Moviefone Editorial

Tag: netflix-watch-instantly

  • What’s New on Netflix, TV, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: June 8-14

    At a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what’s streaming on Netflix, we’ve got you covered.

    New on Netflix

    “Orange Is the New Black”
    It’s here! Season 3 of Netflix’s crazy addictive prison dramedy is available Friday, June 12. Hopefully you’ve got tiii-iii-iiime to stream all 13 episodes in one long binge.

    “Nightcrawler”
    Jake Gyllenhaal gets creepy as a freelance crime journalist in L.A. in this highly acclaimed thriller. Catch it on Netflix starting June 10.

    “Grace of Monaco”
    This one … was not so critically acclaimed, but sometimes the critics get it wrong, or the bashing just lowers expectations enough that the film is a pleasant surprise. No promises, but check out Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly, with Tim Roth as Prince Rainier III, when “Grace of Monaco” hits Netflix on June 8.

    New on DVD and Blu-ray

    “Serena”
    Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper make a great on-screen team (“Silver Linings Playbook,” “American Hustle”) and you can see them again here in Susanne Bier’s drama, which is based on a novel about newlyweds in the timber business in Depression-era North Carolina. Blu-ray special features include deleted scenes, “The Making of Serena: The Story, Direction & Characters,” “Exploring The Production Design & Time Period,” “Following The Screenwriting: Comparing The Film & The Novel,” and “Breaking Down The Set: Kingsport Tanners, Train Station & Main Street.”

    “Kingsman: The Secret Service”
    This British spy action comedy — starring a bunch of cool people like Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Caine — had its Digital release last month, but now it’s out on DVD/Blu-ray June 9. Blu-ray features include commentary, “Kingsman: The Secret Service Revealed – Panel-To-Screen: The education of a 21st Century Super Spy,” “Heroes and Rogues,” “Style All His Own,” “Tools of The Trade” “Breathtakingly Brutal,” and “Culture Clash: The Comic Book Origins of The Secret Service.”

    “Masterpiece: Forsyte Saga: The Complete Series”
    You have not truly lived until you’ve seen the dark side of Damian Lewis as the sketchy Soames Forsyte opposite a resplendent Gina McKee as his reluctant bride in this epic, sprawling series. The new set is out June 9.

    TV Worth Watching

    “Game of Thrones” (Sunday on HBO at 9 p.m.)
    Seems hard to believe, but it’s already time to bid farewell to GoT Season 5. This show usually has a strong close, leaving us begging for more. Episode 10, “Mother’s Mercy,” is likely to be no different. HBO’s synopsis tells us “Stannis marches. Dany is surrounded by strangers. Cersei seeks forgiveness. Jon is challenged.” GoT has strayed from the books more than ever this season, but many bells are ringing with those descriptions. Worry for everyone and prepare to feel all available emotions.

    “CMT Music Awards” (Wednesday on CMT at 10 p.m.)
    Erin Andrews and Brittany Snow will co-host the live June 10 show, which will include performances from country artists Carrie Underwood, Florida Georgia Line, Jason Aldean, Keith Urban, Kenny Chesney, Lady Antebellum, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Jake Owen, Sam Hunt and Zac Brown Band.

    “Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell” (Saturday on BBC America at 10 p.m.)
    Bertie Carvel and Eddie Marsan star in this seven-part historical fantasy series, based on Susanna Clarke’s best-selling novel. The show already debuted on BBC One in the UK and it’ll hit BBC America on June 13.

    New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only

    “Transformers: Age of Extinction” (Amazon Prime)
    The fourth “Transformers” movie — starring Mark Wahlberg, Nicole Peltz, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, and all the Autobots, Dinotos and Decepticons — will arrive on Amazon Prime on June 13.

    “God? The Almighty Question” (Hulu)
    Have you ever wanted to know how Hugh Jackman, David Copperfield, Ringo Starr, Sir Bob Geldof, Seal and others would answer the question “What is God?” This documentary takes you around the globe to meet all kinds of people who share thought-provoking answers to the biggest question of all. Available June 9.

    “Extinction Soup” (iTunes)
    This documentary out June 8 follows filmmaker Philip Waller as he exposes an environmental catastrophe in the making — the extinction of the oceans’ shark population through mass slaughter. “Extinction Soup” spotlights conservationist Stefanie Brendl as she fights to pass legislation to curb the consumption of shark fin soup, considered a delicacy in many cultures, and the impetus behind 70 million sharks being killed per year. Check out the trailer:

    Extinction Soup – Trailer from Sidney Sherman on Vimeo.

