With much of the world’s population currently advised to remain at home due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Netflix (and other streaming services) are more popular than ever. The company is reporting record audience numbers, which isn’t exactly surprising given that they almost literally have a captive audience, and over the last few weeks, Netflix has become so popular that in Europe they’ve had to decrease their video quality as so many people are streaming that they were in danger of slowing down the whole internet.
With cinemas now closed, folks want something to look forward to in the weeks to come and thankfully, we know what to expect. Below you’ll find what’s on May’s menu for the United States, with this being just the first batch of announced titles and more to follow soon.
“May 1st:
All Day and a Night (2020) N – Drama featuring Jeffrey Wright and Ashton Sanders written and directed by Joe Robert Cole. About a young criminal who arrives at prison and reflects on his life thus far.
Casi Feliz (Season 1) N – Spanish comedy series
Fun with Dick & Jane (2005) – Judd Apatow writes this Jim Carrey crime flick released 15 years ago. About an affluent couple turning to crime after they lose all their money.
Hollywood (Limited Series) N – Ryan Murphy produced epic limited series recounting they hey-day of Hollywood from the perspective of aspiring directors and actors.
Masha and the Bear (Season 4) – More kids animated adventures with Masha and the Bear.
Medici (Season 3) N – The Italian made period drama returns for its final season.
Never Stop Dreaming: The Life and Legacy of Shimon Peres (2018) N – Documentary looking back at the life of Shimon Peres directed by Richard Trank featuring testimony from George Clooney, Barack Obama and George W. Bush.
The Eddy (Limited Series) N – Musical series from Jack Throne looking at a French club owner operating in the heart of Paris.
The Half of It (2020) N – Romantic comedy directed by Alice Wu about an unexpected teenage love triangle.May 4th:
Arctic Dogs (2019) – Animated title featuring the voices of Jeremy Renner, Heidi Klum and James Franco about an arctic fox working in the mailroom.May 8th
The Hollow (Season 2) N – The new season of the animated genre-defying Canadian series.
The Wrong Missy (2020) N – Comedy directed by Tyler Spindel about a man meeting the woman of his dreams and sends her an invite to his corporate retreat but sends to the wrong person. Features David Spade.May 11th:
Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics (2020) N – Various celebrities recount their experiences with drugs.
Trial by Media (Season 1) N – Docu-series looking at how the modern media landscapes affect court cases.May 15th
Chichipatos (Season 1) N – Spanish comedy series
She-Ra and the Princess of Power (Season 5) N – The final season of the Dreamworks animated series on She-Ra.May 23rd
Spelling the Dream (2020) N – Documentary looking at the ups and downs of four students competing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.May 25th:
Uncut Gems (2019) – The superb Adam Sandler drama directed by the Safdie Brothers that hit cinemas last year. The movie internationally is dubbed an Original hence why it’s getting a much earlier Netflix US release.May 28th:
La Corazonada (2020) N – Argentinian thriller (also known as The Hunch)May 31st:
Space Force (Season 1) N – Debut season of the Steve Carrell/Greg Daniels mockumentary series about an elite group of people working within the newly formed Space Force.”
Of these, the obvious highlight here is the awesome Uncut Gems. The film is already available to stream for international Netflix users (so if you have a proxy, then set it to Europe and go nuts), but it’s definitely worth a watch. However, as great as it is, it always makes me frustrated that Adam Sandler can so obviously bring the goods when he wants to, but only tries hard about once every five years. But man, when he’s on, he’s on.
Other highlights will be Ryan Murphy’s Hollywood. This will tell the stories of three tragic figures in Hollywood history: Rock Hudson, the closeted leading man who died from AIDS in 1985, Hattie McDaniel, who starred in Gone With the Wind yet wasn’t allowed to sit with her co-stars at the Oscars and Anna May Wong, one of the first Asian-American stars, who found herself continually being cast in stereotypical roles and left for Europe.
Space Force will also be worth a watch. It’s a satirical comedy series about the creation of the real-life Space Force, from The Office alumni Steve Carell and Greg Daniels, and starring John Malkovich, Ben Schwartz and Diana Silvers. It’s described as a workplace comedy showing people grappling with the order to establish a new wing of the United States Armed Forces.
Tell us, though, what are you looking forward to seeing on Netflix next month? Let us know down below.