Screening Guide: Love, Limes, Luca and Greta Thunberg

Dennis Kelly and Iliza Schlesinger star in her new movie Good on Paper. Streaming on Netflix.

Good on Paper
(Netflix)

After making a handful of well-received stand-up specials for Netflix, comedian Iliza Shlesinger graduates to leading lady status in this new romcom. But just like the protagonist, Shlesinger doesn't over-commit, instead writing a movie that's loosely autobiographical and based on her own dating experiences. The story is about Andrea Singer, a 30-something stand-up comic who decides to stop focusing so hard on her career and playing the field and to instead let love in after a chance meeting blossoms into something more. But is the love match she finds as perfect as he seems? Her best friend thinks not and so the two begin to play detective, trying to piece together the picture of who this guy really is, compared to who he says he is. One critic described the film as a romcom caper, saying it "offers enlightened commentary on the insidious nature of the lies we tell ourselves and others", while another just thought it was very funny. Streaming now.

Limetown
(Neon)

Jessica Biel takes the lead in this gripping, creepy thriller that's based on the incredibly popular podcast of the same name that drew comparisons to Serial for its style and The X-Files for its uneasy tone and mysterious subject matter. It follows a radio journalist as she begins to investigate the sudden disappearance of 300 people from a neuroscience research facility.

Jessica Biel stars in Limetown, streaming on Neon.

Upon arriving in Tennessee she begins to unravel a dark, disturbing and incredibly strange mystery involving telepathic powers, mad scientists and medical experiments. Response has been positive with one critic saying "this version of Limetown feels as engrossing and necessary as the first". Streaming now

Luca
(Disney +)

Diving on to Disney+ this week is Luca, the new movie from the animation maestros at Pixar. While its story, scope and ambition feel smaller than the studios big-hitters, it's not lacking any of that patented Pixar magic or heart-warming vibes. Set in the idyllic waters surrounding a small Italian fishing village, the story follows a young shape-shifting sea creature called Luca who dreams of driving a Vespa scooter across the land with his best buddy.

Scene from Pixar's new movie Luca, streaming now on Disney+.

While disguised as humans, the pair get embroiled in the small village's hotly contested annual kids triathlon, during which they will learn the power of friendship, believing in themselves and all that good stuff. Gorgeously animated and with a tightly focused story, the movie's an endearingly small delight. Streaming now.

Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World
(TVNZ OnDemand)

There are many uncomfortable truths in this three-part documentary that follows teenage activist Greta Thunberg for a year as she travels the world preaching the good word and fighting the good fight over climate change. You'll see her prepare her rousing speeches, talk to world leaders and even chat with good old David Attenborough.

The new doco-series Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World is streaming on TVNZ OnDemand from Saturday.

But, as Thunberg fans will know, she's not just all talk and here she travels to see the undeniable effects of global warming for herself, such as disappearing forests, melting glaciers and flash flooding. This will be sobering and depressing viewing. Fortunately, the series also explores methods to combat climate change and looks at possible ways to prevent the worst. Streaming from Saturday.