MUST-WATCH: The little girl robot that slays in every way

Amie Donald and Jenna Davis as M3GAN in the film M3GAN, courtesy of Universal Pictures.

By James Mackin

Posted January 9, 2023 1:32 pm.

She’s here! We’ve all seen the viral marketing for M3GAN, and now she’s danced her way into the MUST-WATCH Top 10! But will she rule from the top spot, or could it go to the latest film starring Christian Bale? Perhaps the return of everyone’s favourite clone troopers? You’ll have to keep reading to find out!

The Pale Blue Eye

Where to watch: Netflix

First up this week, it’s time for a good old fashioned detective thriller!

Christian Bale in the Pale Blue Eye, courtesy of Netflix.

The Pale Blue Eye stars Christian Bale (from Amsterdam and the Dark Knight) as a retired detective in 1830s New York. He’s asked to investigate a strange death at a military academy, a body is found hanged and missing a heart. He starts to investigate, and eventually enlists the help of a young cadet who would grow up to be one of America’s most famous authors, Edgar Allan Poe (played by Harry Melling from the Harry Potter films and the Ballad of Buster Scruggs). The two work together to uncover a strange mystery that would go on to influence the young author in several of his seminal texts. This film also stars Timothy Spall (from the King’s Speech), Toby Jones (from First Cow), and Lucy Boynton (from Bohemian Rhapsody).

You can watch this on Netflix now!

Star Wars: The Bad Batch (Season 2)

Where to watch: Disney+

Next up, a return to a galaxy far, far away!

The second season of the Bad Batch is here! For those who don’t know, this show is about a unique unit of clone troopers who were able to survive Order 66 and live freely on their own. But the Empire tries to hunt them down, so they need to use their skills to survive anyway they can. When we last left the Bad Batch, they had recently parted ways fully with Crosshair (played by Dee Bradley Baker from Avatar: The Last Airbender), who had betrayed them to the Empire. They’re now looking for more money to survive, which includes going after the legendary treasures of one Count Dooku.

You can watch the first two episodes of this new season on Disney+ now, with other episodes coming out weekly!

The Rig

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Now, it’s time for a supernatural thriller!

Iain Glen in the Rig, courtesy of Amazon Studios.

The Rig is the first show that Amazon Studios has created that was entirely shot in Scotland. Emily Hampshire (from Schitt’s Creek) plays a scientist who works at an oil company. She heads to a rig in the North Sea off the coast of Scotland, led by a man played by Iain Glen (from Game of Thrones). She’s been sent out due to some weird readings the rig has been getting from the ocean, and she has to keep the crew there a while longer than they’re supposed to so they can figure out what’s going on. Eventually a fog takes over the rig, clouding everyone’s minds. The crew’s mental health begins to suffer, and several people start thinking that nature is pushing back against them for their crimes against the environment. This show also stars Mark Addy (from the Full Monty), Martin Compston (from Monarch of the Glen), and Owen Teale (also from Game of Thrones).

You can watch this show on Amazon Prime Video now!

Copenhagen Cowboy

Where to watch: Netflix

Next up, a stylish trip into the underworld!

Copenhagen Cowboy is a new series by acclaimed Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn (the director behind Pusher, the Neon Demon, and Drive). It stars Danish actress Angela Bundalovic (from the Rain) as a young person called Riu with vengeance on her mind. She was a victim of sex trafficking, and was able to escape alongside a friend. But her friend died before they were truly free, and now Riu has come to Copenhagen looking for the person who sold her. She goes through the city’s surreal underworld, encountering very strange situations that may take her life. This show also stars Zlatko Burić (from Triangle of Sadness), Maria Erwolter (from 1899), and Refn himself.

You can watch the entirety of this show on Netflix now!

M3GAN

Where to watch: Cinemas

Last but not least, a friend that never goes away!

M3GAN is a new horror film, and so far the highest box office earner to be released in 2023. It’s a film about a programmer called Gemma (played by Alison Williams from Get Out and Girls) who creates an android that looks like it’s a little girl. It’s called the Model 3 Generative Android, or M3GAN for short. As she’s finishing work on this android, her niece goes through a horrific car crash that kills both her parents. Gemma adopts the young girl, and introduces her to M3GAN to provide her with a companion and a friend. But M3GAN, a device that’s programmed to protect and learn how to best protect, gets a little too focused on protecting the niece from those that might harm her. That’s when she starts to kill people who do anything bad to the niece, including potentially Gemma.

You can watch this film in cinemas now!