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The World According to Jeff Goldblum (Disney+, from January 19) The eccentric actor is always good value. Whether he’s starring in blockbuster movies such as Jurassic Park or Independence Day, or appearing as himself in his own series, he’s never less than completely watchable. Now he’s back in more episodes of his weird but wonderful show in which he investigates a wide variety of subjects. On Goldblum’s list this time are puzzles, birthdays, backyards, tiny things and motorcycles. Along the way, he’ll meet up with experts in each topic, some of whom are almost as quirky as the actor himself, while others are simply passionate fans or brilliant at what they do. Even if you think you’re not interested in the subject itself, there’s always the sight of Goldblum himself to enjoy.
Ozark (Netflix, from January 21)
All good things must come to an end so, sadly, we’re about to say farewell to the Byrdes – the fourth run of the acclaimed drama will be its last. However, Netflix is spinning it out a little by splitting the 14-part series in half, with the first batch heading our way this week. Unfortunately, we’ll be missing three key faces this time around – Helen, Ben and Sue, who have all been murdered, but the central pairing of Marty and Wendy (Jason Bateman and Laura Linney) remains intact. At least for now… Those in the know are not giving anything away about what fans are going to see, although Bateman, during an appearance on The Tonight Show, told host Jimmy Fallon that the ending is a satisfying one. Here’s hoping he’s right.
A Hero (Amazon Prime, from January 21)
Tipped to receive an
Oscar nomination, this Iranian drama has been gaining word-of-mouth approval since it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last summer, where it tied for the Grand Prix award. Directed by acclaimed auteur Ashgar Farhadi, it focuses on Rahim (Amir Jadidi), who is behind bars due to an unpaid debt. While on a two-day release, he thinks he may have come up with a way to get the creditor off his back, and tries to convince him to retract his complaint. However, what seems like a foolproof idea soon spirals out of control thanks to interference from keyboard warriors on social media.