The Sweet East — Mubi.com
Directed by cinematographer Sean Price Williams, this sly political satire leans into the surrealism and weirdness of the “other America” as it follows the increasingly trippy adventures of high-school senior Lillian (Talia Ryder), who starts off on a school tour of Washington, DC, but soon finds herself encountering a wild assortment of mad characters — from Antifa activists and retro Black Power cineastes, to an Islamic sect leader and a professor of 18th century Romantic poetry. Featuring a cast that includes Ayo Edebiri and Jacob Elordi, it’s a uniquely messy investigation of the ideas that have boiled within the strange underbelly of America almost since its inception.
Billy Joel: And So It Goes — Showmax
Some may not understand the devotion of singer-songwriter Billy Joel’s followers, even though he has sold 160-million records, won six Grammys and held a record-breaking 10-year engagement at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Directors Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin sit Joel down for a comprehensive two-part documentary that offers everything fans could want — from behind-the-scenes stories about the inspiration of his many hits to accounts of his personal struggles — and enough material to keep cynics and naysayers watching, and maybe even converting by its end.
The Museum of Innocence — Netflix
Nobel Prize-winning Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk’s epic tale of the romance and struggles of its central star-crossed lovers — a wealthy businessman and the poor, shop-working object of desire — gets a lavish, Turkish-language period adaptation. From their first chance meeting in 1975 to their fateful reconnection in the 1980s, Pamuk’s tale charts a heartbreaking and pointed journey through the big issues of love and longing amid the changes enveloping Turkish society.
Cash Queens — Netflix
The familiar genre of women forming a gang to rob banks receives a light, comic treatment in this French series. Five desperate female friends decide to take their fate into their own hands by forming a gang and robbing banks. Of course, there’s a large gap between the idea and reality, and each protagonist brings their own baggage, anxieties and ambitions. Humour ensures the show offers an easily watchable twist on the familiar setup.
Pride and Prejudice — Prime Video
With Valentine’s Day this weekend, there is no better time to enjoy one of television’s swooniest romantic period adaptations. Writer Andrew Davies’ 1995 adaptation of Jane Austen’s most beloved tale of “a single man in possession of a good fortune” in “want of a wife”. Colin Firth stars as unlikely sex symbol Mr Darcy and Jennifer Ehle is the bright-eyed and sharp-tongued Elizabeth Bennet.
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