Over the past few months, several new shows have been released onto Netflix, including some of my new personal favorites. Between Netflix Originals and spooky films for Halloween, Netflix continues to have a great selection.
Enola Holmes is a Netflix Original film about the sister of Sherlock Holmes trying to solve her mother’s disappearance while also unraveling a government conspiracy and hiding from one of her other brothers who wants to send her to finishing school. Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Enola Holmes, does a brilliant job of playing the part and has great chemistry with her onscreen friend and sort of love interest, a runaway lord played by Louis Partridge.
One of my personal favorite shows that Netflix has released is Julie and the Phantoms. I’m about 90 percent sure the audience is meant to be actual children, but when something is produced by Kenny Ortega, it draws those of all ages due to the pure nostalgia brought by it. Ortega also produced the High School Musical and Descendants franchise. The show follows teenage Julie who lost her mom a year ago and shows how music is brought back into her life after three ghost boys from the 90s band, Sunset Curve, show up in her garage. The show has some really great comedy while also maintaining some seriousness at times. All of the actors have great chemistry with each other and seem to be good friends in real life as well.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 is another Netflix Original film released on Sept. 25 that follows the “Chicago Seven,” a group of anti-Vietnam War protesters who were charged with conspiracy and intent of inciting riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. While it is not a documentary by any means, it mainly sticks to the facts while still engaging its audience.
For fans of K-pop, Netflix released a documentary about the female K-pop group, BLACKPINK called BLACKPINK: Light Up the Sky on Oct. 14. It tells the story of how the band was formed, who each of the bandmates really are as people and it details their rise to fame.
ParaNorman is a 2012 stop-motion animated film about a kid named Norman who has the ability to speak to the dead. Because of this ability, he is tasked with ending a 300 year old witch’s curse on his town in Massachusetts. One of the film’s main messages is to not judge other people which was made even more apparent by the film’s inclusion of a gay character, the first in a mainstream animated film. The co-director said that this character was directly connected to the film’s message, which he said as a response to those who were upset about this inclusion.
Netflix is known for their great original romantic comedies and Holidate is no exception. Released on Oct. 28, this film follows two people who no longer want to be single during the holidays but also don’t want to date seriously. Although the fake dating trope is a bit overused, it never ceases to impress and lead to an amazing romantic comedy. Plus, everyone knows that if the universe was a romantic comedy, fake dating always leads to something real.
Although being stuck at home is a bit of a bummer, as the weather gets colder we would normally stay inside more often anyways. So curl up with a cup of apple cider, tea or hot cocoa and start watching.
