'Mrs. Maisel,' 'Marriage Story' Among December Streaming Recommendations

by Julian Spivey

Almost Famous – Hulu – Now
One of the finest movies since the new millennium Cameron Crowe’s “Almost Famous,” a semi-autobiographical film about his early days as a teenage reporter for Rolling Stone magazine, is now on Hulu. The film sees Patrick Fugit’s William Miller (a stand-in for Crowe) travel with the fictional band Stillwater for a piece in Rolling Stone where he forms a friendship with the band’s guitarist, played by Billy Crudup, and a groupie who goes by Penny Lane, played by Kate Hudson. 

Wall Street – Hulu – Now
Oliver Stone was one of the most important directors in Hollywood during the second half of the 1980s and he followed up his 1986 Best Picture Oscar-winning “Platoon” with “Wall Street,” a drama about the dark side of the corporate world. The movie features Michael Douglas in an Oscar-winning performance as Gordon Gekko, one of cinema’s all-time great villains, as he warps a young stockbroker, played by Charlie Sheen. The film is now on Hulu. 

Marriage Story – Netflix – December 6
One of 2019’s most critically-acclaimed and potential award worthy films is Noah Baumbach’s “Marriage Story,” which premieres on Netflix on Friday, December 6. The film stars Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, in potential Oscar-nominee performances, as a married couple going through a coast-to-coast divorce. The film features a raved about supporting cast of Laura Dern, Alan Alda and Julie Hagerty. 

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel: Season 3 – Amazon Prime – December 6
Amazon Prime’s “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” has been one of the funniest comedies on television or streaming over the last two seasons and the streaming service drops season three on Friday, December 6. The series follows Midge Maisel, played by Rachel Brosnahan, and her stand-up comedy career in the late ‘50s/early ‘60s after stumbling into it comedy one night at a club after her husband cheats on her. The antics between her and her manager Suzie, played by Alex Borstein, are laugh out loud hilarious. Brosnahan, Borstein and Tony Shalhoub have all won Emmys for their terrific performances in the show. 

The Two Popes – Netflix – December 20
Fernando Meirelles’ film “The Two Popes,” based off Anthony McCarten’s play “The Pope,” is garnering some potential awards talk for its lead roles of Anthony Hopkins as Pope Benedict XVI and Jonathan Pryce as Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio (the future Pope Francis). The film revolves around a conversation behind Vatican walls between the conservative Benedict and liberal Bergoglio to find common ground to help forge a new path for the Catholic Church. “The Two Popes” premieres on Netflix on Friday, December 20.