Genre: Documentary
Tag: Australia-Netflix (Page 45)
Song of the Bandits takes time to gain momentum, but when it does, it crackles like gunpowder. The first few episodes take great pains to explain occupied Korea’s complicated political situation (China, Japan, and a few Western bodies fight over its resources), and unsurprisingly, Song of the Bandits champions the motherland’s cry for independence. It’s a very patriotic show that doesn’t leave a lot of room for other sides, often even bordering on melodrama in its calls for justice, but that should be expected in any war-set story. Once it gets into gear, however, it delivers all the thrills you’d expect from a neo-Western. There’s a lot of gunslinging, backstabbing, espionage, and sure enough, bandits chasing a loaded train on horseback. Depending on where you stand, it also comes as a satisfying revenge thriller, one that distorts history to give this fictional Korean rebel army their due. It’s a bit like Inglorious Basterds in that it follows a paramilitary group comprised of offbeat but vicious characters, but I’d say it’s mostly similar to another Netflix history K-drama, Mr. Sunshine. If you like either (or better, both), then you’ll love Song of the Bandits.
Genre: Action & Adventure, Western
Actor: Cha Chung-hwa, Cha Yup, Kim Do-yoon, Kim Nam-gil, Lee Ho-jung, Lee Hyun-wook, Lee Jae-kyoon, Seohyun, Yoo Jae-myung
Director: Han Jin-sun, Hwang Joon-hyuk
Genre: Documentary, Romance, Thriller
Actor: Angela Nikolau, Ivan Beerkus
Director: Jeff Zimbalist
664. Sixty Minutes, 2024
While not having world-ending stakes or large-scale operations, Sixty Minutes just works as an action movie. Sure, the plot is familiar and a little far fetched, but the film maximizes the potential of its premise, with excellently choreographed fight sequences working in tandem with the cinematography to reflect the MMA fighter leading the movie. Each moment isn’t wasted, with the action escalating each time Octa finds out about the hidden information kept from him about the match he’s planned to skip, and the film easily keeps track of his journey through neon-lit stopwatch faces and maps. And when we (and Octa) feel tired from all the fighting, the film ends right on time after sixty (and twenty nine) minutes.
Genre: Action, Drama
Actor: Alain Blazevic, Aristo Luis, Balázs Megyeri, Bettina Hoppe, Bruno Salgueiro, Dennis Mojen, Emilio Sakraya, Eniko Fulop, Florian Schmidtke, Georg Blumreiter, Harry Szovik, Jackson Serafim, Janna Striebeck, José Barros, Laurent Winkler, Livia Matthes, Ludger Bökelmann, Marie Mouroum, Mehmet Ateşçi, Morik Heydo, Nyamandi Adrian, Paul Wollin, Philipp Droste, Steffen Jung, Tatjana Šojić, Tayssir Khalfallah, Vassilis Koukalani, Wanja Valentin Kube
Director: Oliver Kienle
665. Shooting Stars, 2023
Shooting Stars may be based on LeBron James’ account of his teenage years, but this adaption by Chris Robinson is more than just a vanity project. In fact, James is hardly the lead here—every one of his friends gets a chance to shine in this coming-of-age story about brotherhood and friendship. It’s closer to films like Boyz N the Hood and Stand By Me in that way, but that’s not to say it’s a letdown in the sports department. The games are choreographed beautifully; the actors display wonderful athleticism and the filmmakers employ various camera techniques that never fail to surprise. There are times, though, that these techniques distract more than excite, and there is a sense that the film could’ve benefited from a more pared-down style. But this ultimately doesn’t take away from the film’s tender and thrilling story.
Genre: Drama, History
Actor: Algee Smith, Caleb McLaughlin, Chad L. Coleman, Dermot Mulroney, Joe Fishel, Katlyn Nichol, Khalil Everage, Mookie Cook, Natalie Paul, Scoot Henderson, Wood Harris
Director: Chris Robinson
666. Shaun of the Dead, 2004
One of those movies that even if you know all the jokes by heart, you'll still laugh at them whenever you see the movie. The chemistry between Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright is exceptional, and the jokes are spot-on. The movie starts with Shaun character trying to turn his life around by winning back his ex and reconnect with his mother. Only problem? Oh yeah, everyone is coming back from the dead.