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  • What’s New on Netflix, TV, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: June 1-7

    At a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what’s streaming on Netflix, we’ve got you covered.

    New on DVD and Blu-ray

    “Focus”
    Will Smith and Margot Robbie are now filming the highly anticipated “Suicide Squad” movie, but watch them as con artists in this crime drama, which is available June 2. The “Focus” Blu-ray/DVD combo includes the special features “Masters of Misdirection: The Players in a Con, “Will Smith: Gentleman Thief,” “Margot Robbie: Stealing Hearts,” deleted scenes, and an alternate opening.

    “McFarland USA”
    Kevin Costner stars in Disney’s inspirational sports drama about a successful high school cross country team in McFarland, California. The Digital HD, Blu-ray, and DVD all come with special features including “Juntos” music video and a featurette called “Inspiring McFarland.”

    “Jupiter Ascending”
    This was pretty much demolished by critics, but it still has some defenders and a great A-list cast — including Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Sean Bean, and Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne. The Blu-ray includes these seven bonus features: “Jupiter Jones: Destiny Is Within Us,” “Caine Wise: Interplanetary Warrior, “The Wachowskis: Minds Over Matter,” “Worlds Within Worlds Within Worlds,” “Jupiter Ascending: Genetically Spliced,” “Bullet Time Evolved,” and “From Earth to Jupiter.”

    TV Worth Watching

    “So You Think You Can Dance” (Monday on Fox at 8 p.m.)
    Season 12 of the always impressive and inspiring dance show starts tonight (June 1). Watch what happens when Paula Abdul and Jason Derulo join the judges’ panel, with Travis Wall and Stephen “tWitch” Boss taking on new “Stage vs Street” roles.

    “Pretty Little Liars” (Tuesday on ABC Family at 8 p.m.)
    “Game On, Charles”! That’s the title of the Season 6 premiere, which has this intriguing synopsis: “Moments after where the season five finale left off, Aria, Emily, Hanna, Spencer and Mona are trapped outside of Charles’ Dollhouse with nowhere to go and must now deal with an angry tormentor. Just when the Liars thought Charles couldn’t get any worse, his games take a more demented and darker turn. As the girls struggle to survive, the puzzle of Charles’ story begins to come together.” Catch up on the action with ABC Family’s PLL marathon June 2 from noon to the 8 p.m. premiere.

    “Tony Awards” (Sunday on CBS at 8 p.m.)
    Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming will host this year’s live ceremony. Top nominees include “An American in Paris” and “Fun Home,” “Something Rotten!,” “The King and I,” and “Wolf Hall Parts One & Two.”

    New on Netflix

    “The Magdalene Sisters”
    There are several new titles coming to Netflix on June 1 — including “The Aviator” and “Employee of the Month” — but don’t overlook this 2002 gem about three young Irish women who try to keep spirits high while enduring abuse as inmates at Magdalene Sisters Asylum.

    “Sense8”
    Twelve episodes of this Netflix original sci-fi series, created by the Wachowskis (“The Matrix”), will hit Netflix on June 5. “Sense8” follows eight strangers who end up mentally and emotionally connected in the aftermath of a tragedy. Each episode focuses on one character and his or her story.

    “Black Sea”
    Jude Law plays a submarine captain who rounds up a misfit crew to search for sunken treasure rumored to be lost in the Black Sea. It came out on DVD and Blu-ray on May 5, but it’s ready for Netflix and Redbox as of June 2.

    New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only

    “Apocalypse Now” (Amazon Prime)
    Amazon Prime is getting some good stuff on June 1, from the 1979 classic “Apocalypse Now” to “Roman Holiday,” “Sid & Nancy,” “Paper Chase,” “The Shining” and “Seven Psychopaths,” another good one from the writer/director of “In Bruges.”

    “Everything Before Us” (Vimeo)
    “Everything Before Us” will have its worldwide release June 3 exclusively on Vimeo On Demand. Wong Fu Productions has more than 2 million subscribers and over 300 million views for their YouTube channel, but this is their first feature film. “Everything Before Us” follows two couples trying to maintain their love in a near future society where all relationships are overseen by the D.E.I. (Department of Emotional Integrity). The film stars Aaron Yoo, Ki Hong Lee, Randall Park, Brandon Soo Hoo, Brittany Ishibashi, and Victoria Park.

