Streaming Picks
Sherlock fans: the wait is over! Netflix began streaming season 3 of the BBC show on Monday. Bonus: they've included three additional "Sherlock Uncovered" episodes, in which you'll get a behind-the-scenes look at the making of the show.
Want to share a piece of your childhood with your kids for this week's movie night? Amazon Prime is also now streaming Felix the Cat: The Platinum Collection.
For a throwback to the romantic antics of Humphrey Bogart and the magnificent Audrey Hepburn, watch Sabrina, also on Amazon Prime.
And if history and subtitles are more your thing, check out Soong Sisters—free for Amazon Prime Users—which follows three women who married three of the most influential Chinese leaders of all time.
Critics Roundup
PluggedIn's Adam R. Holz says that although Chef begins with a narcissistic, food-obsessed man, it ends with a beautiful portrait of what a father-son relationship should look like: "By journey's end, Carl has become a more engaged and emotionally healthy dad who's learned to love and work with his young son." Despite the heart-warming conclusion, Holz believes the language and comedy style of the film is far too filthy for a family-oriented film. Holz is not lost on the irony that, "Carl rebukes Percy for using bad language but of course uses it himself in front of his son." Although Holz could not see past the vulgarity of Chef, The New York Times' Stephen Holden seems to have seen a completely different movie. Holden praises Chef for its accurate depiction of the world today, saying "Food trucks, Twitter wars and salsa music: Chef has its pinkie on the pulse of the moment." The only negative remarks Holden seems to have about Chef is that it's more of a "glorified travelogue" than an actual film and despite its diversity-fueled cast, "the movie's exploration of multiculturalism isn't any deeper than that of an average episode of Modern Family."
This week, NBC welcomed a new Friday night television series starring John Malkovich. Although Blackbeard was created by Neil Cross, famous for BBC's Luther, PluggedIn's Paul Asay believes it cannot compare. Asay—whose review is written entirely in Pirate-lingo, mind you—claims, "Lookin' at Crossbones through me one good eye, methinks it a miserable pursuit, not fit for lad nor lass." Asay also observed that the show is full "o'scurvy behavior," and that pirates swearing like sailors is the least of their crude conduct. The New York Times' Neil Genzlinger avoids over-dramatic pirate vernacular in his review, and apparently so does the show. He praises this decision, informing us that the writers "avoid the 'ahoy, matey' stuff (these pirates spend most of their time on dry land) and instead make sure to give their characters, especially Blackbeard, a decent ration of smart dialogue in each episode." Genzlinger strongly disagrees with Asay's warning to dismiss the show, stating that Crossbones is a "sophisticated, well-acted television for a warm-weather series."
Movie News
More additions to the cast of J.J. Abram's Star Wars: Episode VII have been announced this week. Game of Thrones' Gwendoline Christie and Oscar-winning 12 Years a Slave actress Lupita Nyong'o will both appear in the upcoming film. For more information, read here.
Lucasfilm and Disney have also just announced that Josh Trank, famously re-doing The Fantastic Four, will direct a standalone Star Wars film. Read more here.
Fans of Divergent should look forward to seeing Naomi Watts alongside Shailene Woodley for the remaining book-to-movie sequels. Variety is reporting that Watts will play Evelyn in Liongate's upcoming Insurgent and Allegiant films.
Hate watching movies on your phone? Indiewire is reporting that a new Danish film created specifically for your phone screen will be released in the United States this Friday. APP is the first movie created for your phone.
Larisa Kline is a summer intern with Christianity Today Movies and a student at The King's College in New York City.
