The Beat Asia’s Guide to Amazon Prime January 2023
POP CULTURE

The Beat Asia’s Guide to Amazon Prime January 2023

With so much content running the day-to-day discourse on what the best shows of 2023 will be, Amazon Prime is reeling back on the quantity of exclusive releases, at least, for now. Their releases set for January are nonetheless highly anticipated and varied in their genres and styles – with Amazon investing in quality content to rival Netflix’s big hits.

Check out this month's mixed bag of movies, documentaries, and series curated by The Beat Asia, which includes fan favourite releases such as the badass ‘based on true events’ Nazi hunting squad in ‘Hunters’ Season two, and the belly-splitting comedy special by Nate Bargatze.

Films

‘Shotgun Wedding’

Jennifer Lopez, the best Hollywood bride of all time, goes from 'Maid in Manhattan', 'The Wedding Planner', and 'Monster-in-Law', to 'Shotgun Wedding' in this new Amazon exclusive release. Far from the ideal wedding day, J. Lo and her groom-to-be, played by Josh Duhamel, take up firearms in a hijacked hostage-situation turned ugly.

Instead of saving the date, the betrothed Darcy Rivera and Tom Fowler must come together to save the day. Despite all their efforts to pull off a successful wedding, Darcy and Tom both get cold feet at the last moment. After a round of bullets are sprayed into the air, the hot and cold couple must come together to save their families, rediscovering what they mean to each other along the way.

When: Jan. 27

Series

‘The Rig’

Developed by David Macpherson and directed by John Strickland, the idea for the series stemmed from the horror stories that Macpherson’s father would tell him about his time in the oil and gas industry. With spokes thrown left and right into the wheel of an already precarious environment, here was a first-hand account of a man risking his life and limbs with every second that passes.

Working up close with the resources that run the world, “The Rig” follows the crew of the Kinloch Bravo, as they are inexplicably cut off from all communication as a mysterious fog descends on them. In their attempt to find a way home, they face the deadly pressures of the environment, leading to mounting paranoia and tensions. To survive, the divided crew must come together if they wish to live.

When: Jan. 6

‘The Test (Season Two)’

Season one of 'The Test' covered the new era of the Australian Men’s Cricket team as they overcome the 2018 ball-tampering incident. This tell-all documentary series chronicles the events of how the team regrouped, rebuilt, and overcame the pressures of world scrutiny as they made their history-making comeback.

Following the events of Season one, Season two returns with the exit of Captain Tim Paine, and the departure of Coach Justin Langer, as the team continues to navigate through the scandal – showing the world the inner workings of cricket’s most memorable team redemption arcs.

When: Jan. 13

‘Hunters (Season Two)’

The long awaited Season two of 'Hunters' is coming out this January, picking up where Season one’s cliffhanger left off. In 1977 New York, a diverse band of young and old Nazi hunters discovered that hundreds of high-ranking Nazi officials live among them, conspiring to create a Fourth Reich in the United States.

The team set out on a bloody quest to thwart their genocidal plans and finally bring the disguised Nazis to justice. Starring Logan Lerman, Al Pacino, and Josh Radnor, among others – Season two of Hunters brings the team to South America to wreak havoc on whatever puppet show is happening behind the curtains.

When: Jan. 13

‘Cosmic Love France’

From the new slate of reality TV shows coming out of Amazon Prime, Cosmic Love is travelling to France to help four single girls find love based on their star signs. With help from the ‘Astrochamber', these singles are matched with star-appropriate love matches for a drama fuelled binge on the couch.

With each reality dating show getting crazier than the last, from Love Island, Love is Blind, and The Circle, comes region-specific adaptations of the same titles. For those who are at a loss for an English-speaking guilty pleasure, check out Cosmic Love France to ooh-and-ahh at the appalling real-life characters that make a show out of being their unapologetic selves.

When: Jan. 6

Specials

‘Nate Bargatze: Hello World’

The Beat Asia's Guide to Amazon Prime January 2023
Website/Twitter @natebargatze

Grammy-nominated comedian and podcaster Nate Bargatze brings his first stand-up special to Amazon Prime with 'Nate Bargatze: Hello World'. Dubbed by the Atlantic as "The Nicest Man in Stand-up", his clean and relatable sets are bound to hit your funny bone no matter what kind of comedy you’re into.

Taking up the number one spot with his debut comedy central album ‘Yelled at By a Clown’ and receiving critical acclaim multiple years in a row; “Nate Bargatze: Hello World” follows Nate as he takes on a larger world stage.

When: Jan. 31

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