Genre: Comedy, Horror
Actor: Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Bill Nighy, Carol Barnes, Chris Martin, David Walliams, Dylan Moran, Edgar Wright, Finola Geraghty, Garth Jennings, Jeremy Thompson, Jessica Hynes, Joe Cornish, Jon Buckland, Jonny Buckland, Julia Davis, Julia Deakin, Kate Ashfield, Keir Mills, Keith Chegwin, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Lauren Laverne, Lucy Akhurst, Lucy Davis, Mark Donovan, Mark Gatiss, Martin Freeman, Matt Lucas, Michael Smiley, Nick Ewans, Nick Frost, Nicola Cunningham, Patricia Franklin, Paul Kaye, Paul Putner, Penelope Wilton, Peter Baynham, Peter Serafinowicz, Phyllis MacMahon, Rafe Spall, Reece Shearsmith, Rob Brydon, Robert Popper, Simon Pegg, Sonnell Dadral, Steve Emerson, Tamsin Greig, Tim Baggaley, Trisha Goddard, Vernon Kay
Director: Edgar Wright
667. Seventeen, 2019
At the age of 17, Héctor runs away from a juvenile detention center and embarks on a journey to find a shelter dog he had befriended in a rescue center whom he has found out has just been adopted. Along his quest, he is joined by his ailing grandmother and older brother.
Featuring beautiful landscapes of northern Spain, wonderful chemistry between the two central actors, and a simple yet dynamic story, Seventeen proves that what makes a movie great is the quality of its ingredients, not the quantity.
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Biel Montoro, Carolina Clemente, Chani Martin, Daniel Fuster, Edgar Costas, Inigo Aranburu, Itsaso Arana, Javier Cifrian, Jorge Cabrera, Kandido Uranga, Lola Cordon, Mamen Duch, Nacho Sanchez, Patxi Santamaria
Director: Daniel Sánchez Arévalo
668. Set It Up, 2018
This movie is a complete no-brainer.
It follows two assistants in busy New York City, both of them overworked and underpaid. They come up with a plan to set up their bosses (Set it Up) so that when their bosses finally take some personal time together, they could too. In a lot of ways, it’s the perfect argument to anyone who says that the rom-com genre is dead. It’s light, it’s easy, and it’s entertaining.
At the same time, there is a heartwarming vibe that’s not too cliché, and a couple of well-known actors — Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs — that help carry the plot. Don’t expect to be mind-blown but this film will leave you feeling content.
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Actor: Aaron Costa Ganis, Anna Suzuki, Annie Pisapia, Ching Hoh-Wai, Cody Calafiore, Doris McCarthy, Emilia Clarke, Evan Parke, Fabrizio Brienza, Glen Powell, Jaboukie Young-White, Jacqueline Honulik, Jake Robinson, Jeff Hiller, Joan Smalls, Jon Rudnitsky, Kate Middleton, Leonard Ouzts, Lucy Liu, Meredith Hagner, Noah Robbins, Paulie Deo Jr., Pete Davidson, Ralph Byers, Shana Solomon, Shyrley Rodriguez, Stacey Alyse Cohen, Stephanie Hsu, Taye Diggs, Tituss Burgess, Wai Ching Ho, Zoey Deutch
Director: Claire Scanlon
This wonderful series has such gentle, friendly animations of sea creatures, and a simple visualization of the sea. In fact, simple is the keyword here, extending to the very language used, which is good for teaching kids basic responses like “Good morning,” “I’m sorry,” and the like. The many curious and playful characters can definitely be loved by preschoolers, who may latch onto different animals and personalities more than others. The easy breezy nature of the show means it can also be fun for parents and guardians to watch with their kids, who together can learn lessons about kindness and friendship.
