Now that the weekend is upon us, instead of catching up on the latest releases, why not switch it up and throw it back with some classics.
Here are some of my top picks on Showmax that you should consider.
1. Brenda Fassie, Not a Bad Girl
Brenda Fassie was a force! When I was younger, my parents used to play her music a lot but it was only later on as I grew older that I began to appreciate her music. This documentary is a favourite of mine and it will probably be for a long time because of how intimate it is.
Brenda had a presence, she filled the rooms she stepped in. Unfortunately, when a woman has that type of energy, she’s often misunderstood as being ‘showy’ or a ‘bad girl’ or ‘loose’. I hope that as you watch this documentary, you’ll get a better understanding of who Brenda was and how she’d have wanted to be seen.
Here’s an interesting fact: Brenda Fassie always sang when she made love.
2. Lumumba: Death of a Prophet
In the spirit of remembering African icons, here is another that is a must watch. This came out in 1992 and was directed by Raoul Peck. It tries to piece together the brief life of Patrice Lumumba. When you watch it, you can almost feel the frustration of the directors who are trying to tell a story but are faced with all manner of barriers, including being asked to pay exorbitant fees to access old newsreels of Lumumba.
Mobutu Sese Seko, who was president at the time of shooting of the documentary, went as far as threatening Peck with the secret service should he land in Congo. The result is a fragmented documentary that doesn’t really paint a full picture of Lumumba, but it’s still worth watching.
3. The Sopranos
In my opinion, this is one of the one of the best series ever made. You’ll get so immersed in the character of Tony Soprano, as he juggles being the head of two families – his mafia squad, and his wife and children. In case you’re wondering, when you’re in the mafia, your squad often takes preference over your blood relatives.
It’s fascinating to watch Tony make tough decisions both as a family man and a mafia boss. You’ll get angry at him for his philandering, sympathise with him when he has to make a tough call about his relatives and laugh at his mother’s outlandish ways. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions that you won’t easily forget.
4. Schindler’s List
Schindler’s List is set in World War II during the Holocaust. It is based on the true story of a German businessman, Oskar Schindler, who saved the lives of more than 1 200 Jews by employing them in his factory. It was directed by Steven Spielberg and stars Liam Neeson as Schindler.
5. Anchorman
Ron Burgundy, San Diego’s favourite news anchor, has his world set off-balance when fellow newsreader Veronica Applegate is brought on board. It’s the 1970s, and Ron and his team are not convinced that a woman should be allowed to read the news on TV. Ron gets jealous when Veronica starts to outshine him and, at the same time, falls madly in love with her. This hilarious movie is a spoof of showbiz in the 70s, with fantastically funny performances by Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd and Steve Carell, with an amazing cameo by Jack Black.
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6. The Godfather
The first of this three-part film series is considered one of the greatest movies ever made. Based on Mario Puzo’s novel of the same name, the film chronicles the life of a New York crime family under the leadership of Vito Corleone. Each movie in the series is approximately two-and-a-half hours long so you’ve got almost a solid day’s worth of viewing should you decide to binge watch all three of them back to back.
7. Sex and the City
When it came out in the late 90s, Sex and the City was considered revolutionary because of how open Carrie and her three best friends were about their sex lives and what it was like to be a woman in New York City. This series, along with the Sopranos, is believed to have jump-started HBO and heralded the beginning of the golden age of TV.
8. Friends
This is the kind of feel-good series that is the perfect answer to all the mayhem that happens to us every day. It’s about six best friends, Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Joey and Phoebe, who spend time hanging out together in New York. Friends is all about the laughs, but also the highs and lows of love, careers and parenthood. Also, the theme song is quite catchy and you’ll find yourself singing it even after you’re done bingeing on the series – all 10 seasons are on Showmax.
9. Gladiator
Multiple Academy Award-winning Gladiator stars Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius, who is reduced to slavery after his parents are murdered and the throne snatched from his hands. Maximus, however, rises through the ranks as a gladiator and uses his new skills to avenge the death of his parents and destroy his enemies.
10. The Art of War
Wesley Snipes plays a United Nations secret agent who has been framed for a high-profile murder. He later uncovers a secret plot to bring down the UN, which is tied to the murder. With his newly found information, he must find a way to stop the plan while being on the run from the FBI.
Get 3 months of Showmax for Ksh 250 by signing up HERE.