What to Watch on Amazon Prime: ‘The Consultant,’ ‘Smile’ and ‘Somebody That I Used to Know’
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Movie fans will have plenty to keep them busy on Prime Video this month but the most intriguing new item is a series about a shady coworker played by an Oscar-winning actor. That’s not until later in the month, but there’s plenty to watch until then.
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Bad Times at the El Royale (February 1)
A self-aware neo-noir about strangers whose lives intersect at an out-of-the-way hotel written and directed by Drew Goddard (The Cabin in the Woods), Bad Times at the El Royale didn’t win over viewers at the box office in 2018 but feels like a film just waiting to pick up a cult following. The cast, which includes Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, and Jon Hamm, should probably encourage the curious to check it out.
Hidden Figures (February 1)
Drawing from the non-fiction bestseller by Margot Lee Shetterly, this 2016 film helped sing the praises of some of NASA’s unsung heroes: three female, Black, mathematicians whose work helped power the space race in the 1960s. Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monáe star (working alongside Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst and others).
The Post (February 1)
Filled with complex historical details but uncomplicated in its celebration of the power of the press, this 2017 Seven Spielberg retells the story of how the Washington Post took the Watergate scandal public despite the remarkable pressure employed against the paper.
Somebody I Used to Know (February 10)
Dave Franco directs and Alison Brie stars in a comedy that follows Ally (Brie) a woman experiencing a professional crisis, as she returns to her hometown and reunites with her long-ago boyfriend Sean (Jay Ellis), only to discover that, oops, he has a fiancée (Kiersey Clemons). Could their old flame reignite anyway?
Halloween Ends (February 14)
The third Halloween film directed by David Gordon Green finds Jamie Lee Curtis once again reprising her role as the tormented Laurie Strode, a woman forever plagued by the masked killer Michael Myers. Released in theaters last October, it was billed as Michael and Laurie’s final confrontation (possible) and the final Halloween film ever (don’t believe it).
Three Thousand Years of Longing (February 17)
For his first film since Mad Max: Fury Road, director George Miller turned to a short story by A.S. Byatt about the encounter between a scholar (Tilda Swinton) and a djinn (Idris Elba) who offers her three wishes and a bunch of stories. A box office flop, it’s the sort of ambitious movie that should find a second life when it’s discovered by those who missed it the first time around.
A Simple Favor (February 19)
With a sequel in the works now’s a great time to check out this funny, darkly comedic mystery film directed by Paul Feig (adapting a novel by Darcey Bell). Anna Kendrick stars as Stephanie, a single mom who befriends a fellow mom named Emily (Blake Lively) then takes upon herself to investigate her disappearance when Emily suddenly vanishes. It gets twistier from there.
Smile (February 21)
Up-and-coming horror director Parker Finn expands his 2020 short “Laura Hasn’t Slept” for his feature debut, the story of a doctor who starts to experience some spooky occurrences. Sosie Bacon (Mare of Easttown) stars, heading a cast that includes Jessie T. Usher, Kal Penn, and Rob Morgan. Originally slated to premiere on streaming it became a big hit when it played theaters last fall.
The Consultant (February 24)
Based on a 2016 novel by the prolific Bentley Little (a favorite of both Dean Koontz and Stephen King, this new series casts Christoph Waltz as a consultant brought in to get a tech company named CompWare back on its feet. His plan? Well, it would appear to involve some pretty unorthodox business practices. Waltz is a terrific actor who can excel by going subtle or by going big. He looks likely to go big here.
Die Hart (February 24)
Salvaged from the wreckage of the short-lived streaming service Quibi, this feature film cobbles together episodes of the series of the same name. Kevin Hart stars as Kevin Hart (sort of) and follows the comedian as he attempts to become an action star under the tutelage of an expert (played by John Travolta).