BeatRoute Magazine BC Edition March 2019

MOViES|T.V.
THIS MONTH IN FILM
WOMAN AT WAR
March 1
Delivering quirky black comedy
in true-to-form Icelandic style,
Woman at War tells the story of
Halla, a lovely choir-master by
day and a DIY eco-terrorist by
night. Premiering in 2018 in festivals
such as Cannes and TIFF,
it’s a perfect blend of funny,
brutal, and hopeful activism.
THE BOY WHO
HARNESSED THE WIND
March 1
Best known for his Academy
Award-nominated role in 12
Years a Slave, Chiwetel Ejiofor
tries his hand at Writing/Directing,
and does so with marked
passion. The Netflix-distributed
film is based on the memoir of
the same name, and tells the
story of a young boy who builds
a wind turbine for his village.
CAPTIVE STATE
March 15
John Goodman plays evil again,
aliens designed with an eye for
post-modern realism invade
earth, and 10 years later, the
people must overcome. From
the Writer/Director of Rise of
the Planet of the Apes comes
a post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller
that looks to be a mix of Arrival,
District 9, and Independence
Day all in one.
US
March 22
There’s nowhere to run this
time, no place to hide. The
monsters have invaded the living
room, they sit at the dinner
table, they scratch behind the
mirror… The monsters are Us.
Jordan Peele’s highly anticipated
follow-up to last years
Oscar-winner, Get Out, tells a
dark tale of monstrous doppelgangers,
and emanates with
uncanny, satire-horror vibes.
By Brendan Lee
THE BiNGE LIST
AFTER LIFE / SEASON 1
NETWORK:
NETFLIX
AIR DATE: MARCH 8
“A good day is when I don’t go
around wanting to shoot random
strangers in the face, and then
turn the gun on myself.” Ricky
Gervais (The Office, Extras)
drags his hilarious, narcissistic
butt back to Netflix with his
latest dark dramedy. After Life
tells the story of Tony, a man
whose wife’s sudden death
corkscrews him into a depression
that isn’t deep enough to kill
him, just enough to turn him into
an insensible asshole. Produced,
Directed, Written, and Starring
the man himself, the 6-part first
season promises to be classic
Gervais, with his knack for
saying whatever, whenever, the
subject of close examination
that begs the question: Why
care about anyone else, if you
don’t care about yourself?
TURN UP CHARLIE /
SEASON 1
NETWORK:
NETFLIX
AIR DATE: MARCH 15
Idris Elba – the name carries
such a weight these days. He’s
the man best known for his roles
in HBO’s The Wire, BBC’s Luther,
and everybody’s dream-choice to
be the next James Bond. With another
big leap, Elba takes a crack
at co-creating and producing with
Turn Up Charlie, a comedy about
a DJ treading water who’s given
a chance at long sought-after
success when he’s forced to be
a nanny for his famous bestfriend.
It’s a premise that doesn’t
immediately kick you in the pants,
but the eight-episode first season
is worth a watch for Elba alone.
Also, look up DJ Big Driis – Elba’s
real-life DJ pseudonym – and the
appeal intensifies.
HANNA / SEASON 1
NETWORK:
AMAZON PRIME
AIR DATE: MARCH 29
You may remember the 2011 film
with the same name, starring
Saorsie Ronan and written by
Seth Lochhead while a student at
Vancouver Film School. Well, nine
years later, David Farr (co-writer
of the original script) has adapted
the story for television, and the
first episode – released for a 24-
hour period at the beginning of
February – has already whitened
more than a few knuckles. The
dramatic-thriller follows Hanna
(Esme Creed-Miles), an extraordinary
girl with violent skill. Cut-off
from all things civilized and
bunkered in a forest on the edge
of Eastern Europe, Esme hides
Idris Elba takes a spin at
being a DJ in Turn Up Charlie.
out with a man named Erik (Joel
Kinnaman). With veiled mystery
surrounding Hannah’s past, the
man who’s taught her to kill, and
the rogue CIA agent who hunts
them both down (Mirelle Enos),
only time will tell how deep this
foxhole goes.
BARRY / SEASON 2
NETWORK:
HBO/CRAVE
AIR DATE: MARCH 29
In case you missed it the first time
around, with the inaugural season
released in March of last year,
Barry is the next hit HBO-produced
comedy series. Co-created
by Alec Berg and Bill Hader, a
depressed, ex-marine turned
serial killer looks for fulfillment
in his life when his hits just aren’t
doing it for him anymore. So, like
a wandering stray dog, Barry
stumbles his way into the arms
of a local theatre group where he
pretends to have a passion for
the stage – and then begins to
actually develop one. The show’s
become known for the way Berg
and Hader juxtapose gut-wrenching
violence with laugh-out-loud
comedy and emotionally staggering
scenes. If you haven’t seen it
yet, I’d advise that you sign up for
Crave, binge the first season, and
buckle up for Season 2 while you
still have the chance.
By Brendan Lee
40 BEATROUTE MARCH 2019