    “Lars and the Real Girl” (Hulu)
    Ryan Gosling shines as the socially awkward Lars, who starts a relationship with his sex doll, named Bianca, and the whole town goes along with it for his sake. Watch it on Hulu starting June 1.

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  • What’s Leaving Netflix in June 2015

    netflix logoIt’s last call for a lot of great movies that are leaving Netflix in June, including “Taxi Driver” (1976), “Donnie Brasco” (1997), “Rain Man” (1988) and “The Rocketeer” (1991). Also, say goodbye to Best Picture Oscar winners “Amadeus” (1984), “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991), and “Crash” (2004). And take a bow, Madonna: Your films “Swept Away” (2002) and “Madonna: The MDNA Tour” (2013) are also being yanked in June, as is ex Guy Ritchie’s “Snatch” (2000).

    Here’s a complete list of the movies that Netflix is pulling from your streaming list. And, just so you’re not left empty-handed, here’s a list of what’s new on Netflix in June 2015. (All titles and dates provided by Netflix and subject to change.)​

    Leaving June 1
    “Bram Stoker’s Dracula” (1992)
    “City of Ghosts” (2003)
    “Dance with Me” (1998)
    “DeRay Davis: Power Play” (2010)
    “Dream Lover” (1994)
    “Drugs, Inc.”: Season 2- 3 (2010 series)
    “Ever After: A Cinderella Story” (1998)
    “Frankie and Johnny” (1991)
    “G.I. Jane” (1997)
    “Garfield and Friends”: Vol. 1- 2 (1998 series)
    “The Great Queen Seondeok” (2009 series)
    “Hatchet II” (2010)
    “I Escaped A Cult” (2014)
    “Ink Master”: Season 1″ (2012 series)
    “Inside Combat Rescue”: Season 1 (2013 series)
    “Last Action Hero” (1993)
    “The Perfect Husband: The Laci Peterson Story” (2004)
    “Phantom of the Opera: Special Edition” (2004)
    “Picture Perfect” (1997)
    “Platoon Leader” (1988)
    “Rain Man” (1988)
    “Reign Over Me” (2007)
    “Rocketeer, The” (1991)
    “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991)
    “Snatch” (2000)
    “Soul Survivors” (2001)
    “Swept Away” (2002)
    “Syriana” (2005)
    “Tank Girl” (1995)
    “Triplets of Belleville” (2003)
    “Waking Life” (2001)

    Leaving June 6
    “Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away” (2012)
    “Crash” (2004)

    Leaving June 15
    “Space: Unraveling the Cosmos” (2014)
    “The River Why” (2010)
    “Tin Man” (2007)

    Leaving June 17
    “Dummy” (2002)

    Leaving June 20
    “Amadeus” (1984)
    “Collateral Damage” (2002)
    “Guilt Trip” (2012)
    “Lonesome Dove” (1989)
    “Practical Magic” (1998)

    Leaving June 22
    “Madonna: The MDNA Tour” (2013)
    “Stand Up Guys” (2012)

    Leaving June 28
    “Biutiful” (2010)

    Leaving June 29
    “Iron Man: Armored Adventures”: Season 1-2 (2008 series)
    “Texas Chainsaw” (2013)

    Leaving June 30
    “Baby-Sitters Club”: Season 1 (1990 series)
    “Donnie Brasco” (1997)
    “Godzilla” (1998)
    “Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters” (2013)
    “Jack Reacher” (2012)
    “National Security” (2003)
    “Steel Magnolias” (1989)
    “Taxi Driver” (1976)
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  • New on Netflix: June 2015

    new on netflix june 2015Sense8,” the new sci-fi drama from Andy and Lana Wachowski (“The Matrix” trilogy) and “Babylon 5″ creator J. Michael Straczynski, in which eight strangers suddenly find themselves mysteriously connected. Also, look for the return of Orange Is the New Black” on June 12.

    As for movies, you won’t want to miss Jake Gyllenhaal’s terrifyingly great turn in “Nightcrawler.” Also new: “Life of Crime” and “Cake” with Jennifer Aniston; Philip Seymour Hoffman’s last completed film, the spy thriller “A Most Wanted Man”; Gina Prince-Bythewood’s acclaimed film “Beyond the Lights” starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw as a rising singer; not to mention the critically panned “Grace of Monaco,” starring Nicole Kidman as Princess Grace.

