We’re more than halfway through the year and things are still looking tough for the television and film industry. Most sets continue to be shut down until further notice due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. This places some of our favourite shows and our most anticipated films on an indefinite pause.
In good news, Nicole Kidman has announced she’ll fund the filming of Liane Moriarty’s latest book, Nine Perfect Strangers, bringing an international cast and crew to Australia under strict COVID-19 guidelines (see our story here).
And in other good news – if studios aren’t sending new films to cinemas because they’re closed – a lot of studios are sending their new films straight to streaming. Mulan is coming to Disney+ in September and I am Woman will be on Stan in late August. You can read more about this below.
What the past five months have shown us is the streaming giants can keep us entertained indefinitely. Even if cinemas are still shut down or accepting a restricted number of customers, we can still stream whatever we want from Binge, Stan, Netflix and Disney+.
Take a look at some of the exciting series and movies in store for you:
New psychological drama, The Deceived, premiered this week on Stan
Popular actor, Paul Mescal – from Normal People – stars in this four-part psychological thriller. Produced by New Pictures, the production house behind The Missing and Catherine The Great, the four-part drama was filmed in Northern Ireland and Cambridge.
It’s a compelling, sinister narrative of lust, manipulation and betrayal, following English student Ophelia (Emily Reid, Belgravia, Curfew), who falls in love with her married lecturer, seeing in him all the answers to her needs. When their affair is interrupted by a shocking and tragic death, Ophelia finds herself trapped in a world where she can no longer trust her own mind. Paul Mescal plays Sean McKeough, a local builder who becomes Ophelia’s confidante.
Watch The Deceived on Stan now
Little Birds – inspired by Anais Nin’s collection of erotic short stories
If you liked Anais Nin’s collection of erotic short stories called Little Birds, then you’re in for a treat when you watch the series on Stan. Set in colonial Tangiers in 1955, the show follows the story of debutante Lucy Savage (Juno Temple) who arrives on a boat, expecting to meet her husband. But it’s not the welcome she had imagined, thrusting her into the bowels of the exotic city and chancing upon experiences she never thought possible.
Watch Little Birds on Stan now
I am Woman comes to Stan on the 28th August
This biopic of Australian singer Helen Reddy was supposed to have been released in cinemas, but is among the many movies that’s now moved to streaming instead. It stars Tilda Cobham-Hervey as the feminist icon, charting her story as she moves to the US as a 24-year-old with a kid and some cash.
It’s an inspiring story about Reddy – a fearlessly ambitious and passionate singer who wrote and sang the song “I Am Woman”, which went on to become the anthem for the women’s movement in the 1970s.
We see Reddy arriving in New York. She’d been told she’d won a recording contract, but the record company promptly dashes her hopes by telling her it has enough female stars and suggests she has fun in New York before returning home to Australia.
But she stays on and makes friends and meets Jeff Wald, a young aspiring talent manager who becomes her agent and husband. Jeff helps her get to the top, but he also suffers from a drug addiction, which gradually turns their relationship toxic.
Don’t miss Helen Reddy’s I am Woman, streaming on Stan from the 28th August
Mulan goes straight to Disney+ but it’s going to cost extra
After months of delays due to COVID-19, Disney has decided to release the highly anticipated live-action Mulan on its streaming platform, Disney+ in September.
Unlike other Disney+ titles, which are available to subscribers, Mulan will need to be purchased for $29.99. This price is higher than any single movie ticket in Australia but it’s still a bargain for families or groups.
Mulan will still be released in cinemas where it can, but streaming will be available in areas where it is not yet safe to open movie theaters.
The Greatest Showman
The Greatest Showman is an original musical inspired by the life of the Circus legend – P.T. Barnum. The movie stars Hugh Jackman as Barnum and Michelle Williams as his wife, Charity. Zac Efron also stars as Barnum’s sidekick.
This movie is a spectacle and celebration of Barnum’s larger-than-life imagination that captivated audiences around the globe. The songs and music work well – along with some spectacular dancing.
The One & Only Ivan is a film about a very special gorilla
Starring Angelina Jolie, Helen Mirren and Danny DeVito, this film is an adaptation of the award-winning book about one very special gorilla. It’s an unforgettable tale about the beauty of friendship, the power of visualisation and the significance of the place one calls home.
Ivan is a 400-pound Silverback gorilla who shares a communal habitat in a suburban shopping mall with Stella the elephant, Bob the dog, and various other animals. He has few memories of the jungle where he was captured, but when a baby elephant named Ruby arrives, it touches something deep within him.
Ruby is recently separated from her family in the wild, which causes him to question his life, where he comes from and where he ultimately wants to be. The heartwarming adventure, which comes to the screen in an impressive hybrid of live-action and CGI, is based on Katherine Applegate’s bestselling book, which won numerous awards upon its publication in 2013.
Watch the latest Four Corners program called: Series 2020 The Truth About 5G
Four Corners investigates the claims of a worldwide protest movement against wireless 5G technology, exploring how it works and the scientific studies undertaken into whether the technology is actually a threat to our health.
Four Corners is Australia’s premier investigative journalism program. For almost 60 years, the Four Corners team has been exposing scandals, triggering inquiries, leading national debate and confronting issues that matter.
Watch The Truth About 5G on iview
