Welcome to Stream Scene, where we highlight any noteworthy new movies and series hitting online streaming services.
Last week’s new releases were all Netflix, but for the week ahead most of the other streamers are also coming to the party as several major TV series debut alongside a couple of female-fronted feel-good flicks. The latter takes the form of the latest spin on Cinderella over at Amazon Prime Video, as well as fantasy-comedy Afterlife of the Party on Netflix. Switching to TV series we get the hugely anticipated season 5.1 debut of thrilling caper Money Heist on Netflix, while Showmax offers a notable trio of new shows in Gareth “The Raid” Evans’ visceral British crime drama Gangs of London, buzzy recent HBO hit The White Lotus, and the Queen Latifah-led reboot of The Equalizer.
Movies
Cinderella
Amazon Prime Video (SA) – 3 September 2021
If you ever looked at the classic Cinderella fairy tale and thought “This needs more singing and dancing… but also female entrepreneurship with fashion industry ties” then… Well, frankly that would have been a weird thing to think, but that’s apparently exactly what writer/director Kay Cannon (Blockers) thought when she put together this flashy, star-studded new feature film adaptation for Amazon Prime Video.
Afterlife of the Party
Netflix (SA) – 2 September 2021
Party till you drop! Drop dead, that is! Which is exactly what happens to Victoria Justice’s social butterfly who unfortunately doesn’t get to move on to the big dance floor in the sky. At least, as her guardian angel informs her, not until her ghostly form goes back down to Earth to makes amends for all the mistakes she’s made, starting with helping her best friend find love.
Series
Money Heist – Part 5 Vol. 1
Netflix (SA) – 3 September 2021
BELLA CIAO! It’s been 16 months since that cliffhanger ending to Part 4 of Money Heist left El Profesor and the rest of crew in a very tight spot inside the Bank of Spain! But now, FINALLY, we get to see how this absolutely nail-biting global smash hit finally plays out…. Well, at least the first half of that conclusion, with the first five episodes dropping today and the final five releasing in December.
Gangs of London
Showmax (SA) – 1 September 2021
Never before has a drama about warring British crime families – thrown at each others’ throats when the kingpin who held them all at bay is killed – so perfectly and literally earned the description of “bloody brilliant”. Creator/director Gareth Evans takes all the considerable talent for brutal, bone-breaking action he displayed with the legendary The Raid films, and combines that with deep and twisty character writing and plotting that will keep you guessing right up until the end as to just who the good and the bad guys are in this thrilling crime epic. This is a MUST-SEE.
The White Lotus
Showmax (SA) – 1 September 2021
Half quirky comedy/half character drama, this anthology ensemble piece from HBO about the interactions of several guests and staff over the course of a week at the titular tropical resort generated a whole lot of online buzz when it debuted in the US a few months ago. Now we can see for ourselves what the fuss is about.
The Equalizer
Showmax (SA) – 1 September 2021
If your only familiarity with the The Equalizer franchise is the two modern Denzel Washington action movies, then you may not know that it all actually started as a TV series in the 1980s. And now with Queen Latifah in the lead as Robyn McCall (as opposed to Robert), an ex-government agent who uses her special skills to help those in need, The Equalizer is going back to its serialized roots. The show has already been picked up for a second season renewal.