We sort the good from the bad and pick the best movies and TV shows to watch on Netflix this month – from new series to returning favourites.
If you’re an avid reader of our monthly What to Watch on Netflix round-ups, you’re probably disappointed by our lateness this month – but in our defence, the sun was out and shining. Besides, whether on your lazy Sundays or post-work lounges, there’s still plenty of time to catch up on the best movies and TV shows on Netflix this month.
Plus, this article arrives just in time for the latest season of Lupin. You call it lateness, we call it perfect timing…
Lupin
When season one of Lupin dropped last year, no one quite knew what to make of the latest addition to Netflix’s collection of foreign dramas made for UK audiences. But, no more than 10 minutes into the first episode, and you’ll begin to understand the hype. As the master thief Arsène Lupin, Omar Sy is brilliant. If intense and action-filled plots are your thing, then Lupin may well be your go-to show this summer.
Captain Phillips
Sometimes, when Hollywood takes on real-life stories, the results can be underwhelming. In the case of Captain Phillips and the events of 8 April 2009, though, Hollywood got it right. In fact, they got it so right, that the film was nominated for six Academy Awards. With Tom Hanks at the wheel of a shipping freight and Barkhad Abdi his on-screen nemesis, you’re sucked into the action.
Straight Outta Compton
Most of us can rap a line or two, or even cite previously heard tales of one rap’s most infamous names: N.W.A. On-screen, their stories – including the ‘ugly’ side of their formidable rise – are brought to life. And, when the sons of some of the stars play their part in the film, you’ve got to watch, right?
It may not be an Oscar-worthy showing, but Straight Outta Compton a great depiction of rap history as you’ve never seen it before.
Spider-Man, Far From Home
When talking about perfect castings, a role designed and built to suit an actor’s real-life personality, Tom Holland’s Spider-Man comes to mind. And in his second outing as the famous superhero, Holland is as cheeky, geeky and sharp-tongued as ever. Plus, Jake Gyllenhaal and Zendaya make frequent appearances. If that doesn’t make you tune in, nothing will.
Awake
In Awake, chaos ensues after a global event wipes out all electronics and takes away humankind’s ability to sleep. Granted, that doesn’t sound like the most original premise, but sense-stealing thrillers like Bird Box and A Quiet Place have been roaring successes in recent years. That said, critics haven’t been kind to this one so far – Awake currently scores a measly 33% on Rotten Tomatoes, while one outlet labelled it a “real snooze.”
Maybe just sleep, instead?
Too Hot to Handle
With the sun out and shining, we’d be mad to leave out Netflix’s very own version of Love Island off this list. Yes, I know, you’re probably thinking “how very original of the streaming giant”, re-packing the same old show with a different name. In fairness, the opposite is true. With large, seemingly-endless shooting budgets, it seems the creative wizards at Netflix may have come up with something unique in Too Hot to Handle.
In this show, participants aren’t allowed to actually, you know, get it on with their crushes. And if last season was anything to go by, that’ll be a pretty hard rule for the latest bunch of good looking twenty-somethings to stick to.
Speaking of good looking, here’s why A$AP Rocky is the prettiest man alive.