“The Holdovers is a scaled-down, surprisingly wholesome experience in comparison to a lot of things on streaming that are all moody thriller this and serial-killer that,” writes streaming columnist NICK OVERALL.

EVERY year there seems to be one exceptional yet underrated Oscar nominee that slips under the radar of many moviegoers.

In 2023 it was The Holdovers, a film that has only just hit Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Binge.

This unconventional Christmas flick stars Paul Giamatti as a curmudgeonly classics teacher at an American prep school who becomes even more disgruntled than usual when he has to stay on campus over the holiday break to look out for students without anywhere or anyone to go home to.

Over those chilly weeks, he comes to form an unlikely bond with a brainy troublemaker and a school cook who just lost her son in Vietnam.

This mid-budget winter warmer is a throwback to the ’70s in more than just its set decoration and costumes. 

In our era filled to the brim with big franchise blockbusters, flicks on the more quaint side of things often get pushed out in favour of bombastic cinematic spectacle.

The Holdovers is incredibly refreshing in this respect, a scaled-down, surprisingly wholesome experience in comparison to a lot of things on streaming that are all moody thriller this and serial-killer that.

The film’s unconventional approach scored it five Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Best Actor for Giamatti.

A hidden gem well worth a watch.

IF you haven’t quite been Olympics-ed out yet, Netflix is sporting a sleek new documentary series about one of the games’ biggest stars.

There’s been no shortage of those in Paris, whether it was France’s infamous pole vaulter or Australia’s own bewildering breakdancer.

But no, this doco focuses on the one and only Simone Biles, the 11-time Olympic medal-winning gymnast who has become an icon not just in the US but around the world.

Her 30 world championships make her the most decorated gymnast in history, with many calling her the greatest gymnast of all time.

This doco goes as far back as prep for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and charts Biles’ relentless quest for a spot in the 2024 Paris team.

More than that though, it offers a close look at the personal life of a world-famous Olympic athlete away from their sport, how they balance their incredible training with just being a normal human.

That makes for a fascinating watch away from the cameras of the arena.

I reckon audiences could also do with a doco about the Turkish competitive shooter Yusuf Dikec, who went viral after scoring silver with his pistol by eyeballing his target without the help of any gear, unlike his many competitors.

Hell, give the man his own Netflix action original at this rate. That’d hit the bullseye for sure. 

IT’D be remiss not to mention that trending over on Binge this month is the newest season of Fboy Island.

This reality series follows a group of women who have to weed out the supposed “nice guys” versus the self-proclaimed “Fboys” on an island.

Doesn’t take atom-splitting intelligence to nail down what the “F” stands for.

More of a conundrum – why is it always an island?

The show was originally a US import but generated enough viewing to get its own Australian version now in its second season.

It’s even proven popular enough to cross the ditch, with NZ wrangling up their own group of Fboys for their spin-off.

Love it or loathe it, Fboy Island does have a smidge more self-awareness than the average reality show, happily poking fun at itself and just how vapid the dating app culture can be.

But this is a series dedicated to only the most hardcore of reality dating show fans.

For anyone who doesn’t usually enjoy the sub-genre, this is an island getaway they’ll want to getaway from indeed.