Five things you should watch on Netflix this week

You may have missed them

Settling in for another weekend at home (if the weather keeps threatening thunder storms, that is) means ticking a few more Netflix watches off the list. There have been some great new additions to the platform as of late, and some great watches that we may have missed in our movie marathons until now.

Here are five that we can’t wait to settle in with this weekend.

Disclosure

In honour of it being Pride Month, take some time to educate on trans issues and trans history with this fantastic Netflix Original documentary. Created by trans filmmakers including Laverne Cox and Sam Fender, the film looks at how different depictions of trans people in media over the decades, from Hollywood movies to tv shows, have affected not only how the world sees trans people, but how they view themselves, and aims to challenge the stereotypes.

The Politician Season 2

Style, glamour, espionage, drama down-right ham acting; it’s all here in The Politician’s long-awaited season 2. This season sees Payton set his political sights a little higher than his disastrous attempt at becoming student body president – now, he’s looking for a spot in the Senate. He reunites with his school campaign team to work his way to the top, fighting scandals, rumours, public shaming and a lot of dog-eat-dog political strategy. Oh, and it’s got Bette Midler. What else could you want?

Da 5 Bloods

From acclaimed Oscar-winning filmmaker Spike Lee comes this story of race, family, friendship and redemption set in the aftermath of the Vietnam War. Four African-American veterans return to Vietnam to search for the remains of their fallen squad leader (and buried treasure), and are confronted with the trauma of what they collectively went through. In typical Spike Lee-fashion, this is colourful, hard-hitting and raw, while incorporating a healthy slice of humour. Must-watch.

Hereditary

One of the recent additions to Netflix’s horror catalogue is the critically-acclaimed Hereditary. Starring the always-wonderful Toni Colette, it follows the Graham family after the death of their grandmother. Annie, who had a fraught and difficult relationship with her mother, struggles with the generational trauma that has been passed through the family, and that she is seemingly powerless to control in her own children. This has a fair few jump scares, sure, but the truly creepy stuff goes unseen and unsaid – family secrets are a dangerous thing.

Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown

Following the anniversary of Anthony Bourdain’s tragic death in 2018, viewers have been turning to his acclaimed Parts Unknown series, which is in its entirety on Netflix. Throughout the seasons, Bourdain travels the world in search of each city’s best food – meeting the locals, getting to know the history, and indulging in truly great grub at every turn. This is a great watch if you’re a foodie, but even if you’re not, the joy of watching Bourdain indulge so passionately in his life’s work is a lovely thing to watch on screen.