With the awarding of every award to Oppenheimer, the 2023 film season has officially closed — and with it the last of the studio's graveyard run-offs. While the film industry formally turns over the calendar, the television industry has fired off some gems, including the return of the best that the anti-superhero genre has to offer and the introduction of a Japanese historical epic.
Not to be outdone, established stars like Adam Sandler and Jennifer Lopez attempt to win audiences over in their own way, and Kate Winslet and John Cena do their best to bring life to projects hanging by a thread.
This month's offerings are a mixed bag ranging from must-watch to hate-watch. Be sure to read our past editions of Tune In or Turn Off here for more streaming hits and misses!
TURN OFF: The Greatest Love Story Never Told
(Prime Video)
Completing Jennifer Lopez's self-financed comeback trilogy (including a music film, This Is Me...Now: A Love Story, and her first record in a decade, This Is Me...Now), a documentary takes us behind the scenes of the highs and J.Los of this entire endeavour. The Greatest Love Story Never Told feels only mildly deranged, with Lopez airing out all of her misgivings about the music film, and, to her credit, giving us a transparent and self-aware view into the process. Turn off if you have even a shadow of a life, but certainly tune in for one of the best accidentally funny watches of the year.
TUNE IN: Invincible, Season 2, Part 2
(Prime Video)
Invincible remains one of my favourite series I've seen in at least the last 10 years. Sterling K. Brown's Angstrom Levy brings the heat and the dramatics as the season's main villain, as Steven Yuen, Sandra Oh and J.K. Simmons lend their talents to create a well-rounded ensemble performance. Insanely brutal in its violence and narratively sound in its handling of characters living in extraordinary circumstances, creator Robert Kirkman continues to land punch after punch in the second half of the long-awaited Season 2.
TUNE IN: Shōgun
(Disney+)
Visually stunning with layered performances, the latest adaptation of James Clavell's novel of the same name strikes the perfect balance between complex political intrigue and historical epic. Hiroyuki Sanada leads the cast as the stoic and commanding Lord Yoshii Toranaga in a series that deviates from its predecessors by focusing on the Japanese characters as opposed to British sailor John Blackthorne. There's already been some great television released this year, and Shōgun sits atop that list.
TURN OFF: Spaceman
(Netflix)
Wasting a fascinating premise and a great Sandman dramatic performance, Spaceman is nothing but a slog to get through. There's clearly some interesting themes and ideas somewhere within the film, but given how tedious and frustrating the offering, Spaceman isn't worth the harvest.
TURN OFF: The Regime
(Crave)
Possibly the most disappointing TV show or movie I've watched this year, The Regime houses a predictably striking performance from Kate Winslet but doesn't seem to ever gain a sense of control over its comedy or its story. The series attempts to satirize the way power corrupts but never has more to say beyond this now-tired trope. Given the names and themes behind the series, The Regime could've been so much more, instead resting on a few amusing moments and bits of clever dialogue.
TURN OFF: Ricky Stanicky
(Prime Video)
All the pieces were in line for Ricky Stanicky to hit: a charismatic cast whose chemistry works well for the bro comedy dynamic, strong leading performances from John Cena and Zac Efron, a simple-yet-fun premise and a lean runtime. Somehow though, the film drags on, losing any of its edge and simply proves that some ideas are better off as Saturday Night Live-like skits than full-length features.
TUNE IN: Union Street
(Telus)
Yes, Telus makes films — who knew? Jamila Pomeroy's Union Street represents a part of Vancouver's lesser-known history, particularly Hogan's Alley and the Militant Mothers of Raymur. Although a little rough around the edges, Union Street provides audiences with an important first step in understanding our country for all its flaws.
