540 Best TV-MA Movies to Watch (Page 31)

Based on the 2019 Taiwanese drama, A Time Called You is a fresh take on the time travel romance with its unique premise and structure. The series seamlessly shifts between the decades, flitting between them with ease. It simultaneously introduces both couples on separate, parallel timelines, 1998 at the start of the love triangle, with 2023 at the untimely end of Jun-hee’s. These two timelines merge through time travel via a gifted cassette tape. Because of these shifts, the show creates the expected nostalgia, but it also effectively drives the show’s mystery, as Jun-hee tries to figure out the photo and the trio on it. While the show takes its sweet time doing so, A Time Called You twists the heart in exploring the grief of lost love, and the hope for a second chance.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Ahn Hyo-seop, Jeon Yeo-been, Kang Hoon

Director: Kim Jin-won

Rating: TV-MA

After wars and revolutions, there tends to be the nostalgia of the “good old days”– days before the terror and violence have completely and irreparably changed one’s course, whether that be of one’s life, or that of a whole country’s. A Gentleman in Moscow displays that same nostalgia for aristocracy and their way of life before the October Revolution, with Rostov remembering the old days through the classic aspect ratio. It’s a decently made show, and it’s helped by casting Ewan McGregor, who brings the same sort of whimsy he brought to Christopher Robin, and the impeccable soundtrack from Federico Jusid. It’s also helped by expanding the role of Anna Urbanova, performed by Mary Elizabeth Winstead. But this nostalgia feels a tad out of place, considering that nothing about the show, except perhaps some of the score, has been created by any Russian, or those that descended from the Russian immigrants that wanted a different life from the Bolshevik regime.

Genre: Drama

Actor: Alexa Goodall, Ewan McGregor, Fehinti Balogun, Johnny Harris, Jonny Harris, Marcus Hodson, Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Rating: TV-MA

Between 2017’s Death Note and this year’s critically acclaimed One Piece, it’s been a hit or miss for Netflix when it comes to live action anime adaptations. The latest one is YuYu Hakusho, whose supernatural scrimmages influenced 90s action manga. Yusuke Urameshi maintains that classic 90s delinquent with a heart of gold in the modern era now, and it’s easy to root for him because he shares the same intentions as anyone else would. The fights are fantastic, with Robot Communications at the helm, and the spirit world looks and feels so intriguing, even for viewers unfamiliar with the original story. However, with only five episodes, amounting to only five hours, it’s too short of a time to flesh out so many of the manga’s full ensemble. YuYu Hakusho might have the visuals, but fans of the original might be let down by the live action time spent with their favorite side characters.

Genre: Drama, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Ai Mikami, Go Ayano, Goro Inagaki, Hiroya Shimizu, Jun Shison, Kanata Hongo, Keita Machida, Kenichi Takitoh, Kotone Furukawa, Meiko Kaji, Sei Shiraishi, Shuhei Uesugi, Takumi Kitamura

Rating: TV-MA

This is a pretty easy premise to invest in: psychotic exes. They don’t fumble the bag, either, giving us a series that takes an active stance against a justice system that is often asleep at the wheel in these cases, and spotlights the victims more than anything else which creates some semblance of hope in a tragic genre. The abusive cycle of manipulative behavior is insane—some people just never find fault in themselves or their logic—and the series captures the escalating frustration in the stories. Still, some outcomes give you immense comfort, and when it comes to this genre, that’s a huge win.

Genre: Crime, Documentary

Rating: TV-MA

Given its explicitly female-centered premise, you’d think Women in Blue would do a better job at exploring gender dynamics in the workforce and bucking societal expectations in general. But it bafflingly doesn’t. The lead characters are underwritten and their problems are draped with a telenovela flair that distracts, at times, from the gravity of the situation. The core mystery that drives the entire series feels similarly underbaked, even though it is based on true events. But that said, Women in Blue has its moments. The show shines the most when it gives its female leads enough space and time to actually grapple with their reality and the realizations they’ve made since joining the force. I also wished it had them work on different cases, not just the one, but maybe that’s something another season could address.

Genre: Crime, Drama

Actor: Amorita Rasgado, Bárbara Mori, Christian Tappán, Horacio García Rojas, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Miguel Rodarte, Natalia Téllez, Ximena Sariñana

Rating: TV-MA

If you’ve seen a Netflix true crime documentary, then you’ve seen them all. The Man with 1000 Kids, produced by the same people behind Lover, Stalker, Killer, isn’t novel in the way it looks or moves. Each episode contains simple graphics, light reenactments, and gripping cliffhangers. But it tells, nonetheless, a riveting story, one that’s hard to look away from or turn down. Meijer, the man in question, declined to comment and thus doesn’t make an appearance, but as an aspiring YouTuber and musician, he’s thankfully left a digital trail that provides insightful (and infuriating) insight into his strange MO.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Jonathan Meijer

Rating: TV-MA

The Franchise is a funny enough spoof attacking the oversized production and interest surrounding big-budget movies and their never-ending sequels. Marvel is the most obvious target (the studio in the show is named Maximum), but it more generally aims at an industry that puts profit and exploitation before art and wellness. In that regard, it doesn’t feel as sharp or fresh as it should be. Many other shows, from The Comeback to Episodes, have already given us their darkly funny behind-the-scenes take on Hollywood with much more depth and nuance. And making fun of Marvel, at this point, feels overdone—everyone, even the most rabid fan, is in superhero fatigue mode. Still, The Franchise makes for an entertaining watch. Daniel Brühl, playing the eccentric auteur Eric, and Billy Magnussen, playing the airhead lead Tecto, are especially funny, while Patel and Adefope are the easiest to follow and relate to. It’s never laugh-out-loud hilarious or profoundly thought-provoking. But it is an accurate and amusing spoof, one that could (and hopefully) grow into itself in the following seasons.

