10 New Movies & Shows Coming to Netflix This Month
In the #Mood for… Laughing Till It Hurts?
Must-Watch No. 1: The Outrageous Show That Really Gets Dating
Chewing Gum (Season 2)
In the first season of this cheeky British series, 24-year-old Tracey found herself breaking away from her ultra-strict Christian upbringing in search of a boyfriend and some newfound freedom. Now, she'll have to deal with the repercussions.
Available to Stream: April 4
Original Release: January 12, 2017
Stars: Michaela Coel, Susan Wokoma, and Robert Lonsdale
Director: Tom Marshall
Fun Fact: Michaela Coel not only stars as Tracey in this hilariously bold sitcom, she also writes the show-and last year it earned her a BAFTA for Breakthrough Talent.
Must-Watch No. 2: The College Comedy We Really Need Right Now
Dear White People
At a predominantly white college, one student decides to start a radio show that points out prejudice in the student body and creates chaos. This satirical show is fictional, but the stories it depicts are far too common.
Available to Stream: April 28
Stars: Logan Browning, Brandon Bell, and Antoinette Robertson
Creator: Justin Simien
Fun Fact: Creator Justin Simien was tapped to create the 10-episode series after the success of his 2014 film with the same name.
In the #Mood for… Obsessing Over a Small-Town Mystery?
Must-Watch No. 3: The Unsolved Crime That Still Haunts Us Today
Casting JonBenet
A genre-bending documentary, Casting JonBenet revisits one of the most notorious unsolved mysteries in recent American history through the lens of a movie casting. By auditioning numerous residents of the Boulder, Colorado area, director Kitty Green paints a portrait of the victim and her family and gets a unique insight into the community's thoughts about what actually happened on Christmas night in 1996.
Available to Stream: April 28
Director: Kitty Green
Fun Fact: The director used a similar approach in her 2015 documentary, The Face of Ukraine: Casting Oksana Baiul, which examines the unstable state of Ukraine through the life of the former professional figure skater and national hero.
Must-Watch No. 4: The Dark Comedy Where the Good Guy Might Be a Bad Guy
Small Crimes
A former cop turned ex-con gets out of jail and tries his best to walk the straight and narrow path-but a life without crime just might not be in the cards for him. Even when he's on the wrong side of the law, however, it's hard not to root for him. (Of course, that might be because of the charming performance by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, best known these days as Jaime Lannister on Game of Thrones.)
Available to Stream: April 28
Stars: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Molly Parker
Director: E.L. Katz
Fun Fact: Though the film takes place in small-town America, it was actually shot in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
In the #Mood for… Escaping to a Magical World?
Must-Watch No. 5: The Heartwarming Adventure of an Outcast Turned Hero
Kubo and the Two Strings
After mistakenly awakening an angry spirit, Kubo sets out on a life-changing journey with just one magical instrument and two friends in tow, fighting all kinds of monsters as he tries to get to the bottom of the one mystery that has haunted his young life: the whereabouts of his legendary samurai father.
Available to Stream: April 28
Original Release: August 19, 2016
Stars: Charlize Theron, Ralph Fiennes, and Matthew McConaughey
Director: Travis Knight
Fun Fact: Before making his directorial debut, Travis Knight worked as an animator on Coraline, ParaNorman, and The Boxtrolls-and he also released a rap record under the name Chilly Tee in 1993, which featured production from the legendary Bomb Squad.
Must-Watch No. 6: The Summer Blockbuster With a Truly Giant Heart
The BFG
Though there are evil, man-eating beasts in the universe of The BFG, there is also the titular character, a kind-hearted and loving Big Friendly Giant. One rainy night in London, he whisks little Sophie away from the orphanage and brings her to Giant Country-a fantastical realm filled with creatures both enchanting and frightening-before the two set out on a quest to defeat the man-eaters.
Available to Stream: April 6
Original Release: July 1, 2016
Stars: Mark Rylance, Rebecca Hall, and Ruby Barnhill
Director: Steven Spielberg
Fun Fact: This is the second film adaptation of the book released by Roald Dahl in 1982. The first was an animated version that came out in 1989.
In the #Mood for… Getting Goosebumps?
Must-Watch No. 7: The Classic Horror Movie That Will Keep You Up All Night
A Nightmare on Elm Street
This classic slasher film is the first installment in a nine-movie franchise centered around a killer who haunts his victims' dreams. As much as you may love a good night's sleep, this is the movie that will give you second thoughts about resting your head on your pillow.
Available to Stream: April 1
Original Release: November 16, 1983
Stars: Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp, and John Saxon
Director: Wes Craven
Fun Fact: The film features one of Johnny Depp's earliest appearances on screen. He plays Glen, a young man who has a very, um, memorable interaction with Freddy.
Must-Watch No. 8: The Frightening (and Fun) Reminder to Take Care of Your Pets
Gremlins
A man walks into a mysterious shop and buys a cute little critter called a Mogwai as a pet for his son. The shopkeeper insists he follow three strict rules, or else. Naturally, things go haywire, and the purchase of this pet ends up leading to absolute mayhem. (A not-so-subtle endorsement of adopting a pet instead of buying one?)
Available to Stream: April 1
Original Release: June 8, 1984
Stars: Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates
Director: Joe Dante
Fun Fact: Gremlins was written by Chris Columbus, who would go on to direct Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
In the #Mood for… Saving the World?
Must-Watch No. 9: The Science Guy Is Back! And Better Than Ever!
Bill Nye Saves the World
This isn't your usual talk show-Bill Nye is back to prove exactly why you should care about science outside of the classroom. Come for the random celebrity appearances (Rachel Bloom! Steve Aoki!), stay for the eye-opening lessons about global warming, health, and more.
Available to Stream: April 19
Stars: Bill Nye
Fun Fact: Bill Nye isn't the only big name attached to this Netflix original-supermodel and coder Karlie Kloss will make appearances as a correspondent.
Must-Watch No. 10: The Doc Every Ocean-Lover Needs to See
A Plastic Ocean
After one of the film's producers, Jo Ruxton, visited the massive collection of floating debris known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, she became acutely aware of just how bad our ocean pollution problem is. This documentary chronicles a journey undertaken by director and journalist Craig Leeson to understand the depth of the issue, and how we can fix it.
Available to Stream: April 21
Director: Craig Leeson
Fun Fact: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the big hunk of non-recyclable plastic just sitting in the Pacific Ocean, is currently twice the size of Texas-and growing.
