Q Wave’s Watchlist: October 2021
"There's nothing to watch" is not a phrase that should exist in a world drowning in content. Join us every month to get curated content - from the latest and greatest to revisiting oldies - we'll help you avoid the dreaded “Netflix Block” and find something to watch!
The Guilty (Netflix)
With theatres being reopened and studios having a backlog of films they are dying to put out, there has been no shortage of movies worth making the trip to the cinema for. However, not everybody is there yet, and if that’s the case, Netflix has your back with the new Jake Gyllenhaal (Spider-Man: Far From Home) thriller, The Guilty.
The movie is a remake of a 2018 Danish film of the same name (available to rent on Amazon Prime) and is about a police detective who has been demoted to a 911 operator that gets involved in trying to save a troubled caller. With twists and turns aplenty, the original movie was a huge hit with critics, which led to Gyllenhaal’s production company acquiring the rights for an American remake mere months after it was released.
Helmed by director Antoine Fuqua, who previously worked with Gyllenhaal on the 2015 boxing flick Southpaw, what should have been a simple shooting process (as the movie largely takes place centred on Gyllenhaal at his desk), the production faced challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Three days before production began, a person who was in contact with Fuqua tested positive for COVID, and although Fuqua tested negative, certain safety precautions needed to be followed, which led to him directing the entire film from a van with screens that had access to the camera maintaining contact with the cast and crew. Challenges aside, Fuqua crafted a faithful adaptation carried by yet another strong lead performance from Jake Gyllenhaal.
You'd like this if you enjoyed: Locke, Buried
Runtime: 90 minutes
Genre: Thriller, crime
Foundation (Apple)
With the Sci-Fi epic Dune on the horizon after multiple failed release dates, if you’re looking for a space fantasy fix, Apple has got you covered with its big-budget series, Foundation.
Like Dune, Foundation is a modern adaptation of Sci-Fi literature published a long time ago (1951!) that essentially takes a period piece style drama and sets it in outer space. The show chronicles the thousand-year saga of The Foundation, a band of exiles who attempt to save the Galactic Empire from destruction.
While exact figures are hard to find, it’s well known that Apple shelled out a lot of cash for Foundation’s budget, with writer David S. Goyer remarking that two episodes cost about the same as making a movie (there are 10 episodes slated for season 1). One thing is for sure, the money can be seen on the screen, as Foundation offers some truly stunning visuals. If you’ve been debating pulling the trigger on purchasing a 4K TV, this would be a great excuse to do so and enjoy the show in all its eye-candy glory.
Adapting Sci-Fi is a tricky maneuver, especially when doing so with the work of someone as acclaimed as Foundation writer, Isaac Asmiov, who is considered one of the founding fathers of science fiction writing, and has collected numerous awards and accolades over the course of his career. In wanting to stay faithful to his vision, Apple brought his daughter, Robyn Asmiov, on board as an executive producer.
Goyer has stated he hopes to tell the story over the course of 80 years, indicating his goal is for eight seasons. As massive an undertaking as that is, if the first two episodes are any indication - there is a lot of story to unpack, and a slow approach is likely the correct one.
New episodes debut every Friday on Apple TV+ until November 19th.
You'd like this if you enjoyed: The Expanse, Game of Thrones
Runtime: 10 episodes, 61-69 minutes each
Genre: Sci-Fi
Reservation Dogs (Disney+)
Taikaa Waititi has his fingerprints over many different hits lately, from roles in Free Guy and the Thor movies, to What We Do in the Shadows, to his Oscar-nominated film JoJo Rabbit. Despite all that, he keeps finding time to help create stories for under-represented people in pop-culture, and alongside Sterlin Harjo (Mekko), has done just that with his hit comedy Reservation Dogs.
Set in rural Oklahoma, the series follows four Indigenous teenagers as they navigate everyday life, all the while hustling their way into whatever money they can find in an effort to get to California.
The show works as a quirky, fun comedy about four aimless teenagers who get into trouble in their free time, but also serves as a way to highlight Indigenous people, a group that doesn't get a lot of representation in the media and as a result, takes the viewer into a world they are likely unfamiliar with.
A show that’s full of heart and tells a coming of age story against the backdrop of a reservation, the success of the comedy rests on the shoulders of the four core actors - none of which have a major credit to their name. D'Pharaoh Woon-a-Tai leads the crew with an emotionally resonant performance as a young man struggling to find his place with an absent father, and Pauline Alexis steals every scene she is in with laugh-out-loud one-liners.
Taika Waititi credits the show's success to his co-creator, Sterlin Harjo, being afforded the opportunity to tell stories about where he is from. In fact, many of the storylines are inspired by events from Harjo’s own childhood.
You'd like this if you enjoyed: Schitt’s Creek, Kim’s Convenience
Runtime: 8 episodes, 25-30 minutes each
Genre: Comedy
I Know What You Did Last Summer (Amazon Prime)
With spooky season officially upon us, Prime picked an ideal time to roll out their latest nostalgic trip, a TV series remake of the 1997 teen slasher flick I Know What You Did Last Summer.
Much like the 1997 film, and the 1973 book that inspired it all, the series focuses on a group of teens stalked by a mysterious killer a year after they covered up a fatal car accident on the night of their graduation.
The show premieres on Prime October 15th, and from the trailer, it looks like it is keeping the same bloody spirit as the original movie. This should come as no surprise, as one of the executive producers on the show is James Wan, co-creator of the Saw franchise and creator of The Conjuring universe. A person with Wan’s horror pedigree being involved bodes well for the franchise, as the last ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’ film to spook audiences was the third in the original trilogy released in 2006.
You'd like this if you enjoyed: Scream Queens, Cruel Summer
Runtime: 8 episodes, TBA minutes each
Genre: Horror
Succession (Crave)
With Season 2 ending all the way back in 2019 and season 3 delayed due to the pandemic, it feels like a long time since we have checked in with the Roy clan. But everybody’s favourite family they love to hate is back with the premiere of season 3 on October 17th.
For those unfamiliar with Succession, the show revolves around the Roy family, owners of media conglomerate Waystar RoyCo (basically a stand-in for FOX news). When the patriarch in the family, Logan, played by Brian Cox (Strange But True), suffers a decline in health, his four power-hungry children begin plotting their attempt to take over the company. A darkly comedic show, there is no low the Roys won’t stoop to to gain favour with their father, and without spoiling anything, season 2 left viewers hanging with a huge bombshell that promises to reshape the course of the show.
Succession has been a critical smash, with its second season sporting a 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and receiving a slew of award nominations, even taking home the Golden Globe for Best Television Series - Drama as well as the Emmy for Outstanding Drama series.
Interestingly, the initial concept for the show was a feature film about the family of media tycoon Rupert Murdoch. After some tinkering, it was re-envisioned as a TV show loosely inspired by powerful media families like the Murdochs. The show has some serious star power behind the scenes too, with Adam McKay (The Big Short) directing several episodes as well as serving as an executive producer alongside his longtime collaborator Will Ferrell (Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga).
You'd like this if you enjoyed: Billions, Bloodline
Runtime: 9 episodes, 60 minutes each (Season 3)
Genre: Drama, comedy
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