This week, a pioneering female filmmaker returns, an apocalyptic British Christmas farce, and the final episodes a quirky comedy drop.
The Power of the Dog
It’s been over a decade since Oscar-winning director Jane Campion’s last feature film, 2009’s Bright Star, so obviously this is a big deal. Expect epic Western vistas and seething interpersonal tension in her adaptation of Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel about a cruel rancher (Benedict Cumberbatch) who sets out to terrorize his brother’s wife (Kirsten Dunst) and her son (Kodi Smit-McPhee). Streaming Dec. 1 on Netflix.
Silent Night
How would you spend your last Christmas before the end of the world? Ideally having as good a time as Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, et. al. seem to be having in this pitch black holiday comedy. For a truly deranged viewing experience, may I suggest watching Love, Actually and Silent Night back-to-back? In theaters and streaming on AMC+ December 3.
Flee
In this animated documentary, Danish filmmaker Jonas Poher Rasmussen allows his friend Amin to tell the true story of his escape from Afghanistan in the early ’90s for the first time. The result is a profound and heartfelt story that reveals not only the hardships that refugees face, but the long-lasting impact of fleeing. In theaters December 3.
Pen15
Anna Konkle and Maya Erskine’s horrifyingly hilarious cringe-comedy returns for the second half of its second season. Prepare to squirm with uncomfortable recognition as the pair play versions of their 13-year-old selves navigating middle school in the year 2000. Sadly, these seven remaining episodes will be the series’ last; Koncle and Erskine recently announced that Pen15 won’t be returning for a third season. All episodes streaming December 3 on Hulu.
Also premiering this week:
Director Paul Verhoeven’s lesbian nun drama Benedetta (in theaters December 3); Netflix’s regrettable reality series Coming Out Colton about newly out former Bachelor star Colton Underwood (streaming December 3); and the latest festive season of The Great British Baking Show: Holidays (streaming December 3).
