What You Missed and Must-See on Netflix? A Binge-Watchers Guide

We’ve all experienced evenings where we scroll through the seemingly endless amounts of options on Netflix. With so many movies, TV shows, and documentaries to choose from, it can feel difficult to narrow down what you’re looking for. It helps to understand what your preferred genres are along with what you’re in the mood for. Here’s a list of our recommended Netflix media choices for your upcoming binge.

Best Netflix Series

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Arcane

IMDB Rating: 9
Genre: Animation, Action, Adventure
Featuring: Hailee Steinfeld, Kevin Alejandro, Jason Spisak

Synopsis: If you’re not a fan of animation or the video game known as League of Legends, no need to worry. Arcane is arguably a masterpiece in visual storytelling with its well-written dialogue, stellar animation, and complex characters. It’s filled with twists and turns that you’ll never see coming. Plus, you don’t need to know anything about its previously established lore within League of Legends.
At its core, Arcane is the story of two sisters Vi and Powder as they survive in the middle of a conflict between two cities. Piltover is the shining and prosperous world above the grimy undercity known as Zaun, where the two sisters live. After a life-changing event, Vi and Powder find themselves separated and at odds with each other’s viewpoints.

Stranger Things

IMDB Rating: 8.7
Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Horror
Featuring: Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Winona Ryder

Synopsis: Stranger Thing’s first season characters became such pop culture icons that it cemented itself as one of the best TV shows of the last decade. It’s now four seasons in with Kate Bush’s “Running Up That Hill” taking on a whole new meaning. If you’ve never sat down and binged Stranger Things, there’s no better time to do so!
Taking place in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, Stranger Things begins when young Will Byers goes missing, seemingly out of thin air. Is a person behind this strange disappearance, or is something more sinister happening within this small, sleepy town? Inspired by Lovecraftian horror along with Stephen King novels, Stranger Things pays homage to several other groundbreaking ‘80s films that came before it.

Sex Education

IMDB Rating: 8.4
Genre: Dramedy
Featuring: Asa Butterfield, Gillian Anderson, Ncuti Gatwa

Synopsis: At times hilarious and occasionally heartfelt, Sex Education is a slice-of-life dramedy that centres around Otis Milburn and Maeve Wiley. The series follows these unlikely allies and their everyday shenanigans as they work together to run a sex clinic at their high school. Granted, that’s only one element of this inclusive and extremely well-written show.

Sex Education purposely takes tropes solidified in other TV shows of its kind to subvert expectations. Stereotypically mean characters are actually kind-hearted beneath the surface or have tragic backstories explaining their personalities. The show also lives up to its name, including helpful information that you might not have learned in your own high school curriculum.

Dead End: Paranormal Theme Park

IMDB Rating: 6.8
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Featuring: Kody Kavitha, Emily Osment, Zach Barack

Synopsis: If you’re looking for a family-friendly binge, Dead End: Paranormal Theme Park is an arguably underrated TV show with quirky concepts people of all ages will enjoy. Including a cast of diverse characters, the story follows Barney and Norma after they apply for jobs at a haunted theme park.

As one might expect with this premise, things don’t go exactly as planned. Barney and Normal find themselves facing demon encounters, ghost sightings, and other supernatural entities trying to infiltrate the theme park. However, as they begin to uncover the mystery surrounding its paranormal activity, they realise there are many more secrets to this place than meets the eye.

Heartstopper

IMDB Rating: 8.7
Genre: Drama, Romance
Featuring: Joe Locke, Kit Connor, Yasmin Finney

Synopsis: Based on the bestselling graphic novels, Heartstopper is a compassionate and heartfelt love story between two high school boys. Charlie is a shy but kind-hearted student who meets Nick, a fellow classmate known for being the school’s star rugby player. After Nick asks Charlie to join the rugby team, the two develop a friendship that begins to blossom into something more.

Heartstopper features a diverse cast along with a wide range of relationships both platonic and romantic. It’s a show that uses unique colours and lighting that make it appealing to Gen-Z trends while creating a timeless romantic aesthetic. Great for adolescents and adults alike, Heartstopper lives up to its promise of being truly touching.

