From “Sandman” to “Thirteen Lives”, what to watch this weekend of August 15? Here is our selection.
On Netflix, the series “Sandman”
After years of imprisonment, the Dream Lord Morpheus (Tom Sturridge) begins his journey across worlds to find what was stolen from him and reclaim his power. And in particular put an end to the actions of the Corinthian (Boyd Holbrook), a deadly nightmare.
The “Sandman” comics (or graphic novels) by English author Neil Gaiman have had a lasting impact on the world of the ninth art since their appearance in the late 1980s. Legendary writer of fantasy and fantasy, Neil Gaiman has long been reluctant to an adaptation of his work on the screens, up to this series, of which he is co-screenwriter.
And the wait was worth it: with an impressive graphic beauty, “Sandman” is above all up to the task on the themes addressed, each episode being a philosophical tale, sometimes tender, sometimes hard (one thinks of episode 5, logically prohibited for those under 18) where the common thread is the Lord of Dreams. Tom Sturridge’s interpretation is more than up to par. An impression reinforced by an impressive cast (Kirby Howell-Baptiste in the role of Death, or David Thewlis in that of John Dee). A remarkable series.
Also on Netflix, the sitcom “Brooklyn 99”
The 99th Precinct in Brooklyn, New York is home to a zany squad of police, from grandchild Detective Péralta (Adam Sandberg) to strict Captain Holt (Andre Braugher) to fearsome Rosa Diaz (Stephanie Beatriz). . They enforce the law, but most often in disorder…
Parody of detective series, “Brooklyn 99” has become one of the most popular sitcoms of recent years, whether in the development of its characters, its themes (sometimes leaving aside humor), but also of its comedy, offering for more than seven seasons a quality of formidable gags, in particular the “cold opens”, opening sketches most often independent of the episode.
This Saturday August 13 arrives on Netflix the eighth and final season of 10 episodes. A season that starts in a rather strange tone, the death of George Floyd having caused a stir within the police station. The humor will then become more politicized, notably in the guise of Frank O’Sullivan, a police unionist caricature of the Republican Rudy Giuliani (played by John C. McGinley, the unforgettable Dr. Cox in “Scrubs”). Since we’re in a sitcom, everything will end well, but a certain melancholy runs through the episodes, concluding with the long-awaited “Halloween heist”.
On Amazon Prime Video, Ron Howard’s new film, “Thirteen Lives”
The incredible true story of the huge global effort to save a young Thai football team, which became trapped in Tham Luang cave due to a rainstorm between June and July 2018.
Faced with insurmountable odds, a team of the most skilled and experienced divers in the world – embodied in particular by Viggo Mortensen (“The Lord of the Rings”) and Colin Farrell (“The Batman”) – joins the Thai forces and to more than 10,000 volunteers to try to save the twelve boys and their trainer. With the stakes impossibly high and the eyes of the world on them, the group embarks on the toughest dive in its history.
Four years after the events, a film recounting the rescue is released. Hollywood veteran Ron Howard (“Apollo XIII”) thus signs his return to the disaster film, which is almost akin to a choral film, refusing heroism to better convey that the rescue of the football team has been a collective effort, both international divers and Thai rescuers. And even if we know the end (and the film would have benefited from being a bit shorter), the suspense remains in order, thus joining another true story adaptation, Jean-Jacques Annaud’s “Notre-Dame is burning” .
The ‘By Order of God’ miniseries on Disney+
July 1984. In a small Mormon town in Utah, Brenda Lafferty (Daisy Edgar-Jones) and her 15-month-old baby are found brutally murdered in their home. Like most locals, they were fellowship members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Inspector Jeb Pyre (Andrew Garfield), himself a practicing Mormon, will take charge of the investigation to discover the culprit of these terrible murders. Except that by plunging into the mysteries of religious fundamentalism, he could well lose faith along the way…
“On God’s Order” is based on a real drama to develop its point, that this double assassination is the consequence of historical, religious decisions, and the fruit of a patriarchal yoke. The seven episodes of ”On God’s Order” develop the investigation, the life of the Lafferty family but also the context of the arrival of the Mormons in Utah in the 19th century, with surgical precision and… very slow. To hold on, it needed a big headliner, and Andrew Garfield is overwhelmingly human. Its performance alone is worth a look.
The documentary: “Faya Dayi” on Mubi
According to Ethiopian legends, khat, a stimulating leaf, was discovered by Sufi imams. Through a spiritual journey in the trade of this plant, “Faya Dayi” tells us stories of government repression, mystical dreams and travels, showing a youth yearning for a better life. Because khat is also a drug with a euphoric effect comparable to that of amphetamine.
The documentary directed by Jessica Beshir transforms the history of khat into an experience. Around memories and haunting stories, a picture of the Ethiopian socio-political landscape is drawn with intelligence and a certain form of poetry.
Also on Mubi, the movie “The Humans”
Erik Blake gathered three generations of his Pennsylvania family to celebrate Thanksgiving at his daughter’s apartment in Manhattan. As the sun goes down and strange things start to happen, the tension gradually builds and everyone’s fears come to light.
“The Humans” is the adaptation of the play of the same name, written by Stephen Karam himself and published in 2015. The playwright turned his work into a screenplay before going behind the camera for his very first feature film . The problem is that despite a three-star cast – among others Richard Jenkins (“Spotlight”, “The Shape of Water”), Amy Schumer (“Crazy Amy”), or Steven Yeun (“The Walking Dead “, “Minari”) -, “The Humans” does not manage to get out of the archetype of the bourgeois family tearing each other apart in an apartment. If you don’t like the Parisian version, you’re unlikely to like the New York version…
Streaming. From “Sandman” to “Thirteen Lives”, what to watch this weekend of August 15?