As the days draw in and the nights grow long and cold, November is a great month to get some winter Netflix practice in. Luckily for those who have already binged the entire catalogue, there's some hot new content ready to go; from Oscar-nominated arthouse flick Nebraska, to Marvel's much-anticipated Jessica Jones.
Marvel's Jessica Jones: Season 1
While we're already excited by the fact that Jessica Jones is the first female Marvel lead in a film or series, we're also excited by the promise of a superhero fallen from grace, suffering from PTSD and battling with her own demons in a murky depiction of New York David Tenant plays the psychopathic bad guy, while the focus of the show is less on saving the world, but more on the day-to-day struggles of the characters involved.
Home Alone & Home Alone 2: Lost in New York
We know, we know, the Home Alone films are Christmas-time classics, but November is basically December and watching Macauley Culkin hilariously evade the hapless grasp of home intruders never gets old, does it? Perfect for a lazy, nostalgic Sunday session.
The French Connection
A stylish, cult 70's number, The French Connection follows the story of two New York detectives chasing a French Heroin Smuggler. The film itself is great, but it's worth watching alone for its depiction of girtty 70's NYC.
Nebraska
Shot entirely in black and white, Nebraska tells the tale of a cantankerous old man who wins a lottery sweepstake and must make a trip to Nebraska to collect it. Sparse, bleak and touching, it's a great character study on greed, family and death. Plus, it will make you look arty in front of your friends.
The Duchess
Kiera Knightley loves a costume drama and they don't come much more costume-ey than The Duchess, a 2008 film that sees Knightley assume the role of the Duchess of Devonshire, a beautiful aristocrat who is determined to become more than just a pretty figurehead and helps usher in reform in 18th century England. It sounds heavy and it is a bit, but the theme of a struggle against sexism is pertinent.
Testament of Youth
Another relevant feminist feature for autumn, Testament of Youth is a WW1 love story starring GOT's Kit Harrington and the and Swedish arthouse actress Alicia Vikander. The story follows a typical period drama arc, but turns the genre on its head with Alicia's character Vera's pursuit of an Oxford degree and a career as a writer, feminist and pacifist.
Beavis and Butt-head Do America
Like MTV, furbies and Hanson, Beavis and Butt-head are one of those 90's phenomenons that have been lost to the annals of time. But no longer! That's because their feature-length film is hitting Netflix and it also stars Bruce Willis and Demi Moore. You can't get much more 90's.
Force Majeure
A Grand Jury winner at last year's Cannes, Force Majeure follows the reaction of a Swedish family to an avalance while on holiday in the Alps. The avalance may have left them unscathed, but its impact causes tense ruptures in seemingly strong relationships. Very tense, very arty, very cool.
Utopia: Series 2
A show you may have missed the first time around, Utopia centres around a conspiracy hidden inside a graphic novel. This may sound a bit lame and contrived, but much like Channel 4's other cult drama Black Mirror, Utopia is a slick, nerve-shredding series that is well worthy of your Monday (and Tuesday and Wednesday etc) nights.
Words by Finlay Renwick