Never Have I Ever

IMDB Rating: 7.9
Genre: Dramedy
Featuring: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan, Darren Barnet

Synopsis: Fans of The Office will appreciate this cute high school dramedy loosely based on co-creator Mindy Kaling’s own childhood. Its title is admittedly misleading as the show’s premise is truly a coming-of-age story following Indian American student Devi Vishwakumar.

Its first season meets Devi after experiencing a period of traumatic events. After the sudden passing of her father whom she shared a close relationship, Devi begins to struggle. Her relationship with her mom is tumultuous, and she finds herself lost in the world of high school. However, with the support of her eclectic group of friends and a few hard-learned lessons, Devi begins to heal in the midst of her father’s absence.

The Sandman

IMDB Rating: 7.7
Genre: Horror, Drama, Fantasy
Featuring: Tom Sturridge, Boyd Holbrook, Patton Oswalt

Synopsis: Based on Neil Gaiman’s DC comic of the same name, The Sandman follows the mortal wizard Dream after escaping from decades of imprisonment. He’s known by several other names, such as Morpheus, Sandman, Onerous, and more. This begins a journey across various worlds to undo the chaos enacted by his absence.

Striking visuals and an engaging plot support this creative, fictional interpretation of what occurs while people sleep. Fans of fantasy intertwined with drama will likely find its concepts fascinating. Plus, Neil Gaiman returned to bring his creativity to life by being a part of the show’s production.

Noteworthy Documentaries

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Formula 1: Drive to Survive

IMDB Rating: 8.6
Genre: Sports
Featuring: Will Buxton, Jack Nicholls, Lewis Hamilton

Synopsis: Drive to Survive is a collaborative documentary series between Netflix and Formula One. It follows the FIA Formula One World Championship and currently consists of 4 seasons, with the fifth being released in 2023. Each season details the lives of some of the world’s greatest drivers, team owners, and management teams.

Many fans commend this show for its ability to capture the attention of race car fans and outside audiences alike. With each season covering a wide range of teams, including the personal lives of specific drivers, Drive to Survive manages to make audiences care about its cast.

Even if you’ve never seen a single F1 race, the show’s creators make sure to explain the rules in an understandable and beginner-friendly manner. It has covered every world championship up to 2021 and will continue to follow the suspense of these driver’s stories from 2022.

My Octopus Teacher

IMDB Rating: 8.1
Genre: Nature
Featuring: Craig and Tom Foster

Synopsis: Winner of the 2021 Academy Award for Best Documentary, My Octopus Teacher follows the unexpected friendship between filmmaker Craig Foster and an octopus living in a South African kelp forest. This developed after years of exploration among the cold waters of the Benguela current in the Atlantic Ocean.

This touching documentary chronicles their bond, including encounters that test both of their survival. Foster continually fends off other marine wildlife over the course of the documentary while the octopus loses and regenerates one of her arms after an attack. Even so, the octopus manages to teach Foster about the immense beauty of nature and humanity’s place within it.

Fans of charming friendship stories along with nature documentaries will greatly enjoy My Octopus Teacher. Amidst a chaotically changing world, a simple but remarkable friendship between an octopus and a human being brings hope to the hearts of viewers.

The White Helmets

IMDB Rating: 7.5
Genre: Short film, War
Featuring: Dana Abed, Tia Alkerdi, Khalid Farah

Synopsis: If you don’t have time for a full-length movie or docuseries, The White Helmets is a transformative short film that everyone needs to watch. Consisting of a mere 41-minute runtime, it shares the stories of “the white helmets,” the name for a group of first responders in the midst of Syrian conflicts.

What makes their stories especially profound is that many of them are volunteers. The documentary follows these people as they constantly risk their lives, all without asking for anything in return. This short but unforgettable film highlights the perseverance of the human spirit and undying kindness in the face of war.

Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened

IMDB Rating: 7.2
Genre: Music, Crime
Featuring: Bill McFarland, Jason Bell, Gabrielle Bluestone

Synopsis: It’s possible that you lived through what would become one of the most infamous music festivals that never actually happened. If you don’t remember it, this documentary will recap the story for you - and then some.

This film captures the fascinating unravelling of the FYRE music festival and everything leading up to its inevitable failure. It dives into the history of the event along with the aftermath of its realities. It’s essentially a cautionary tale of what happens when wealth and greed mix together. After all, the person behind the FYRE Festival, Billy McFarland, is revealed to have a long history of fraud.

Whether you remember it happening or simply want a fascinating exploration into one of history's most underwhelming music festivals, anyone is bound to find this documentary interesting.

13th

IMDB Rating: 8.2
Genre: Crime, History
Featuring: Melina Abdullah, Michelle Alexander, Cory Booker

Synopsis: This 2016 documentary delves deep into the history of racial inequality in the United States, and how it has shaped the prison system today. Deriving its name from the 13th amendment, 13th explores how the 13th amendment came to be, but how, in many ways, it did not diminish racial inequality.

This moving document provides a deep dive into post-civil war legislation that prompted a disproportionate number of black Americans to be incarcerated. 13th explores how inequality derived from this legislation has never fully been amended, and how this is reflected in the United States' current prison system. 13th gives viewers a raw and honest look into the United States' past and how it affects Americans today.

The Keepers

IMDB Rating: 8.1
Genre: True Crime, Mystery
Featuring: Gemma Hoskins, Abbie Schaub, Virginia Anzengruber

Synopsis: This seven-episode docuseries explores the life and death of Catherine Cesnik. Catherine Cesnik was a nun and English teacher in Baltimore, who was mysteriously murdered in 1969. The Keepers not only relays the suspenseful story of Cesnik's disappearance and murder but weaves together the inspiring story of Cesnik’s life.

While Cesnik’s murder is still unsolved, The Keepers explore the theories held at the time, as well as the discoveries that have been made since. If you are looking for a docuseries that will keep you on your toes, look no further than The Keepers to lead you through the clues of Cesnik's murder while exploring the moving narrative of her life.

What Movies to Watch on Netflix

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Heathers

IMDB Rating: 7.2
Genre: Dark Comedy
Featuring: Winona Ryder, Christian Slater, Shannen Doherty

Synopsis: Before there were Mean Girls, there were Heathers. Whether you enjoy its musical adaptation or feel like exploring some familiar favourites, this ‘80s cult classic is guaranteed to subvert all expectations. This cast depicts the fictional halls of Westerburg High and its notorious clique, the Heathers.

Where this famous dark comedy continually surprises audiences is the inclusion of its two main characters, Veronica Sawyer and Jason Dean (JD). Instead of simply becoming a fourth member of her school’s clique, Veronica and JD begin a plot to enact revenge against the Heathers. When events quickly spiral out of control, the film takes a drastically darker turn than expected.

Although it was originally released in 1988, Heathers popularised many tropes seen in modern-day high school comedies. As dark as its premise becomes, it is a satire at its core and many of its original themes are still relevant today.

tick, tick… BOOM!

IMDB Rating: 7.5
Genre: Musical, Biography, Drama
Featuring: Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Robin De Jesus

Synopsis: Many people have at least heard of RENT or have run across songs from its soundtrack. What many people don’t know is the story behind its music along with the creative process that came before it. Tick, tick, BOOM was actually written and performed before RENT even hit the streets of Broadway. However, it told the story of its playwright in a way that intrigued Lin-Manuel Miranda, the film's eventual director.

The Wonder

IMDB Rating: 7.1
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Featuring: Florence Pugh, Tom Burke, Kíla Lord Cassidy

Synopsis: This psychological thriller is set in the Irish Midlands in 1862, 13 years after the Great Famine. Inspired by true events and adapted from a novel, the story follows an English Nurse who is brought to care for a young 11-year-old girl who has survived without food for four months.

