Friday Flicks: ‘The Final Year’, ‘Small Town Crime’, ‘Mama Africa’
Weekend movie picks once meant racing to a theater before the print left town. These days the same titles live on streaming platforms long after their original runs, and the four films below prove that point. The focus stays on the stories and the people behind them, but the viewing options have quietly shifted from the multiplex to the couch.
Follow Barack Obama during his final year in office in (you guessed it) The Final Year; get caught up in an alcoholic ex-cop’s descent into a dangerous murder case in Small Town Crime; and watch rare footage of Mama Africa promoting freedom and diversity through the art of song. Each entry still rewards attention, whether you catch it on a big screen or a tablet.
The Final Year (Magnolia Pictures)
Greg Barker takes us behind the scenes as he gets up-close and personal with former President Barack Obama for his documentary The Final Year, providing a look at the inner workings of the Obama administration as they prepare to establish a legacy when leaving power after eight years. However, with Donald Trump’s shock victory, the film is cast into a completely different light than originally intended. Featuring John Kerry, Barack Obama, Samantha Power, Ben Rhodes, and Susan Rice.
Streaming and Availability Updates
Originally released in limited theaters in 2017, The Final Year now streams on Apple TV and similar on-demand platforms. Small Town Crime continues to surface in viewer lists and occasional Netflix rotations, keeping the 2017 neo-noir accessible without a trip to the cinema. The pattern holds for the other titles as well, moving them from one-weekend-only status into permanent catalogs.
Small Town Crime (Saban Films)
What’s the right course of action if you come across a dead body? Call the police? Shout for help? Both sensible choices, but not for alcoholic ex-cop Mike Kendall (John Hawkes) who finds the body of a young woman and, through an act of self-redemption, stops at nothing to find the killer. Despite the dark content, Small Town Crime is an amiable crime dramedy from filmmaking brothers Ian and Eshom Nelms (Waffle Street) and starring Octavia Spencer (The Shape of Water), Robert Forster (Jackie Brown), and Anthony Anderson (Black-ish).
The Revival (Breaking Glass Pictures)
The Revival is a treacherous love story between a closeted preacher and a handsome drifter from first-time director Jennifer Gerber (Capture), offering an excruciating insight into the inner tug-of-war between one man's homosexuality and his religious devotion. Based on the Samuel Brett Williams play of the same name, The Revival stars David Rysdahl (That’s Not Us), Zachary Booth (The Beaver), and Raymond McAnally (Black Mirror).
Director Spotlights: Nelms Brothers and Jennifer Gerber
Ian and Eshom Nelms built Small Town Crime on the foundation of their earlier dark comedy Waffle Street, sharpening their knack for blending crime tropes with character quirks. Jennifer Gerber made her feature debut with The Revival, turning a stage play into a tense exploration of faith and identity that still stands as her only narrative film to date. Both sets of filmmakers treat familiar genres with fresh restraint.
Mama Africa (ArtMattan Productions)
Legendary South African singer Miriam Makeba is highlighted in Mika Kaurismaki's straightforward documentary Mama Africa. Through a series of rare archival footage and testimonies of her contemporaries, now fans can reminisce and new generations discover the woman who spent half a century travelling the world, spreading her political message to fight racism and poverty while promoting justice & peace.
Miriam Makeba's Enduring Legacy
Makeba’s 94th birth anniversary in 2026 prompted new tributes across social platforms and festivals, reaffirming her title as Mama Africa. British-Nigerian actor Cynthia Erivo is attached to portray her in the upcoming musical drama The Road Home, pairing her with Thabo Rametsi as Hugh Masekela. The casting keeps Makeba’s voice and activism in circulation for audiences who never saw her perform live.
The Final Year in Historical Context
The documentary records the Obama team’s 2016 foreign-policy push right as the election outcome upended those plans. Retrospective interest has grown because the footage now reads as both record and forecast. Its steady presence on Apple TV and festival circuits since the 2017 release lets viewers trace the same policy threads from different vantage points.
These four films travel well from their original limited runs into today’s viewing habits. Their core stories remain intact, yet the way audiences reach them keeps evolving. Mama Africa continues to surface whenever Makeba’s influence is measured, while the rest sit ready on demand whenever the mood for a sharp documentary or a lean crime tale strikes.
