Keanu Reeves has been dominating the entertainment news cycle this week, in part, because of this piece in The New Yorker by Naomi Fry called “Keanu Reeves is Too Good For This World.” She writes: “The Internet has recently provided us with an unlikely antidote to everything wrong with the news cycle: the actor Keanu Reeves.” It’s true. For every horrifying the-world-is-ending tweet I scrolled past this week, I would also stumble upon a delightful anecdote about Keanu’s kindness, or his thoughts on the afterlife, or hot pics from his youth. We’re in a Reeves Resurgence, and even though some people aren’t on board, the rest of us with eyes, hearts, and souls will be over here wishing this quote about sad, lonely Keanu was true so we could swoop in and be his comforting saviour. Whether you’re craving more #content about the veteran actor, or just looking for other ways to entertain yourself this weekend, I got you covered.
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Starting with your Keanu fix, here are my picks for what to watch on Netflix Canada this weekend.
Yes, Keanu Reeves makes an instantly legendary cameo in this rom-com, but that’s not the movie’s best part. I don’t want Keanu to overshadow Ali Wong and Randall Park’s (the co-stars are also the film’s writers and producers) palpable friends-turned-lovers chemistry, their hilarious script, and the romantic comedy’s ability to breathe refreshing new life into every trope of the genre we’ve become so accustomed to. They also shatter every Asian stereotype we’ve seen on screen in mainstream Hollywood films for decades. Always Be My Maybe does all that, and it’s just really fun. Wong and Park play Sasha and Marcus, childhood besties who reunite after years apart when Sasha, now a celebrity chef, returns home to open a restaurant. Plus, it features stellar supporting performances by Michelle Buteau (one of my new faves), Karan Soni, and James Saito (a true Zaddy), and one of the best band-within-a-movies ever with Hello Peril. Come for Keanu walking in slow motion, stay for one of the best rom-coms you’ve seen in years.
I gave you a heads up about this title in our May Netflix roundup. You should probably have Always Be My Maybe on deck to inject some joy into your system after the devastation you’ll experience watching Ava DuVernay’s retelling of the Central Park jogger rape case of 1989. That’s not supposed to deter you from watching the four-part series. I just want you to be prepared. It’s a tough watch but it should be mandatory viewing. DuVernay focuses on the lives of Antron McCray, Kevin Richardson, Yusef Salaam, Raymond Santana, and Korey Wise — the five men whose lives were stripped from them with a wrongful conviction — and tells their stories. I was sobbing within the first 10 minutes. It will make you infuriated for these boys, and exasperated at the U.S. justice system that continues to fail young Black and Brown boys and girls every day, but it will also give you hope — the resilience these men displayed in unbearable circumstances they never should have been in is incredible. Give this entire cast, crew, and especially Ava Duvernay, all the Emmys.
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You’ve probably seen Letterman’s show in the news recently because of his sit-down with Kanye West. I haven’t watched it yet, but it features a home tour. If you’ve seen Kim Kardashian’s 73 Questions for Vogue, you know that their home is basically a museum, devoid of any personality, furniture or warmth. Listen, I don’t want to judge a person for how they choose to live, minimalism is very in, and Kanye was clearly influenced by some very talented Japanese designers — BUT Kim and Kanye have FOUR kids. There’s not even a play area! Everything is pristinely sparse and angular. Where’s the FUN? Where’s the COMFORT? I do not understand. There are many things Kanye West says and does that I do not understand. Maybe this Letterman interview will clear it up for me.
The former late-night talk show host also sits down with Tina Fey, Tiffany Haddish and more for this season of the series. The Haddish episode is going to be my favourite. I’m already calling it.
Good Girls is one of the most underrated shows on Netflix. Everyone else needs to get on my Good Girls loving level! Christina Hendricks, Mae Whitman, and Retta play three moms who resort to a life of crime to provide for their families. The trio is SO GOOD together, and the show’s writing is so sharp, I truly do not get why we don’t talk about it more. Hendricks, Whitman, and Retta play Beth, Annie, and Ruby pitch perfectly. They’re just moms who would do anything for their kids, including rob grocery stores and hide bodies. Manny Montana plays the distractingly good-looking and charismatic gang leader Rio, and Season 2 delivers more excellent “I would probably do crime for that guy” Rio moments and more suspense, comedy, intrigue and DRAMA. If you’re not watching this show, fix your life.
Tonight, the Toronto Raptors play the Golden State Warriors in Game 4 of the NBA finals. There will be hundreds of Raps fans packed into the city’s designated viewing area aka Jurassic Park to cheer Kawhi Leonard, Kyle Lowry and the boys on to their third victory of the series. HOPEFULLY. I’m knocking on wood as a type this. In honour of the Raptors, my final Netflix pick for this week is Jurassic Park, the movie that inspired our team’s name, and transformed a section of Toronto into the hypest cheer-section in the NBA. It’s a classic. I don’t need to rehash the plot and characters of this film. Revisit it as an ode to the Raptors’ incredible playoff run and for Jeff Goldblum at his hottest.