Genre: Comedy, Drama Starring: Anna Paquin, Lydia Wilson, Rebecca Benson Created By: Oliver Lansley TV Rating: TV-14 Number of Seasons: 1 Led by a strong female cast, Flack explores the pitfalls of living in the social media age where all eyes are on everyone at all times. All of the first season is now available on Prime Video. The second season, which aired in the U.K. in 2020, will drop in North America later this year. Genre: Comedy Starring: Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, Shari Headley Director: Craig Brewer Motion Picture Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 110 minutes It’s not really the best work for Murphy and Hall but the plot line isn’t terrible, and they do a decent job with what they have to work with. If you’re feeling nostalgic for the 1980s, you might as well curl up with some buttery popcorn and get a few giggles in. Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy Starring: Ben Schwartz, James Marsden, Jim Carrey Director: Jeff Fowler Motion Picture Rating: PG Running Time: 99 minutes Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) looks just like his classic 1990s design, and Jim Carrey is the perfect pick to play his archnemesis, Dr. Robotnik. While it wasn’t quite what everyone wanted, Sonic The Hedgehog holds the distinction of being the highest-grossing video game movie ever in the U.S. Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi Starring: Owen Wilson, Salma Hayek, Nesta Cooper Director: Mike Cahill Motion Picture Rating: R Running Time: 103 minutes What’s real, what’s an illusion, and what’s the difference? You might not have answers to those questions when the credits roll, but the ride is fun nonetheless. Wilson and Hayek are a highly likable duo, making this strange sci-fi love story worth sitting through. Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama Starring: Nat Wolff, Priyanka Bose, Iben Akerlie Director: André Øvredal Motion Picture Rating: R Running Time: 104 minutes While Mortal isn’t a superhero origins story, it certainly feels like one at some points, so fans of that genre will probably enjoy the ride. The film is Norwegian, but all of the actors speak English, so you don’t have to worry about reading subtitles. Genre: Animation, Family Starring: Jamie Buchanan, Sophie Feldman, Alexa Bauer Created By: Chris Dicker TV Rating: TV-G Number of Seasons: 2 The first season of Jessy & Nessy received the coveted Parents’ Choice Award for its educational content. Most of the lessons focus on science, but many also touch on interpersonal skills like how to comfort a friend who is sad. The episodes are short enough to keep kids’ attention, and they’ll learn at least one new thing along the way. Genre: Adventure, Drama, Mystery Starring: Rachel Griffiths, Sophia Ali, Shannon Berry Created By: Sarah Streicher TV Rating: TV-14 Number of Seasons: 1 With its dystopian sci-fi themes, The Wilds is more in the vein of The Hunger Games and Battle Royale. Even though the plotlines can get far-fetched, the characters and performances are believable. A healthy mix of wacky and serious moments make The Wilds a fun show for parents and teens to watch together. Genre: Comedy Starring: Rachel Brosnahan, Sarah Silverman, Tiffany Haddish Director: Linda Mendoza Motion Picture Rating: TV-MA Running Time: 60 minutes Topics range from the political to the absurd, and if you’ve ever seen any of these women perform stand-up, you know what to expect. The jokes are raunchy, but this holiday special is ultimately uplifting and provides some much-needed laughs for the new year. Genre: Drama Starring: John Boyega, Sheyi Cole, Shaun Parkes Created By: Steve McQueen TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 1 Several of the individual films were screened individually at various film festivals and earned universal acclaim from critics thanks to their strong performances and directing. The title of the series comes from a Bob Marley song of the same name. Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi Starring: Steven Strait, Dominique Tipper, Wes Chatham Created By: Daniel Abraham, Mark Fergus, Ty Franck TV Rating: TV-14 Number of Seasons: 6 Genre: Drama Starring: Paul Bettany, Sophia Lillis, Peter Macdissi Director: Alan Ball Motion Picture Rating: R Running Time: 95 minutes Uncle Frank takes place in the 1970s and addresses the hardships of being gay at that time. There are some intense moments, but also some heart-warming ones. The movie took home the Public Prize at the 2020 Deauville American Film Festival, where it was a hit with critics. Genre: Reality-TV Starring: Lindsey Vonn, Mitra Najibeh Yosri, Lucy Riles TV Rating: TV-Y7 Number of Seasons: 1 Genre: Documentary Starring: Rob Rich II, Fox Rich, Freedom Rich Director: Garrett Bradley Motion Picture Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 81 minutes Time director Garrett Bradley became the first African American woman to win a Directing Award at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival for a documentary. The film won several accolades, including the Center for Documentary Studies Filmmaker Award at the 2020 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. Genre: Comedy, Horror Starring: Emma D’Arcy, Nick Frost, Samson Kayo Created By: Nick Frost, Simon Pegg, James Serafinowicz, and Nat Saunders TV Rating: TV-14 Number of Seasons: 1 Genre: Comedy, Drama Starring: Parvathy Thiruvothu, Soubin Shahir, Joju George Director: Zakariya Mohammed Motion Picture Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 110 minutes Despite its religious themes, Halal Love Story is neither an endorsement nor a critique of any religion. Instead, it pokes fun at the moral contradictions present in all cultures. It’s worth a watch if you don’t mind reading subtitles. Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime Starring: Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr Created By: Eric Kripke TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 2 Genre: Documentary Starring: Stacey Abrams, Debo Adegbile, Jayla Allen Director: Lisa Cortes, Liz Garbus Motion Picture Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 102 minutes Genre: Action, Drama, Mystery Starring: Desmin Borges, Dan Byrd, John Cusack Created By: Gillian Flynn TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 1 Utopia is an American adaptation of the 2013 British series by the same name. The original show, which ran for two seasons, won several Royal Television Society Awards and an International Emmy for Best Drama Series. Genre: Action, Drama, Sci-Fi Starring: Will Smith, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Clive Owen Director: Ang Lee Motion Picture Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 117 minutes Despite being a bomb at the box office, Gemini Man drew praise for its performances and special effects. The movie was even nominated for a few Visual Effects Society Awards. Genre: Action, Comedy Starring: Channing Tatum, Florin Piersic Jr., Joseph Gordon-Levitt Created By: Brian Gatewood TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 1 Comrade Detective has received praise for its social commentary on the nature of propaganda. Although the show is filmed with Romanian actors, the dialogue is dubbed in English by an all American cast. Genre: Drama, Thriller Starring: Sophie Okonedo, Adrian Lester, Daniel Ezra Created By: Peter Moffat TV Rating: TV-14 Number of Seasons: 1 Undercover features strong performances and clever writing that explores race relations and the criminal justice system in the U.K. There are only six episodes, so you can watch the whole series in a weekend. Genre: Action, Adventure, Comedy Starring: Peter Serafinowicz, Griffin Newman, Valorie Curry Created By: Ben Edlund TV Rating: TV-MA Number of Seasons: 2 Genre: Adventure, Reality-TV Starring: Bear Grylls, Melissa Coombes, Gretchen Evans Created By: MGM Television TV Rating: TV-14 Number of Seasons: 1 World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji features 66 teams from around the globe in a non-stop competition to make it from one side of the archipelago to the other. Without the luxury of smartphones or GPS devices, they must climb, bike, and paddleboard their way to the finish line in hopes of winning $100,000. Even if you’re not usually a fan of survivalist shows, this one may be worth watching just for the breathtaking scenery. Genre: Drama, Romance Starring: Lili Reinhart, Austin Abrams, Sarah Jones Director: Richard Tanne Motion Picture Rating: R Running Time: 93 minutes Chemical Hearts a sweet story about first love that will tug at the heartstrings of young adults and the young at heart. The film isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s well-acted and has received positive reviews from audiences and critics. Genre: Drama, Thriller Starring: Shahab Hosseini, Taraneh Alidoosti, Mina Sadati Director: Asghar Farhadi Motion Picture Rating: PG-13 Running Time: 124 minutes The Salesman received international praise, winning an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and two Cannes Film Festival awards for Best Screenplay and Best Actor. The Salesman is a must-watch for fans of emotionally charged thrillers, so long as you don’t mind reading subtitles. Genre: Animation, Family Starring: Hannah Levinson, Adam Sanders, Jenna Weir Created By: Deborah Forte TV Rating: TV-Y Number of Seasons: 3 The stories are simple and made for small kids. While they don’t teach skills like reading or math, they do model good values like friendship and honesty. The flash animation may lack the charm of Norman Bridwell’s original illustrations, but the show stays true to the style and spirit of the famous children’s books. Genre: Comedy Starring: Gina Brillion Director: Brian Volk-Weiss TV Rating: TV-MA Running Time: 60 minutes In her special, Brillon reflects on growing up poor in the Bronx and her subsequent move to the midwest. The jokes are funny, but the comic’s story is also inspirational. The set concludes with a powerful appeal to human kindness and a call for greater equality for all.
