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traditionally january is Slower month for movies and TV, but this January yes A little sleepy compared to the rush of December, but there’s still a lot that looks promising for the month ahead.
For starters, the deluge of horror movies often includes a new killer doll movie that looks like fun; HBO has a major new series based on a classic video game; Netflix is experimenting with a series that invites viewers to tune in to the Watch the order of the stories. In the spirit of the show, we’ll choose it as our starting point.
kaleidoscope (Netflix, January 1)
A few years ago Netflix launched projects such as Black Mirror: Bandersnatch with Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt: Kimmy and Priest, designed to allow viewers to pass choose your own adventureStyle branching narrative.Now kaleidoscope A different kind of interaction is offered through a heist story starring Giancarlo Esposito and Rufus Sewell, whose episodes can be watched in (almost) any order. An episode is designed to be an ending, but it’s an ending, and any combination of episodes can tell a story that spans decades. Watch on Netflix.
Paul Goldman (Peacock, January 1)
This one required some setup: Director Jason Walliner (borat follow-up film) contacted a man named Paul T. Goldman about a script Goldman had written about his failed marriage and his efforts to fight crimes involving his ex-wife . Filming with Goldman, Woliner decided to turn his life into a series, combining documentary footage with a dramatization of Goldman’s script, including appearances by Rosanna Arquette, Dennis Haysbert and others. (Three episodes premiere today, then the show begins weekly.) Watch it on Peacock.
adult life of lies (Netflix, January 4)
Elena Ferrante released after finishing her quartet of Neapolitan novels adult life of lies, a 2019 novel about 12-year-old girl Giovanna as she searches for her aunt Victoria and uncovers some family secrets along the way. Ferrante’s books have been the fodder for a wealth of adaptations – the quartet is currently working on an HBO series my good friend and directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal lost daughter is one of the best movies of 2021— and this Italian miniseries co-starring Valeria Golino (rain Man, portrait of a lady on fire) as Vittoria seems likely to continue this trend. Watch Netflix here.
Trent (ABC, Jan. 3)
Based on Karin Slaughter’s hit series, this new crime drama stars Ramón Rodríguez as Will Trent, a A Georgia Bureau of Investigation special agent who went on to become a top investigator despite a difficult childhood and dyslexia. Erika Christensen co-stars as Angie, Will’s partner and a woman with a haunted past. Watch ABC online with Vidgo.
copenhagen denim (Netflix, January 5)
Director Nicholas Winding Refn (drive) at completion too old to die young Back to his native Denmark. Will this new collection show Refn’s softer side? Don’t count on it: Angela Bundalovic stars as Miu, a woman who seeks vengeance into the dark side of the Danish capital. Watch Netflix here.
M3GAN (Theater, January 6)
What goes wrong when Gemma (Allison Williams) develops a lifelike doll for a cutting-edge toy company and decides to beta test it with her recently orphaned niece Cady (Violet McGraw)? Given that this is a new horror movie from Blumhouse, directed by Akela Cooper, viciouswe will guess a lot.
Koala (Hulu, January 9)
Of course, big-name superheroes look after big cities like Gotham and Metropolis. But who’s going to protect the streets of the seemingly sleepy Australian suburb of Dapto? In this new animated series, those responsibilities fall to middle-aged Kevin (Michael Cusack), aka Koala Man. The show’s first season featured an impressive string of guest stars, including Hugh Jackman (host of Australia’s third most popular fishing show) and Jermaine Clement. Watch a free trial of Hulu here.
Makanai: Cooking for a Maiko House (Netflix, January 12)
The great Japanese director is Hirokazu Kore-eda (pickpocket) has a section called broker After an extremely limited release in December, it will be released in North American theaters later this year. However, fans of his work (and curious newcomers) won’t have to wait long to see Hirokazu Kore-eda’s new TV show about two teenagers who go down different paths after enrolling in a strict geisha school. the way. Watch Netflix here.