    Below is a full rundown of what’s new on Netflix in June 2015, provided by Netflix. As always, all titles and dates are subject to change. We’ve also go you covered in terms of what’s leaving Netflix in June 2015, if you’re into that sort of thing.​

    Available June 1
    “The Aviator” (2004)
    “Employee of the Month” (2006)
    “Hidden Kingdoms” (2014)
    “The High and the Mighty” (1954)
    “La Dictadura Perfecta/The Perfect Dictatorship” (2014)
    “The Magdalene Sisters” (2002)
    “R.L. Stine’s Mostly Ghostly” (2008)
    “R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour: Don’t Think About It” (2007)
    “Sex Ed” (2014)
    “Shaquille O’Neal Presents: All Star Comedy Jam: Live From Atlanta” (2013)
    “Shaquille O’Neal Presents: All Star Comedy Jam: Live from Las Vegas” (2014)
    “Shaquille O’Neal Presents: All Star Comedy Jam: Live from Orlando” (2012)

    Available June 3
    “Best of Me” (2014)
    “Hector and the Search for Happiness” (2014)

    Available June 5
    “Sense8” (2015 Netflix original series)

    Available June 6
    “On the Road” (2012)

    Available June 7
    “Words and Pictures” (2013)

    Available June 8
    “Grace of Monaco” (2014)

    Available June 9
    “Free the Nipple” (2014)
    “It’s Tough Being Loved by Jerks” (2008)

    Available June 10
    “Nightcrawler” (2014)
    “Pretty Little Liars”: Season 5
    “Rosewater” (2014)

    Available June 11
    “The Legend” (1993)
    “The Legend 2” (1993)
    “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”: Season 2 (2013 series)

    Available June 12
    “Champs” (2015)
    “The Cobbler” (2014)
    “Life of Crime” (2013)
    “Orange Is the New Black”: Season 3 (2013 series)

    Available June 13
    “Antarctica: A Year on Ice” (2013)
    “Scandal” Season 4 (2012 series)
    “Transformers: Age of Extinction” (2014)

    Available June 15
    “Bindi’s Bootcamp”: Season 1 (2012 series)
    “Danger Mouse”: Seasons 1 – 10 (1981 series)
    “Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer” (2013)
    “Really Me”: Season 1 – 2 (2011 series)
    “Rodney Carrington: Laughters Good” (2014)
    “Team Toon”: Season 1 (2013 series)
    “Wizards vs. Aliens”: Season 1 – 3 (2012 series)

    Available June 16
    “Backstreet Boys: Show ‘Em What You’re Made Of” (2015)
    “Curious George” (2006)
    “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” (2013)
    “Two Days, One Night” (2014)

    Available June 17
    “Heartland”: Season 6 (2007 series)
    “Point and Shoot” (2014)

    Available June 19
    “A Most Wanted Man” (2014)
    “Some Assembly Required” (2014 Netflix original series)

    Available June 20
    “Cake” (2014)

    Available June 23
    “Advantageous” (2015)

    Available June 24
    “Beyond the Lights” (2014)

    Available June 25
    “Ballet 422” (2014)

    Available June 26
    “DreamWorks Dragons: Race to the Edge”: Season 1 (2015 Netflix original series)
    “Katy Perry: The Prismatic World Tour” (2015)
    “What Happened, Miss Simone?” (2015)
    “Young & Hungry”: Season 2 (2014 series)

    Available June 27
    “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” (2012)
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  • The 18 Best British Movies on Netflix Right Now

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    Whether you adore swoony British period dramas like “A Room With a View” or prefer a Cockney crime drama like “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels,” there’s something for every stripe of Anglophile on Netflix.

    You can revisit a favorite comedy like “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” discover a new British indie such as “Fish Tank” or “My Brother the Devil,” and get your fix of Dames Helen Mirren and Judi Dench as the royalty they were born to play. Just don’t wait too long since film availability is subject to change.best british movies on netflix

  • What’s New on Netflix, TV, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: May 11 – May 17

    At a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what’s streaming on Netflix, we’ve got you covered.

    TV Worth Watching

    “Mad Men” (Sunday on AMC at 10 p.m.)
    It’s the end of an era. Pour yourself an Old Fashioned and toast the end of “Mad Men,” ’cause Don Draper leaves us on May 17. Farewell, Don/Dick, Peggy, Joan, Roger, and — wherever she is — Lois the foot-crushing secretary. #TeamLois4Life

    “Scandal” (Thursday on ABC at 9 p.m.)
    “Scandal” is so devoted to its own name that every episode feels like a season finale. But the real end of Season 4 happens May 14 with “You Can’t Take Command.” ABC promises it will be “shocking” and since it’s “Scandal,” we believe it.

