This week’s streaming releases appear to be all about eclectic variety, including Afrikaans romcom series, big-budget disaster movies, heartfelt local stories, star-studded mysteries, the return of a fan-favourite show from yesteryear, and more.
MOVIES
Barakat
Showmax – 2 May 2022
As the Muslim holy month of Ramadan just wrapped up a few days ago, Barakat could not have dropped on Showmax at a better time. South Africa’s official submission for Best International Feature at the 94th Academy Awards in 2022, Barakat follows Muslim widow Aisha Davids as she tries to bring together her fractured family over Eid-al-Fitr to break the news about her new romance. Boasting a cast of beloved local actors – Vinette Ebrahim, Joey Rasdien, Mortimer Williams, Keeno-Lee Hector, Danny Ross, and June van Merch, Barakat was the biggest winning at the Silwerskerm 2022 film festival, taking home the awards for Best Supporting Actress, Best Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Costume Design, and Best Production Design.
Thar
Netflix – 6 May 2022
It’s not every day I come across a Bollywood film also billed as a gritty western thriller – and starring screen legend Anil Kapoor – so you can be damn sure that this one caught my attention!
The Takedown
Netflix – 6 May 2022
If you want to keep your movies foreign, but looking for something a bit lighter, The Takedown is a French buddy-copy action-comedy starring Omar Sy and Laurent Lafitte as mismatched police partners who have to overcome each other’s differences to crack a big case. This is about as stereotypical a plot as can be, but it is directed by Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk, Transporter 2, and the upcoming Fast X) so you can expect a fast pace and some solid action.
Along for the Ride
Netflix – 6 May 2022
A sheltered young female lead with a weird name. A young hunk with a mysterious past who takes an unexpected interest. A small seaside town during a summer break. A bunch of actors in their late 20s/early 30s playing high-schoolers. Yep, this one ticks all the romantic drama boxes, so you know exactly what you’re in for here and I’m sure genre fans won’t have it any other way.
Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 Sustainable War
Netflix – 9 May 2022
If you haven’t been keeping up with all the various Ghost in the Shell anime series (which I haven’t for years), here’s a chance to make a bit of a dent in that backlog with this feature-length film recut (with new scenes and a full re-color grading of all shots) of the Ghost in the Shell: SAC_2045 series. What does all of that mean? Well, a really long and silly title for one.
Licorice Pizza
Google Play Movies/AppleTV – 6 May 2022
Veteran award-winning director Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest has been an indie darling since it debuted at various film festivals last year and eventually got a limited theatrical run. Led by a breakout feature film debut performance by musician Alana Haim (guitarist/vocalist of pop rock group Haim) and fellow newcomer Cooper Hoffman, this 1970s-set coming-of-age dramedy about first love was nominated for three Oscars, four Golden Globes, and five BAFTAS, among others. And now you can rent it on Google Play Movies/AppleTV to see what the fuss was about.
Moonfall
Google Play Movies/AppleTV – 6 May 2022
If you’re like me, you like your disaster movies big and dumb. Well, they don’t get much bigger and dumber than Moonfall, master of disaster Roland Emmerich’s latest bout of cinematic apocalypse which is actually pretty wild even for his standards. It’s out on rental now on Google Play Movies and AppleTV, but make sure to watch it on the biggest screen you have at home for the ridiculous spectacle of it all.
SERIES
Troukoors S2
Showmax – 5 May 2022
South Africa’s first local Afrikaans romcom, Troukoors, is back after a hugely successful first season that is currently nominated for Best Produced TV Script and Best Script In An Indigenous Language at The Writers Guild of South Africa Muse Awards later this month. Before then though, fans can catch up again with wedding planner Jessica (Ilse-Lee van Niekerk), her software developer sister Luca (Blyde Smit), and professional baker best friend Abi (Bianca Flanders), as the trio once again go through the highs and lows of love with all the laughter, sadness, and chaos, that entails.
(Unfortunately, I had to use a season 1 trailer here, as the season 2 trailer is no longer available for some reason)
And Just Like That… S1
Showmax – 1 May 2022
You can make all the jokes you want about beating a dead horse (and no, that is not directed at Sarah Jessica Parker), but TV series revivals is all the rage lately. And one of the most recent is this sequel series to Sex and the City, which has been a hit since it debuted on HBO Max in December 2021. And now locals can see what the fuss is about, as we catch up with fan-favourites Carrie (Parker), Charlotte (Kristin Davis), and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) – now in their mid-50s but still as unhinged as ever.
The North Water S1
Showmax – 3 May 2022
Based on Ian McGuire’s 2016 novel of the same name, this BBC co-produced mini-series stars Jack O’Connell as a disgraced young ex-army surgeon who joins a whaling expedition in a desperate attempt at redemption only to find a vicious antagonist in a brutish harpooner played by Colin Farrell. Battling the harsh elements is tough enough, but now these two polar opposite have to battle each other as well.