With the Academy Awards wrapped up and 2022's films unofficially/officially in the rearview, we can finally turn our attention to some mid-range streaming fare!
The return of the internet's favourite Mandalorian and London's grizzliest, tweed-overcoat-wearing detective kicks off the Canadian faux-spring with a moderate bang, while Riley Keough grabs the mic as a '70s rocker. And for fans of the thriller genre, Apple TV+ has a couple options that don't break the mould but will happily entertain and intrigue on a quiet night in.
Check out our past editions of Tune In or Turn Off here for more streaming hits and misses.
Tune In: A Spy Among Friends
(Apple TV+)
I'm a real sucker for espionage books, movies and television so A Spy Among Friends, a British spy novel by Ben Macintyre, being adapted into a limited series with Damian Lewis and Guy Pearce leading the way had my name on it. While it may not be the most innovative or freshest of takes on the source material, there's enough in there for fellow spy thriller aficionados to get stuck into. An entertaining series that keeps up the intrigue right to the end.
Tune In: Daisy Jones & the Six
(Prime Video)
Personally, I think Daisy Jones & the Six would have made a better 90-minute movie than a six-episode mini-series. The show drags at times and the material feels stretched out to fit a longer runtime. That being said, the series is still a fun watch, especially for those with a nostalgic penchant for the '70s rock 'n' roll era. In large part this is due to Riley Keough and Sam Caflin's performances who turn in great dramatic turns, as well as excellent musical numbers.
Tune In: Luther: The Fallen Sun
(Netflix)
Idris Elba and series creator Neil Cross are great at making the hearts of Luther fans grow fonder. Their perpetual disappearing act since the series started in 2010 has only left us wanting more DCI John Luther stories, and finally a feature film has been added to the catalogue. Admittedly, the well-worn Luther formula is starting to show signs of wear, but for fans of the series and the character, Luther: The Fallen Sun is enough to whet our Luther whistles until the next time we meet again.
Turn Off: The Mandalorian, Season 3
(Disney+)
It would appear that not watching The Book of Boba Fett put me at a disadvantage to start the new season of The Mandalorian. (For anyone wondering, Grogu leaves Luke's training to return to Din, deflating a lot of the heartwarming air created when Din removes his helmet.) Putting aside my initial confusion, Season 3 has started out as a real snooze-fest. But this isn't a hard "Turn Off," as only two episodes were made available to critics of its eight-episode season, so there's still plenty of time for things to turn around.
Tune In: Plan B
(CBC Gem)
An English-language adaptation of the successful francophone series, Plan B is a time travelling sci-fi show about man, Philip (Patrick J. Adams), discovering a way to go back in time and using it to save his relationship with the love of his life (Karine Vanasse). Of course, as every time travel movie and show will show, manipulating timelines gets messy and rarely does the manipulator achieve their goal. Set in Montreal, Plan B retains much of its French-Canadian roots, but is entirely its own entity with great performances and a compelling storyline.
Tune In: Sharper
(Apple TV+)
It may not be the sharpest tool in the psychological thriller shed, but Sharper is still a fun ride – even when it jumps the shark. Sebastian Stan and Julianne Moore lead the way in a film about deception, greed and self-preservation. There are many twists and turns (arguably, one too many) to keep you entertained, and for any cinematography fans out there, Charlotte Bruus Christensen turns in some of the finest work of the year so far.
Turn Off: We Have a Ghost
(Netflix)
A talented cast, led by the always entertaining David Harbour, and a fun concept do not an interesting movie make. The first 20 minutes or so of We Have a Ghost are promising with a good story set up and humorous characters established. But then the next 90 minutes plus(!) become a real slog to finish as the story stretches super thin to fill its runtime. We Have a Ghost is the epitome of beating a dead horse.
The return of the internet's favourite Mandalorian and London's grizzliest, tweed-overcoat-wearing detective kicks off the Canadian faux-spring with a moderate bang, while Riley Keough grabs the mic as a '70s rocker. And for fans of the thriller genre, Apple TV+ has a couple options that don't break the mould but will happily entertain and intrigue on a quiet night in.
Check out our past editions of Tune In or Turn Off here for more streaming hits and misses.
Tune In: A Spy Among Friends
(Apple TV+)
I'm a real sucker for espionage books, movies and television so A Spy Among Friends, a British spy novel by Ben Macintyre, being adapted into a limited series with Damian Lewis and Guy Pearce leading the way had my name on it. While it may not be the most innovative or freshest of takes on the source material, there's enough in there for fellow spy thriller aficionados to get stuck into. An entertaining series that keeps up the intrigue right to the end.
Tune In: Daisy Jones & the Six
(Prime Video)
Personally, I think Daisy Jones & the Six would have made a better 90-minute movie than a six-episode mini-series. The show drags at times and the material feels stretched out to fit a longer runtime. That being said, the series is still a fun watch, especially for those with a nostalgic penchant for the '70s rock 'n' roll era. In large part this is due to Riley Keough and Sam Caflin's performances who turn in great dramatic turns, as well as excellent musical numbers.
Tune In: Luther: The Fallen Sun
(Netflix)
Idris Elba and series creator Neil Cross are great at making the hearts of Luther fans grow fonder. Their perpetual disappearing act since the series started in 2010 has only left us wanting more DCI John Luther stories, and finally a feature film has been added to the catalogue. Admittedly, the well-worn Luther formula is starting to show signs of wear, but for fans of the series and the character, Luther: The Fallen Sun is enough to whet our Luther whistles until the next time we meet again.
Turn Off: The Mandalorian, Season 3
(Disney+)
It would appear that not watching The Book of Boba Fett put me at a disadvantage to start the new season of The Mandalorian. (For anyone wondering, Grogu leaves Luke's training to return to Din, deflating a lot of the heartwarming air created when Din removes his helmet.) Putting aside my initial confusion, Season 3 has started out as a real snooze-fest. But this isn't a hard "Turn Off," as only two episodes were made available to critics of its eight-episode season, so there's still plenty of time for things to turn around.
Tune In: Plan B
(CBC Gem)
An English-language adaptation of the successful francophone series, Plan B is a time travelling sci-fi show about man, Philip (Patrick J. Adams), discovering a way to go back in time and using it to save his relationship with the love of his life (Karine Vanasse). Of course, as every time travel movie and show will show, manipulating timelines gets messy and rarely does the manipulator achieve their goal. Set in Montreal, Plan B retains much of its French-Canadian roots, but is entirely its own entity with great performances and a compelling storyline.
Tune In: Sharper
(Apple TV+)
It may not be the sharpest tool in the psychological thriller shed, but Sharper is still a fun ride – even when it jumps the shark. Sebastian Stan and Julianne Moore lead the way in a film about deception, greed and self-preservation. There are many twists and turns (arguably, one too many) to keep you entertained, and for any cinematography fans out there, Charlotte Bruus Christensen turns in some of the finest work of the year so far.
Turn Off: We Have a Ghost
(Netflix)
A talented cast, led by the always entertaining David Harbour, and a fun concept do not an interesting movie make. The first 20 minutes or so of We Have a Ghost are promising with a good story set up and humorous characters established. But then the next 90 minutes plus(!) become a real slog to finish as the story stretches super thin to fill its runtime. We Have a Ghost is the epitome of beating a dead horse.
