Happy Friday, friends. It was a dark, dreary week in Boston and it seems like we may have more snow headed our way on Sunday.
I'm happy to hunker down and enjoy all the new shows and movies that are rolling out this month. Here are a few things to look forward to:
- Today - The New York Times has produced a documentary called Framing Britney Spears, which explores her current life under the conservatorship of her father and the #FreeBritney movement. This is now available on FX and FX on Hulu.
- Friday, February 12 - The third and final installment of the To All the Boys I've Loved Before movie franchise hits Netflix. This is the perfect primer ahead of Valentine's Day.
- Wednesday, February 17 - This is a big day. The Real Housewives of New Jersey return to Bravo and Good Trouble comes back to Freeform. I have missed both of these shows terribly!
- Wednesday, February 24 - I follow Scott Porter on Instagram (Jason Street from Friday Night Lights and George Tucker from Hart of Dixie) and he shared that a new show he's in is coming to Netflix next month called Ginny & Georgia. It seems like a Gilmore Girls-type story of a young mom and her teenage daughter.
Now onto this week's picks!
1. The White Tiger (Netflix) - Back in the "before times," The White Tiger is a movie I would have gone to see at the Kendall Square Cinema. I would have snuck in a bag of gummy bears in my purse, made a little nest with my winter coat in my seat, and enjoyed being transported to the other side of the world for two hours.
This movie is based on a book by the same title, and tells the story of Balram, a young man from a poor village in India who becomes a driver for a wealthy family in New Delhi. Adarsh Gourav plays Balram, and Rajkummar Rao and Priyanka Chopra Jonas play the couple he serves, Ashok and Pinky.
Written and directed by Ramin Bahrani, the movie is about class and the quest to change one's destiny.
The film opens with the song "Beware of the Boys" by Panjabi MC (featuring Jay-Z) - a track I used to listen to on repeat. I was hooked from the second I heard the beat.
While the story is gripping, I think it's important to share that there are several scenes that are brutally violent. If you're squeamish, you are definitely going to want to cover your eyes.
2. Flack (Amazon) - Anna Paquin stars in this new show about a crisis PR firm representing celebrities in London. Paquin plays Robyn, a publicist trusted to cover up any situation, no matter how heinous.
She has a boyfriend who loves her (played by Arinzé Kene), but she cheats on him regularly. She's very close to her sister (played by Genevieve Angelson) and spends most of her time at work with her co-conspirator, Eve (played by Lydia Wilson).
Like Call My Agent, each episode focuses on one client. There are six episodes and my favorite was number five, starring Bradley Whitford as Robyn's client, Calvin. For the entire hour, they are trapped on a plane. Calvin confesses he has incriminating videos on his laptop, which is now at a Geek Squad-style repair shop. From the air, Robyn attempts to set a plan in motion to cover his tracks.
3. Reign (Netflix) - I have been on quite a streak with period shows. First Bridgerton, then Vanity Fair, then Harlots and now I am watching Reign. It's a fictionalized take on the life of Mary, Queen of Scots.
Adelaide Kane plays Mary and Toby Regbo plays, Francis, her fiancé and the heir to the throne in France.
While the show doesn't always keep my full attention, the sets and the costumes are fabulous. It reminds me of Once Upon a Time. If you liked that, I am sure you would like this.
There are four seasons, with 22 episodes each, so this could keep you busy for quite a while.
There you have it! This week's top recommendations. I am also watching How I Met Your Mother on Amazon when I crawl into bed. The whole series just became available and I forgot how much I loved it.
*Images courtesy of Unsplash, Netflix, Collider and Entertainment Tonight.
