None of my picks for what you should watch on Netflix Canada this weekend have anything to do with blackface or Liam Neeson. I know you’ve had your fill of both this week, so you’re welcome. In fact, let’s just pretend this week in White People Acting Foolish didn’t happen. To help us with our delusions, I’ve compiled a list of TV shows, movies, and documentaries that will transport us into different worlds, or just make us worry about other problems. Happy Friday! Here are five things to watch on Netflix this weekend.
Russian Doll
If you’ve been on Twitter this week, you’ve probably scrolled past someone professing their love for Russian Doll. I chose it as a February title you should look out for. Now, it’s time to get binging. To recap, Natasha Lyonne plays Nadia, a woman (with great hair) who keeps dying on and subsequently reliving her 36th birthday. The reviews for this existential comedy have been stellar (like really, really, good), and apparently, it’s got layers and layers to keep you hooked through its eight episodes. FINE, Internet, Russian Doll is my weekend homework.
If you’ve been on Twitter this week, you’ve probably scrolled past someone professing their love for Russian Doll. I chose it as a February title you should look out for. Now, it’s time to get binging. To recap, Natasha Lyonne plays Nadia, a woman (with great hair) who keeps dying on and subsequently reliving her 36th birthday. The reviews for this existential comedy have been stellar (like really, really, good), and apparently, it’s got layers and layers to keep you hooked through its eight episodes. FINE, Internet, Russian Doll is my weekend homework.
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My Best Friend’s Wedding
Yes, this is the second time I’ve recommended a re-watch of My Best Friend’s Wedding, but this time, I actually have a good reason! The cast of the seminal rom-com of the '90s reunited this week for a cover story for Entertainment Weekly. We get new photos of Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Dermot Mulroney, and Rupert Everett (TOGETHER) and an interview full of tidbits like how Julia and Dermot are still BFFs in real life and Dermot CRIES when he talks about the movie. Same. How many all-caps words can I fit into this paragraph? Can you tell I’ve seen My Best Friend’s Wedding more times than I’m willing to admit? The EW feature comes with a behind-the-scenes video and interview with the cast, so I don’t know why you’re still reading this. You should either be obsessing over the reunion or re-watching Dermot Mulroney suck a ring off of Julia Roberts’ finger.
Yes, this is the second time I’ve recommended a re-watch of My Best Friend’s Wedding, but this time, I actually have a good reason! The cast of the seminal rom-com of the '90s reunited this week for a cover story for Entertainment Weekly. We get new photos of Julia Roberts, Cameron Diaz, Dermot Mulroney, and Rupert Everett (TOGETHER) and an interview full of tidbits like how Julia and Dermot are still BFFs in real life and Dermot CRIES when he talks about the movie. Same. How many all-caps words can I fit into this paragraph? Can you tell I’ve seen My Best Friend’s Wedding more times than I’m willing to admit? The EW feature comes with a behind-the-scenes video and interview with the cast, so I don’t know why you’re still reading this. You should either be obsessing over the reunion or re-watching Dermot Mulroney suck a ring off of Julia Roberts’ finger.
Abducted In Plain Sight
In case you’re in for something a little darker than a '90s rom-com this weekend, here’s some true crime for you. Abducted in Plain Sight is a documentary about a family whose charming neighbour kidnaps their daughter. Twice. I haven’t seen it yet because this sounds like a nightmare I don’t want to spend my free time living through, but it’s also fascinating enough that it’s sparked heated debates and in-depth interviews with the film’s director. After you’ve watched Abducted In Plain Sight and you’re going down the rabbit hole to find more information on this harrowing story, read our timeline of the true story behind the doc.
In case you’re in for something a little darker than a '90s rom-com this weekend, here’s some true crime for you. Abducted in Plain Sight is a documentary about a family whose charming neighbour kidnaps their daughter. Twice. I haven’t seen it yet because this sounds like a nightmare I don’t want to spend my free time living through, but it’s also fascinating enough that it’s sparked heated debates and in-depth interviews with the film’s director. After you’ve watched Abducted In Plain Sight and you’re going down the rabbit hole to find more information on this harrowing story, read our timeline of the true story behind the doc.
Party of Five
Catch up with the Salingers before the beloved '90s teen drama is rebooted with a whole new cast of characters. In the OG version, five children are left orphaned and forced to find their way after their parents are killed in a car accident. In this version, five kids are left alone after their parents are deported. It’s a timely take on a beloved classic. I’m all for the reboot trend if we’re taking shows with compelling premises and updated them with casts of people we’ve rarely seen in roles like this. It’s a nice way to give a nod to nostalgia while tackling serious issues of today. The original Party of Five cast probably won’t appear in the new version so now’s the time to revisit the feels they gave us the first time around.
Catch up with the Salingers before the beloved '90s teen drama is rebooted with a whole new cast of characters. In the OG version, five children are left orphaned and forced to find their way after their parents are killed in a car accident. In this version, five kids are left alone after their parents are deported. It’s a timely take on a beloved classic. I’m all for the reboot trend if we’re taking shows with compelling premises and updated them with casts of people we’ve rarely seen in roles like this. It’s a nice way to give a nod to nostalgia while tackling serious issues of today. The original Party of Five cast probably won’t appear in the new version so now’s the time to revisit the feels they gave us the first time around.
Whitney
Whitney Houston means so much to me, it’s hard to talk about her without ugly crying. I’m actually tearing up at my desk writing this while my editor laughs at me, so you can imagine how much of a mess I was when I watch Whitney for the first time in theatres. Houston’s story is tragic for a lot of reasons, but the biggest injustice of the short-lived icon’s life is that her legacy has been reduced to jokes about crack and an emphasis on her drug use and tumultuous marriage with Bobby Brown. Houston was the greatest voice of her generation. She doesn’t get enough credit for her massive impact on music or her immense talent. I’ve seen every documentary made about her and all of them focus on the sad sh-t instead of her musical legacy. There was a lot of sad sh-t. I get it. But when we talk about other musical legends, like Kurt Cobain or Johnny Cash, the negatives of their life are discussed second to their genius. This doc Whitney often suffers from the same problems as its predecessors, but it shows glimpses of a respectful ode to Houston’s work that make it worth the watch. Have tissues handy.
Whitney Houston means so much to me, it’s hard to talk about her without ugly crying. I’m actually tearing up at my desk writing this while my editor laughs at me, so you can imagine how much of a mess I was when I watch Whitney for the first time in theatres. Houston’s story is tragic for a lot of reasons, but the biggest injustice of the short-lived icon’s life is that her legacy has been reduced to jokes about crack and an emphasis on her drug use and tumultuous marriage with Bobby Brown. Houston was the greatest voice of her generation. She doesn’t get enough credit for her massive impact on music or her immense talent. I’ve seen every documentary made about her and all of them focus on the sad sh-t instead of her musical legacy. There was a lot of sad sh-t. I get it. But when we talk about other musical legends, like Kurt Cobain or Johnny Cash, the negatives of their life are discussed second to their genius. This doc Whitney often suffers from the same problems as its predecessors, but it shows glimpses of a respectful ode to Houston’s work that make it worth the watch. Have tissues handy.