Top streams for the week
Matt Damon, Adam Driver, and Jodie Comer star in "The Last Duel" (2021, R), a medieval drama based on the true story of the last royally-sanctioned duel to the death in France, told from the different perspectives of the three protagonists. Ridley Scott directs the perceptive and creative screenplay by Damon and costar Ben Affleck with Nicole Holofcener. (HBO Max)
A good deed and a well-intentioned white lie unravel in "A Hero" (2021, Iran, PG-13, with subtitles), Asghar Farhadi's drama of a man on leave from prison whose attempts to clear his sentence tangle his loved ones in a scandal. It won two awards at Cannes and is Iran's submission to the Academy Awards. (Amazon Prime Video)
In the political thriller "Munich: The Edge of War" (2022, PG-13), a British civil servant (George MacKay) and a German diplomat (Jannis Niewöhner) try to stop the course of World War II. Liv Lisa Fries and Jeremy Irons costar in the adaptation of the Robert Harris novel. (Netflix)
The new comedy series "Somebody Somewhere" (TV-MA) follows a Kansas woman (Bridget Everett) who finds her voice—and herself—in a local choir of eccentrics and oddballs. (HBO Max)
Three twentysomethings on the autism spectrum become roommates in the dramedy series "As We See It" (not rated), from "Friday Night Lights" creator Jason Katims. Joe Mantegna costars with young leads Rick Glassman, Albert Rutecki, and Sue Ann Pien. (Amazon Prime Video)
Two new sitcoms debut: "Single Drunk Female" (TV-MA), a comedy about addiction and recovery starring Sofia Black-D’Elia as a young woman forced to move back home with her mother (Ally Sheedy) (new episodes on Fridays), and the sitcom sequel "How I Met Your Father" (TV-14) with Hillary Duff (two episodes available, new episodes on Tuesdays). Both on Hulu.
"Ozark" (TV-MA), starring Jason Bateman and Laura Linney as TV's most unlikely crime family, returns with half of the fourth and final season's episodes. (Netflix)
Pay-Per-View / Video on Demand
Part time travel adventure and part ghost story thriller, Edgar Wright's "Last Night in Soho" (2021, R) stars Thomasin McKenzie as an aspiring fashion designer who gets transported back to 1960s London.
Wes Anderson's "The French Dispatch" (2021, R) pays tribute to the final issue of an American magazine headquartered in a fictional French city in the late 1960s.
Netflix
Paul Thomas Anderson's fashion world drama "Phantom Thread" (2017, R) earned five Oscar nominations, including acting nods for Daniel Day-Lewis and Lesley Manville.
A New York hairdresser falls for a prince while working at his wedding in the romantic comedy "The Royal Treatment" (TV-PG) with Laura Marano and Mena Massoud.
True stories: the limited series "The Puppet Master: Hunting the Ultimate Conman" (TV-MA) looks at a conman who masquerades as a British spy.
Foodie fun: "Heavenly Bites: Mexico: Season 1" (Mexico, TV-14, with subtitles) celebrates Mexico's culinary ingenuity and "Midnight Asia: Eat · Dance · Dream: Season 1" (Singapore, TV-MA, with subtitles) journeys through the night life of six iconic Asian cities.
International passport: an orphaned girl attempts to connect with her distant uncle in "My Father's Violin" (2022, Turkey, TV-14, with subtitles).
International TV: the sitcom "Juanpis González - The Series: Season 1" (Colombia, TV-MA, with subtitles) follows a wealthy "man-child" in Colombia and the drama "Summer Heat: Season 1" (Brazil, TV-MA, with subtitles) follows a group of young adults at summer job on an island resort.
Kid stuff: "That Girl Lay Lay: Season 1" (TV-G) is a kids comedy about an online avatar come to life.
Hulu
The touching "Marjorie Prime" (2017, not rated) stars Lois Smith as an elderly widow with a fading memory and Jon Hamm as the holographic companion who channels her dead husband. This sci-fi tinged drama of mortality, memory, and loss also stars Geena Davis and Tim Robbins.
International TV: "Rebecca: Season 1" (France, not rated, with subtitles), a remake of the British crime drama "Marcella," stars Anne Marivin as a police detective obsessed with tracking a serial killer.
HBO Max
In the limited series crime thriller "On the Job" (Philippines, not rated, with subtitles), a crime syndicate temporarily releases convicts to carry out political assassinations.
Streaming TV: the hit medical drama "ER: Complete Series" (1994-2009, TV-14) and paranormal conspiracy drama "Fringe: Complete Series" (2008-2013, TV-14) make their new streaming homes on HBO Max. Also new is the Tracy Morgan comedy "The Last O.G: Season 4" (TV-MA).
True stories: "The Murder of Fred Hampton" (1971, not rated) explores the killing of the Illinois Chapter of the Black Panther Party, later dramatized in the movie "Judas and the Black Messiah."
Peacock
The animated "Supernatural Academy: Season 1" (TV-PG) is… well, it's all in the title. All episodes streaming.
Ed Helms and Randall Park host "True Story with Ed & Randall: Season 1" (TV-PG), a nonfiction show about ordinary people with extraordinary true stories
"Twilight" (2008, PG-13) and the entire young adult franchise of vampires in love with Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson are now streaming.
Paramount+
Two priests (Luis Gerardo Méndez and Miguel Angel Silvestre) sent by the Vatican investigate reports of miracles in "The Envoys: Season 1" (Argentina, not rated, with subtitles).
True stories: "Vaxxed Nation" (2021, not rated) examines Israel's roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccine, the earliest and fastest in the pandemic.
Other streams
"Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock: Season 1" (TV-G) reboots the classic kids show from Jim Henson Productions. All 13 episodes available. Also new is "Servant: Season 3" (TV-MA). (Apple TV+)
A young diplomat (Álvaro Mel) is sent to recover stolen Spanish treasure in the adventure thriller "La Fortuna: Season 1" (Spain, with subtitles), created and directed by Alejandro Amenábar and costarring Clarke Peters and Stanley Tucci. New episodes on Thursdays. (AMC+)
An Irish-American detective back from the Civil War goes looking for his missing family in "Copper: Complete Series" (2012-2013, TV-MA), a cop drama set in 19th century New York City. (AMC+)
Australian politic drama "Total Control: Season 2" with Deborah Mailman and Rachel Griffiths. (AMC+ and Sundance Now)
Samuel L. Jackson narrates "The Fix" (TV-MA), a limited series documentary about the impact of addiction and the drug war in America. Free with ads. (Roku Channel)
The 2022 Sundance Film Festival opens this weekend. "Sundance Class of ’92: The Year Indie Exploded" jumps back thirty years with a collection of 25 films, from American indie landmark "Gas Food Lodging" (1992, R) from Allison Anders to groundbreaking queer features "The Living End" (1992, not rated) from Gregg Araki and Christopher Munch's "The Hours and Times" (1991, not rated) to Sundance winning documentary "Brother’s Keeper" (1992, R). And just for fun, the Cesar-winning dark comedy "Delicatessen" (France, 1991, with subtitles) from Jean-Pierre Jeunet and Marc Caro. (Criterion Channel)
New on disc and at Redbox:
"Last Night in Soho," "Addams Family 2"
Sean Axmaker is a Seattle film critic and writer. His reviews of streaming movies and TV can be found at https://streamondemandathome.com.
Copyright © 2022 by Sean Axmaker
