“The Brutalist,” one of the most talked about movies of the year, finally hit video-on-demand platforms this week. Up for 10 Academy Award nominations, including best picture, the drama stars Adrien Brody as a Jewish architect and Holocaust survivor from Budapest who makes his way to America in the late ‘40s to build a new life. Globe film critic Odie Henderson gave “The Brutalist” 3 stars, calling the 3½-hour-long drama “a throwback to the days when Hollywood made massive epics (that were massively long); movies that critics revered and the Academy Awards adored.” Available to buy on video-on-demand platforms
Henderson also had high praise for Pamela Anderson’s performance in “The Last Showgirl,” now available to purchase on VOD platforms. He named Anderson’s role as a Las Vegas showgirl facing the twilight of her career one of the top 10 performances of 2024, writing that the “former ‘Baywatch’ star shows off the dramatic chops Hollywood apparently didn’t know she had.” Anderson earned a Golden Globe nomination for the part. Available to buy on video-on-demand platforms
It’s hard to believe that the “Sonic” franchise is already on its third movie, and even harder to believe all the stars who show up in the latest sequel (albeit mostly in voice acting form): Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba, and Jim Carrey all star, with Ben Schwartz as the beloved blue hero. The third installment, which debuted last year and is now streaming on Paramount+, was a box office hit for Sonic and his pals. And if their speedy adventures aren’t enticing enough, the latest “Sonic” is worth a watch for Carrey’s viral dance scene alone, featuring two Robotniks breaking it down to “Galvanize” by the Chemical Brothers. Available on Paramount+
Bonus pick: While fans may have already caught New Hampshire director Robert Eggers’s “Nosferatu” remake during its theatrical run or initial release on video-on-demand platforms, the 2024 horror flick makes its way to Peacock beginning on Friday, and will be available both in the original theatrical cut as well as its highly anticipated extended cut.
TV shows now available to stream
Creator Taylor Sheridan’s “Yellowstone” prequel “1923″ returns for its second season on Sunday. The Old West tale follows the ancestors of the Dutton family, led by a no-nonsense husband and wife duo played by icons Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford. The pair is in for a tough winter, as rough weather and other threats put the Dutton ranch in danger. Available on Paramount+ beginning Sunday
“Loki” star Gugu Mbatha-Raw is back for season 2 of “Surface,” now streaming on Apple TV+. Bringing the action to London for the show’s sophomore installment, Mbatha-Raw returns to star as Sophie, a woman who loses her memory following a head injury, forcing her to piece her life back together. The new season will see Sophie get entangled with the elites of British society as she looks for clues, leading to scandalous surprises. Available on Apple TV+
Binge-worthy weekend TV pick
Yes, there are way too many Marvel movies and TV shows to watch from the past two decades, but one of the few projects worth revisiting is “Daredevil” (the TV show, not the movie starring Ben Affleck). The series, which originally streamed on Netflix, felt more like a prestige crime drama akin to “The Penguin” instead of just another product of the Marvel machine, carving out its own beloved corner of the superhero multiverse. Charlie Cox stars as the Man Without Fear, a lawyer by day, crime fighter by night who gets into a violent war with New York’s criminal underbelly, led by the Kingpin (Vincent D’Onofrio). Catch up with the original series on Disney+ before the follow-up series “Daredevil: Born Again” debuts March 4, with the original cast set to return. Available on Disney+
Movie night pick
Nominated for best picture at last year’s Academy Awards, director and writer Celine Song’s feature film debut, “Past Lives,” hit Prime Video this month (it’s also available to Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers). The romantic drama stars Greta Lee as Nora, a young woman living in New York City after moving as a kid to America from South Korea, leaving behind her childhood crush, Hae Song. Years later, Nora looks him up on social media, rekindling feelings with her lost love, now an adult played by Teo Yoo, creating a complicated situation with her husband, Arthur (John Magaro). Available on Paramount+ with Showtime and Prime Video
Matt Juul can be reached at [email protected].