April is upon us and no joke, Netflix once again has some brilliant new films ready for your viewing pleasure. Better still, it has several big Netflix Originals launching this month featuring some of the biggest stars in the industry today. What to watch first though?
To help solve this dilemma, T3 regular rounds up what's trending, what's got critics talking and what films are setting the streaming world ablaze. These movies are specifically aimed at those in the UK with a Netflix account, however, lots of them can be found in most places around the world – mainly any Netflix Originals, so you're in luck this month!
Netflix has 86 original films planned for 2022, including Knives Out 2, The Gray Man, They Cloned Tyrone, and many, many more movies with most Hollywood involved by the looks of it. April finally looks to be kicking off things right with a thriller, a meta blockbuster comedy and an indie award winning drama all available to stream now. For a more up to date update, check out the best new films to stream on Netflix and the best new films to stream on Disney Plus.
The Bubble
Netflix's big blockbuster for the month arrives in the form of The Bubble, a new comedy from director Judd Apatow, best known for The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Trainwreck. As the global pandemic forces everyone into lockdown, one cast and crew take it upon themselves to film the latest instalment of Cliff Beasts, a popular action franchise with dinosaurs, all while quarantined at a fancy hotel in England.
And what a cast it is! We have Karen Gillan leading the flick with Pedro Pascal, Leslie Mann, Keegan-Michael Key, Kate McKinnon, Fred Armisen, David Duchovny and the always funny/underrated Peter Serafinowicz. Launching today (April 1st) on the streaming service, what better way to start off the weekend than with a good laugh and the purposely bad CGI.
Windfall
Jesse Plemons is in everything these days – and for good reason, as the once Breaking Bad star sure knows how to pick his roles. Windfall is another strong outing to add to his ever-growing resume. Making up one of the three leads, Plemons plays a tech billionaire who arrives at his holiday home with his wife (Lily Collins) only to find a stranger, played by Jason Segel, burgling the place. From here, the robber decides to hold the two of them hostage until they hand over $150,000.
While this thriller does struggle at times with its tone and leaps in logic, it's still a riveting watch that sees Segel surprisingly steal the show as the desperate man in what must is his best performance to date. It's good enough that I forgot about the jovial Marshall from How I Met Your Mother, for which he is best known for.
Boiling Point
Ever felt under pressure? Well, imagine being a debt-ridden head chef dealing with addiction at one of the top restaurants in London on the busiest night of the year. This is Boiling Point, an enthralling 92-minutes that convinced me to never work in a kitchen. Remarkably, the whole of Boiling Point was shot in just one take.
Starring Stephen Graham as Andy Jones, the tense drama unfolds over the course of the evening at a blistering pace, delivering something truly magnificent. After seeing Graham making many memorable appearances throughout the years in the likes of Snatch, Boardwalk Empire and This Is England, it's finally great to see him land more leading roles.
Joker
The Clown Prince of Crime returns once again, although this time he is without Batman to foil his malpractice. Taking inspiration from Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy, Joker is a standalone origin story starring Academy Award-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix as Arthur Fleck, a failing stand up comedian who descends into madness.
It's a harrowing watch that stays with you long after the credits. With so many Joker interpretations out there, Phoenix comes the closest we've ever got the Heath Ledger's iconic performance in The Dark Knight. Meanwhile, the supporting cast features Robert De Niro (of course), Zazie Beetz, Frances Conroy and Brett Cullen all making up one of the best superhero films of the last decade. In a world where every film needs to be the start of a franchise or connect to half a dozen other movies, Joker is incredibly refreshing as a one and done.
Looking for more films to stream? Check out T3's top picks for Disney Plus and Amazon Prime Video. We also have some more Netflix movie suggestions, including another Joaquin Phoenix classic.