Since she lives in a devout community, the young girl named Anna is viewed as a saint and is believed to live off of the “manna from Heaven.” As the nurse, Lib Wright begins to unravel the mystery around her, she begins to question if there are ominous motives at play within the village.

Inspired by mysterious stories surrounding “fasting girls” who claimed to survive several months at a time without food, fans of historical fiction will enjoy this film.

Judas and the Black Messiah

IMDB Rating: 7.4
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Featuring: LaKeith Stanfield, Daniel Kaluuya, Jesse Plemons

Synopsis: Directed by Shaka King, this heart-wrenching and complex film details the true story of Chicago’s Black Panther Party and its FBI informant, William O’Neal. After getting in trouble with the law in 1966, 17-year-old William O’Neal makes a deal with FBI agent Ray Martin Mitchell to infiltrate the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party.

At the time, charismatic party member Fred Hampton was making his way up the leadership ranks as FBI director J. Edgar Hoover felt threatened by the group. While O’Neal begins to learn more about the party, he’s infiltrated and the people within it, his mission becomes incredibly complicated.

Mad Max: Fury Road

IMDB Rating: 8.1
Genre: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi
Featuring: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult

Synopsis: Arguably one of the best action films made in the past decade, Mad Max: Fury Road is a must-watch for anyone who enjoys their fair share of over-the-top explosions. Although Mad Max is in the title and eventually appears in the film, its story revolves around a woman named Furiosa attempting to find her homeland in an apocalyptic world.

Max finds himself in the middle of this conflict as he grieves over the loss of his wife and child. While receiving the aid of a psychotic worshipper, he eventually teams up with Furiosa and a group of female prisoners as they make their way across a vast desert, fighting for their survival. Exciting and chaotic, Mad Max: Fury Road will leave you at the edge of your seat during its entire runtime.

Marriage Story

IMDB Rating: 7.9
Genre: Drama, Romance
Featuring: Adam Driver, Scarlet Johansson, Julia Greer

Synopsis: Nominated for several academy awards at the time of its release, Marriage Story is exactly what it sounds like, if not more. An incredibly empathetic and heartbreaking approach to ending a relationship, Marriage Story depicts divorce in a manner that’s uncomfortable to watch.

Even so, despite its intense portrayal of the consequences that come with an end of a marriage, it manages to do so from an unbiased perspective. The two main characters are fantastically played by both leading actors, Adam Driver and Scarlet Johansson. Have your tissues at the ready if you decide to watch this wonderfully directed but devastating film.

Princess Mononoke

IMDB Rating: 8.4
Genre: Animation, Action/Adventure
Featuring: Billy Crudup, Billy Bob Thornton, Minnie Driver

Synopsis: Princess Mononoke is a complex fantasy epic written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki, creator of animated masterpieces such as Spirited Away. It follows the cursed prince Ashitaka as he finds himself in the middle of a conflict between a nearby town and the gods surrounding its city walls.

The story may appear to be heavily environmental on the surface but is quite sophisticated in its execution. It’s a fable that doesn’t have overt “heroes” or “villains” but instead opposing viewpoints that clash with one another. Fans of animation, fantasy, and fantastic world-building will appreciate this film’s thought-provoking themes.

Do Revenge

IMDB Rating: 6.3
Genre: Comedy
Featuring: Camila Mendes, Maya Hawke, Austin Abrams

Synopsis: A recent addition to Netflix’s lineup of original movies, fans of the ‘90s or early 2000s rom-coms like Clueless will love its blatant homages to other films within its genre. Featuring Riverdale’s Camila Mendes and Stranger Things’ Maya Hawke, the story revolves around two high school girls who vow to enact revenge on their individual enemies.

The great thing about Do Revenge is how it purposely leans into its tropes and goes full camp with its style. There are twists that will make it hard to take your eyes off of the screen and leave you wondering what will happen next. Colourful costumes and Mean Girls-esque plotlines will make you feel familiar with the story while also being blindsided by its many surprises.

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