Happy Sunday, Streamers.
Three recs this week! This will probably become the norm for a bit as the next month or so is absolutely stacked with stream-worthy content (I would list it all out, but it’s truly overwhelming). We’re all going to need the help, so be sure to share The Sunday Stream with friends so they can keep their heads above water.
Now let’s get to it.
Windfall
What It’s About: This drama follows a man (Jason Segel), as he breaks into a billionaire’s vacation home with plans to rob it, only to have his plans go sideways when the arrogant tech mogul (Jesse Plemons), and his wife (Lily Collins), show up for a last-minute getaway.
Why You Should Watch: For tense, slow-burn thrills and dark comedy
It’s a tricky thing to pull off a story in which a couple of characters are stuck in one location with nowhere to go (also known as, for all you fellow dorks out there, a bottle episode), but Windfall manages to stick the landing, taking advantage of its premise to deliver tense thrills, a whole lot of commentary on classism, and a deep dive into each character’s quirks and motivations. Although this one is only 90 minutes (tight 90!), it does require a little patience from the audience until shit really goes sideways, sending the characters barreling towards a climax that is both shocking and kind of inevitable when you look back on it.
Until then, the movie grips you by way of three talented stars bouncing off of one another, challenging their views on what exactly can be justified in the name of getting ahead. Jesse Plemons is the highlight here, making you question who the villain of the story really is, and Jason Segel does his best to keep up, even if it’s not always easy to believe him as a desperate man at the end of his rope (I would love to have seen this with someone like Ben Foster or maybe even Jamie Bell). All in all, if you’re looking for a quiet night in with a movie that kind of feels like a play, not to mention some serious architectural eye candy (if only you could check the Zestimate on this dude’s house), give this one a stream.
Who’s In It, and Where You Probably Know Them From:
Jason Segel - An all-star of the original Apatow crew, you know him from Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Knocked Up, I Love You Man, How I Met Your Mother, and for all the real ones out there - Freaks and Geeks.
Jesse Plemons - Most recently Power of the Dog, but also from Friday Night Lights, Breaking Bad, one of the better episodes of Black Mirror, and from delivering what might be one of the more underrated comedic performances of the last 10 years in Game Night:
Lily Collins - Emily in Paris, The Blind Side, and being Phil Collins’ daughter (you know - the one who was six when Phil let her mother know he was divorcing her…by fax).
Who Made It, and What Else Have They Done:
Charlie McDowell wrote and directed this one, and has previously brought us The One I Love and On Becoming A God In Central Florida. He’s also a nepotism baby (just like his WIFE Lily Collins), delivered to us by the talented loins of Malcolm McDowell and Mary Steenbergen (which means Ted Danson is also his stepdad, and Lily’s stepfather-in-law). What a tangled web we weave, amirite?
Where You Can Watch: Netflix
Halo
What It’s About: Based on the hit video game franchise, this sci-fi action drama follows Master Chief, a cybernetically enhanced super-soldier as he defends humanity from the alien Covenant in the 26th century.
Why You Should Watch: For dumb sci-fi action and Halo Easter eggs.
Outside of some wild Saturday nights in the early ‘00s fueled by Domino’s cinna-stix and Arizona iced teas, I have a pretty casual relationship with the Halo franchise. That, along with the fact that video game adaptations usually never, ever, ever, work, meant my expectations were set pretty low. Luckily, Halo proved me wrong and served up some dumb, high-budget sci-fi action fun that felt like a weird cocktail of The Mandalorian, Power Rangers, Starship Troopers, and Jason Bourne.
Outside of some unexpected (but welcome) curveballs, the first episode has all the Spartan mythologizing, genuinely exciting alien shoot ‘em up action, and mysterious alien god tech (ohhhh ohhh OHH Ohhh ohh ohhhhh) you could want; my only complaints are the inclusion of a who cares political subplot, and that rather than follow the sage advice of Jon Favreau and The Mandalorian, the show has Master Chief’s helmet come off straight away and I’ll just say it’s… underwhelming (was there really not a better actor who was down for this?). Turns out Paramount+ can do more than endless spin-offs ofYellowstone, so check this one out if you’ve ever spent a sleepover desperately trying to game “the glitch” on Blood Gulch.
Who’s In It, and Where You Probably Know Them From:
Pablo Schrieber - On top of being Liev Shrieber’s brother, Den of Thieves, 13 Hours, and Orange is The New Black.
Natascha McElhone - Californication, The Truman Show, and Solaris.
Who Made It, and What Else Have They Done:
Steven Kane and Kyle Killan, who haven’t done too much worth mentioning.
Where You Can Watch: Paramount+
Pachinko
What It’s About: Based on the New York Times best seller, this drama follows four generations of a Korean immigrant family as they leave their homeland to try and make a better life for themselves.
Why You Should Watch: For artful visuals and sweeping sentimentality
There has been a lot of buzz on this one, and I have to say it really lives up to the hype. A sentimental and beautifully shot look at one Korean family over the course of multiple generations, Pachinko will have you tearing up as you reach for the phone to call your parents or kids, while also pondering what unspoken hardships your ancestors endured just so you could be where you are today. Yes, it’s foreign, but seeing as most of us watch English content with subtitles on at this point anyway (not to mention the recent Squid Game of it all), we’re all kind of past that, right? Expand your horizons and watch something that will make you genuinely feel all kinds of #grateful.
Who’s In It, and Where You Probably Know Them From:
Youn Yuh-jung - Minari
Jimmi Simpson - Westworld, House of Cards, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia
Who Made It, and What Else Have They Done:
Kogonada, who just gave us After Yang, directs four episodes along with Justin Chon, who recently made Blue Bayou. The series was written by Soho Hugh.
Where You Can Watch: Apple TV+