Belgravia: Pssst! It's the secrets, stupid.

It's June 1815. At a ball in Brussles, a young British woman meets a young British man. They fall in love. Twenty-five years and six episodes later, the secret that engulfed them is finally revealed.

Based on the eponymous novel by Julian Fellowes (yes, that Julian Fellowes), this costume drama on Amazon swept the Movie Slut away. Not a fan of Fellowes's Downton Abbey, the MS found all her reservations about that ultra-popular and ultra-annoying series corrected in this engrossing story.

It's not the Movie Slut's modus operandi to give too much away. So just trust her when she says this is television streaming at its best.

Episodes: Five seasons and you'll want more

Tamsin Grieg, Matt LeBland, and Stephen Mangan

Beverly and Sean are a husband and wife British writing team with a successful sitcom on the other side of the pond.

Imagine their excitement when Hollywood calls with an offer to create an American version staring Matt LeBlanc. Yes, Matt LeBlanc of Friends fame.

Imagine their distress when they encounter the clueless and talentless team hired to produce their show. And then there's Matt, the amoral, egotistical, shallow-as-a-puddle star of their show.

Episodes is a hilarious Hollywood spoof, but it's more than that. LeBlanc, playing a rib-tickling version of himself (a post-Friends star) manages to be endearing despite his blatant flaws, as do the other characters in this eminently binge-worthy series.

Daniel Deronda: A Masterpiece

Hugh Dancy is Daniel Deronda 

 

 

George Elliot's 1876 coming-of-age novel comes alive in this BBC limited series now on Amazon. Set in the Victorian era, we meet Daniel who was raised as an English gentleman, although his true parentage remains a secret. The search for his identity uncovers surprising information, which the Movie Slut won't reveal.

In a gambling hall in Germany, Daniel observes an English beauty as she loses all her winnings. They will meet again, of course.

Out for a row on the lake, he encounters another beautiful woman and saves her from drowning herself.

The plot thickens and thickens and thickens as only a brilliant novelist can do. And the series is true to Elliot's plot. But rest assured, it's not all about a young man's love life. The series also shines a light on the nascent Zionist movement and the attitude toward Jews in Victorian England.

A Price Above Rubies: A Gem

To enjoy this 1998 movie now on Amazon it is necessary to suspend with a ton of disbelief. You will also have to overlook some unbelievable coincidences. Then you'll be ready to enjoy this gem.

Renee Zellweger is Sonia, a gemologist's daughter, who enters into an arranged marriage with an ultra-Orthodox man living in an insular New York neighborhood. His loves are God and the rabbi with little left for Sonia.

She's suffocating in this ritualistic society where a woman's place is in the home. When her brother-in-law offers her a job in his jewelry business, she grabs it only plunging herself into deeper despair. 

The Movie Slut won't say more, only that you're sure to get hooked and watch till the end. 

The Half of It: Cyrano Revisited

Leah Lewis is Elle; Alexxis Lemire is Aster; Daniel Diemer is Paul.

In this updated Cyrano de Bergerac story on Netflix, a high school jock convinces the school's brainy nerd to write letters for him to the girl he loves.

So you think you've been there, seen that. Well, think again.

This version of the old story, written and directed by Alice Wu, takes the leap from a humdrum remake to delightful entertainment because the characters are given great breath, depth, and gentle understanding. Stuck in Squahamish, a stultifying backwater town, each of the three main characters in this coming-of-age love triangle defy stereotypes that could have defined them. Excellent acting seals the deal.

The Movie Slut couldn't rave more.  

A Stranger in Town: A feel-good flick

Frank Morgan, Richard Carlson, Jean Rogers

U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Josephus (Joe) Grant is on vacation, duck hunting in a small town. On his first day, he's shaken down by the fish-and-game warden, who demands an additional fee beyond the hunting license. Incognito as just another hunter, the Justice lands in court where he's defended by a young lawyer, who is also running for mayor.

It soon becomes apparent, in this 1943 movie on Amazon, that the corrupt warden is just the tip of the iceberg. Every official in this town, from the mayor down, is dishonest. Taking the young lawyer under his wing, while remaining undercover, good-guy Joe shows him how to win his cases, as well as the election.

A political dramedy, reminiscent of "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939), this flick is about good prevailing over evil, decency triumphing over corruption, with a love story thrown in for good measure. 

The Trail: Kitchy but Cool

The murder of a teenage girl calls prosecutor Elena Guerra into action. Initially she doesn't want to take the case. Her marriage is on the rocks and she needs to take action to save it. But then, she learns something that compels her to find the killer and bring him or her to justice.

Meanwhile, lawyer, Ruggero Barone, has his reasons for defending this case with everything he's got.

In case you missed it, the actor's names should have tipped you off. This is an Italian crime drama. The eight-part series is streaming on Netflix and worth watching even if it includes a few too many "coincidences" and demands a heap of suspending with disbelief.

Despite its shortcomings it will keep you riveted.