What to watch on Netflix this May – 5 new movies and shows worth your time

Wow! We're nearly in May already, and you know what that means? A whole new batch of shows and movies to fill your free time on Netflix. 

April was a particularly notable month with the release of two new series that dominated the streaming service. I'm talking about Baby Reindeer and Ripley. Two excellent shows that both make for edge-of-the-seat viewing. If you've finished them both however then don't worry, May is looking like it will fill that void and then some. 

Here are the five biggest movies and shows to look for on Netflix this May. 

1. Bodkin 

Set to pop up on the 9th of May, Bodkin is a little bit spooky and a little bit silly and I'm already sold. Will Forte (The Last Man on Earth and MacGruber) leads a group of podcasters investigating the disappearance of three people in the small Irish village of Bodkin some 25 years ago. Needless to say, his American enthusiasm is met with plenty of cynicism by the locals. 

Described by Netflix as "funny, though not a comedy; and a true crime story, though entirely fictional" this is definitely one to keep an eye out for. It even boasts Michelle and Barack Obama as executive producers! 

2. Eric 

If you can hang on until the 30th of May then you'll be rewarded with Eric - a Netflix original miniseries led by Benedict Cumberbatch. 

There's no trailer yet but billed as a thriller, it sounds truly bizarre. Set in 1980s New York, Cumberbatch plays Vincent, a leading puppeteer and creator of his own kid's TV show. 

When his son Edgar dissapears, Vincent is distraught and struggling. He decides that the only way to bring Edgar back is to bring his son's drawings to life, so he creates big blue monster Eric. With friends and police losing sympathy, Vincent (increasingly delusional) and Eric are the last hope of bringing Edgar home. 

3. Unfrosted 

Another out-of-the-box addition to Netflix this May, or should that be out of the cereal box? Unfrosted is the story of an arms race to create one of America's favourite breakfast treats, the Pop Tart. 

Co-written, starring and directed by Jerry Seinfeld himself, you've probably already seen the images of Hugh Grant as Tony the Tiger, and the movie looks to be weirder with every new detail emerging. I can't wait until the 3rd of May when we can finally tuck into Unfrosted. 

4. A Man in Full 

Arriving on May 2nd is this adaptation of the highly regarded best-seller of the same name. A Man in Full stars (the legendary) Jeff Daniels as Charlie Croker, one of Atalanta's biggest property moguls. 

With his empire crumbling around him, there are rivals and former friends aplenty ready to jump on his downfall. There's a superb supporting cast too, with Diane Lane and Lucy Liu being just two of the names to watch out for and Regina King co-directing. If you're missing Succession, this could fill a hole in your life. 

5. Atlas 

And finally, a bit of original sci-fi to round things off nicely. Atlas arrives on May 24th, with Jennifer Lopez in the titular role.

Described as "a brilliant but misanthropic data analyst with a deep distrust of artificial intelligence" Lopez' Atlas Shepard must team up with her mech suit partner to save the day on a distant planet where she's reunited with her "oldest foe". 

Video game fans should colour themselves intrigued, this might be the closest we ever get to a Titanfall movie.