    “Saturday Night Live” (Saturday on NBC at 11:29 p.m.)
    Louis C.K. will host the Season 40 finale with Rihanna as musical guest. We have high expectations for both stars, who definitely have the chops to put on a great show. Do not fail us, SNL.

    New on DVD and Blu-ray

    “Still Alice”
    Julianne Moore just won the Academy Award for Best Actress as Dr. Alice Howard, a linguistics professor who faces the terrifying diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s. Kristen Stewart, Kate Bosworth and Alec Baldwin co-star. It’s out just about everywhere (DVD, iTunes, Redbox, Netflix) on May 12.

    “Blackhat”
    Chris Hemsworth and Viola Davis star in Michael Mann’s international cyberspace thriller. It was out on Digital HD and On Demand on May 5, but it’s arriving on DVD May 12. That’s still ahead of its Netflix and Redbox debut on June 9. Both DVD and Blu-ray include the bonus feature “The Cyber Threat,” and Blu-ray also includes “On Location Around the World” and “Creating Reality.”

    “The Cobbler”
    This is an Adam Sandler movie, which may tell you everything you need to know, but it’s about a NYC shoe repairman who quietly envies the people around him. He discovers a family heirloom has the magical power to change his appearance and make him look like one of his customers, but transforming into other people comes with its own problems. It has a great cast, including Method Man, Ellen Barkin, Melonie Diaz, Dan “Downton Abbey” Stevens, and Steve Buscemi.

    New on Netflix

    “Fruitvale Station”
    Michael B. Jordan stars in this critically acclaimed docudrama, which Netflix will release on May 12. We see the last day in Oscar Grant’s (Jordan) life, when he’s caught up in a tragic altercation with police. It’s based on a true story and co-stars Octavia Spencer, Kevin Durand and Chad Michael Murray. Thought-provoking and another triumph for Jordan. Remember when he was Wallace on “The Wire”? Seems so long ago.

    “The Universe”
    A ton of new TV series collections are being made available on May 14, including “The Universe,” “American Restoration,” “Counting Cars,” “Dance Moms,” “Duck Dynasty,” “Hoarders,” and “Modern Marvels.”

    “Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast”
    If you have a little princess in your life, “Tinker Bell” (Mae Whitman) is kind of a big deal. The sixth full-length movie in the series was released direct to video on March 3, but it’s available on Netflix on May 17. Ginnifer Goodwin joins the usual cast as the new voice of Fawn.

    New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only

    “Kingsman: The Secret Service” (iTunes)
    The British action comedy, starring the always watchable Colin Firth, will be available on all major Digital HD platforms n May 15. However, if you get it on iTunes, you also get access to bonus features available on the upcoming Blu-ray, including a gallery of behind-the-scenes photos and a 90-minute documentary entitled “Kingsman: The Secret Service Revealed.” So iTunes may just win this round.

    “Focus” (M-GO)
    New names are always arriving on the streaming scene, which is good for consumers, and one relative newbie is M-GO, a a digital VOD and joint venture between Technicolor and DreamWorks Animation. They have a few new titles arriving in the week of 5/11-5/17, including “Focus,” “Seventh Son,” and “Kingsman: The Secret Service.” Will Smith and Margot Robbie, who will re-team in “Suicide Squad,” star in “Focus,” which has a Digital HD release on May 12, well before its Blu-ray debut on June 2.

    “Slow West” (iTunes)
    iTunes is releasing “Slow West” on May 15, the same day it comes out in theaters. So far, the movie — which stars two “X-Men: Apocalypse” actors, just FYI — is getting good reviews. Kodi Smit-McPhee plays 16-year-old Jay Cavendish, who journeys across the American frontier at the end of the 19th century in search of the woman he loves. He’s joined by a mysterious traveler named Silas, played by Michael Fassbender.
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  • Are Streaming Shows Really That Different From Network and Cable Shows?

    To many viewers, streaming is just TV on a different screen. After all, you can watch “Seinfeld” reruns as easily on Netflix as you can on TBS. But what if the relatively new medium of streaming TV means a different kind of show?

    We’re already starting to see something like that in the way that streaming picks up TV’s cast-offs. Netflix resurrected “Arrested Development” after its three cultish but low-rated seasons on Fox. Yahoo did the same for NBC’s cancelled “Community.” And now, it looks like The Mindy Project,” another cultish Fox comedy that held out against the Nielsen ratings for three seasons before getting the ax.

