Q Wave’s Watchlist: August 2022
"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 Gray Man (Netflix)
The summer blockbuster featuring A-List talent used to mean you’d have to take a trip to your neighbourhood theatre; times have changed, and Netflix recently released their big-budget action flick, The Gray Man.
Based on a 2009 novel of the same name, The Gray Man is an action-thriller spy flick best compared to the John Wick franchise. Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, the duo behind massive movies like Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, The Gray man stars Ryan Gosling (First Man) as a CIA operative best known as Sierra Six, a deadly assassin who is forced to go on the run when after uncovering dark secrets about the agency. With help from CIA agent Dani Miranda, played by Ana de Armas (No Time to Die), Six must fend off Chris Evans (MCU’s Captain America), playing a psychotic and ruthless former agent who has been contracted to bring Six in.
The Gray Man went through many different iterations before it settled on the version that premiered on Netflix. An adaptation was initially announced back in 2011, starring Brad Pitt, and later, Charlize Theron was rumoured to be involved in a gender-swapped role.
After being stuck in development for over a decade, The Gray Man had a limited theatrical release and hit Netflix on July 22nd. While critics were lukewarm on the movie, it was a hit with audiences, and Netflix has already announced that The Gray Man will be getting a sequel starring Gosling and a spin-off film with a yet-to-be-announced plot.
You'd like this if you enjoyed: John Wick, The Bourne Identity
Runtime: 129 minutes
Genre: Action
A League of Their Own (Amazon Prime)
“There’s no crying in baseball!”
In the world of streaming, everything old is new again, as evidenced by Amazon Prime’s latest show, a remake of the 1992 baseball film A League of Their Own.
The 1992 movie is widely regarded as one of the best baseball movies of all time and was selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. It starred Tom Hanks, Geena Davis, Madonna, Rosie O'Donnell and more. Needless to say, the show has some big cleats to fill.
The series is wisely taking a new path, not just rehashing the same story. It follows brand new characters and begins with the formation of a woman's baseball league in 1943, following it and the players as they fight to keep it alive through close games, injuries and dealing with social issues in a rapidly changing United States.
The show stars Abbi Jacobson (Broad City), who also serves as the creator and writer. Also appearing are D’Arcy Carden (The Good Place), Chante Adams (Bad Hair), Nick Offerman (Parks & Recreation) and more.
Jacobson and her collaborator Will Graham were approached by Sony with an idea to reboot the film back in 2017 and met with Geena Davis and the film's director, the legendary Penny Marshall, to get their blessing on moving forward with the show. Marshall passed away in 2018, but not before she could give the go-ahead for the movie to be adapted.
A League of Their Own premieres on Prime Video on August 12th.
You'd like this if you enjoyed: Minx, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel
Runtime: 8 episodes, approx 60 mins
Genre: Comedy, drama
House of the Dragon (Crave)
“Fire cannot kill a dragon.”
It has been over a decade since Daenerys Targaryen watched her brother die at the hands of Khal Drogo in Season 1 of Game of Thrones and only three years since the ill-fated final season. Without a doubt, fans are excited and reluctant to return to Westeros and the intrigues surrounding the Iron Throne.
Set two hundred years before the events that saw Daenerys’ rise to power, House of the Dragon tells the story of the Targaryen family and the infamous “Dance of the Dragons.” King Viserys I (Paddy Considine) must choose between his daughter, Rhaenyra (Milly Alcock/Emma D’Arcy), and his brother, Daemon (Matt Smith). Succession has ever been the bane of any ruler in Westeros, but never moreso than when the rightful heir is a woman.
Little is known about the remainder of the plot, except for what readers know from George R.R. Martin’s book, Fire & Blood. Thanks to new trailers released during this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, viewers now have a more fulsome expectation of the series. Expect full-scale dragon battles, plenty of white wigs (Targaryens are known for their white hair and violet eyes), and more cloak and dagger whisperings than even Machiavelli would know what to do with. We can also expect a bit of time jumping, given that Princess Rhaenyra will be played by two actresses of different ages. If you’ve read the book, hold your predictions, as Martin is known for letting the TV series’ diverge significantly from his writing.
House of the Dragon airs on August 21, 2022.
You'd like this if you enjoyed: Game of Thrones, The Tudors, Vikings
Runtime: 10 episodes, approx 60 mins each
Genre: Fantasy
The Bear (Disney Plus)
US viewers have the pleasure of already having watched The Bear in its entirety as it aired weekly on Hulu, but for Canadians, the most talked about new summer show is finally accessible via Disney Plus on August 3rd.
It centers on a young chef named Carmy, played by Jeremy Allen White (Shameless), coming home to Chicago to run his family's sandwich shop after working in the world of fine dining. Now living and working in a world much different than he is used to, Carmy finds himself balancing the difficulties of being a small-business owner, managing his strong-willed kitchen staff and dealing with strained family relationships. Throughout the show, Carmy works alongside the rough-around-the-edges kitchen crew to transform the shop and himself.
Besides the show being expertly crafted, filled with engaging visuals, a killer soundtrack and solid acting performances, The Bear is requisite viewing for anybody who has ever worked in a restaurant. The series does a phenomenal job of replicating the chaos that can happen in a restaurant kitchen that hasn’t been entirely properly represented by movies or other shows in the past.
Expect The Bear to appear on every critic's must watch’ list for 2022, as it currently boasts a sparkling 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Fans hungry for a second serving of The Bear won’t have to wait long, as it’s already been announced that we’ll be getting a second season in 2023.
You'd like this if you enjoyed: The Chef Show, Ramy
Runtime: 8 episodes, approx 20-47 mins each
Genre: Drama
Black Bird (Apple TV+)
Whether it’s books, movies or TV - nobody writes gritty crime quite like Dennis Lehane. The mind behind stories translated to the screen, such as Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone, Shutter Island and The Drop - to name a few - is back with a new story to tell in Apple’s prison drama, Black Bird.
Lehane has ventured into TV before, having written for HBO’s The Wire, but this time he’s adapted an autobiography by James Keene originally titled In with the Devil: a Fallen Hero, a Serial Killer, and a Dangerous Bargain for Redemption. Based on the aforementioned book, Black Bird stars Taron Edgerton (Kingsman) as James ‘Kimmy’ Keene, the former high school football star turned narcotics dealer and gun runner. After Jimmy gets arrested and sentenced to a decade in prison, he’s presented with an offer; Jimmy will be granted his freedom if he can elicit a confession regarding the location of at least one specific victim of a fellow inmate and suspected serial killer Larry Hall, played by the incredibly creepy Paul Walter Hauser (Richard Jewell).
The incredible true story plays out with Edgerton at the center, able to shift from a charming and confident hustler to a genuinely shocked and terrified inmate as he tries to buddy up next to a man who is pure evil. The series is notable for being the final performance of Ray Liotta’s (No Sudden Move) career before he passed away, as he appears as the character Jimmy’s father.
Despite Lehane’s best work being largely fiction, he brings his signature grit to the series, resulting in a disturbingly engaging true story.
The limited series started airing in early July, with the finale available via Apple TV+ on August 5th.
You'd like this if you enjoyed: The Night Of, Mindhunter
Runtime: 6 episodes, approx 60 minutes each
Genre: Drama