December 08, 2023

WIFF’S WEEKEND WATCH LIST — 12/8

Check out our recommendations of what to watch this weekend.

if you want to see a winner

american symphony

Vincent Georgie: Come for the wonderful music, stay for the incredibly human and inspiring story. This one will stay with you.

Synopsis: Musician Jon Batiste sets out to compose a symphony. Then his life partner, author Suleika Jaouad, learns that her cancer is back. This documentary is a portrait of two artists at a crossroads and a meditation on art, love and the creative process.

Available on Netflix.

if you want an adult love story

the mirror has two faces

Vincent Georgie: Barbra Streisand’s somewhat forgotten film is quite terrific and deserves to be revived. Streisand and especially Jeff Bridges are very appealing, and screen legend Lauren Bacall steals the show. A quality NYC-set romantic comedy.

Synopsis: Comic tale about the relationship between a frumpy college lecturer specializing in romantic literature and a fellow professor who wants a platonic friendship with an intelligent woman. However, she begins to long for more, and they soon find that their goal of a union based on celibacy will be difficult to achieve.

Available on iTunes, Netflix and YouTube.

if you want an action comedy

the nice guys

Vincent Georgie: Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe are major stars, but you will be remiss to find too many people who saw or recall this terrific, buddy comedy throwback. This one is a solid night of entertainment.

Synopsis: Holland March (Ryan Gosling) is a down-on-his-luck private eye in 1977 Los Angeles. Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) is a hired enforcer who hurts people for a living. Fate turns them into unlikely partners after a young woman named Amelia (Margaret Qualley) mysteriously disappears. Healy and March soon learn the hard way that some dangerous people are also looking for Amelia. Their investigation takes them to dark places as anyone else who gets involved in the case seems to wind up dead.

Available on Netflix, iTunes, Amazon Prime and YouTube.

DOUBLE FEATURE

christmas for everyone

The first film is a wonderful reindeer story that kids and pre-teens can enjoy with their parents, while the second is a modern-classic Christmas Rom-Com with a star-filled cast. This double feature sets up your household for a day of great Christmas films.

prancer

Refusing to give up her belief in Santa Claus, a child, Jessica Riggs (Rebecca Harrell), discovers a hurt reindeer in the woods, which she believes to be Prancer. With the help of a sympathetic veterinarian (Abe Vigoda), Jessica takes care of the wounded creature. It’s supposed to be a secret, but eventually, a store Santa Claus (Michael Constantine), the girl’s dad (Sam Elliott) and the entire town find out about Prancer, leading to big problems for Jessica and her family.

Available on iTunes and Amazon Prime.

the holiday

Dumped and depressed, English rose Iris agrees to swap homes with similarly unlucky-in-love Californian Amanda for a much-needed break. Iris finds herself in a palatial Hollywood mansion while Amanda navigates the lanes of a picture-perfect English village. Soon enough, both lovelorn ladies bump into local lads perfect for a romantic pick-me-up.