From Paradise To Presence, Should You Add These To Your Watchlist?
From a political murder mystery to a protective ghost story, here’s some new titles to add to your watchlist.
Paradise
When Secret Service Agent Xavier Collins (Sterling K. Brown) finds the President (James Marsden) dead in his room, he launches his own investigation with help from fellow agent Billy Pace (Jon Beavers), therapist Gabriel Torabi (Sarah Shahi), and cabinet member Samantha Redmond (Julianne Nicholson). Set in an underground city amidst a nuclear wipeout, Paradise is a whodunnit mystery that keeps you second guessing everyone.
I haven’t been so invested in a new show in a while and Paradise checked off all my boxes. The series takes a nuanced approach to tackling issues such as justice, political affairs, and environmental impact, which helps create a thrilling and riveting narrative. The cast is outstanding with Brown’s sternness, Marsden’s charisma, and Beavers’ vulnerability. It’s emotionally moving to see how the story plays out, especially with Xavier grieving his late wife, Billy’s background, and the underground city they live in. I love when all the potential murderers are presented to you but you just can’t seem to trust anyone — and that’s what Paradise does. It is anxiety ridden and enticing as you piece together the facts to uncover the mystery and leaves you with some confusion that pays off in the end.
Paradise is streaming on Hulu.
Presence
Presence follows Rebecca (Lucy Liu), Chris (Chris Sullivan), and their two children Chloe (Callina Liang) and Tyler (Eddy Maday) as they move into a new suburban home. Recent trauma paired with terrifying paranormal events brings the family into a chaotic state.
I can’t lie, I was a little disappointed that this wasn’t the “horror” movie it was marketed as. It’s actually more of a somber film about familial drama and the trauma and grief they’ve endured. The mother is committing financial fraud, the daughter is grieving the death of a friend, the father is considering leaving, and the son gets all of the attention from mom. With that being said, the film is a pleasant surprise when you sink into their lives. The “Presence” taking over their home has a protective instinct for Chloe, especially during the very depressing and hard-to-watch last 10 minutes of the film. The emotional execution from the cast is commendable and feels authentic. It’s gut-wrenching in a psychological way and a surprising watch.
Presence is out now in theaters.
