After the craziness of the holiday season, there is nothing better than getting all cozy on the couch and relaxing with a good show. It’s not often that I have the time to devour an entire season in a matter of days but over the winter break, it’s the perfect opportunity to do just that. Netflix is getting better and better, offering up seasons of past favourites like Friends and Breaking Bad, or current hit shows like Scandal and Homeland. But if you’re like me and want something a little off the radar, I’ve put together a little Netflix guide to keep you entertained over the next little while. Here are my current recommendations:
BLOODLINE
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: a dramatic thriller that explores the demons lurking beneath the surface of a contemporary American family. The Rayburns are hard-working pillars of their Florida Keys community. But when the black sheep son comes home for the 45th anniversary of his parents’ hotel, he threatens to expose the Rayburns’ dark secrets and shameful past, pushing his siblings to the limits of family loyalty.
WHY WATCH: Compelling storyline with great use of flashbacks and forwards, brilliant characterization, the acting is stellar by an even more stellar cast AND Netflix has started teasing us with Season 2, where they’re said to be bringing on some new actors like John Leguizamo (!!!).
NARCOS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Netflix takes on the infamous Medellín drug cartel in “Narcos,” which follows the rise and fall of Colombian kingpin Pablo Escobar and the Drug Enforcement Agency agents hunting him. The drama begins with the early days of the drug battle, when the biggest offenders were “hippies in flip-flops” caught with up to a kilo of marijuana, continuing to the violent, bloody battles between members of the cartel peddling tons of kilos of cocaine and drug agents from Colombia, Mexico, and the U.S. — a struggle estimated to have cost at least 4,000 lives over two decades.
WHY WATCH: It’s gritty and intense. So watch it if you’re in the mood from something suspenseful! But make sure to stop and appreciate the powerful footage combined with great cinematography.
MAKING A MURDERER
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: Filmed over a 10-year period, Making a Murderer is an unprecedented real-life thriller about Steven Avery, a DNA exoneree who, while in the midst of exposing corruption in local law enforcement, finds himself the prime suspect in a grisly new crime. Set in America’s heartland, the series takes viewers inside a high-stakes criminal case where reputation is everything and things are never as they appear.
WHY WATCH: This is a ‘watch all the episodes in one night’ kind of series. And a word of warning: you may want to throw something at your screen so have soft pillows nearby. This is a roller coaster of a ride through Steven Avery’s unfortunate life but, at the same time, a brutal look at how far corruption can go in law enforcement.
WINTER ON FIRE
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: A documentary on the unrest in Ukraine during 2013 and 2014, as student demonstrations supporting European integration grew into a violent revolution calling for the resignation of President Viktor F. Yanukovich.
WHY WATCH: To watch this struggle is incredibly intense and not for the faint of heart. Admittedly, the documentary does lean more towards the people’s point of view but politics aside, the film does an incredible job at showcasing this uprising using breathtaking footage. At times, it is hopeful and profound, others it is brutal and truly sorrowful.
TWINSTERS
WHAT IT’S ABOUT: A documentary film which covers the true-life story of identical twin sisters, separated at birth, discovering each other on-line, meeting, confirming their identity with a DNA test and exploring aspects of their background together.
WHY WATCH: So endearing and heartfelt. Watching their journey together was uplifting and reminded me how extraordinary life can be (and that sometimes the internet and social media can lead to great things!!). The documentary is very informal, which adds an intimacy to the story. After watching it, you can’t help but be so happy for these sisters!
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