Words: Zoe Dickens
Ready for the post-Halloween dive into the festive season? The folks over at Netflix certainly are, with the streaming service unleashing a bevy of all singing, all dancing, jingle belling films and series on to its platform this month. We, however, are of the opinion that any date before 1 December is too early to be getting in the Christmas spirit. Call us grinches but we guarantee we enjoy the big day all the more because we wait.
The good news, however, is that among all the carols and crackers we’ve found a few gems that you definitely should be tuning into this month. And, let’s face it, with more and more of the country facing tier two and three restrictions, what else have you got to do?
Dawson’s Creek, 1 November
Craving some cosy early Noughties nostalgia? We don’t blame you – and Netflix is more than willing to oblige with Dawson’s Creek arriving on the streaming platform this month. Didn’t catch the emotional rollercoaster of a TV show that gave Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams and Joshua Jackson their big break the first time round? Sit back and let yourself get wrapped up in the lives of this group of close knit high school friends in an idyllic New England town. It’s the perfect antidote to the tumultuous world outside your front door.
The End of the F***ing World Season 2, 4 November
The second season of Channel 4’s BAFTA-winning dark comedy makes its debut on Netflix this November. Based on the off-beat premise that 17-year-old James (Alex Lawther) believes himself to be a psychopath, the first series followed him as he accidentally befriended would-be murder victim Alissa as the two embarked on a road trip across England. Season two picks up directly after season one’s cliff hanger ending – introducing a revenge-driven new protagonist hell bent on getting her own back.
The Life Ahead, 13 November
This Italian drama isn’t for the faint hearted but you’ll be well rewarded for turning off your favourite sit-com in favour of something harder hitting. Starring silver screen icon Sophia Loren as Madame Rosa, a Holocaust survivor who runs a children’s nursery, The Life Ahead is inspired by Romain Gary’s award-winning 1975 novel La Vie Devant Soi. Following Rosa as she takes in 12-year-old Momo, a Senegalese Muslim who tried to rob her, the two form an unconventional family and a bond that will change both of their lives forever.
The Crown Season 4, 15 November
This is undoubtedly Netflix’s heavy hitter of the month – and it’s already generating huge amounts of buzz. The fourth season will take the British royal family into the Maggie Thatcher years, with Olivia Colman returning as Queen Elizabeth II, Tobias Menzies reprising his role as Prince Philip and Emma Corrin making her highly anticipated debut as Diana Spencer. Helena Bonham Carter and Josh O’Connor also return for what promises to be another sumptuous season of drama, royal intrigue and the most historically accurate costumes on TV.
Sorry To Bother You, 15 November
If you missed this sparkling satirical comedy when it was first released in 2018 now is your chance to catch up – and it’s well worth setting aside 111 minutes for. The debut film from director Boots Riley, Sorry To Bother You is set in a parallel universe and follows impoverished African American telemarketer Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) as he discovers a magic key that leads to material wealth. We know how that sounds but stay with us here because, while the premise is intentionally absurdist, what transpires is a truly original comedy that makes whip smart observations about racial disparity and the plight of blue collar workers. Support from a cast including Jermaine Fowler, Terry Crews and Danny Glover doesn’t hurt either.
Hillbilly Elegy, 27 November
Another heavy hitter that Netflix has deemed worthy of a theatrical release, Hillbilly Elegy stars Gabriel Basso as a former Marine about to land his dream law job when a crisis forces him to return the Appalachian family he’s tried hard to leave behind. Once there it is the memories of his beloved grandmother (Glenn Close) that help him navigate his volatile relationship with his addict mother (Amy Adams) and come to embrace the inescapable imprint his family has left on him. Directed by Oscar-winner Ron Howard and based on J.D. Vance’s best selling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy is a powerful film that you’ll be thinking about for days after the credits roll.
These are the books everyone is talking about this autumn…
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