Weekend Watchlist, 6/12: Rivalry

Happy Friday, PV Guide readers! I hope you have a great weekend ahead of you.

If you haven’t yet, check out my interview with Vengeance director Rodrigo Valdes. Also: my most anticipated new movie of the year, The Furious, is now out in theaters. I'm very excited to see it, and I should have a review up Wednesday!

Here are this week’s picks.

A Ringo Lam movie

Where to watch: Criterion Channel

One of the great side effects of my Back in Action: 1991 project is watching more work from terrific filmmakers that I hadn’t previously made the time for, including Ringo Lam, one of the kings of Hong Kong’s heroic bloodshed genre (along with John Woo). I had previously seen City on Fire and loved it, and thanks to this project I have now watched Prison on Fire, Prison on Fire II, and Touch and Go. Lam is a searing filmmaker with a cynical streak and a great eye for drama and tension – his movies may not have the same degree of explosive action that Woo’s do, but I find his character work even stronger, and I love the way his narrative and themes fit together. Some of Lam’s best films are playing at the Metrograph in New York City this month, and this fantastic essay from writer and translator Dylan Cheung is a wonderful companion to Lam’s work, either at the Metrograph or at home.

Ferrari

Where to watch: Netflix

Michael Mann has made a career out of “man with a highly specific job” movies, and there are few that do it better. His most recent, Ferrari, was one of my favorite movies of 2023, starring Adam Driver as motorsports legend Enzo Ferrari. Unlike many other modern biopics, Ferrari is not interested in lionizing its subject, instead showing how his endless ambition endangers his relationships (as well as the physical safety of many in his orbit). Its recent arrival on Netflix coincides with what has been a strong F1 season for Ferrari so far (although not as strong as Italian Kimi Antonelli for Mercedes, hoping to become the first Italian to win the driver’s championship since 1953) – all the more reason to check it out this weekend.

The history of the NBA drafting international players | "The Donnie Expedition" Part 1

We’re right in the middle of what has been a terrific NBA finals – it’s been a great stylistic matchup and a fun narrative, with the Knicks vying for their first championship since 1973 and the Spurs emerging as the next dynasty. It’s also the latest chapter in a decades-long story about the increasing international presence of the NBA and the increasing international presence in the NBA, culminating in the incredible Victor Wembanyama. Secret Base has a new series documenting the history of international players in the NBA – it’s a great time to check it out.