Verma (HBO Max, January 12)
This new animated series from Mindy Ealing is a non-Scooby-Doo series centered on a bespectacled Velma, revisiting the origins of Mystery Inc. before Scooby joined the gang. Kaling voices Velma, a teenager entangled in her complex relationship with Fred (Glenn Howerton), Daphne (Constance Wu) and Shaggy (Sam Richardson). Expect mystery, irreverence, and carnival (but no Great Danes). Watch HBO Max here.
drop (Hulu, January 13)
In Sarah Adina Smith’s new dark comedy, Anna Konkle (Pen15) and Jermaine Fowler (Coming 2 America) play a couple who are about to start a family. But when they give up their friend’s baby at their wedding, they’re forced to confront their choices and resolve some long-simmering tensions. Aparna Nancherla, Joshua Leonard and Jillian Bell round out the cast. Watch a free trial of Hulu here.
family gathering (Theater, January 13)
The 1990 hit starring rap duo Kid ‘n Play, family gathering Comedic chaos is introduced using a simple premise: what if a couple of teens’ party gets out of hand? Is it possible to remake it too?Music video veteran Calmatic and Atlanta Writers Jamal Lori and Stephen Glover seem to think so too. This new version casts Thinkel (doctor who) and Jacob Latimore (Zhi) as a teenager in the film, which has many cameos from the world of music and sports, including an appearance by producer LeBron James.
Skin Pavilion (Theater, January 13)
From first-time director Kyle Edward Bell, this low-budget horror film from Canada has a gruesome storyline: Two boys wake up alone in their home to find that all windows and doors have disappeared. If this sounds like a nightmare, there’s a reason for it: Ball based the film, at least in part, on common nightmares submitted to his YouTube channel, where he recreates other people’s nightmares.
last survivor (HBO, Jan. 15)
One of the most revered games in gaming history comes to life in this film starring Pedro Pascal as tough survivors Joel and Bella Rasme (game of Thrones) as Ellie, a teenage girl who may hold the secret to defeating a plague of zombie-like creatures sweeping the planet. Video game adaptations aren’t very well documented, but the source material’s strong narrative, strong cast including Anatoff and Nick Offerman, and the presence of original writer Neil Druckman, who partnered with Craig Ma Jin together as a co-creator (chernobyl), all of which suggest that this is likely an exception. Watch HBO Max here.
night pavilion (NBC/Peacock, Jan. 17)
The classic ’80s sitcom returns with a series that introduces a new generation of characters alongside veterans of the old series. Melissa Rauch (how I Met Your Mother) as Abby Stone, the daughter of Harry Stone (originally played by the late Harry Anderson), who takes over his old job as a judge in an after-hours courthouse full of criminal geeks. John Larroquette returns as Assistant Attorney Dan Fielding, the role that won him multiple Emmys in the original series. Watch peacocks here.
1619 plan (Hulu, January 26)
Launched in 2019 to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first enslaved Africans in what is now the United States, the 1619 Project has transformed into an ongoing effort to reexamine American history and reemphasize slavery and its lasting impact on this country, and the unanticipated contributions of black Americans. The project, curated by historian Nikole Hannah-Jones, has been adapted into a six-part series focusing on everything from the justice system to American music. Watch a free trial of Hulu here.
poker face (Peacock, January 26)
seems to be dissatisfied with using Knife outDirector Rian Johnson now seeks to breathe new life into the eccentric detective dramas that solve a new case each week, popularized over the past few decades by shows like columbusNatasha Lyonne stars as Charlie Cale, a cross-country woman whose gift for telling when someone is lying makes her an accidental detective. Watch peacocks here.
Bong child marriage (Prime Video, January 27)
The action/romantic-comedy hybrid, which came out months after its scheduled release last summer, stars Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel as a soon-to-be-married couple who consider calling it off before their family is kidnapped. Watch the Amazon Prime 30-day free trial here.
infinity pool (Theater and VOD, January 27)
It’s hard to sniff out too many plot details from Brandon Cronenberg’s latest film (occupant), which will be released shortly after its Sundance premiere. But we do know that Mia Goth and Alexander Skarsgård play a couple whose trip to an all-inclusive resort goes horribly wrong, and according to Cronenberg It will be unforgettable for Greg’s past works.
you people (Netflix, January 27)
Black–like Creator Kenya Barris makes his directorial debut with this comedy starring Jonah Hill (who he co-wrote with Barris) as Ece Ezra, a Los Angeles Jew, wants to marry a woman named Amira (Lauren London). Likely to get in the way: their parents, played by Eddie Murphy, Niarang, Julia Louis-Dreyfus and David Duchovny. Watch Netflix here.
zoom out (Apple TV+, January 27)
In a new comedy from Bill Lawrence, Brett Goldstein and Jason Segel, Siegel plays a therapist whose grief keeps him from beating around the bush with his patients. Behind-the-scenes talent, including director James Ponsoldtend of tour) is impressive, as is the cast, which includes Harrison Ford and Jessica Williams. Watch on Apple TV+ with a free trial here.
