This week, Disney+, Apple TV+, and Showtime are offering the series 'Renegade Nell' and 'A Gentleman in Moscow,' as well as a documentary about Steve Martin.
If you want to go to the movies, consider seeing Luc Besson’s unusual film 'DogMan' and 'Lousy Carter' in San Francisco for one night only.
Here's our summary of the entertainment options.
“Renegade Nell”: 'Renegade Nell' is a Disney+ series created by Sally Wainwright, the mastermind behind 'Happy Valley.' It's an engaging show set in 18th-century England with a strong female protagonist. The series consists of eight captivating episodes that successfully blend intrigue and humor into a quietly subversive feminist story.
What's refreshing is that 'Renegade Nell' is not a prequel, a reboot, or a sequel. It's a lively series centered around a quick-tempered, confident, and rebellious young woman named Nell, who is trying to clear her name in a shocking murder.
The well-written characters, particularly the purpose-driven Nell and her Tinkerbell-like sidekick Billy Blind, add to the strength of the series.
As Nell and her sisters evade those trying to silence them, they encounter various intriguing characters, such as a duplicitous highwayman/aristocrat, a newspaper editor, and a privileged brother and sister, all playing essential roles in the action.
The series moves ahead of other Disney+ offerings by skillfully telling a new and compelling story, showcasing a young woman defying the ruling class to achieve justice and freedom. It has received a rating of 3½ out of 4 stars, and all episodes will be available starting March 29. Details: “A Gentleman in Moscow”:
Fans of Amor Towles’ 2016 novel will be pleased with Showtime's eight-part adaptation, which has been well executed by showrunner Ben Vanstone and creator/writer Joe Murtagh. The casting of Ewan McGregor as Count Alexander Rostov, a 1920s aristocrat confined to a hotel by a Bolshevik court, may initially seem odd, but he delivers a complex and emotionally rich performance in this role.
The punishment that Rostov received seems comfortable from the outside, but in reality, he is not allowed to leave his dilapidated and uncomfortable room in a drafty, chilly attic. He makes friends with actress Anna Urbanova and a precocious child who plays a critical role in his life as time passes and the pressure increases.
Unlike some series, this one benefits from its extended length, using each episode to take us through Russian history and show how the changing political winds affected those in power and those without power.
3 stars; will be available for streaming on March 29 on Paramount+ (with Showtime) and then on March 31 on Showtime. Details: “STEVE! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces”:
The first part of Morgan Neville’s two-part Apple TV+ series impresses with its creative approach in documenting comedian Steve Martin’s childhood, stand-up career, and successful stage shows. It uses interviews, video, and images to create an immersive experience. It’s a unique approach for a documentary about a famous person. A glimpse of Steve Martin performing onstage early in his career, as seen in the documentary “Steve! (Martin) A Documentary in 2 Pieces.” (Apple TV+/TNS)
3½ stars; available on Apple TV+ starting March 29. Details: Caleb Landry Jones’ performance as Douglas Munrow, a drag performer in a wheelchair, is what keeps this bizarro but commendable character study from completely going off the rails. Despite its erratic tendencies, the film has a certain flair and ends up in an unexpected, but rather ingenious place at the end. It's worth seeing if you fully embrace its chaotic mindset from the very start.
“DogMan”: 2.5 stars, available in cinemas on Friday. Details: Discovery of the week
“Lousy Carter”:
Filmmaker Bob Byington’s sharp-witted comedy falls short in terms of originality, revolving around a conceited college literature professor faced with mortality after being given a six-month life expectancy by his doctor. The theme of a "death sentence" is heavily used, but Byington’s dryly humorous black comedy stands out due to its wickedly funny and uncompromising nature, credited to Byington’s acerbic screenwriting and David Krumholtz's wry lead performance as a former idealist with an ambitious, yet non-commercial, idea to adapt a novel by Nabokov into an animated movie. Byington has assembled a strong cast for this dry comedy, including entertaining performances from actors portraying Carter’s candid ex-girlfriend (Oliva Thirlby), a grad student fascinated with funerals (Luxy Banner) who frequently challenges him, his somewhat best friend (Martin Starr), and his sexually eager wife (Jocelyn DeBoer). The film, running at just under 80 minutes, frequently elicited uneasy laughter from me and even managed to surprise me in the end. 3 stars; showing at the Roxie in San Francisco on March 31 and also available On Demand from March 29. Details: Reach out to Randy Myers at [email protected].
And Ewan McGregor is a good match for the role of a 1920s nobleman on house arrest in ‘A Gentleman in Moscow.’
