Binge all break long: New additions on Netflix for December
The end is near. Well, the end of the semester at least. In a few weeks, choosing to chill out and watch a movie won’t feel like a shameful act of procrastination, because we’ll actually be on break. To help prepare for a month of leisure time, it might be worth checking out what’s new on Netflix this month. Here are four programs that'll surely keep you occupied over break.
Roma
Alfonso Cuarón is one of the most decorated directors in the world, still riding high off of the success of his 2013 film “Gravity.” The Oscar award-winning artist is back with a new film called “Roma,” which is set in his native country Mexico. Semi-biographical in nature, Cuarón has made a film that explores life in Mexico City in the 1970s, and it seems he has crafted another top-notch motion picture. Although it isn’t yet available on Netflix, the film premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August to rave reviews. It won the Golden Lion, the festival’s top prize, and has been named as "the best film of the year" by Time Magazine and the New York Film Critics Circle. Currently sitting with a prestigious 99 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it seems that Cuarón is ready to sweep us off of our feet again.
The Last Dragon
After martial arts movies exploded in popularity in the 1970s, Hollywood rushed to churn out as many as they could. “The Last Dragon” is Motown Founder Berry Gordy’s swing at the martial arts genre. True to his legacy, Gordy subverted expectations by making the protagonist of the film an African American, hilariously nicknamed Bruce Leroy. Following the conventional martial arts story arc, the film was commercially successful, but a dud critically. Still, “The Last Dragon” has gained cult-classic status, mainly due to the endearing tackiness of it all. It's an incredibly fun, though eye-roll inducing, affair.
ReMastered: Who Killed Jam Master Jay
The hip-hop group Run-D.M.C. has a cherished legacy as one of the pioneers of the genre, remembered for hits such as “My Adidas” and “Walk This Way.” This made the 2002 death of member Jam Master Jay all the more shocking. Though there were six witnesses present on the scene, nobody has ever been convicted for the murder. This edition of ReMastered, a show that describes itself as "an in-depth look behind some of the most legendary names in music” according to IMDb, explores the mystery behind the death of Jam Master Jay. Featuring commentary from Run-D.M.C. members and figures like Russell Simmons, this is a story for fans of rap, murder mysteries and the tragedy of celebrity life.
Sunderland 'Til I Die
In England, football is a religion. The Football Association (FA) is the governing body of all things soccer, it's in charge of the hierarchy of leagues. The most popular league is the top tier, called the Premier League, which hosts world-famous clubs such as Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea. In the FA, the worst-case scenario for every team is to be relegated to a lower tier. Sunderland, a club who had spent their entire history in the Premier League, finally met that dark fate for the first time in the 2016-17 season. The eight-episode docuseries follows the club and its fans as they attempt to bounce back from the harsh disappointment of relegation.
These programs aren’t the only binge worthy additions to Netflix. Classic comedies like “Friday” and “The Big Lebowski,” along with blockbusters like “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Michael Jackson’s This Is It” are all being added to the site over the course of the month. You can finally get through your watch list without feeling like an awful student, so take advantage of it.
