While most of the Western world readies itself for the welcoming of a new year, the billion or so people in China still have just under a month to go until their respective New Year’s Eve celebrations commence. 2022 was the year of the Tiger, symbolic of strength, might, and courage, attributes that perhaps foreshadowed 2022’s world events with the war in Ukraine, the cost of living crisis, and the implementation of Wade vs. Roe. With a new dawn for the Lunar Year on 1st February signifying the beginning of the year of the Rabbit, known for being the luckiest of the 12 animals, let’s hope that as the year of the Tiger brought difficult times, the Rabbit brings peace and prosperity.
Netflix certainly wasn’t exempt from the implications of the economic struggles of 2022, and will thus be seeking to recover with the renewed hope 2023 may bring. With December’s offerings have been relatively meager, the pressure on January’s output to deliver on the quality and quantity front has evidently been felt, with a whole host of older titles set to be added to the platform…
Grease (Jan. 1)
Following the devastating news in early 2022 that Grease star Olivia Newton-John had passed away, its inclusion in Netflix’s January 2023 line-up is certainly a welcome tribute to the late actor’s life. Featuring the unmistakable John Travolta, Grease was one of the defining musicals of the 20th century, and arguably, of all time.
Directed by Randal Kleiser, 1978’s Grease traverses the friendships, relationships, and lives of a group of American high school students in the 1950s, and the budding courtship and romance of Danny Zuko (Travolta) and Sandy (Newton-John).
Rocky Movies - (Jan. 1)
Netflix has proven its worth as a heavyweight of the streaming world, and its January offerings undeniably pack quite the punch, as Sylvester Stallone dusts down his robe, fastens his gloves, and steps into the ring in not just Rocky, but the entire franchise. The five-film series hits the platform on January 1st, as the Rocky and boxing enthusiasts will be rubbing their hands at the prospect of an action-packed box-athon.
Following the story of epic zero-to-hero proportions, the franchise traverses Rocky Balboa’s ascent to Boxing glory, encountering the fiercest, and most deadly opponents in the world in the form of Apollo Creed, Clubber Lang, and Ivan Drago.
Reservoir Dogs (Jan. 1)
Quentin Tarantino ignited his sparkling filmmaking career with his debut directorial feature, Reservoir Dogs. With the iconic opening credits accompanied by George Baker Selection’s song Little Green Bag, the film is a punchy, typically violent introduction to the whacky mind of a modern directorial genius. The 1992 movie concerns itself with a group of criminals who embark on a diamond heist gone wrong. With a stellar ensemble cast and a truly memorable soundtrack, Reservoir Dogs is an understated addition to the Netflix catalog.
Road to Perdition (Jan. 1)
2022 marked Sam Mendes’ Road to Perdition’s 20th birthday, two decades after its release, and it translates just as impressively as it did when it first appeared on the silver screen. Inspired by real events, the screen adaptation of author, Max Allan Collins’ novel of the same name, follows the story of heavy, and mob-member, Mike Sullivan (Tom Hanks) who seeks to avenge the murder of his wife and son.
Sullivan forms the emotional core of the film by concomitantly protecting his surviving son, Michael Sullivan Jr. (Tyler Hoechlin) from the perils of the merciless hand of mob boss John Rooney (Paul Newman) and his unpredictable son, Connor (Daniel Craig).
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Jan. 1)
Lodged right in between his penultimate picture and the final flick of the hugely successful Cornetto Trilogy, Edgar Wright wrote and directed the frenetically off-the-wall film, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. In this blink-and-you’ll-miss-it adaptation of the graphic novel series, Michael Cera plays bassist and gamer-nerd, Scott Pilgrim.
Unsure of himself and his own masculinity, his love life is comparable to that of Will Ferrell’s Detective Allen in The Other Guys, throughout the film Scott goes through the romantic motions with several girls, before falling head-over-heels for Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and must do battle with her seven evil exes to win her affections. Be warned; Do not have a coffee, or any other energy-enhancing substance prior to viewing, the lightning-quick cuts, and hyper-energetic editing will fill even the most lethargic viewers with a dose of caffeine.
The Devil to Pay (Jan. 17)
In the slow-burning indie flick The Devil to Pay, Lemon Cassidy (Danielle Deadwyler) is a single mother who struggles to run the family farm after her husband vanishes. All the while, Lemon needs to protect her young son from the notorious Runion family who run the lawless surrounding Danielle Deadwyler’s naturally vulnerable performance, it certainly is a film to have earmarked.