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During  the hectic levels of lockdown where only couriers were allowed to roam the deserted suburban streets and dystopian highways of South Africa, I ordered myself an Apple TV box and loaded all my favourite streaming apps on it – Netflix, Showmax, DStv Now, Amazon Prime, Redbull TV and Haystack TV. At the same time, my wife needed an extra screen for her laptop because everyone mos now started working from home. She however ordered a 32″HD  TV which was totally too big for her needs, so in stead of returning it, she ordered a 24″ computer screen which left us with an extra TV. We decided that the new TV would go to the patio so we can watch movies or sport while klapping beers and G&Ts outside next to the pool. I bought some floating shelves and scored a lekker sound system for next to nothing from Cash Converters. This all happened a while ago but I checked the weather for Gauteng for this weekend (sunny and warm all the way) and it seems that the time has come for me to convene some dreaded DIY so we can start enjoying our entertainment outside this weekend.  Then I thought about which movies I’d like to watch on the stoep this weekend and came up with the idea of having one six pack of entertainment, split over a case of beer. I reckon 4 beers per movie is just the right combination of buzz and laziness for this hot weather?

Chasing the Sun
OK, this one is the only one on the list that isn’t a movie. So I’ll klap one episode on Friday and another two each on Saturday and Sunday. Every South African we was kak excited about our rugby world cup victory, should watch this . It is an all access documentary series which follows our guys in the green and gold around, telling the story of their journey to the pinnacle of international rugby, the Rugby World Cup.

Hustlers
After the inspiration of the Bokke on Friday night, I will move on to another form of inspiration. A movie inspired by the viral New York Magazine article, Hustlers – it is a comedic crime drama of  sorts which follows a crew of savvy former strip club employees who band together to turn the tables on their Wall Street clients. I’m looking forward to see what Constance Wu, Jennifer Lopez, Julia Stiles and even Cardi B has to offer.
Fun fact: as part of research for the movie, Constance Wu made $600 on her first night undercover as a stripper, doing lap dances and stripping. Another fun fact: Cardi B actually admitted to illegally drugging and robbing men in the early stages of her career, which is coincidentally what this film’s subject revolves around.
Friday night is sorted, then!

The Old Man and the Gun
A biographical crime comedy seems like the perfect Saturday late morning, pre-lunch with 4 beers entertainment. It is based on the true story of Forrest Tucker and his audacious escape from San Quentin at the age of 70. It didn’t stop there –  an unprecedented string of heists that confounded authorities and enchanted the public ensued. This movie is based off a New Yorker article by David Lowery and David Grann and stars Robert Redford, Casey Affleck, Sissy Spacek, Danny Glover and Tom Waits (yes THE Tom Waits).
Fun fact: The opening credits are written in the same font as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)

Suburbicon
Ah another nice paring for a Saturday afternoon! This 1950s comedy thriller was directed by George Clooney and stars Matt Damon and Julianne Moore amongst others.  As a 1950s suburban community self-destructs, a home invasion has sinister consequences for one seemingly normal family. Who would have thought that darkness resides even in Paradise?
Fun fact: This is a Coen Brothers script. George Clooney has acted in four of their movies before but this is his first time directing on of their movies.

Stockholm
OK, onto the heavier stuff, because it is Sunday. Time for some dik drama. I’ve seen Stockholm before but I’m going to watch it again. The movie is based on the absurd but true 1973 bank heist and hostage crisis in Stockholm. It was documented in the New Yorker as the origins of the ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ which means feelings of trust or affection felt in many cases of kidnapping or hostage-taking by a victim towards a captor. Kind of like all the idiots who wear MAGA caps and still think that Trump won the election.

Die Verhaal van Racheltjie de Beer
Look, we all know how this movie is going to end. I actually watched it earlier this week and I’m going to round of my Sunday by watching it again. It is really, really good and it is a terribly sad story: when their wagon breaks down, the de Beer family is forced to find shelter on a local farm in the Eastern Free State. Winter has arrived, and as dark clouds laden with snow start to roll in over the Drakensberg mountains, tragedy strikes. Just watch it. Trust me on this one.

