Welcome to What to Watch Right Now, our weekly rundown of the best things to watch right now. The constant stream of shows, videos, and films to watch online can become a sludge to wade through, so here are a few things you can watch courtesy of the Rolling Stone Philippines team. Whether it’s a new film, a video essay, or even a home video release you should own (physical media is now available!), we hope it can ease the burden of selecting which streaming platform to use or discover a new cinematic odyssey.
This week, epics like Quezon and The Diplomat Season 3 had us trapped in the snares of the world of politics. Task reiterates HBO’s place as the unbeatable bar of peak TV. Only We Know is the quiet, cozy romance you might just need. Flow sees a beloved animal in peril. Campfire Cooking in Another World with my Absurd Skill Season 2 makes cooking for legendary monsters look more delicious than it should be. And finally, for the Ethel Cain fans out there, turn to the singer’s visit to the Criterion Closet.
‘Only We Know’
Platonic romances with Charo Santos and Dingdong Dantes
Charo Santos drinking wine alone in her empty dining room is a sad, sad picture. Which is why, when her equally lonely, ruggedly handsome, and much younger neighbor Dingdong Dantes catches her eye, the two inevitably find solace in each other’s company.
Only We Know is endearing, and it’s the type of romance that relies solely on the chemistry between its two leads. Santos and Dantes effortlessly sell us on the idea that they could definitely be a couple, laughing and flirting as they make dating profiles together, get high together (yes, this happens), and eventually guide each other through their respective griefs. Only We Know is a quiet movie, and not necessarily the type of formulaic love story that most rom-com fans are used to, but it’s tender, and best enjoyed with a glass of wine in hand and a box of tissues close by. — Mel Wang
‘Task’
Dark and depressing in the best way possible
HBO’s Mare of Easttown was undoubtedly one of the best shows during the pandemic, but we haven’t seen a new show from creator Brad Ingelsby since.
Enter Task, his new crime drama. Six episodes in and it’s already better and darker than its predecessor. Top-billed by Mark Ruffalo (Hulk smash!) and Tom Pelphrey, the series follows a task force led by F.B.I. Agent Tom Brandis (Ruffalo) to stop a string of robberies. Pelphrey plays the show’s “villain” Robbie Prendergrast, but the performance is anything but one-dimensional. It goes beyond the traditional cat-and-mouse narrative and focuses on a deep character study of a man who has accepted his lot in life and wills himself forward nonetheless.
As other streamers continue to churn out blockbusters and prefabricated trends, shows like Task prove that HBO is still the one to beat when it comes to prestige TV. —Jonty Cruz
‘Quezon’
Jericho Rosales as evil zaddy, and a cautionary tale against politician worship
Seeing Jericho Rosales as Quezon with slicked back hair, a sharp suit, and a penchant for ruining other politicians’ lives made my day. But once you get past fawning over how good Rosales looks at the podium, Quezon is an intriguingly sharp take on the Filipino tendency to worship our politicians. The titular former president can be seen throwing childish tantrums, launching smear campaigns, and leveraging the power of cinema to portray himself as a benevolent figure to his voters. But hey, what’s new? —Mel Wang
‘Flow’
An animated tearjerker involving animals in peril
Now that director Gints Zilbalodis has completed the script for his next film, it might be an opportune time to revisit his Academy Award-winning animated feature, Flow, which just joined the Criterion Collection in Blu-ray and 4K UHD last September.
This dialogue-free tale of (cute) animals in peril has already made waves in 2024, premiering at the Un Certain Regard section of the Cannes Film Festival and then breaking box office records in its home country, Latvia. There isn’t really much to tell about its plot: five animals in a boat try to survive in a flooded world. But Zilbalodis and co-writer Matīss Kaža have penned a tale that operates as many things: a disaster movie, a fable, an animation showcase, and a sure-handed story of friendship and acceptance.
I advise you to enter Flow without any prior knowledge of the plot, just knowing that it’s one of the best animated films of the decade is enough. —Don Jaucian
‘The Diplomat Season 3’
High-caliber drama between Winfield House and the White House
Suspension of disbelief is the key to enjoying The Diplomat. Last season had us biting our nails because the government manufactured a conspiracy to boost their rep. But at the center of this is the titular diplomat, Kate Wyler, the United States’ ambassador to the United Kingdom, and her husband Hal, a former ambassador to Lebanon.
Their hijinks and intellectual battle to navigate their diplomatic problems are a sight to see, especially with performances by Keri Russell and Rufus Sewell. In Season 3, the stakes are higher than ever: their latest “post” takes them to the White House, where the President isn’t what she really seems to be. This season, The West Wing alums Bradley Whitford and Alison Janney reunite with The Diplomat showrunner Debora Cahn, who began her career as a writer and producer in the highly acclaimed NBC Oval Office show.
The geopolitics of The Diplomat keeps us on our toes, but it’s really the marital machinations of the Wylers that keep this show taut, tense, and thrillingly soapy. —Don Jaucian
‘Campfire Cooking in Another World with my Absurd Skill Season 2’
Cooking for legendary monsters never looked this tasty
Isekai animes get more and more absurd as they vie for our attention and out-absurd each other— see Reborn as a Vending Machine or That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime — but Campfire Cooking takes the cake (pun not intended) for being such a low-stakes romp where an ordinary salaryman is transported into a fantasy world to help a kingdom during a war.
But instead of gaining superpowers, Mukoda discovers that his only power is the ability to access an online supermarket in this world. Leaving the kingdom for his “useless” skill, he befriends Fenrir, a legendary beast, because the online supermarket skill enables Mukoda to cook delicious meals. In return, Fenrir protects his master and kills other beasts for meat. Just like Delicious in Dungeon, every episode is centered on the dish prepared by the protagonist. Don’t watch with an empty stomach. — Don Jaucian
‘Ethel Cain’s Closet Picks’
A recommendation of other recommendations
Hayden Anhedönia, better known as Ethel Cain, has a knack for talking about her favorite things on her own YouTube channel, from fragrances and The Legend of Zelda to her collection of art books. Recently, she visited the Criterion Closet to select the films that inspire her work as Ethel Cain, and it all just makes sense.
In three minutes, she rambles about the crime drama Thelma & Louise, David Cronenberg’s Crash (“so good, so weird and perverted”), the mystery film Picnic at Hanging Rock (which just screams “Ethel Cain”), and Grey Gardens. She also pointed to David Lynch’s Eraserhead and Terrence Malick’s Days of Heaven as inspirations for her latest album, Willoughby Tucker, I’ll Always Love You. Well, Ethel Cain, we will always love you. —Pie Gonzaga
