Disney+, Apple TV+ and Prime Video also have some great gems to offer you. Here are some suggestions.
The Little Mermaid (Disney+)
If on the one hand we deplore the lack of originality of this approach which seems intended to garner box office revenue, on the other hand, we find ourselves rediscovering with great pleasure the story of Ariel that we had loved so much as a child. Like its predecessor, the feature film is good family entertainment that many early fans will enjoy watching with their children.
Véronique Larocque
Elemental (Disney+)
Pixar excels in the art of making people laugh and reaching audiences of all ages. Elemental is no exception, but will perhaps be more appreciated by older people, while it will possibly leave younger people indifferent. An impossible love story combined with a brilliant metaphor for our cosmopolitan cities is not usually at the top of their fields of interest. We are happy that this film exists, because what it tells is essential, but it will not be unanimously accepted as Finding Nemo, WALL-E where the Toy Story.
Pascal LeBlanc
The Bear 2 (Disney+)
The permanent cacophony and the aggressive frenzy of the first episodes discouraged many viewers from getting into the oven The Bear. I understand 100%. With its characters with multiple nicknames, its thunderous music and its dialogue peppered with swear words, The Bear does not appeal to the same taste buds as a mainstream candy show. But the second season, more tender, is much better balanced, I think. The episodes abandon technique and urgency to focus on the hearts of the characters, their complex past, their aspirations and their inspirations.
Hugo Dumas
Secret Invasion (Disney+)
There is tension and action. The special effects are successful, but we wonder why the Skrulls can change the appearance of their clothes in addition to their bodies… Without wanting to repeat myself, the cast is truly exceptional. To the point that the performance of actors other than those already mentioned sometimes seems weaker. This is not the case of Kingsley Ben-Adir who is particularly convincing as a Skrull with boundless determination. He’s downright intimidating.
Pascal LeBlanc
Hijack (Apple TV+)
There are lots of things wrong with Hijack. First of all, the bad guys don’t seem dangerous at all. Then, we worry a lot about the fate of the passengers, who don’t seem friendly at all (or even panicked, otherwise we would be). But we still embark on this hair-raising ride, punctuated by unforeseen twists and turns.
Hugo Dumas
Our summers (Prime Video)
PHOTO PROVIDED BY PRODUCTION
Jean-François Pichette and Sophie Prégent in Our summers
I loved it Our summers at the time and I rediscovered, thanks to Amazon Prime Video, the panache, the romanticism and the recklessness of its 29 episodes. It was daring, in 2005, to start such a dense and complicated project, which followed six strong women who lived in the same summer manor – Les Salines – between 1900 and today.
Hugo Dumas
The Summer I Turned Pretty 2(Prime Video)
The Summer I Turned Pretty, it’s like watching a Taylor Swift or Olivia Rodrigo album on TV. There are teenage heartbreaks, sunny bubbles of happiness, car rides that turn into karaoke and tragic departures. Verdict: It’s darker than the first chapter, yes, but it goes down like fresh lemonade.
Hugo Dumas
I’m a Virgo (Prime Video)
Camped in a surrealist universe à la Michel Gondry, I’m a Virgo addresses contemporary themes like racism, capitalism and police repression (there’s even a flying vigilante!) without it feeling like a TED conference. The more we advance in listening to I’m a Virgothe more we discover the richness of this hyper original universe, which also evokes Sweet Tooth from Netflix. At a time when shows are full of neurotic doctors, deranged police officers and overexcited lawyers, I’m a Virgo looks like nothing else, and it’s perfect like that.
Hugo Dumas
Jury Duty (Prime Video)
Jury Duty is unlike any other series offered in 2023. Its concept is explained at the start of the first episode: it is a documentary which relates the daily life of a jury during a trial in California. But in reality, everything is false: the case and, above all, the judge, the lawyers, the security guards, the complainant and the accused. They are all actors playing roles… except one person, Ronald Gladden, juror number 6. This solar panel installer knows nothing, a bit like Jim Carrey in The Truman Show. The result ? A fascinating, absurd and really, really funny fictional reality show.
Marc-André Lemieux