart fans!
River Wild
30 May 2024 – Showmax
The upcoming Twisters isn’t the only revival of a 1990s thriller title this year. Somehow billed as both a reimagining and sequel (huh?) to the 1994 Meryl Streep-led The River Wild, the very similarly named River Wild is a standalone contemporary story that takes place in the same universe as that original nailbiter. This time around, instead of a family on a white-water rafting holiday who get taken hostage by armed fugitives hoping to escape the law on the river, the story follows estranged siblings Joey and Gray Reese (Leighton Meester and Taran Killiam) who embark on a rafting trip with their childhood friend Trevor (Adam Brody) and a group of tourists. But what should be a fun and relaxing time to bond and rekindle relationships turns dark when deadly mishaps start occurring.
VOD RENTALS/PURCHASES
The following movies have recently become available for digital purchase/rental:
Arcadian
Purchase: Apple TV – R160 / Google TV – R160
Rental: Apple TV – R45
We don’t get Shudder here in SA, but I wish we did as the horror-focused streamer has been putting out a lot of seemingly good movies as of late. One of these recent releases is the Nic Cage-led Arcadian, which I admittedly had not been paying attention to because… well, have you seen Nic Cage’s filmography as of late?! You never what you’re getting with him. Award-winning dramas like Dream Scenario, or absolute stinky garbage like Jiu Jitsu. Based on the brief synopsis I had seen for Arcadian – post-apocalyptic thriller where monsters attack at night – I was expecting more of the latter. However, instead of some cheap D-grade schlock, reviews indicate that Arcadian is a surprisingly solid creature feature that boasts both potent chills and familial drama as it follows a father (Cage) and his two teenage sons (Jaeden Martell, Maxwell Jenkins) who must overcome their personal difficulties in order to survive a horrific attack after their normally meticulous safety measures on their isolated farmhouse go wrong.
Float
Purchase: Apple TV – R100 / Google TV – R150
Rental: Apple TV – R45 / Google TV – R45
On the very far, faaaaar end of the spectrum, we also have Float. Starring Andrea Bang and Robbie Amell, this romantic drama follows Waverly (Bang), a young woman who has whole future-doctor life mapped out already. After an impulsive stop at a small town to attend a beach party nearly ends with Waverly drowning though, she is offered swimming lessons by Blake (Amell), the local lifeguard who rescued her. But as the lessons continue… well, honestly, if you don’t know where this synopsis is heading then this may not be the movie for you because clearly you’re not a fan of this genre. For the rest of you, grab your comfy clothes, a glass of wine, and get ready for some feelings!