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Kids
Actor: Anchasa Bhurichayawarodom, Guy William Burnett, Tarakorn Visessintop
670. Reptile, 2023
You could take away a lot of parts in Reptile, and it would still make sense. It’s the kind of film that leans on sound and style to justify overlong takes and teeth-grittingly predictable scenes. But all is forgiven when del Toro, who also co-writes and co-produces the film, appears on screen. He has a simmering, captivating presence that demands you keep your eyes on him even when little, if anything at all, happens. Silverstone, Eric Bogosian, and Ato Essandoh are likewise enthralling, but Justin Timberlake unfortunately does not hold the same staying power. The film is at its weakest when it tries to convince us that he plays a complex, layered man when, in fact, Timberlake relays nothing but surface-level thrills. But Reptile is at its strongest when it gives us del Toro in all his forceful glory.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Actor: Africa Miranda, Alex Parkinson, Alicia Silverstone, Allison Smith, Amy Parrish, Ato Essandoh, Benicio Del Toro, Catherine Dyer, Dani Deetté, Deena Beasley, Domenick Lombardozzi, Elena Varela, Eric Bogosian, Frances Fisher, Gilbert Glenn Brown, Gregory Albrecht, James Devoti, Jesse C. Boyd, Jon Levine, Jp Lambert, Justin Timberlake, Karl Glusman, Kurt Yue, Lee Perkins, Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Matilda Lutz, Matt Medrano, Matthew Cornwell, Michael Beasley, Michael Pitt, Michael Rene Walton, Mike Pniewski, Monique Yvette Grant, Owen Teague, Sky Ferreira, Thad Luckinbill, Tiffany Fallon, Victor Rasuk
Director: Grant Singer
Genre: Documentary
Actor: Alan Alda, Alan Zweibel, Ben Mankiewicz, Burton Gilliam, Carol Kane, Eric McCormack, Gene Wilder, Gilda Radner, Harry Connick Jr., Mel Brooks, Michael Gruskoff, Mike Medavoy, Peter Ostrum, Rain Pryor, Richard Pryor, Zero Mostel
Director: Ron Frank
672. Red Rose, 2022
With the rise of short video content apps like TikTok and YouTube shorts, there are, unfortunately, plenty of kids that do stupid things, egged on by the internet. Red Rose plays with this idea in a mysterious, possibly possessed, mobile application. The show feels slightly reminiscent of Black Mirror’s Shut Up and Dance episode, albeit in a more supernatural, creepy way, and there’s a thread here on how teens’ grief and other negative emotions are manipulated for increased internet usage. While the certain episodes feel like it dragged, the series is still a fairly solid watch if you’re wanting a spooky time.
Genre: Drama, Horror, Science Fiction
Actor: Ali Khan, Amelia Clarkson, Ashna Rabheru, Ellis Howard, Lisa Siwe, Michael Clarkson, Natalie Blair, Paul Clarkson
The show tackles triggering, traumatic topics and the rhetoric that forms around it, opting for a high school setting on top of it. Needless to say, it’s tricky to execute. What we end up getting is one edgy teen trope after another—drug use, bad influences, toxic relationships, one-dimensional parents—in a very romanticized, commercialized depiction of high school. The jumpy storytelling does enough to create direction and interest for the material. But far and away the best part of each episode is the final minutes. They’re eerily and beautifully done, but is it really worth walking through broken glass in pursuit of a foot massage?
Genre: Drama
Actor: Aïcha Villaverde, Clara Galle, José Pastor, Nicole Wallace, Teresa de Mera
674. Quién te cantará, 2018
In this unique Spanish drama-thriller, a famous 90s popstar called Lila loses her memory and forgets how to perform. A big fan of hers, Violeta, is offered the unique opportunity of helping her idol find herself again.
Quién te cantará, which translates to “who will sing to you” is a fascinating exploration of fandom and the relationship between fan and idol. And it definitely doesn’t hurt that Lila’s music, made specifically for the movie, is fantastic!
It's from a promising new Spanish director, Carlos Vermut. His last movie, Magical Girl, was widely acclaimed and won awards in almost every festival it showed in.
Genre: Drama, Music, Mystery
Actor: Carme Elias, Carolina Yuste, Catalina Sopelana, Eva Llorach, Ignacio Mateos, Inma Cuevas, José Chaves, Julián Villagrán, Leticia Dolera, Lorena Iglesias, Najwa Nimri, Natalia de Molina, Vicenta N'Dongo
Director: Carlos Vermut
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Actor: Kim Ji-won, Kim Soo-hyun, Kwak Dong-yeon, Na Young-hee, Park Sung-hoon
Director: Jang Young-woo, Kim Hee-won