As we inch closer to the end of the year, award-season films are rolling out, prestige television is deep into its midseason runs, and the streaming landscape is once again overflowing with options. And for those who are still reluctant to head back to the movie theater — or who simply enjoy a blanket, a couch, and a good mystery in this colder-than-usual Houston weather — it’s time to spotlight some major streaming releases you can enjoy right now.
As we inch closer to the end of the year, award-season films are rolling out, prestige television is deep into their midseason arcs, and the streaming landscape is once again overflowing with options. For those staying warm in this colder-than-usual Houston weather, now is the perfect time to spotlight some major releases arriving at home this week.
We begin with F1, landing on Apple TV, a film that pushes the boundaries of practical filmmaking and immerses viewers fully into the world of Formula One racing. Directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer — the architect behind Top Gun: Maverick, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Beverly Hills Cop — the film brings a level of realism and adrenaline rarely captured on screen.
During my conversation with Kosinski, it became clear just how ambitious this project truly was. From the outset, the goal was immersion. “We wanted you to feel like you’re in that Formula One car,” Kosinski told me, recalling an early conversation with Lewis Hamilton. “Lewis said no one had ever quite captured what it really feels like. That was the bar he set for us, and it’s something I thought about every single day.”
Reaching that bar required more than clever camera placement — it required invention. Kosinski revealed that the technology to shoot F1 didn’t exist when they began. “The biggest hurdle was the camera system we needed. It simply didn’t exist,” he said. “So we spent about a year working with Sony and Apple to develop two brand-new camera systems that were small and light enough, but still gave an IMAX-quality image.”
These specially engineered cameras were integrated directly into the custom-built race cars used for the film. The result allowed Brad Pitt and Damson Idris — both of whom underwent extensive driver training — to film at real race weekends, on real tracks, often with only minutes to capture pivotal shots. “Sometimes we had two takes, maybe three,” Kosinski explained. “There were moments where we only had one take — whatever we got was going in the movie.”
Despite the pressure, Kosinski credits his cast and crew for stepping up. “I had an incredible team and an incredible cast,” he said. “In those moments of extreme pressure, they delivered.”
At the center of F1 is Brad Pitt, who Kosinski describes as the ultimate collaborator. “He’s an icon for a reason,” he told me. “He works very, very hard. Four months of training to learn to drive these cars. He was involved in every script meeting, line by line. And when it’s time to call action, he was born to play Sonny Hayes.”
The director’s pride in Pitt’s performance is unmistakable. “He embodied this character completely,” Kosinski added. “I’m so proud of what he did.”
Just as they did on Top Gun: Maverick, Kosinski and Bruckheimer pushed hard for practical realism over digital shortcuts. “I truly believe the audience feels it when you shoot practically,” Kosinski said. “Shooting at real Grand Prix weekends, with real crowds and real drivers next to us — you couldn’t fake that energy.”
F1 arrives on Apple TV this week, giving audiences a chance to experience the intensity, the innovation, and the meticulous craftsmanship that went into one of the most technically ambitious films of the year.
Moving on to a franchise that has redefined the modern murder mystery, let’s revisit the world of Knives Out. Say the name “Rian Johnson” around fans of a galaxy far, far away, and you’ll get one of two reactions:
- passionate praise for pushing boundaries, or
- a profanity-laced tirade you’d normally expect only at a Thanksgiving political debate.
Love him or hate him for The Last Jedi, Johnson has absolutely found his stride with this series.
The first Knives Out (2019) was a razor-sharp, cleverly structured whodunit featuring an incredible ensemble: Jamie Lee Curtis, Don Johnson, Ana de Armas, Chris Evans, Christopher Plummer, and more. But the film’s beating heart was Daniel Craig as Benoit Blanc — a Cajun-accented, donut-hole-loving detective who instantly became one of cinema’s great modern sleuths. It had twists, turns, betrayals, double-crosses — all the classic tropes executed at a high, refreshing level.
Netflix threw open the vault in 2022 to bring Johnson back for Glass Onion, a flashier, more satirical mystery starring Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Madelyn Cline, Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hahn, and Janelle Monáe — with Craig returning as Blanc, of course. Set on a remote island inside a luxurious glass structure, Blanc once again had to peel back the layers — literally and metaphorically — to discover the truth. While not quite as tight as its predecessor, it was a worthy and wildly entertaining follow-up.
Now we arrive at the third entry in the trilogy, A Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, dropping this Friday, December 12, on Netflix. The cast is stacked once again: Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Thomas Haden Church, and Daniel Craig back in the bowtie.
This time, Benoit Blanc is pulled into a case after a former boxer turned Catholic priest finds himself entangled in some decidedly unholy circumstances. When another reverend is mysteriously stabbed in a storage closet during a Good Friday service, Police Chief Geraldine Scott (played by Kunis) calls in the world’s most renowned detective to unravel the crime. Early buzz is strong, and anticipation is sky-high as Blanc returns to solve another layered mystery.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.