Stanley Tucci stuns in mini-series and Zac Efron becomes one with nature: This week’s best and biggest on Netflix

By Jordan Parker

Check out Jordan Parker's 'The week's best and biggest on Netflix' every Friday on CityNews Halifax.

Hostage

There’s no doubting that Bruce Willis has been a action mega-star since he first wowed audiences with Die Hard.

The recently-retired film veteran headlines this taut, hugely entertaining thriller that’s first-rate.

It follows former hostage negotiator Jeff Talley, who attempts to help a family who’ve been held against their will for nefarious purposes. But when he realizes his own family is kidnapped, he’s put in a moral quandary.

Director Florent-Emilio Siri creates his best film in this smart actioners, and Bruce Willis is reason enough to watch.

He reunites with Whole Nine Yards alum Kevin Pollak, and they’re joined by Serena Scott Thomas, Ben Foster, Jonathan Tucker, Robert Knepper, Kim Coates, and Willis’s daughter Rumer.

It’s a fabulous genre picture, and one that will please mature, adult audiences looking for smart fare.

4/5 Stars

The Firm

Author John Grisham’s work has seen countless adaptations of his writing, but few hit as hard as The Firm.

A severely underrated crime thriller, it follows a young, ambitious lawyer who realizes his new job might not be as good as it seems.

He begins to notice inconsistencies and scary truths about the firm, and soon finds himself embroiled in a plot he could have never imagined.

Director Sydney Pollack – a two-time Oscar winner – gets the best out of young star Tom Cruise here.

But the actor is hardly the only thespian to watch for: Jeanne Tripplehorn, Gene Hackman, Hal Holbrook, Ed Harris, Holly Hunter and David Strathairn are all fabulous.

It’s a tense, wonderfully done film, and one that doesn’t get enough credit for just how engrossing it is.

4/5 Stars

Get Out

Writer-director Jordan Peele was mostly known for comedic sketch work when this incredible horror movie came out.

With films Us, Nope, and even an adaptation of the Twilight Zone, he’s now considered one of the best auteurs currently making films. And it all started with this.

It follows Chris, a young black man who visits white girlfriend Rose’s family home for the first time. He soon realizes things aren’t as they seem, and must try to escape from the perilous situation.

The twists and turns here are amazing, and the film left my jaw on the floor. Winner for Best Original Screenplay, it’s an endlessly witty movie with amazing acting.

Peele was nominated for a Best Directing Oscar, the film was nominated for Best Picture, and lead Daniel Kaluuya was also nominated for Best Actor.

But uniformly, turns from Allison Williams, Katherine Keener, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, and especially LaKeith Stanfield and Lil Rel Howery are intense and fabulous.

I absolutely love this movie, and guarantee you will too.

4.5/5 Stars

Down To Earth With Zac Efron

During the pandemic, health aficionados were treated to this incredible docuseries from A-list movie star Zac Efron.

We see a different side of the actor as he traverses all over the world with a wellness expert and looks at healthy and sustainable ways to live and eat.

It’s truly nice to see Efron’s natural charm on full display, and the episodes are absolutely gorgeous. The second season drops Friday, and is a must-watch.

Efron actually won a Daytime Emmy for hosting the first season, and it will educate with a sense of curious adventure attached.

4/5

Inside Man

This is a mini-series where literally, the less you know, the better. The BBC show is so, so good, and I went into it with zero expectations.

What I got was an absolutely incredible dramatic thriller that had more twists and turns than I ever could have imagined.

It follows the intersecting lives of a death row inmate and a tutor in an English vicarage. That is literally all I’m giving you, and you’ll thank me later.

From the creator of Dracula and Sherlock comes another hugely involving show, and the performances are divine.

David Tennant, Stanley Tucci, Lyndsey Marshal, Dolly Wells, and Lydia West are all absolutely Emmy-worthy.

Please seek this show out as soon as possible. P.S. I haven’t finished yet, but I hear the ending is quite divisive. I can’t wait to discover it along with you! I've included the trailer, but I truly think you should give this one a blind watch.

4.5/5 Stars

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