    What do these shows have in common, besides not drawing enough viewers to stay on network TV? They’re all the creations of idiosyncratic TV auteurs, writers who put their own offbeat, recognizable, personal stamp on the material. They’re the kind of shows that are almost designed to be cult favorites, since they’re likely to resonate with small but passionate followings. The networks’ business model doesn’t have much room for such niche audiences, unless they’re affluent and attract free-spending sponsors. (Indeed, the Hollywood Reporter article about the possible “Mindy” move notes that the show was greenlit under a previous Fox regime that was willing to experiment with niche comedies, but the current Fox regime has a strategy that relies on shows with broader appeal.) But niche audiences are exactly who the streaming services cultivate, viewers who appreciate shows that are unique and buzzworthy, who are willing to binge-watch them, and who are eager to share their enthusiasm on social media. And with the pay-subscription model, the bar for popular success is a lot lower for streaming shows than for free, sponsor-supported network shows.

    If Hulu does pick up “Mindy,” it would be a smart move for a streaming site that, Seinfeld,” didn’t seem like enough to do the job. Maybe that’s because “Seinfeld” reruns are a quarter-century old and readily available in syndication on network and cable TV. But maybe it’s also because “Seinfeld,” groundbreaking as it was in the ’90s, is still a conventional three-cameras-and-a-laughtrack sitcom, the kind we’re used to from decades spent in front of the living-room TV. It’s not the type of unique creation that will make Hulu stand out.

    Is “Mindy”? Maybe. For one thing, it’s a single-camera, no-laughtrack comedy. It has an unorthodox protagonist. It operates on a number of levels — it’s largely about spoofing the conventions of romantic comedy, but it’s also about presenting a credible romance with realistic dramatic conflicts and resolutions, between characters you’re encouraged to care about despite their jokey frivolity. Most of all, it’s clearly the product of creator/star Mindy Kaling‘s unique sensibility.

    Even so, Hulu may already be behind Amazon when it comes to attracting subscribers with deliberately eccentric shows. After all, Amazon is the site whose trademark show is “Transparent,” which, besides being a multiple award-winning show about a family coping with a newly transgender patriarch, is the idiosyncratic and highly personal creation of veteran TV writer Jill Soloway. (Jeffrey Tambor’s protagonist is based on Soloway’s own father.) Amazon has also solicited shows from film auteurs known for their instantly recognizable personal styles and themes, including Spike Lee, Steven Soderbergh, David Gordon Green, Whit Stillman, and Woody Allen.

    Amazon wants to make shows that are more than just the networks’ castoffs. The retailer’s streaming site goes out of its way to find shows that are unusual, even controversial, according to a new profile of Amazon Studios in New York magazine. “We really, really did not want to have a bunch of shows that seemed like the best shows that didn’t make it onto CBS’s or NBC’s schedule,” Amazon Studios chief Roy Price told New York. “Honestly, if you put together a network comprised of that kind of thing, no one would care about it. It wouldn’t have some value. It would have no value.”

    In fact, Price greenlit “Transparent” despite its failure to pass muster on Amazon’s you-choose-it pilot selection program (where viewers vote on which episodes of prospective shows they’d like to see become full series), Even though “Transparent” was pilot viewers’ least favorite potential series, Price and his team knew it would be a show that would make Amazon stand out. That’s the opposite of the ratings-driven decisions that TV programmers usually make. “There’s something exciting about an idea that no sensible network executive would do,” Price told New York. “That’s an excellent sign that you’re in uncharted waters. And that’s where we should be.”

    Not every streaming show is going to be different from typical TV fare. Netflix has had a great deal of success with shows that could just as easily have run on network or cable. “House of Cards” would be at home on Orange Is the New Black” wouldn’t be out of place on Showtime (home of “The L Word” and “OITNB” creator Jenji Kohan’s “Weeds”). Tina Fey and Robert Carlock initially developed “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” for NBC, the network that aired the pair’s quirky “30 Rock” for seven seasons despite its modest ratings. And “Marvel’s Daredevil” could just as easily have run on ABC alongside “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” And Netflix viewers will soon be introduced to “Grace and Frankie” (the new Jane Fonda / Lily Tomlin dramedy from “Friends” co-creator Marta Kauffman that critics have described as a show that would have been at home on NBC in the 1990s) and “Sense8” (the new sci-fi drama from the Wachowskis that sounds a lot like NBC’s “Heroes”). It’s easy to imagine that the only thing these shows have that differentiate them from their TV counterparts is bigger budgets and lusher production values.

