Words by Chanelle Goddard
With social curfews in place and the arrival of colder evenings, October is the perfect month to watch a show or two on Netflix.
Autumn nights are here, which means less sun and colder nights. Summer may have ended, but as always, Netflix is on hand to keep you entertained throughout the evenings. It looks like the 10 pm curfew is here to stay, so to keep you entertained, here’s what to watch on Netflix this month…
The Social Dilemma
This documentary-drama is, quite frankly, as terrifying as it is eye-opening. The director and the film’s cast (ex-employees at social media companies) have one urgent message: social media can be terrifyingly dangerous.
The documentary explores the negative human impacts of social media and networking, by using mini-stories and graphics to illustrate the damage too much screen time can do. Ironically the best reviews for the documentary came from…social media. “Essential but terrifying” and “mind-blowing” were some of the words used to describe its impact.
David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet
After 50 years exploring the world, Sir David Attenborough has become the fountain of knowledge for all things climate change and the environment. And in his latest showing on Netflix, he plans to do a whole lot of talking.
In this particular documentary, Sir David talks about his life, his journey, the beautiful places he’s visited, and the evolutionary history of life on earth. He also plans to deliver a stark warning in a way only he can: the planet and its inhabitants are dying, and we must act to save them. Aside from the opportunity to marvel at his knowledge and brilliance, David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet, gives you the opportunity to learn about the ways you can act to help save the environment.
The Trial Of The Chicago 7
Eddie Redmayne. Mark Rylance. Michael Keaton. Those three names alone should convince you to watch The Trail Of The Chicago. But if you need more convincing, maybe this will do it: it’s based on a true story about the peaceful protests against the Vietnam War, which turned violent. The acting is brilliant, but then again, when you have multiple Oscar winners and nominees, nothing less can be expected.
It’ll be released on October 16th; and with the closing of cinemas around the country, it really is a must-watch.
Social Distance
An eight-part series all about our shared experiences of the global pandemic. It showcases the power of human unity and spirit in the face of uncertainty, isolation and fear. It gives an honest account of people’s experiences during the pandemic and leaves you in the comfort that we all went through the same or similar experiences.
Ratched
Sarah Paulsen is back on our screens, and we couldn’t be happier. After it’s release just two weeks ago, Ratched is already at number three on Netflix’s trending page. Paulsen plays a nurse, who is seeking employment at a psychiatric hospital where new and unsettling experiments have begun on human minds. But there’s a twist: there’s nothing normal about Paulsen’s nurse. In fact, she may just be the most terrifying nurse in cinema.
With eight episodes, the series is the perfect October binge watch.
The Duchess
Katherine Ryan has been in comedy for a long time. And in the Duchess, which she writes and features in, she’s hilariously funny. Ryan plays a heightened version of herself: a fashionista single mum who’s considering having a second child but doesn’t have a partner, forcing her to look for a sperm donor. It follows Katherine’s unconventional but hilarious journey as an everyday single mum, who’s raising her daughter in London.
Young Wallander
The famous Wallander novels by Henning Mankell have been adapted into this modern and edgy detective series, which will be released this October.
The series follows a young police officer, Kurt Wallander (played by Swedish actor Adam Pålsson), on his first big case. In a constant struggle, he learns to balance his guilt over the death of a young boy with his duty to solve the mysterious and tragic crime. It’s definitely one to watch on Netflix this month.
On the subject of things to watch, here’s why Channel U’s return is good news for all grime lovers.