Local is lekker as this week’s streaming releases sees the debut of Showmax’s much-anticipated series The Wife, based on the popular “Hlomu” novels. We also have some big international flavour though as Netflix’s blockbuster action comedy Red notice – starring Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot – debuts. Besides those two headliners, there’s also Paul Rudd/Ferrell dark comedy limited-series The Shrink Next Door, the return of Tiger King, a bunch of Asian action offerings, and a whole lot of Vanessa Hudgens!
SERIES
The Wife
Showmax – 12 November 2021
Adapted by from Dudu Busani-Dube’s massively popular self-published three novels – Hlomu the Wife, Zandile the Resolute, and Naledi His Love – Showmax’s very first original telenovella has been generating an unprecedent level of pre-release buzz. Now The Wife is here, following the dramatic lives of the wives of eight Zulu brothers who are part of a formidable crime family . But will it live up to the hype? Early reactions say “Yes” so you better tune. This is going to be a long one as well, with Showmax signed up for 120 episodes with three episodes dropping per week. These will be split up evenly with 40 episodes each dedicated to a separate novel. The first book follows Hlomu, a journalist who doesn’t realize that the man she has fallen in love with is the very person behind crimes she’s investigating. Drama!
The Shrink Next Door
AppleTV+ – 12 November 2021
Paul Rudd was just voted as People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive”, so I’m guessing that a lot of people would love to spend all the time with him that they can. Don’t include Will Ferrell in that list though. At least not his character in the incredible true story The Shrink Next Door. Ferrell stars as Martin Markowitz, a mild-mannered man who got a lot more than he bargained for when he signed up for therapy with Rudd’s Dr. Ike Herschkopf, a charismatic psychiatrist who implanted himself into Martin’s life in not so-healthy ways.
Tiger King 2
Netflix – 17 November 2021
Who knows if people being locked down in their homes, craving any distraction they could find, had anything to do with it. All we know is that when the crazy Tiger King documentary series debuted on Netflix last year, it became the pandemic era’s first major runaway success. But apparently, that was not the end of the story of colourful oddball Joe Exotic (despite ending up in jail for attempted murder) as Tiger King 2 will be roaring back on-screen again next week.
All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs
Amazon Prime Video – 12 November 2021
When it comes to ice hockey, most of my knowledge comes a cheesy 1990s Jean-Claude Van Damme movie, so I’m probably not the right person for this. However, the latest installment of Amazon’s sports documentary series, All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs, following the rollercoaster drama of the storied NHL team, does look kind of compelling.
MOVIES
Red Notice
Netflix – 12 November 2021
Not even going to bother trying to sell you guys on this one. It’s Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Ryan Reynolds starring as a respective framed FBI agent and master-thief who team up to take down the world’s best burglar played by Gal Gadot. Action, laughs, and very attractive, very charismatic people doing their thing. What more do you want?
Cry Macho
Google Play Movies – 12 November 2021
Clint Eastwood made his name playing cowboys and now the legendary 91-year old filmaker and actor is back at it again in Cry Macho. This is not a shoot-em-up western though as the drama sees Eastwood as a washed up rodeo star in 1978, who takes a job from an ex-boss to collect his troublesome son in Mexico and bring him home. And this is not going to be a relaxing trip thanks to the gruff old man and spirited youth not seeing eye to eye. After debuting on HBO Max in the US in September, it’s now up for rental on Google Play Movies.
Skyfire
Google Play Movies – 12 November 2021
I generally don’t showcase older releases here, but it’s also not every day that Simon West (Con-Air, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider) directs a Chinese big-budget disaster film either (which was originally filmed twice, once in English and once in Mandarin). Debuting in China in December 2019 to become the no.1 movie in the key Asian market, Skyfire has had a very limited western rollout since then. However, the English version is now up for rental on Google Play Movies. I would have preferred the Mandarin version as reviews all pegged the performances there to be far more natural, but we don’t watch these types of movies for dramatic acting. We’re here for all the crazy CGI destruction and Skyfire has that in spades!
The Fable: The Hitman That Doesn’t Kill
Netflix – 12 November 2021
Keeping things in the East but hopping over to Japan, we get some classic skop, skiet en donner action from The Fable: The Hitman That Doesn’t Kill. Yes, that is an incredible clumsy title, but the hero of this film is anything but as a fast-punching hitman who is trying to turn over a new leaf and live a life of peace. After he runs into a young disabled girl linked to an old job he took, that plan goes out the window though.
The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star
Netflix 18 November 2021
I’m clearly not the target audience for this, but the fact that we’re on a third film means that there definitely is one though. The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star gets an early jumpstart on romantic Christmas movies as Vanessa Hudgens returns in the role of Belgravian Princess Stacy De Novo Wyndham… as well as her lookalike, the queen of Montenaro, Margaret Delacourt… and another doppleganger, Margaret’s shady cousin Lady Fiona Pembroke (Seriously? How many are there?!) who all have to team up when a priceless Christmas relic is stolen by a jewel thief.