    Right now, then, there’s no one formula for a successful streaming show and no set of characteristics that distinguish streaming series from network and cable shows. The rules are still being written. Streaming is where premium cable was 25 years ago, when HBO and Showtime were niche services for affluent viewers willing to pay extra, and when both channels were still dipping their toes into original scripted programming. It took years for them to come up with signature, template-setting shows like “The Sopranos,” “Sex and the CIty,” and “The L Word.” Still, what Hulu, Amazon, and Netflix all have is a willingness to experiment and to spend the cash that such experimentation requires. After they throw enough spaghetti at the wall, they’ll figure out what sticks.
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  • Here’s What’s Leaving Netflix in May 2015

    netflix logoWant to watch that amazing train chase sequence from “Skyfall” one more time? Get to streaming the 2012 James Bond film before May 5, because it’s one of the many films leaving Netflix‘s queue. How about the original “RoboCop”? You have until May 1 to comply, er, stream it. And if you want to catch up on Audrey Hepburn classics “Funny Face” and “Sabrina,” those will also be leaving soon, as well as “Romancing the Stone” and its sequel, “The Jewel of the Nile.”

    Here’s a complete list of the movies that Netflix is pulling from your streaming list. And, just so you’re not left empty-handed, here’s a list of what’s new on Netflix in May 2015. (All titles and dates provided by Netflix and subject to change.)​

    Leaving May 1
    “6 Bullets” (2012)
    “12 Dogs of Christmas: Great Puppy Rescue” (2012)
    “A Knight’s Tale” (2001)
    “The Accused” (1988)
    “Airplane!” (1980)
    “Airplane II: The Sequel” (1982)
    “All I Want for Christmas” (1991)
    “Along Came Polly” (2004)
    “An American Haunting” (2006)
    “Baby Genius: The Four Seasons” (2003)
    “Baby Genius: Underwater Adventures” (2010)
    “BASEketball” (1998)
    “Bitter Moon” (1992)
    “Boys Don’t Cry” (1999)
    “Bratz: Babyz: The Movie” (2005)
    “The Brothers Bloom” (2008)
    “Call Me Claus” (2001)
    “Call Me Crazy: A Five Film” (2013)
    “Cecil B. Demented” (2000)
    “Deuces Wild” (2002)
    “Divine Secrets of the Ya­Ya Sisterhood” (2002)
    “Fantastic Voyage” (1966)
    “Finding Forrester” (2000)
    “Friday the 13th: Part 7: The New Blood” (1988)
    “Funny Face” (1957)
    “Ichi the Killer” (2001)
    “Into the Blue 2: The Reef” (2009)
    “The Jewel of the Nile” (1985)
    “Life Is Beautiful” (1997)
    “RoboCop” (1987)
    “Romancing the Stone” (1984)
    “Sabrina” (1954)
    “The Secret of NIMH” (1982)
    “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze” (1991)
    “True Justice”: Season 1
    “Valkyrie” (2008)

    Leaving May 2
    “Flight” (2012)

    Leaving May 3
    “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement” (2004)

    Leaving May 5
    “Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel” (2011)
    “Frank Skinner Stand­Up: Live from Birmingham’s National Indoor Arena” (2008)
    “Grumpy Old Women Live” (2008)
    “Russell Kane: Smokescreens & Castles Live” (2011)
    “Skyfall” (2012)

    Leaving May 6
    “1428” (2009)

    Leaving May 12
    “Grimm’s Snow White” (2012)
    “Robot & Frank” (2012)

    Leaving May 13
    “Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos” (2011)

    Leaving May 15
    “Buffalo Girls” (2012)

    Leaving May 16
    “Fun Size” (2012)

    Leaving May 17
    “Bridezillas:” Season 9 (2004)
    “Cloud 9” (2014)
    “Dane Cook: Rough Around the Edges: Live from Madison Square Garden” (2007)

    Leaving May 19
    “Red Dawn” (2012)

    Leaving May 20
    “No Woman, No Cry” (2010)

    Leaving May 23
    “Silent House” (2011)

    Leaving May 28
    “The New Guy” (2002)

    Leaving May 31
    “The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia” (2013)
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  • New on Netflix: May 2015

    new on netflix may 2015May on Netflix brings more high-profile original series, including “Grace and Frankie,” starring Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as two women who bond when their husbands — Sam Waterston and Martin Sheen — reveal they’re gay and leave their wives to be together. It’s from Marta Kauffman, the co-creator of “Friends.”

