Gemini
The days may be getting brighter and longer but that doesn’t mean the movies have to: if you’re longing for some well-executed, thriller atmospherics, then director Aaron Katz’ dark new film should probably be at the top of your list. An erstwhile Mumblecore pioneer, Katz has always shown a penchant for style that ran counter to the more rough-and-ready aesthetic of his compatriots; and judging by the buzzy reviews from its South by Southwest premiere, Katz’s latest film is a smoky, polished gem of neon beauty, evoking venerable L.A. noirs like Drive and Thief. To boot, the effervescent lead of Amazon’s Mozart in the Jungle Lola Kirke stars as Katz’ wide-eyed heroine—or is she actually a femme fatale in good girls’ clothing? Kirke plays the beleaguered assistant to an incorrigible Hollywood starlet (Zoe Kravitz) who suddenly winds up dead—with way too many incriminating signs pointing back to Kirke herself for a sympathetic LAPD detective (John Cho) to ignore. In theaters March 30; geminithefilm.com.
The Americans
Once Breaking Bad went off the air, the Zeitgeist arbiters quickly searched and squabbled over what next deserved the title “Best Show on TV.” Yes, dragon lovers will argue that nothing can match Game of Thrones’ big, bloody budgets; but for those with a taste for quieter shows, one clear candidate slowly emerged. Unassumingly, but almost inevitably, The Americans made its case with exquisite marital drama and impeccable spy craft—and that was before the 2016 election. Of course, now “Russian interference” is a throw-away gag on nightly talk shows, but The Americans has maintained a level of intelligence and sophistication that one only wishes real-life Russian drama could match. But with a sixth season of stellar storytelling, The Americans will finally conclude as we see watch the endgame of Matthew Rhys and Keri Russell’s undercover marriage and illicit mission. If you’ve never seen a single episode of The Americans, the time to start binging is now. Premieres March 28 on FX ; fxnetworks.com.
