As 2021 begins where 2020 left off, namely with all of us stuck inside trying to make the best of things during a global pandemic, luckily Netflix is here to help us out with a whole host of amazing new films and shows that will (hopefully) keep the January Blues at bay.
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From true-crime documentaries to comedy, check out the upcoming shows we think everyone will be talking about...
The Minimalists: Less Is Now - 1 January
Enjoyed Marie Kondo? Need to give your home a spring clean? If so, you'll love this. The film’s title was inspired by the popular maxim, 'Less is more,' popularised by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, and the Minimalists have reworked this phrase to create a sense of urgency for today’s consumer culture: now is the time for less.
WATCH: The Minimalists: Less is Now is going to have us cleaning out our houses
History of Swear Words - 5 January
Nicholas Cage is here to tell us the history of swear words, and honestly, we can't wait. The show will give an education in the origins, pop culture-usage, science and cultural impact of curse words alongside interviews with experts in etymology and pop culture as well as historians and entertainers.
Nicholas Cage narrates this new show
Surviving Death - 6 January
We just know people will be talking about this one. This series follows a group of people who have experienced near-death experiences, with the Netflix description reading: "Weaving together innovative new research with firsthand accounts from those who’ve been close to—and even experienced—death, the series takes viewers on an extraordinary journey into a world beyond human existence as we know it."
Fancy hearing about some near-death experiences?
Pieces of a Woman - 7 January
Get ready to be devastated. This film follows Martha and Sean, a loved-up couple on the verge of parenthood who find themselves embroiled in a lawsuit against a midwife after their baby dies during childbirth, all the while struggling with their overwhelming grief.
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Vanessa Kirby stars as Martha
Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy - 11 January
This documentary looks at the crack epidemic of the early 1980s in the US, and how it had a profound effect on people's lives, even decades later. The synopsis reads: "Crack: Cocaine, Corruption & Conspiracy examines not only the personal devastation caused by the drug, but also the shadowy origins of the crisis and the resultant, ongoing marginalisation of Black and Brown people trapped by the U.S. prison and healthcare systems."
A look at the devastating impact the addictive drug had on the community
Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer - 13 January
Love a true-crime doc? This one looks at how one of the most notorious serial killers in American history was hunted down and brought to justice. Back in 1985, a series of murders and sexual assaults were committed with no seeming pattern, with victims including men, women, and children ranging in ages from six to 82. The show follows how the police department managed to track him down after working tirelessly to find their culprit.
Fancy a true-crime?
Disenchantment season three - 15 January
Season three of this fantasy comedy is back! This time, Princess Bean continues to grow into her power and own her destiny, while her fearless friends Elfo and Luci venture out to discover new worlds to find there really is no place like home.
Bean is back!
Outside the Wire - 15 January
Starring Captain America star Anthony Mackie, this futuristic film follows Harp, a drone pilot who is sent into a deadly militarized zone where he finds himself working for Leo, an android officer, tasked to locate a doomsday device before the insurgents do.
Fancy a futuristic action film?
The White Tiger - 22 January
Starring Priyanka Chopra Jones, this darkly comic film follows Balram Halwan, who narrates his epic and darkly humorous rise from poor villager to successful entrepreneur in modern India.
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The synopsis reads: "Cunning and ambitious, our young hero jockeys his way into becoming a driver for Ashok and Pinky, who have just returned from America. Society has trained Balram to be one thing — a servant — so he makes himself indispensable to his rich masters. But after a night of betrayal, he realises the corrupt lengths they will go to trap him and save themselves. On the verge of losing everything, Balram rebels against a rigged and unequal system to rise up and become a new kind of master."
This looks like it's going to be a big hit
Penguin Bloom - 27 January
This true-story follows Samantha Bloom, a mother-of-three whose life changes in an instant while falling from a rooftop during a holiday and breaking her vertebrae in two places, paralysing her from the chest down. The synopsis reads: "A year later, her children brought home a wounded baby magpie they found. Warily eyeing the black-and-white bird the kids affectionately named 'Penguin,' Sam bonded with the household’s new member, beginning a process of emotional healing that surprised her husband and sons, her mother and herself."
Naomi Watts stars
Cobra Kai season three - date TBC
Taking place 30 years after the events of the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament, down-and-out Johnny Lawrence seeks redemption by reopening the infamous Cobra Kai karate dojo, while Daniel LaRusso struggles to maintain balance in his life without the guidance of Mr Miyagi. The show has been a huge hit, and we can't wait to see where season three takes us!
Are you a fan of Cobra Kai?
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