It’s winter time, which means that I look forward to every time Netflix puts out new releases for viewers to enjoy. Here’s a list of some shows and films that are at the top of my list to watch next!
Carmen Sandiego (2019)
As a kid, I was an avid player of the Carmen Sandiego CD-ROM games. The mystique of the world-renowned, red-suited thief always excited me. So, you can imagine how excited I was to hear the announcement of a Carmen Sandiego animated series – and even more excited to hear that Gina Rodriguez, who plays Jane in Jane the Virgin, was to voice Carmen. The series has now been released on Netflix, and based on the trailer alone, I know my nostalgia coupled with the fun animation style are going to result in a super enjoyable experience. Let’s not forget that Finn Wolfhard of Stranger Things is also part of the main cast! I also love that they’ve added a sympathetic layer to Carmen in this series: she’s a thief that only steals from other thieves. I, for one, always love a morally complex main character.
Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened (2019)
If you don’t already know about the history of the Fyre festival, it’s described as a “failed luxury music festival” that occurred in 2017. The founder of the festival, Billy McFarland, is currently facing six years in jail for fraud and has had to pay millions of dollars in damages. The festival was marketed by various models, and promises of top tier musical artist performances, gourmet food, and luxury stay were made. The reality? Horrible conditions, crappy food, makeshift tents, and none of the performances that were promised. People spent thousands of dollars to attend, only to be met with shockingly poor conditions. This documentary, already critically applauded, outlines the entire process. I’ve heard that it’s extremely well made, and I for one can’t wait to be shocked and appalled by its content.
Roma (2018)
I can honestly say I don’t know too much about this Oscar-nominated film made by Alfonso Cuarón. However, after watching the trailer, I am compelled to this artistic, black-and-white shot film. Considered under the category of a foreign-language movie, Roma is set in the 1970s following a Mexican family’s lives. I can already tell that this film will be touching, beautiful, and likely tragic – embodying the independent film genre in a profound way.
Nappily Ever After (2018)
Based on the book of the same name written by Trisha R. Thomas, the film chronicles the life of a woman, who’s lived her life trying to adhere to “perfection”. After a hair mishap at the salon, causing her hair to fall out, Violet’s life begins to fall apart. Eventually, she shaves her hair off, and while initially horrified, the rest of the movie focuses on how Violet reworks her idea of confidence. Starring the gorgeous Sanaa Lathan, Ernie Hudson, Ricky Whittle and Lyriq Bent, I’m incredibly excited to watch a film that focuses on redefining beauty standards and finding confidence within oneself. The majority of rom-coms of the past often focus on idealized, non-realistic structures of romance, hardly ever underlining a healthy self-journey. And, lest we forget, a ridiculously small amount of those films have any PoC characters in them. Nappily Ever After is exciting to me because I’m always aching to see more PoC based films, films that openly explore different facets of various races and cultures.
The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
I’ll admit that I’ve already watched about thirty minutes of this film. If the stop-motion animation doesn’t impress you (which, let’s be honest, it should), then the tongue-in-cheek humour will. Seriously, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sassier first-thirty minutes of a movie. I honestly wasn’t expecting such a satirical, fun-loving comedy when I started this film. The masterful Will Arnett voices Batman, who is depicted as an utter megalomaniac obsessed with his own abs. Rosario Dawson, Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis, and a roster of other renowned actors join the voice cast. I love stop-motion, and I love the witty, laugh out loud humour of The Lego Batman Movie. I’m definitely looking forward to seeing the rest of the film, and seeing what craziness ensues in this Lego world.
~ Z ~
