Out of all of my most colorful, warm childhood memories (trips to Disney World, winning a sledding contest in the fourth grade, balling out at our school’s annual Scholastic Book Fair), there is one recurring memory that I hold above all others: Friday trips to Blockbuster.
Sure, I may be repressing the fistfights my siblings and I had over which feature we would play on repeat all weekend long but, above all, I view our past expeditions to the video store in the highest regard. Choosing amongst what seemed like 3.2 billion titles, narrowing our decision down to one, and snagging a strawberry Ring Pop at checkout was the pregame. Snuggling up with my favorite tie blanket, popping the VHS tape into our dusty Panasonic VCR, and watching a new (probably very mediocre) flick was the main event.
Blockbuster may be dead but my love for compelling fresh shows, thrilling new movies, and a worry-free Friday night on my couch remains alive and well. Saying “hello” to another month means welcoming new Netflix arrivals and honey, you’re going to want to grab your popcorn for these guys:
Shows:
1. Shadow and Bone
Release date: April 23
Oh my Lanta, this trailer makes me want to run through walls and do backflips. Netflix has been teasing us with the release of Shadow and Bone, a new series based on the fantasy adventure book trilogy of the same name, for quite some time now. Alas, they have finally graced us with a release date and this wild trailer that will tie us over in the meantime. Hello dark and twisty fantasy series that will keep us on our toes, we are ready for you.
2. This Is A Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heist
Release date: April 7
If you’re in the market for a spicy new documentary, This Is A Robbery: The World’s Biggest Art Heist is sure to be next on your “to watch” list. The piece zones in on the events transpiring from a 1990 art heist in which 10 million (yes, 10 million) dollars worth of famous art were seized and seemingly vanished without a trace.
3. Why Are You Like This?
Release date: April 16
I have a feeling that once released, this quirky comedy series will fill a sitcom void I didn’t even know that I had. Why Are You Like This? is a witty satire that follows the lives and friendship of three 20-somethings in Melbourne, Australia. I’m 100 percent writing this release date in my planner so that 1) I don’t miss a beat and 2) I appear to be busy. Note: I am not busy.
Movies:
4. Stowaway
Release date: April 22
Five words, 24 letters, say it and I’m yours: Anna Kendrick in a spacesuit. Jokes aside, this soon-to-hit Netflix sci-fi thriller looks absolutely exhilarating. When the three-person crew of a two-year mission to Mars realizes that an accidental extra passenger has joined their trip, they are challenged with one chilling fact: there’s only enough oxygen on board for three people. I truly have no idea how this is going to go, which, in my humble opinion, is my idea of a good time.
5. Oxygen
Release date: May 12
Alright, we’ve got a bit of time before the release of this science fiction thriller but it looks good. When a woman wakes up in a cryogenic chamber without memory of how she got there, she has to find a way out before running out of air. I’m already stressed but my body is ready.
6. Thunder Force
Release date: April 9
I’m saving this one for a day that I need a good laugh because Thunder Force is everything that I want in a comedy. Also, can we have a moment of appreciation for this brilliant duo that I never saw coming? Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer, I already love what’s happening here. This superhero comedy tells the tale of two childhood besties who (re)join forces when one invents a formula that gives normal people superhuman abilities.
7. Concrete Cowboy
Release date: April 2
Of all of the gems coming to Netflix in the next few weeks, I’m most anticipating this coming-of-age drama film. When a rebellious Detroit teen (Lucas from Stranger Things, I see you grindin’) is sent to live with his estranged father in Philidelphia, he enters the tight-knit community of Black cowboys and grapples with his idea of home. If it’s even half as good as this trailer, it’s going to be a masterpiece. Let’s ride.