Couch Theater – November 9, 2023

#MiddleburyCT #Movies

“The Curse” (TV-MA) – Known usually for beautifully captivating the big screen in films like “La La Land” and “Cruella,” actress Emma Stone decided to produce and star in a television series that premieres on Nov. 10! Stone portrays Whitney Siegel, wife of Asher (Nathan Fielder), and together, the pair star in a home-improvement show called “Flipanthropy.” The concept of the show is simple: Whitney and Asher flip buildings in the lower-class area of Espanola in ways that are supposed to reflect the community. But when their careless actions don’t reflect their “honest” intentions, a young girl from the community places a curse on them just as they are trying to conceive their first child. The genre-bending series is an intriguing caricature of how gentrification runs rampant in our society through the pretense of being virtuous. (Paramount+)

“The Buccaneers” (TV-MA) – Move over, “Bridgerton.” There’s another high-society drama series in town with even more of a modern twist. Taking place in the 1870s, a group of five American girls are graciously invited to London by Lord Richard Marable (Josh Dylan) for the debutante’s ball. Once the girls arrive, however, their new-money culture clashes with Britain’s old-money traditions, and things don’t kick off as smoothly as expected. But with their best friends by their side, and whirlwind romances in ample supply, the girls still plan to make special memories for a lifetime. Starring “Mad Men’s” Christina Hendricks, “Looking for Alaska’s” Kristine Froseth and Alisha Boe of “13 Reasons Why,” this series premieres its first three episodes on Nov. 8, with episodes following every Wednesday thereafter. (Apple TV+)

Michael Fassbender stars as an assassin in “The Killer.” (Netflix)

“The Killer” (R) – Director David Fincher (“Gone Girl”) went neo-noir for his latest action thriller, which premieres on Nov. 10. Fincher also brought actor Michael Fassbender (“X-Men: Dark Phoenix”) back to the big screen after a four-year hiatus from movies. Starring in the lead role, Fassbender plays a haunting professional assassin deemed “The Killer,” who is a master of his craft. Even though he thinks he has his fatal methods down to a science, one of his hits goes left. Once the cracks start to appear in his previously sturdy foundation, he’s on the fast track to a terrible psychological crisis. Tilda Swinton (“Asteroid City”) and Charles Parnell (“Top Gun: Maverick”) also co-star. (Netflix)

“Fool’s Paradise” (R) – Another comedic actor – Charlie Day (“It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”) – has decided to put on his director’s hat for the first time. In this satirical comedy out on Nov. 10, Day stars as a patient who gets released from a mental hospital that can no longer afford to treat him. He resorts to selling oranges on the street, where he is then found by a Hollywood producer who claims he has an uncanny resemblance to the failing method actor Sir Tom Bingsley (also played by Day). The producer then hires him to replace Bingsley, which quickly propels him from homelessness into stardom. Even though the cast is full of heavy hitters – Ken Jeong, Adrien Brody, Jason Sudeikis, Edie Falco, Jason Bateman, and even a posthumous performance from Ray Liotta – the film received generally negative reviews. (Hulu)

© 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.