4) River – a Netflix 6 part original series where you get to imagine Joel Haley Osmont’s character – Cole Sear from the Sixth Sense grown up to be a lonely/tormented police detective. Stellan Skarsgard gives a tour-de-force performance in his performance of the titular character – Det.John River
River has Seen Dead People his entire life and his curse and his vocation led him to seek escape from human contact as much as possible. His closest friend is his partner and when she is killed, the line between fantasy and reality becomes ever blurred as River struggles to solve the mystery.
Fantastic supporting cast too. And man – Stellan really sinks his teeth into the role and your heart breaks for River.
5) The Edge of Seventeen – Hailee Steinfield, who first captured attention in the remake of Rooster Cogburn with Jeff Bridges – gives an excellent performance in this coming of age comedy about an outsider who just can’t find her place in the world. Excellent cast including Woody Harrelson as a teacher and he gives a deliciously deadpan performance.
The picture is funny and really captures the complicated world of adolescence today.
Lou W. Sytsma 