The beginning of April kicks off with a new wave of movies and TV series on Netflix. Here’s a selection of what you should be streaming this weekend.
A new month means a new wave of TV shows and movies coming to Netflix and the April 2022 lineup doesn’t disappoint. From parodies of entertainment industry stars to superhero movie trilogies, spring has definitely arrived on the premier streaming platform to keep subscribers entertained. And CBR helps you choose the perfect show or movie to binge this weekend.
Here’s a selection of some of the most notable shows and movies to hit Netflix the first weekend of April, from family-friendly animated films to gory superhero sagas.
The ring offers a healthy dose of nostalgic horror
With Sadako, the relentless killer ghost of the ringcurrently scaring players of the popular online game Dead in broad daylight, it’s the perfect time to revisit the horror classic. Fortunately, the 2002 American remake of the hugely successful Japanese film series arrived on Netflix this month. The rules behind the ghost story are simple: anyone who watches a VHS tape featuring the ghost is doomed to die within a week unless they pass the curse on to someone else.
Starring Naomi Watts in a first Hollywood film role, the ring was a huge hit with audiences upon its initial release. With expert pacing and haunting horror, the film also catapulted director Gore Verbinski into the mainstream of major studios, which led to him directing the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Inspiring a wave of American remakes of Japanese horror films, the ring stands as the best of these Hollywood adaptations two decades since its inception.
The Blade Trilogy Keeps the Bloody Comic Book Movies Going
While the vampire superhero Blade only made one off-screen appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the original Daywalker Cinematic Trilogy is now available in its entirety. Starring Wesley Snipes as a supernatural character, all three movies are quietly responsible for kicking off the wave of modern superhero movies. And with Blade set to take on a bigger role in the MCU, Snipes’ take on the character is pretty much needed to prepare for the hero’s arrival.
Of the trilogy, the original 1998 film still largely holds as Blade battles his vampiric nature while taking on a group of vampires plotting to subjugate humanity as cattle. Guillermo del Toro directs the highly underrated Blade II, with the superhero leading a team to stop a new wave of monstrous leeches. And while Blade Trinity may be significantly lower than its predecessors, it highlights a pre-dead Pool Ryan Reynolds in his first superhero role as Hannibal King.
The Bubble is a new comedy that deals with current events
Prolific comedy filmmaker Judd Apatow draws inspiration from current affairs in his Netflix original film The bubble, just in time for April Fool’s Day. Boasting an all-star cast including Karen Gillan, Pedro Pascal, Keegan-Michael Key and Kate McKinnon, The bubble follows a big-budget film production reacting to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic with a closed set. However, with cast and crew forced to endure each other’s company for an extended period of time, diversions inevitably ensue.
With Apatow having crossed out The 40 year old virgin and knocked up, The bubble promises to be another strong comedy project that plays to its strengths. The story would be inspired by the production of Jurassic World Dominionwhich also placed its cast and crew in a bubble at the height of the pandemic.
Apollo 10 ½ by Richard Linklater is an animated film for all ages
After directing the famous Before trilogy and school of rockacclaimed filmmaker Richard Linklater switches gears for Netflix original animated film Apollo 10 ½: a childhood in the space age. Linklater is inspired by his childhood in Houston during the space race in the 1960s, as children fantasize about the Apollo 11 moon landing in 1969. This nostalgic story is framed by a middle-aged man who looks back on his perspective of this historic event in that fateful July.
Apollo 10½ features an animation style reminiscent of the rotoscoping techniques Linklater previously employed in movies like A dark scanner, offering a unique insight into American history. Leading the cast are Zachary Levi, Glen Powell and Jack Black for Linklater’s wistful and loose recollection of his childhood. Intended for an audience of all ages, Apollo 10½ is Linklater at its sentimental best.
Tomorrow Rises marks another hit Korean series for Netflix
From Parasite winning the Best Picture Oscar for series like squid game becoming a truly global phenomenon, Korean productions are making waves around the world. The Latest Korean Drama Series To Come To Netflix Is The Supernatural Show tomorrow. After a young man suffers an accident, he finds he has been transformed into a half-human, half-spirit working with a team of Grim Reapers.
tomorrow is based on the popular webtoon of the same name by Llama and features its protagonist straddling the worlds of the living and the dead. With its quirky premise, the new series offers a supernatural twist on learning to embrace a second chance at life through its characters. For those looking for a great paranormal series to obsess over, the sixteen-episode series is ready to ship.
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