Content is King but engagement is Queen, and the lady rules the house!
Mari Smith
Entertainment is a serious business in today’s world. Little wonder, then, that there’s virtually an undeclared war going on between media companies to bag maximum TRPs. And this war is not limited to television, it has spilled over to the digital space as well, with streaming companies entering the entertainment arena. The multi-million-dollar entertainment industry runs solely on one principle: how to creatively engage the viewers. And in the race to grab the eyeballs, it is the streaming companies that are sprinting across the finish line.
One prime example being Netflix.
The year begins with a bang for all Netflix lovers, as the media house kickstarts it with an action-packed month. From dramas to docu-series, this first month of 2024 promises thrill, excitement, suspense and laughter, all things necessary that make life worth living.
So, let’s dive in to see what’s in store for us!
Fool Me Once – Netflix Series
This eight-part drama series, that started from January 1st, is an adaptation of a Harlan Coben novel of the same name by Danny Brocklehurst and features actors Michelle Keegan, Richard Armitage, Adeel Akhtar, Emmett J. Scanlan and Joanna Lumly.
The plot revolves around a family that has been shaken by double tragedy. Ex-soldier Maya Stern watches security camera footage of her murdered husband. As she sets about to unravel the mystery, she finds the conspiracy embedded deep into the past.
Griselda
Griselda is an American crime drama series based on the life of Griselda Bianco, a Colombian woman on the run from Medellin, the capital of Colombia’s mountainous Antioquia province, to Miami with her three sons in tow and a kilo of cocaine. From a fugitive to a ruthless and notorious drug lord, this gritty tale that premieres on January 25 promises some serious action.
Sofia Vergara plays the lead while the rest of the main caste include Alberto Guerra, Martin Rodriguez, Juliana Aiden, Vanessa Ferlito and Christian Tappan.
Boy Swallows Universe
In this adaptation of the Trent Dalton novel of the same name by John Collee, the main character, Eli Bell, is played by Felix Cameron. The other lead actors include Travis Fimmel, Sophie Wilde, Phoebe Tonkin, Lee Halley and Simon Baker, to name a few. Set in the 1980s, this saga of crime, love, brotherhood and friendship explores Eli’s life as he embarks on a journey full of suspense, thrill and heartbreak to save his family from Brisbane’s underworld.
Eli is a working-class youth living in the suburbs of Brisbane. To say that his life is complicated would be an understatement what with a lost father, mother in jail, a mute brother, a stepfather who is a heroine dealer and a notorious criminal for babysitter.
The limited series is releasing on January 11 and, judging by the trailer, promises to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.
The Brothers Sun
Oh, how have we missed the Jackie Chanish action comedy! Well, if the trailer is anything to go by, the latest Netflix offering brings just that – a family fighting to retain its hold over Taipei’s underworld. The plot may not be new, however, the action, infused with witty dialogues, holds the promise of a fun watch. An added attraction is the main star caste, which includes Golden Globe award winner Michelle Yeoh as Eileen Mama Sun; Justin Chien as Charles Sun, Eileen’s elder son; Sam Song Li as Bruce Sun, Eileen’s younger son; Joon Lee as TK Lee, Bruce’s best friend; and Highdee Kuan as Alexis Kong.
The Suns are head of the Jade Dragons, Taipei’s renowned gangsters. When an unknown enemy strikes at his family, Charles, who is a hardened criminal, heads out to California to protect them. Bruce’s ordinary American life is turned upside down after realising the truth about his family, which his mother was so keen to hide from him. What follows is Bruce’s initiation into the family “business” and how he adapts to this new way of life. The series, created by Brad Falchuk and Byron Wu, premiered on January 4. Though based on an oft-repeated plot, this action-comedy might make for an interesting light viewing.
The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse: Part 1
Anime lovers gear up to enter the magical world of Britannia’s infamous Holy Knights. The Sci-Fi fantasy series, written and illustrated by Nakaba Suzuki, premiers January 31st and is a sequel to his previous series: The Seven Deadly Sins. The plot revolves around the character of Percival, which was specifically created for the series. Percival discovers he is destined to be a part of a group of four knights prophesied to destroy the world. Hounded by the forces of Camelot, he sets about to seek the knights out, years after the Seven Deadly Sins was disbanded.
Lift
A motley group of thieves, a speed boat chase, mid-air action and you have a blockbuster on your hands. At least that’s what the trailer promises. And yes, there is gold too.
Kevin Hart, as Cyrus Whitaker, leads an international heist crew to rob a passenger plane of $500 million in gold at the height of 40,000 feet. Sounds impressive?
Wait, there’s more. The perfect plan goes awry, and the crew has to improvise to get the job done, else face imprisonment. So, there it is, an action-packed thriller directed by F. Gary Gray starring Kevin Hart, Ursula Corbero, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sam Worthington, Jean Reno, Vincent D’Onofrio, Billy Magnussen, Jacob Batalon, Paul Anderson, Viveik Kalra, Kim Yoon-ji and Burn Gorman. The movie releases on January 12.
The Kitchen
This British science fiction drama marks the directorial debut of Kibwe Tavares and Daniel Kaluuya, the Black Panther star. The movie was premiered at the 67th BFI London Film Festival on October 15, 2023, and is scheduled to release in UK on January 12. It is scheduled to be streamed on Netflix on January 19.
As per the Rotten Tomatoes’ website, 83% of the critics’ review that the film garnered were positive.
It is 2044 and life in London has changed beyond recognition. The gap between the rich and the poor has disintegrated society. All forms of social housing have been eliminated and the working class has been relegated to temporary accommodations in the outskirts of the city, which too is facing the threat of being pulled down. It is here that our protagonists Izi and Benji team up to survive against a system designed to eliminate them.
The film stars Kane Robinson as Izi and Jedaiah Bannerman as Benji.
Bitconned
The mere mention of the word cryptocurrency brings to mind the first high-profile, multi-million-dollar scam associated with it.
Yes, we are talking about Centra Tech. This cautionary cybercrime tale by Netflix documents the rise and fall of Centra Tech, a dubious company operated by three regular guys who manipulated the cryptocurrency market to scam millions from investors.
Our main culprit, Ray Trapani, takes viewers through the highs and lows of his criminal life, and reveals how the scam was pulled, right from its conception to its fruition, and his inevitable downfall, declaring along the way how he had always harboured ambitions of becoming a criminal.
The documentary, which premiered on January 1, makes for interesting viewing, for it highlights how people and systems can be manipulated.
American Nightmare
This true crime three-part docuseries unravels the truth behind the bizarre kidnapping of Denise Huskins, which the authorities initially termed a hoax.
In 2015, Denise’s house was invaded, and she was kidnapped for ransom. Her boyfriend Aaron Quinn reported the kidnapping to the police. However, two days later Denise reappeared, before the ransom could be paid. As Quinn’s claims could not be substantiated, the investigation turned on Denise and him. They underwent months of harassment by the police. The case grabbed national interests and the story of Denise started being compared to the bestselling novel “Gone Girl”, which told the story of a woman faking her kidnapping.
The police don’t believe Denise because she “appeared too calm”. The documentary raises some pertinent questions about our social responsibilities. Why is it so difficult for us to believe in the bizarre? And, most of all, where does the blame lie when an innocent is persecuted: The police? The society? Or the media?
These are some of the promising feats from Netflix for this month. Let’s hope they live up to expectations.
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