This Week…
On Streaming:
The Last of Us season 2 premieres this week on new streaming platform Max here in Aus. Exciting because we love this show but bummer that yet another streaming service is required if you want to keep up to date with the latest TV. Cable TV is back in a different form.
A five part adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s The Narrow Road to the Deep North premieres on Prime Video on Friday. This stars Jacob Elordi and is directed by Justin Kurzel, one of our most interesting and, often dark, directors.
A surprising second season of Light and Magic is coming to Disney+ this week for fans of how the sausage gets made. The first season explored the development of Industrial Light and Magic, George Lucas’s special effects company that pioneered VFX technology and revolutionised the film industry. The documentary series including interviews with the teams that brought you Star Wars, Jurassic Park, Terminator 2 and all your faves. I didn’t know season 2 was coming but its here and I’m very excited about it.
The Wild Robot (2024) which, to my shame, I still haven’t seen, comes to Binge this week so if, like me, you missed this one last year, now’s our chance!
At the Cinema:
At the cinema this week, Ryan Coogler’s new flick with Michael B. Jordan, Sinners is out and looks very good! I love everyone involved in this so I’m very keen.
The Correspondent starring Richard Roxborough is out. This film is based on the true story of Peter Greste, an Australian journalist that was arrested while reporting on the Arab Spring for Al Jazeera.
A new horror from Christopher Landon (Freaky, Happy Death Day), Drop is out this week. This stars Meghann Fahy (White Lotus S2) as a woman who starts getting weird anonymous texts whilst she’s out on a first date with an incredibly charming man. I’ve enjoyed Landon’s films so far so this might make a good Halloween watch.
Finally, out this week is Warfare, a new film codirected by Alex Garland (Ex Machina, Annihilation) and Ray Mendoza, based on the latter’s memories of serving in Iraq. This looks like the kind of boots on the ground war film that to the best of my knowledge we haven’t really seen in a while. Alex Garland has excellent chops but I did not personally love his most recent and most similar fare, Civil War, but those who have been playing along at home will likely know that my academic work largely focused on war cinema so I’ll be interested to see how this is.
New Books:
Genocide Bad - Sim Kern
In this book, Kern delivers 10 essays that aim to dismantle Zionist propaganda about the history of Palestine and the Israeli occupation and the current war in Gaza. They blend research, media and culture, and memoir to explore how we got here.
You Dreamed of Empires - Alvaro Enrigue (translated by Natasha Wimmer)
This historical fiction is set in 1519 and centres on the meeting of Cortes and Moctezuma. The publisher’s describe this one as “a hallucinatory, revelatory, colonial revenge story,” so count me in for sure!
Room on the Sea - Andre Aciman
A new novel from the author of Call Me By Your Name, this is another love story, this time about two New Yorkers, who meet waiting to be picked as jurors. With entire lives of their own, their flirtation becomes a fantasy that cannot be entirely indulged. This one sounds really sweet and the synopsis reminds me a bit of an Elizabeth Strout novel, so I’ll be keen to check this one out.
Audition - Katie Kitamura
This one has been intriguing me for a while so I’ll be excited to get my hands on it. The blurb is mysterious and enticing, seemingly suggesting that the narratives of two people who meet for lunch will unspool together, letting us figure out who they are and what they mean to each other. I don’t want to get too excited but I hope it lives up to the hype.
That’s all I got for this week! Please let me know if there’s anything that piqued your interest or anything you’re enjoying this week!
