Grant Dillard
Staff writer
gdillard@murraystate.edu
With another month comes a new slate of movies and TV shows on Netflix. While this particular wave of media coming to the streaming site isn’t quite as exciting as previous months, there’s still a few bright spots. Based on The Hollywood Reporter’s comprehensive list, here’s a quick look at some of the things to check out on Netflix this month.
I Am Legend (April 1)
Although this film comes to Netflix on April Fool’s Day, “I am Legend” is no laughing matter. This post-apocalyptic drama focuses on Dr. Robert Neville (Will Smith) a lone survivor in New York City who struggles to find a cure to a plague that kills most of humanity and turns the remaining into monsters. The film largely benefits from its bleak atmosphere, suspenseful setpieces, and Will Smith’s fantastic and somber performance as the lead. It’s one of the better post-apocalyptic films out there, as well as one of the more emotional movies in recent years. Definitely have tissues on standby before watching.
Freddy vs. Jason (April 1)
“Versus” movies and crossovers are common today, with some of the biggest examples being “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” as well as the entirety of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Of course, like anything else, these kinds of crossovers had to start somewhere. Along with being an entertaining “versus” movie between two of the world’s most famous horror movie villains, Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees, “Freddy vs. Jason” could be considered one of the early examples of modern-day movie crossovers, and possibly a stepping stone to the concept of cinematic universes. Because of this, the film has a fascinating place in movie history in terms of setting the stage for what would become mainstream years later.
Deliverance (April 1)
Said to be one of the better films starring the late Burt Reynolds, “Deliverance” focuses on a group of friends embarking on a dangerous trip to see the Cahulawassee River before it’s dammed and turned into a lake. Featuring an all-star cast including Reynolds, Jon Voight, Ned Beatty and Ronny Cox, this film should be perfect for those looking for a good, old-fashioned thriller film.
The Perfect Date (April 12)
Noah Centineo may as well be the poster boy for Netflix, given how many exclusive films he’s involved in. This film in particular features Centineo as Brooks Rattigan, a young man who creates an app where anyone can pay him to play the perfect stand-in boyfriend for any occasion. The premise seems amusing enough, and Centineo has proven he can be very charming and likable onscreen. If everything works out to the film’s favor, it could be a good option for date night.