Start the new year by traveling back in time, what with so many period pieces taking their leave from streaming platforms this month. From Shakespeare to the Italian Renaissance, 19th-century New York to the early days of Apple, there are whole worlds to watch and enjoy before they go.
What’s leaving Netflix
Steve Jobs
Tech magnates are hardly the most popular figures these days, between the FTX fiasco and the Twitter CEO Who Must Not Be Named. So perhaps it would be a bit of a relief to sit and watch Steve Jobs, a movie about a man whose mistakes strike a more personal, more human chord. Michael Fassbender plays Jobs as he falls in and out of favor at Apple and struggles with fatherhood. Danny Boyle directs, Aaron Sorkin writes, and Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels, and Katherine Waterston also star. Steve Jobs streams until Sunday, January 15th.
The Borgias
If you’re still on an Italian kick after The White Lotus, look no further than The Borgias. The series explores the prominent Borgia family during the Renaissance, focusing on their rise to power within the Catholic Church. Jeremy Irons stars as Rodrigo Borgia, who goes on to become Pope Alexander VI, and his many children duke it out, Succession-style, in order to keep their family on top. Romance, intrigue, and a few well-planned murders ensue, complete with lavish period detail. All three seasons of The Borgias are available to stream until the end of the month.
What’s leaving Hulu
The Age of Innocence
Martin Scorsese may be more synonymous with gangster movies than romantic period dramas, but that doesn’t make The Age of Innocence any less of an impressive part of his oeuvre. Adapted from the classic Edith Wharton novel, it finds Scorsese directing Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Winona Ryder in a stirring critique of class and high society. Plus, it’s one of his most visually stunning films, with incredibly intricate period décor from floor to ceiling and head to toe. The Age of Innocence is available to stream until the end of the month.
The Royal Tenenbaums
Though filmmaker Wes Anderson saw indie success with his first few movies, Bottle Rocket and Rushmore, he really broke through with his family dramedy, The Royal Tenenbaums. The film follows the trials and tribulations of the sprawling Tenenbaum family, with much of the intergenerational tension coming from the patriarch (Gene Hackman). The dysfunctional family dynamics are acted to eccentric perfection thanks to the likes of Ben Stiller, Gwyneth Paltrow, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Bill Murray, Anjelica Huston, and Danny Glover. Like any Anderson flick, it’s an aesthetic feat, with a poignant sense of humor. The Royal Tenenbaums streams until the end of the month.
What’s leaving HBO Max
Life of Pi
Find the biggest screen in your house and use it to watch Life of Pi before it departs later this month. This gorgeous film from Ang Lee follows the story of Pi, a boy who loses everything in a shipwreck and ends up the only survivor — aside from a tiger that lived in his family’s zoo. The unlikely friendship that blossoms between Pi and the deadly feline is as much of an emotional marvel as it is a visual one, with extensive use of CGI that rivals the likes of Avatar. Life of Pi streams until the end of the month.
Much Ado About Nothing
It’s no secret that Kenneth Branagh loves a Shakespeare adaption, but few are as fun as Much Ado About Nothing. The filmmaker directs and stars as Benedick, a haughty but humorous nobleman who finds a fantastic foil in Emma Thompson’s Beatrice. It’s a Shakespeare comedy, so there are weddings, mistaken identities, and conspicuous conversations destined to be overheard out of context. The ensemble cast is as delightfully ‘90s as they come, also featuring Robert Sean Leonard, Kate Beckinsale, Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, and Keanu Reeves in an iconic-slash-infamous role. Much Ado About Nothing streams until the end of the month.
What to Watch is a regular endorsement of movies and TV worth your streaming time.
