The year kicks off with a diverse slate across streaming and film platforms. From high-octane entertainment to thoughtful drama, audiences in Canada and the United States will find options that fit every mood. Highlights include a sci-fi romance, a high-flying heist, and a set of documentaries and genre titles that reflect current events and bold storytelling. Notable names surface from global cinema, including Saoirse Ronan, Paul Mescal, Ursula Corberó, and Daniel Kaluuya, as the industry expands its reach across services and regions. The lineup also features provocative debuts and acclaimed documentary work that has sparked conversations worldwide.
1. Intruder (Foe) by Garth Davis (Amazon Prime: January 5)
With a premise influenced by Iain Reid’s novel, this film blends science fiction with a tender romantic arc. The cast elevates the experience, featuring Saoirse Ronan and Paul Mescal as a couple whose peaceful farming life is disrupted when a mysterious visitor arrives offering a startling proposal: a chance to journey to a distant space station. The narrative pairs intimate emotion with speculative science, inviting viewers to ponder trust, possibility, and the price of escape.
2. Beach House, Hèctor Hernández Vicens (Movie: January 5)
Hèctor Hernández Vicens’s third feature fuses tension and dark humor as three friends escape to Mallorca for a short holiday that takes an alarming turn. What begins as a sunny retreat spirals into a nightmare when romance and danger collide, testing loyalties and exposing the fragility of close bonds.
3. Yannick, Quentin Dupieux (Movie: January 5)
Quentin Dupieux remains one of cinema’s most singular voices, and his new project continues to push boundaries with wit and unpredictability. The film explores the relationship between art and audience through the story of a man who decisions alter a theater performance, inviting viewers to question the dynamics of creation, reception, and control.
4. Life Goes On, Dan Levy (Netflix: January 5)
Dan Levy, famed for his Schitt’s Creek creation, makes his directorial debut with a drama about loss and friendship. The film follows a man who, a year after his husband’s death, invites his closest friends on a Parisian trip to express gratitude and heal. The ensemble includes Himesh Patel and Ruth Negga, anchoring a narrative of memory, grief, and renewal.
5. Pauline Kael: The Art of Criticism by Rob Garver (Movie: January 5)
This documentary delves into the life of Pauline Kael, a pivotal figure in American film criticism. It traces Kael’s career, examines her influence on The New Yorker over decades, and probes the drivers behind her provocative opinions. Featuring perspectives from filmmakers such as Paul Schrader, Quentin Tarantino, Molly Haskell, and Camille Paglia, the film offers a window into how critical discourse shapes cinema.
6. Role Play by Thomas Vincent (Prime: January 12)
The action-adventure with comedic edges stars Kaley Cuoco, known for her TV work. Her character leads a quiet, stable life with her husband and children until a hidden double life as a hired assassin is revealed, turning the familiar routine into a dangerous game where trust is scarce and every decision could be lethal.
7. 20 Days in Mariupol, Mstyslav Chernov (Movie: January 12)
This documentary from a Pulitzer Prize-winning team follows Associated Press journalists through the first twenty days of Russia’s invasion in Mariupol. The footage captured and described in the film brought global attention to the human impact of the conflict, offering a powerful account of resilience and journalism under fire. It remains a strong Oscar contender as the award season unfolds.
8. LIFT: First Class Heist by F. Gary Gray (Netflix: January 12)
A stylish caper led by Úrsula Corberó and Kevin Hart, with Vincent D’Onofrio, Jean Reno, and Gugu Mbatha-Raw aboard. From the director of The Italian Job and Straight Outta Compton, the film follows a crew attempting a daring theft of gold bars mid-air. The sky-high setup promises kinetic action, clever twists, and a heist movie that doubles as a character study.
9. Shadows of KayYe, Stefan Mattison (Movistar Plus+: January 19)
This BBC documentary examines the influence of Kanye West, one of contemporary culture’s most talked-about figures. Through archival footage, location visits, and conversations with people across fields, it interrogates music, fashion, and political dialogue, highlighting the enduring impact of West’s career on multiple domains.
10. Kitchen, Daniel Kaluuya and Kibwe Tavares (Netflix: January 19)
Kaluuya, known for standout performances in titles like Black Panther and Get Out, co-directs a dystopian science fiction and whistleblower drama with Kibwe Tavares. Set in a London where wealth concentrates power, the story follows residents on the edges of society who cope with a fractured cityscape and a system that favors the privileged.