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Need more? Check out our top 10 list of movies and TV series picks from the Plumlist. It is my to-go-to website when I’m stuck for streaming ideas:

#10. The DStv Explora Ultra hits SA shelves with access to Showmax and Netflix The new Explora Ultra will be available at participating retail stores from next week. The new generation decoder offers customers an enhanced viewing experience and the best available local and international content from DStv and Showmax.	On DStv, Showmax & Netflix   (read more)
# 9. Six fiery foodie picks for the South African summer Before we begin, let’s get a few things clear. In America, they barbecue. They use big ol’ smokers and entire carcasses, and even at home they have enormous gas grills that are little more than outside ovens, full of knobs and buttons – not a proper coal in sight – on which they like to cook frankfurters and burger patties, if the movies are to be believed.	On Netflix & Showmax (read more)
#8 The Nightingale refuses to shy away from the brutality of colonialism Jennifer Kent is the writer-director who brought us the chilling psychological horror thriller The Babadook. While modest, this excellent film demonstrated the filmmaker’s ability to expand the underlying vision of her promising short film into a full expression.	On Showmax (read more)
#7 Wouldn’t it be nice if people were really this kind? Born with a facial deformity, 10-year-old August “Auggie” Pullman (Jacob Tremblay, Room) has been homeschooled by his mom, Isabel (Julia Roberts), for years. Isabel has put her whole life on hold to care for her son and support him through countless surgeries.	On Showmax (read more)
#6 First look: His Dark Materials Season 2 HBO’s His Dark Materials is an adaptation of Philip Pullman’s award-winning trilogy about the orphaned Lyra, a seemingly ordinary but brave young woman from another world. Her search for a kidnapped friend uncovers a sinister plot involving stolen children, and becomes a quest to understand a mysterious phenomenon called Dust.	On Showmax (read more)
#5 Stream Showmax without a subscription Showmax Free features a hand-picked content slate that gives customers an opportunity to sample some of Showmax’s award-winning entertainment. At launch, titles on the service include local movies, series and sports shows. Users will be able stream movies and binge-watch the first few episodes of available series for free.	On Showmax  (read more)
4# Four nostalgic hits on Showmax and Netflix to take you back to the future If you grew up before the rise of cellphones and the Internet, you’ll remember a time before technology intersected with every waking moment. This was an age when a phone was something you left plugged into the wall at home, movie night involved travel, you had to watch whatever was on television and visit a library to fudge your essay’s bibliography.d.	On Netflix & Showmax (read more)
#3 The Loudest Voice shows us that the creepiest villains are based on real people Based on the book The Loudest Voice In The Room by Gabriel Sherman, this is the story of Roger Ailes, the man who advised Republican politicians – all the way to White House level – and created Fox News, the conservative-slanting pay television channel.	On Showmax (read more)
#2 Ten South African comedy specials to stream online You won’t be able to laugh hysterically in a crowded comedy club anytime soon, but Showmax has stepped into the gap with an ever-growing comedy catalogue, guaranteed to put a smile on your dial, even in 2020.	On Showmax (read more)
#1 Nine reasons to fall in love with Afrikaans drama Kompleks If you had to turn back the clock to roughly a decade ago and if Afrikaans TV series was a person, it would most definitely be Steve Buscemi sporting a baseball cap, walking into a busy high school hall with a skateboard over his shoulder greeting everyone with: “How do you do, fellow kids!”	On Showmax (read more)

[feature_headline type=”left, center, right” level=”h2″ looks_like=”h3″ icon=”lightbulb-o”] Our randomized trailer pick of the week [/feature_headline]

Each week we take a number from 1 to 10 from our list of suggestions and put it through a randomizer to choose a trailer to show you. This week it landed on our number 4 spot, “The Nightingale refuses to shy away from the brutality of colonialism”
I haven’t seen this yet, but I am totally in the mood for a hectic thriller!

THE NIGHTINGALE is a meditation on the consequences of violence and the price of seeking vengeance. Set during the colonization of Australia in 1825, the film follows Clare, a 21-year-old Irish convict. Having served her 7-year sentence, she is desperate to be free of her abusive master, Lieutenant Hawkins who refuses to release her from his charge. Clare’s husband Aidan retaliates and she becomes the victim of a harrowing crime at the hands of the lieutenant and his cronies. When British authorities fail to deliver justice, Clare decides to pursue Hawkins, who leaves his post suddenly to secure a captaincy up north. Unable to find compatriots for her journey, she is forced to enlist the help of a young Aboriginal tracker Billy who grudgingly takes her through the rugged wilderness to track down Hawkins. The terrain and the prevailing hostilities are frightening, as fighting between the original inhabitants of the land and its colonisers plays out in what is now known as ‘The Black War.’ Clare and Billy are hostile towards each other from the outset, both suffering their own traumas and mutual distrust, but as their journey leads them deeper into the wilderness, they must learn to find empathy for one another, while weighing the true cost of revenge.