‘Ripley’
Anthony Minghella’s 1999 movie adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley was a lush, sun-soaked exploration of how a charming, handsome grifter wormed his way into the lives of upper crust gadflys in 1950s era Italy. Steven Zaillian’s 2024 Ripley series for Netflix takes an entirely different tact, aging up all of the characters significantly — Damon was a fresh-faced 29 when he played Ripley, while Andrew Scott is more world-weary 47 — and presenting the tale with a much more menacing, foreboding tone through his controversial choice to shoot all eight episodes in black and white. It’s been a bit of a flop with casual viewers in its first week of release, but more discerning Netflix subscribers will quickly fall for the show’s distinctive mood and atmosphere.