As 2021 moves towards its fateful end, it has been another year of mostly staying home and watching movies rather than at theatres due to the never-ending pandemic. However, movie lovers in Thailand have been introduced to many different streaming services including Netflix, HBO GO and most recently Disney+ Hotstar, each featuring their own original and impressive roster of movies, series, animations and documentaries. All through this year, these services have kept us on our favourite couch at home while we enjoy their massive libraries.
There have been a plethora of titles, some good and some not so good, released this year and one may find searching through all these movies to be overwhelming. Never fear, Life is here to help navigate the voluminous options on each platform and pick some of 2021's best watches.
Cruella. Disney+ Hotstar Thailand
Cruella (Disney+ Hotstar)
Directed by Craig Gillespie Starring Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry, Paul Walter Hauser
Hollywood's beloved actress Emma Stone, who's known from lovely movies like La La Land, Crazy, Stupid, Love, and The Help, has finally found her best and most memorable role yet in the Disney film Cruella. It's the rebellious early days of one of cinema's most notoriously fashionable villains, the legendary Cruella de Vil, set in 1970s London. The story follows a young drifter named Estella Miller (Stone), a troublesome yet very clever girl who's determined to make a name for herself in the fashion world with help from a pair of young thieves Jasper (Joel Fry) and Horace (Paul Walter Hauser) who appreciate her appetite for mischief. Together, they are able to make a living for themselves on the London streets. One day, Estella's flair for style catches the eye of Baroness von Hellman, (Emma Thompson), a legendary fashion icon. But their relationship sets in motion a course of events that will cause Estella to embrace her wicked side and transform into the revenge anti-hero persona Cruella. Brought to you by I, Tonya director Craig Gillespie. Cruella isn't a typical cutesy Disney family movie, the film is bold, elegant, quirky and is awfully fun to watch.
Zack Snyder's Justice League (HBO GO)
Directed by Zack Snyder Starring Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot
Four years after the first Justice League movie received a mixed bag of reviews, fans finally got Zack Snyder's Justice League, the four-hour version Snyder wanted to tell all along. Fortunately, the fabled Snyder cut elevates Justice League into something well worth watching.
Zack Snyder's Justice League begins after Superman (Henry Cavill) sacrifices himself to kill Doomsday, Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) travels across the globe in order to put together a new team of superheroes that includes Wonder Woman ( Gal Gadot), The Flash (Ezra Miller), Aquaman (Jason Momoa) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) to defend Earth from an oncoming alien threat. In this case, it's Steppenwolf, one of Darkseid's servants, who wants to get hold of the three Mother Boxes, the powerful and indestructible living machines that are capable of building and destroying the world.
Nearly every character in the Snyder cut from the top down has a clearer, more coherent storyline. These improvements on characterisation help us care deeply about the characters and understand where they're coming from, making it a worthwhile experience. This is definitely a great vindication for the director and really saves the movie from the dustbin of history.
The Beatles: Get Back (Disney+ Hotstar)
Directed by Peter Jackson Starring John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr
The long-awaited Peter Jackson documentary about The Fab Four arrived during the last quarter of 2021. Get Back is a seven-hour-plus project divided into three parts on Disney+ Hotstar, where Jackson had complete access to nearly 60 hours of never-before-seen footage and 150 hours of audio from the Let It Be sessions. The documentary encapsulates the different sides of the most contested period in Beatles history, and shows how the group pulled together, creating what became their last studio album, as they raced against time to meet a deadline in 1969. The documentary may change your perception about why the band broke up.
The Power Of The Dog. KIRSTY GRIFFIN/NETFLIX
Power Of The Dog (Netflix)
Directed by Jane Campion Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons
Ignore the rumour about an off-screen conflict between Cumberbatch and Dunst, Power Of The Dog is a powerful Western drama with amazing performances by both actors, and is surely a legitimate awards-season contender. Jane Campion's first film since 2009 heads out on the range with one mean cowboy in Cumberbatch. Set in 1925, the Western quickly reaches a boil and holds it as a rancher (Jesse Plemons) gets a new wife (Dunst) whom his brother (Cumberbatch) takes a strong dislike to. It's a masterclass of simmering tension and expertly acted, and an endlessly fascinating drama. The film is also unpredictable in the best possible way. Be warned that this isn't an action film with gunslingers, so if you're looking for a high noon shoot 'em up, this Western isn't for you.
Maid. NETFLIX
Maid (Netflix)
Created by Molly Smith Metzler Starring Margaret Qualley, Andie MacDowell, Nick Robinson
Inspired by The New York Times' bestselling memoir Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, And A Mother's Will To Survive by Stephanie Land, Maid follows the life of Alex, a young mother who runs away from her abusive boyfriend Sean and takes their three-year-old daughter Maddy along with her in the middle of the night. Alex soon finds herself a job working as a housekeeper, and barely makes ends meet as she tries to escape poverty and overcome homelessness to create a better life for her daughter. The 10-episode series Maid features superb performances by mother and daughter, Andie McDowell and Margaret Qualley, with Nick Robinson, Tracy Vilar and Billy Burke in an emotional roller-coaster drama. It is a powerful examination of a woman fighting the world and sometimes herself in order to grasp a better opportunity for her and her loved ones.
Hacks (HBO GO)
Created by Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs and Jen Statsky Starring Jean Smart, Hannah Einbinder, Carl Clemons-Hopkins
The first season of Hacks consisting of 10 episodes in which veteran actress Jean Smart plays opposite the newcomer Hannah Einbinder as two women from different generations banter back and forth with a shared passion on the art of stand-up comedy. The plot centres on the life of Deborah Vance (Smart), a fictional legendary Las Vegas stand-up comedian who has a residency, but her show is failing and she's threatened with losing her job. She puts in a plan to spice things up in order to get to that next step. So 25-year-old Ava Daniels (Einbinder), a Gen Z comedy writer, steps in to change up Deborah's jokes. The show is surprisingly very enjoyable, open and honest, and a journey for both the two central female leads. Watch for the brash outspoken roars of the one and only Smart.
Wolfgang. Disney+ Hotstar Thailand
Wolfgang (Disney+ Hotstar)
Directed by David Gelb
Directed by Jiro Dreams Of Sushi and Chef's Table creator David Gelb, Wolfgang is an inspiring and emotional documentary that chronicles the true story of Wolfgang Puck's life, trials, tribulations and global successes. From his childhood years in Austria, a bitter relationship with his stepfather and decision to leave the house for his early career in a French restaurant, then as head chef at LA's Ma Maison and owner of the first Spago before eventually inventing the concept of "celebrity chef". He has built a global cooking empire with over 100 restaurants and cafes around the world. Puck changed the perception of what it means to be a chef, and along the way, invented a radically new American cuisine. Along with rare photos and never-before-seen footage, viewers will witness the most in-depth interview that Puck has ever given. Wolfgang is a film that showcases the power and strength of the human spirit, and is one that could inspire others.