This week was tough. If you’ve been paying attention, you know the world has spent the week reeling from the death of a teen idol, making memes of the musings of a madman and/or processing the biggest political scandal in recent Canadian history. That’s a lot, but we’re ending on a high note. It’s International Women’s Day! Inspired by today’s celebration of women, and the less-festive news of the week, here are my five picks for what to watch on Netflix this weekend.
Rest in peace, Luke Perry. Some of us first met him as Dylan McKay on 90210. The show was a bit before my time but when I did watch it, well after its finale in 2000, I came to appreciate Dylan for the complex, timeless heartthrob he was. He was a formative crush, like Pacey Witter after him, and losing him so young (he was 52) hurt like hell. I’ve spent all week reading some of the brightest in the biz write beautiful tributes to a man who seemed to be just as wonderful offscreen as on. If you don’t know Dylan McKay, you may know Perry as Riverdale's Fred Andrews, father of Archie, husband of Molly Ringwald. Fred Andrews is a soft, sensitive dad who rules with a gentle but firm hand. He’s the most sensible of all the Riverdale parents, and his scenes felt the most rooted in reality. Luke Perry brought a quiet intensity to the character that is going to be greatly missed.
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In honour of International Women’s Day, let’s revisit a film that explores the life of one of the most influential women in fashion history. Coco Before Chanel introduces us to a young Coco Chanel (Audrey Tautou) and takes us from the early days of her life as an orphan all the way through her rise to the queen of Parisian haute couture. Following the recent death of controversial icon and Chanel creative director, Karl Lagerfeld, it’s fitting to remember the woman who started it all.
I haven’t seen a single episode of Chef’s Table but my editor swears season 6 is great. She fell in love with the stories of Mashama Bailey and Asma Khan, two female chefs who are featured in the show’s sixth season, streaming now. Chef Bailey is already so beloved, and Refinery29 did a rundown on everything you need to know about her. She serves as the executive chef at a restaurant inside a renovated Greyhound Bus station in Savannah, GA and specializes in good ol’ Southern cooking. Chef Khan is the first British chef and restaurateur to be featured on the show. Her restaurant, Darjeeling Express in Soho, London, is influenced by her roots in Kolkata. Chef Khan’s food is traditionally Indian and it's cooked by a kitchen staffed entirely by women. Watch Chef’s Table for the food porn, and for the stories of two inspiring women.
There was a debate on Twitter this week about the quality of The Dark Knight Rises. The third film in Christopher Nolan’s lauded Batman franchise gets a bad rap. It is the weakest of the three movies (The Dark Knight is the best, Batman Begins is a close second – this is the only correct take) but that doesn’t mean it’s a terrible film. In fact, I still think it’s pretty great. I’ve always been an Anne Hathaway apologist and arguing that she made a great Catwoman is a hill I will die on. Plus, you get an underrated Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Robin and Christian Bale in his final turn as Bruce Wayne. Tom Hardy’s Bane is a little over-the-top, but this is a comic book franchise we’re talking about. A little camp is OK! Ignore the Twitter trolls, The Dark Knight Rises is worth a re-watch.
Eighth Grade is one of those movies that could easily get lost in the aftermath of awards season. It was critically acclaimed and won some of the smaller awards, like a Director’s Guild Award for director Bo Burnham and a Critic’s Choice Award for its star Elsie Fisher but the buzz died down when it was snubbed at the Oscars. Well, now that it’s getting a second life on Netflix, let me tell you to believe the hype. Eighth Grade is one of the most wonderfully awkward and painfully real portrayals of adolescence I have ever seen on screen. So, watch it this weekend, OK? Gucci!