What to Watch
A war epic and an inspiring film both on Netflix
Dear friends,
To cut right to the chase, the best thing to watch right now is Beef. The A24-produced miniseries is an excellent piece of TV that Netflix is lucky to have.
But it’s been out for a while now, so I’m assuming you already know that! If you don’t, this weekend is the perfect time to catch up. And if don’t and are looking for something new to binge, then you’ve opened the correct email. As always, these are the films and series on streaming you probably haven’t heard as much about but are just as worthy of your time.
I hope you have a nice weekend!
OUR TOP TV SHOW OF THE WEEK
War Sailor
New on Netflix 🍅 rating: 100%
In 1940, at the onset of World War II, thousands of Norwegian merchant sailors were required by law to take part in the battle against Axis forces. Reluctantly but bravely, they rose to the challenge and became part of a valiant effort that unfortunately went under the radar because of their civilian status.
War Sailor, a three-part miniseries from Norway, aims to give these war sailors their due by telling their story in rich detail and epic proportions. It follows two sailors, family man Freddy and his best friend Wally, as they brave the seas and alight unfamiliar lands. But this show is less interested in heroics than it is in humanity—it has the characters questioning the purpose of fighting a war they know little about, and dives deep into their lives post-war, where even then peace still seems elusive.
It’s a sprawling story so the pacing can get sluggish, but if you don’t mind the occasional drag and are into immersive war tales, then this one’s for you.
OUR TOP MOVIE OF THE WEEK
Johnny
New on Netflix 🍅 rating: 80%
In the Polish film Johnny, a terminally ill priest and a petty thief strike an unexpected friendship as they both work to uplift the patients in a hospice. The former takes a chance on the latter, helping him change for the better.
It’s a story you’ve heard of a thousand times, but what makes Johnny particularly endearing is that it’s all true and based on the real-life Father Jan Kaczkowski, a priest who went out of his way to help others. The idea is far from novel, but it is an effectively heartwarming film about forgiveness and second chances.
Top picks outside of Netflix and Amazon Prime
Both of our top picks this week are from Hulu (friendly reminder: viewers outside of the US will usually find Hulu originals on Disney+).
The first is the series Tiny Beautiful Things, which stars Kathryn Hahn as a struggling writer in her 40s. Broke, grief-stricken, and kicked out of her family’s house, she’s perhaps the last person you’d expect to write an advice column—but write she does, thoughtfully and compassionately, and it’s guidance she ends up needing as much as her readers. The show is surprisingly light (each episode is just under 30 mins) but it’s also weighty as it provides welcome insight into navigating the highs and lows of living a small but meaningful life.
The second is another series, the BBC import Am I Being Unreasonable? It follows Nic (Daisy May Cooper), an unhappily married mother whose secret life threatens to unravel upon the arrival of a new neighbor. It sounds like a thriller, and it is, but it’s also largely a comedy, romance, and slice-of-life drama. Genre-wise, it’s many things, but the tonal shifts are part of the fun; they keep you on your toes as much as the central mystery of the plot does. It’s a fun and gripping watch, especially if you share the Brits’ dark and dry sense of humor.
New titles worth your time
New titles worth checking out on Netflix are the crime thriller Holy Spider, a movie about the real-life serial killer who attacked female sex workers in the holy city of Mashhad, Iran, and American Manhunt: The Boston Marathon Bombing, a docuseries about the titular and fatal terrorist attack.
Meanwhile, over at Amazon Prime, returning titles worth watching/rewatching are the post-apocalyptic French film Delicatessen, the psychological drama film Whiplash, the nostalgic coming-of-age series Freaks and Geeks, and the British crime series Case Histories.
Great titles that will soon expire
No notable titles are leaving soon, with the exception of the Martin Scorsese-directed documentary No Direction Home: Bob Dylan, which leaves Netflix on April 16.
That’s all for this week. This edition of the newsletter will be back on Friday, April 21.
Till then,
Renee
Thank you for recommending Polish films, Central & East European cinema deserves more attention! 🙏🏽
Just binged Am I Unreasonable and looovveedd it! It reminded me of Fleabag season 1