Visiting ‘Mr Scorsese,’ the ‘House of Guinness’ and ‘The Last Frontier’ in streaming

Movie lovers and cinephiles – and, yes, there’s a difference, will find plenty to enjoy in the five-part documentary “Mr. Scorsese,” an Apple TV+ limited series exploring the life and career of legendary director Martin Scorsese.

Directed by Rebecca Miller, wife of legendary actor Daniel Day-Lewis, it, much like the recent Billy Joel documentary that aired on HBO, gives fans a full picture of an artist who’s known for his violent masterpieces such as “Mean Streets,” “Goodfellas” and “The Departed.”

It would be easy to boil Scorsese’s career down to such efforts. That would also be unfair as Miller so aptly points out across the doc’s five episodes.

Scorsese’s work across film have been varied and on the same level with those mob-centric films. Those include movies such as “Raging Bull,” “Hugo” and “The Last Temptation of Christ.” By any account, he could have and should have had multiple Oscars for directing in his career, but…that’s the Oscars for you.

Miller explores assorted eras in his career from his struggles at the beginning to his successes. What many will appreciate is the method – providing insight through his collaborators with three in particular standing out.

The most obvious: Robert De Niro, who he worked with on masterpieces “Raging Bull” and “Taxi Driver” among others. In recent years, Leonardo DiCaprio has occupied that space with films such as “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “The Aviator” and “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Then there’s Day-Lewis who he’s collaborated with on “The Age of Innocence” and “The Gangs of New York.” Each offers compelling perspectives of Scorsese’s method and creative process while also delving into the personal.

However, Miller goes deep into Scorsese’s past in talks with childhood friends to get a take on how his Catholic upbringing ultimately informed his filmmaking.

She is able to reconcile the violent and sometimes explicit works of a filmmaker who is obviously very spiritual with that part of his character.

“Mr. Scorsese” represents a compelling piece of documentary filmmaking that presents as complete a portrait as there can be of a cinematic master.

Release date: Friday, Oct. 17 for all five episodes.

Rating: A

‘House of Guinness’ proves to be a pleasant surprise

After watching all eight episodes of the Netflix series “House of Guinness,” I was a bit miffed because it ends with a very significant cliffhanger.

After quing up the first several episodes, I didn’t expect to feel that way because the story of the Guinness family – they of Irish stout fame – gave off huge soap opera-ish vibes.

The story of Arthur (Anthony Boyle), Edward (Louis Partridge), Anne (Emily Fair) and Benjamin (Fionn O’Shea), the siblings who inherit the now iconic Guinness brewery from their father proves both complicated and captivating.

Even in his death, the family patriarch finds a way to exercise control over his independent offspring by putting thick ropes, not strings, on their respective claims to the family business, his personal assets and cash fortune.

The family has secrets in its past and the siblings each contend with their own in the present. For Arthur, he’s a gay man in 1868 Dublin, Ireland. For Anne, it lies in an illicit affair. For Benjamin it’s his overt alcoholism and for Edward, it’s shady business dealings that cross the political line between those factions that want Irish independence and those who wish to remain part of U.K.

Developed by “Peaky Blinders” creator Steven Knight, the first few episodes of soap opera vibes prove to be a unfilling appetizer for what comes in the final five. The political intrigue related to business and personal affairs proves intriguing and extremely satisfying.

Boyle and Edward provide insightful performances that prove enjoyable and tragic, but James Norton as Sean Rafferty, the Guinness brewery foreman and family enforcer proves enjoyable and far more complicated than anyone could have hoped. Ditto for Michael McElhatton as the de facto keeper of the family secrets and family butler John Potter.

Here’s a challenge for those who watch: dare you to not fall in love with the Irish-themed soundtrack.

Release date: All episodes currently streaming.

Rating: B

‘The Last Frontier’ never quite puts in all together

Apple TV+ can’t always score an unqualified hit.

Such is the case of “The Last Frontier,” the story of a federal prison plane – a la “Con-Air” – transferring prisoners that crash lands in the Alaskan wilderness.

Simple premise, no? Of course, it can’t be that simple as there’s always something in play as Alaskan U.S. Marshal, Frank Remmick (Jason Clarke) has to work with his local resources and, eventually, a CIA agent, Sidney Scofield (Stow, Ohio native Haley Bennett) to track to and return the group of bad hombres to custody.

There’s a huge conspiracy at the heart of “The Last Frontier,” that ultimately turns into three different shows over the course of its 10-episode run. That can make the show both compelling and confusing. There is little dispute as to its entertainment value, however.

Release date: Two episodes are currently streaming with new episodes coming until Dec. 5.

Rating: B-

‘Wednesday’ proves it has staying power in ratings

The Tim Burton-created “Wednesday” proves that his modern take on “The Addams Family” has legs as it once again sits atop overall streaming rankings for the week ending Sept. 14. Here is the Top 10 in its entirety:

• “Wednesdays” (Netflix) – 2.069 billion minutes

• “Beauty in Black” (Netflix) – 1.337 billion

• “KPop Demon Hunters” (Netflix) – 917 million

• “Spongebob Squarepants” (Paramount+) – 868 million

• “Aka Charlie Sheen” (Netflix) – 849 million

• “Bluey” (Disney+) – 823 million

• “Orphan Black” (Netflix) – 773 million

• “Grey’s Anatomy” (Hulu/Netflix) – 669 million

• “The Big Bang Theory” (HBO Max) – 596 million

• “Bob’s Burgers” (Hulu) – 591 million

George M. Thomas covers a myriad of things including sports and pop culture, but mostly sports, he thinks, for the Beacon Journal.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Stream the genius of ‘Mr. Scorsese,’ and enjoying ‘House of Guinness’