Dream Stream: Don't Look Up, Logan, and Emily In Paris

Don't Look Up

Netflix

Written, produced, and directed by Adam McKay, Don’t Look Up is satirical sci-fi at its finest and packs the talent in to the rafters.

Starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as two astronomers attempting to warn humanity about an approaching comet that will destroy human civilization, Don’t Look Up is a shameless but successful satire of government and media indifference to the climate crisis. With a supporting cast including Rob Morgan, Jonah Hill, Mark Rylance, Tyler Perry, Timothée Chalamet, Ron Perlman, Ariana Grande, Scott Mescudi, Himesh Patel, Melanie Lynskey, Cate Blanchett and Meryl Streep, this mighty mammoth of a flick is as funny as it is poignant.

Kate Dibiasky (Lawrence), an astronomy student, and her professor Dr Randall Mindy (DiCaprio) make an astounding discovery of a comet orbiting within the solar system. The problem? It’s on a direct collision course with Earth. The other problem? No one really seems to care. It turns out that warning mankind about a planet-killer comet the size of Mount Everest is an inconvenient fact to navigate.

With the help of Dr Oglethorpe (Morgan), Kate and Randall embark on a media tour that takes them from the office of an indifferent President Orlean (Streep) and her sycophantic son and Chief of Staff, Jason (Hill), to the airwaves of The Daily Rip, an upbeat morning show hosted by Brie (Blanchett) and Jack (Perry).

With only six months until the comet makes impact, managing the 24-hour news cycle and gaining the attention of the social media obsessed public before it’s too late proves shockingly comical.

Logan

Disney+

The Wolverine’s last hurrah... Let’s do this...

Directed by James Mangold, 2017’s was the swansong outing for Hugh Jackman in the role that made his name, and possibly his finest ever turn in the part of the legendary titular X-Man.

The tenth film in the X-Men film series and the third and final instalment in the Wolverine trilogy, Logan takes inspiration from the ‘Old Man Logan’ comics storyline by Mark Millar and Steve McNiven, which, based in an alternate future, follows an aged Wolverine and an extremely ill Charles Xavier who defend a young mutant from the villainous Reavers.

In addition to Jackman, the film features Patrick Stewart returning for one last time to the role of Xavier, and also showcases the talents of Richard E. Grant, Boyd Holbrook, Stephen Merchant and Dafne Keen.

In the not-so-distant 2029, the entire mutant race is almost obliterated, and Logan (Jackman), the invincible bestial superhero once known as the Wolverine, finds himself getting older, with his incredible healing ability significantly weakened.

As an incognito limo driver, Logan does his best to guard and keep a weary Professor Xavier (Stewart) out of sight. However, things take an unexpected turn when a cryptic woman asks him to transport a young mutant girl, Laura (Keen). A better future for the teenager lies beyond the Canadian border, but the government is unwilling to let go of its asset so easily. In the end, can the ageing Logan protect both Laura and himself?

Fantastic stuff from the invincible pairing of Jackman and Stewart, this final adventure for our favourite heroes will bring a growl to your throat and a tear to your eye.

Emily In Paris

Seasons 1-3 – Netflix

Created by Darren Star, Emily in Paris is an American comedy-drama series that premiered on Netflix in 2020 and has proven to one of the streaming giant’s most joyous delights of the last few years.

Starring Lily Collins in the titular role, the show follows the story of a young American girl set to prove to herself and the French that love, adventure and success can all be hers.

Bubbly and likeable Emily (Collins) is enjoying a burgeoning career as a Chicago marketing exec, and is settling down into life with her sports-loving boyfriend. But when the opportunity of a lifetime comes along for her to spend a year on secondment in Paris, the chance is too much for Emily to turn down.

Excited about spending 12 months in the city of love itself, Emily arrives at the French arm of her firm with bells on. However, her staunch new colleagues are a more than a little resistant to her bouncy persona and American ways. Undeterred, she works tirelessly to win them over, in the meantime battling with some rather complicated vibes from attractive chef, Gabriel (Lucas Bravo), who lives on the floor below her.

With cultures clashing as she adjusts to the challenges of her career, love life, and learning French, will Emily in Paris soar, or be back on a flight to Chicago and the comfort of a deep-dish pizza before she knows it?

Fantastic stuff also starring Ashley Park, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Samuel Arnold, Camille Razat and Bruno Gouery, Emily In Paris is the feelgood funny you’ve been looking for.

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