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Aya Cash, Billy Magnussen, Daniel Brühl, Darren Goldstein, Himesh Patel, Isaac Powell, Jessica Hynes, Lolly Adefope, Richard E. Grant

Rating: TV-MA

Mind-bending, intense, and mysterious, it's hard to put Tengoku Daimakyo into words. The anime might be a post-apocalyptic adventure series where two teenagers fight against man-eating monsters, but it also happens to be a sci-fi-based contemplation of genetic experimentation, AI, and interventionism. The structure of the series is strange too, with its two seemingly unconnected parallel storylines. At the start, it's unclear why the show alternates between a futuristic utopian boarding school and the monster-filled ruins of Japan. However, there's something very compelling about the way this show unveils itself. When a question about the premise is answered, even more questions pop up. When the kids' wishes and predictions get fulfilled, it's never in the way they expect it would be. When the show drops an unexpected revelation, sometimes a rewatch of previous episodes is required to understand the weight of that scene. But once things click, the brilliance of the show is undeniable. Tengoku Daimakyo is strange but downright fascinating.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Mystery, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: Atsumi Tanezaki, Gen Sato, Hibiku Yamamura, Kazuya Nakai, Misato Fukuen, Misato Matsuoka, Sayaka Senbongi, Shunsuke Takeuchi, Tomoyo Kurosawa, Toshiyuki Toyonaga, Yuuki Shin

Rating: TV-MA

Years after the #MeToo movement began, a lot of things remain confounding about Kevin Spacey’s sexual assault case, partly because he has always been a private man, and partly because not a lot of light has been shone on his victims. The most prominent victim, actor Anthony Rapp, sued Spacey for sexual misconduct, but his case was one of many that was ultimately dismissed. This makes the two-part documentary Spacey Unmasked an important and illuminating watch. It gathers 10 testimonies across 50 years and effectively establishes a pattern of Spacey’s abusive behavior. Along with platforming the victims, it also opens conversations about male sexual assault and how it intersects with gender and sexuality, which gives the documentary more layers than expected. I only wish the filmmakers spent more time weaving this tale into a more cohesive one, with less repetitive takes and bolder stylistic choices. It’s urgent viewing to be sure, but the filmmakers aren’t doing the victims any favors by editing them in this simplistic manner.

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Kevin Spacey

Rating: TV-MA

Look, no one expects a series about sex-loving anthropomorphic food products who also happen to be great at puns to be that serious. The worst it can be is boring, and thankfully, Sausage Party: Foodtopia is anything but. Each scene is rammed with outrageously gross acts, so the shock factor never wanes, but beyond that, there’s also something to be said about how creative it gets with gastronomy, and how little care it gives to the puny humans. Bodies are defiled and deformed, forcing you to think about how we treat others too. Don't get me wrong, the show is dumb, but its dumbness is the intentional kind, the kind that unwittingly or not peddles poignant commentary about how we live.

Genre: Action & Adventure, Animation, Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Actor: David Krumholtz, Edward Norton, Kristen Wiig, Michael Cera, Sam Richardson, Seth Rogen, Will Forte

Rating: TV-MA

Starring a knock-out cast of comediennes that include Carol Burnett, Laura Dern, Allison Janney, and Wiig, Palm Royale is a visual treat filled with a handful of memorable performances. But as funny as these women and as vibrant as these costumes are, the series never seems truly believable and lived in. It instead feels like a neverending comedy sketch—a parody of a melodrama, to be exact. Despite its tender moments, it’s difficult to feel sympathetic for characters who are played for laughs and laughs only. Look, I love Wiig as much as the next person who grew up watching seasons 31-37 of SNL, but the loudness of her performance can’t hide the fact that she can’t find her character’s core, which ultimately weakens the act. Wiig is usually excellent in dramatic roles, so this one comes as a surprise.

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Allison Janney, Amber Chardae Robinson, Carol Burnett, Josh Lucas, Kaia Gerber, Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, Leslie Bibb, Ricky Martin

Rating: TV-MA

Released earlier in 2023, Lady Voyeur is reminiscent of those 80s-90s erotic thrillers that you or your parents weren’t allowed to watch, albeit with a modern hacking subplot. The Brazilian Netflix mini-series balances its erotic and its thriller sides– with Eros ruling the consensual scenes, and fear powering the mystery of Prado-Couto families. Relying on mirrors, CCTV cameras, and window reflections, the show follows the titular protagonist Miranda, seeing and being seen, as she gets roped into a conspiracy against her fling’s best friend and hotel conglomerate. It’s an interesting watch, though it lacks a tighter resolution to all its plotlines.

Genre: Drama, Mystery

Actor: Ângelo Rodrigues, Débora Nascimento, Emanuelle Araújo, Nikolas Antunes

Rating: TV-MA