Swagger (Apple TV+, from Fri)
Imagine Entertainment co-founder Brian Grazer has been the driving force behind too many film and television smashes to be listed here, but it looks as though he's backed another winner in this drama. The real-life experiences of NBA superstar Kevin Durant form the foundation of the series, exploring the world of youth basketball, as well as the players, their families and coaches who walk the fine line between dreams and ambition, and opportunism and corruption. Off the court, it also offers a glimpse at what it's like to grow up in America. The cracking ensemble cast includes O'Shea Jackson, Jr, Isaiah Hill, Quvenzhane Wallis, Shinelle Azoroh, Tessa Ferrer, Caleel Harris and James Bingham.
Unheard (Amazon, from Fri)
This six-part series of standalone documentaries offer an unfiltered, blistering insight into critical issues of racial discrimination in Australia, and is led by the voices of those who experienced them, bolstering their calls for justice. The films cover issues including Indigenous deaths in custody, the targeting of Indigenous youth, attacks on Asians during Covid, Islamophobia, the vilification of the African community and the treatment of asylum seekers and refugees. These harrowing stories are told through intimate interviews, and are blended with animation, archive footage, podcasts, photographs and other media to reveal the shocking statistics and complexities behind larger problems.
Army of Thieves (Netflix, from Fri)
Matthias Schweighofer directs and stars in this prequel to Zack Snyder's zombie blockbuster Army of the Dead, reprising the role of Ludwig Dieter. It reveals how he went from small-town bank teller to becoming drawn into the adventure of a lifetime, after the mysterious Gwen (played by Nathalie Emmanuel) recruits him to join a crew of Interpol's most wanted criminals: jack-of-all-trades Korina, rugged bad boy Brad and getaway sidekick Rolph. She wants them to crack a trio of impenetrable vaults known as the Ring Cycle - Das Rheingold, the Valkyrie, and the Siegfried - despite French law-enforcement officials Delacroix and Beatrix (Jonathan Cohen and Noemie Nakai) being hot on their trail.
Colin in the Black and White (Netflix, from Fri)
Golden Globe and Oscar-nominated director Ava DuVernay teams up with American football star Colin Kaepernick, who famously took a knee in protest at US police brutality against Black people, for this six-part mini-series. It chronicles the sporting legend's coming-of-age tale, tackling obstacles of race, class and culture as the Black adopted child of a white family. Jaden Michael plays Colin in the years before he reached the highest levels as an NFL quarterback and became a cultural icon and activist. Nick Offerman and Mary-Louise Parker play his parents Rick and Teresa, while Kaepernick himself, who appears as the present-day narrator of his own story, guides viewers through the major events of his life.
Books of Blood (Disney+, from Fri)
Isn't it always the same? You wait ages for news of projects involving legendary horror and fantasy writer Clive Barker and then two come along at once. Not that we're complaining. First, there was the excellent announcement that Jamie Clayton will be stepping into Doug Bradley's shoes and playing the lead Cenobite Pinhead in the forthcoming reboot of the 1987 classic Hellraiser. Next, there's this gloriously spine-chilling adaptation of his anthology, following three absorbing yet creepy stories from the six-book collection, so hopefully there will be more to come. It might be available via family-friendly channel Disney+, but we recommend you tune in with the lights firmly switched on. Anna Friel is among the cast.
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