Instant Picks of the Week 11/13/2015
Gone are the days of scrolling mindlessly through your queue! No longer will you have to sift through the vastness of what’s coming to the instant viewing wastelands this month! Whether you’re looking for a stellar film or an exciting new show to binge, Instant Picks of the Week brings you the hottest releases in film and television on instant viewing platforms that we know you’ll love, or at the very least not despise.
WALT DISNEY ANIMATED STUDIO SHORT FILMS COLLECTION (Netflix)
Do not be fooled by Anna, Elsa, and Olaf on the cover. This diverse, touching, and stunningly gorgeous collection of animated shorts hearkens back to the good old days of Disney animation we thought were long gone with the dissolution of the hand-drawn animation department in 2013. Fan favorites “Paperman,” “Feast,” and “Get a Horse!” are among the twelve featured titles, but the definite standouts are the hand-drawn passion projects – some of which are presented for the first time. Favorites among these are “John Henry,” a gospel ballad about the African-American railroad-building folk hero; “Lorenzo,” a tango between a cat and his bewitched tail; and “The Little Match Girl,” a somber adaptation of the classic folk tale with a shockingly bleak ending for Disney. The animators themselves give a personal and thought-provoking introduction to each short, a testament to the enduring power of animation and visual storytelling. This is perfect easy-viewing for a chilly weekend, bound to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
THE DIPLOMAT (HBO Go)
Discovering his father’s heroic achievements as one of America’s greatest ambassadors, David Holbrooke interviews some of Washington’s most influential dignitaries in THE DIPLOMAT, an introspective documentary in which Holbrooke seeks to understand why his father, Richard, wasn’t very present in his childhood. Richard Holbrooke served twice as the assistant secretary of state, as well as the ambassador to Germany and the United Nations. Most of the film’s runtime is allocated to Richard’s greatest achievement, mediating an end to the Bosnian and Kosovo war. Despite being recounted primarily through interviews and news footage from the time, THE DIPLOMAT manages to engage its audience through economic and suspenseful storytelling. While the film’s balance between the historical recollection of Richard Holbrooke’s career outweigh his son’s emotional journey, its unique point of view offers a powerful personality uncommon in other political documentaries. THE DIPLOMAT is a great lesson in the craftful work and diligence required in international diplomacy.
