The Age of Innocence (Scorsese, 1993) is currently streaming on Netflix NZ
The Netflix business model is all about hours and eyeballs. The longer you are watching, the more likely it is you will consider not cancelling your subscription.
Hence, series now take priority over feature films and Netflix productions or acquisitions take priority over archive and catalogue titles.
But, buried relatively deeply in the bowels of the Netflix interface, you will find some excellence, including my first recommendation.
The story of agonised and thwarted love, The Age of Innocence may well be Scorsese’s finest film but at the time it seemed like such an outlier: famous for urban grit in the likes of Mean Streets (1973), Taxi Driver (1976) and Goodfellas (1990) and also the purveyor of that scandalous biblical epic The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), a buttoned-down adaptation of a beloved Edwardian novel was quite the change of pace.
But the passions running under the surface are palpable and the performances from Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer (never better) and Winona Ryder (Oscar-winner) ensure that you are gripped from beginning to end.
The Age of Innocence is currently streaming on Netflix but may not be tomorrow. The film has recently been restored in 4K but it is not clear whether it is that transfer that Netflix are streaming.
[Ed: These aren’t meant to be full reviews, more like memory joggers or an encouragement to dig down a little deeper into your streaming or video-on-demand services. Feedback – you want, more, less or different? – is welcome by email or in the comments.]