    Also new, the sci-fi mystery series “Between,” in which a disease has wiped out everyone over 21. Unlike other Netflix series, “Between” will air a new episode every week for six weeks, beginning on May 21. Jennette McCurdy from “iCarly” stars.

    And debuting on May 22: A comedy special from Jen Kirkman, best known for her appearances on “Chelsea Lately” and “Drunk History.”

    Here’s a full rundown of what’s new on Netflix in May 2015, provided by Netflix. As always, all titles and dates are subject to change. We’ve also go you covered in terms of what’s leaving Netflix in May 2015, in case you were wondering.​

    Available May 1
    “Beyond Clueless” (2014)
    “Jimi: All Is by My Side” (2013)
    “The Last Waltz” (1978)
    “Legally Blonde” (2001)
    “Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde” (2003)
    “Longmire”: Season 3
    “No No: A Dockumentary” (2014)
    The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio” (2005)
    “Shameless”: Series 10
    “Underclassman” (2015)
    “Witnesses”: Season 1 (2015)

    Available May 2
    “Lalaloopsy: Festival of Sugary Sweets” (2015)
    “LeapFrog Letter Factory Adventures: Amazing Word Explorers” (2015)

    Available May 3
    “Anita” (2013)
    “D.L. Hughley: Clear” (2014)
    “Royal Pains”: Season 6

    Available May 5
    “A Few Best Men” (2011)

    Available May 6
    “The Longest Week” (2014)

    Available May 8
    “Grace & Frankie” (2015 series) – Netflix Original
    “The Adventures of Puss in Boots”: Season 1 (5 additional episodes) — Netflix Original
    “Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas” (2013)

    Available May 9
    “Jinn” (2014)
    “The Liberator” (2013)

    Available May 12
    “Extraterrestrial” (2014)
    “Fruitvale Station” (2013)
    “Magical Universe” (2013)

    Available May 13
    “The Identical” (2014)

    Available May 14
    “American Restoration” (2010 series, new collection)
    “Counting Cars” (2012 series, new collection)
    “Dance Moms” (2011 series, new collection)
    “Duck Dynasty” (2012 series, new collection)
    “Hoarders” (2009 series, new collection)
    “Modern Marvels” (1994 series, new collection)
    “The Universe” (2007 series, new collection)

    Available May 15
    “Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown”: Season 4
    “Cyber Seniors” (2014)
    “Dawg Fight” (2015)
    “Give Me Shelter” (2014)
    “Granite Flats”: Seasons 1 – 3 (2013 series)

    Available May 16
    “First Period” (2013)

    Available May 17
    “Tinker Bell and the Legend of the NeverBeast” (2015)

    Available May 19
    “Before I Disappear” (2014)
    “Girlhood” (2014)
    “Zombeavers” (2014)

    Available May 21
    “Between”: Season 1 (2015 series) – Netflix Original
    The show will air 6 episodes. One episode every Thursday at 8:30 p.m. PT, starting May 21.

    Available May 22
    “H20 Mermaid Adventures” (2015) – Netflix Original
    “Inglourious Basterds” (2009)
    “Jen Kirkman: I’m Gonna Die Alone (And I Feel Fine)” (2015) – Netflix Original
    “The Other One: The Long, Strange Trip of Bob Weir” (2014)
    “Richie Rich”: Season 2 (2015 series) – Netflix Original
    “Transporter: The Series:” Season 1 (2012)

    Available May 23
    “Antarctica: A Year on Ice” (2013)
    “The Boxtrolls” (2014)

    Available May 24
    “Love and Honor” (2013)
    “Welcome to the Punch” (2013)

    Available May 26
    “Graceland”: Seasons 1- 2 (2013 series)

    Available May 27
    “Before I Go to Sleep” (2014)

    Available May 29
    “Hot Girls Wanted” (2015)
    “Mako Mermaids”: Season 3 (2013 series) – Netflix Original
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  • What’s New on Netflix, TV, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: April 13 – April 19

    amy adams big eyes tim burtonAt a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what’s streaming on Netflix, we’ve got you covered.

    New on DVD and Blu-ray

    “Big Eyes”
    Amy Adams won a Golden Globe for her performance as Margaret Keane, the true 1950s artist of big-eyed waif portraits, with Christoph Waltz playing her husband, Walter, who took all the credit. Tim Burton’s drama was released as a digital download on April 3 but it’s on DVD, Blu-ray and On Demand as of April 14. The DVD and Blu-ray releases include “The Making of Big Eyes,” and the Blu-ray also includes Q&A Highlights.

    “Maps to the Stars”
    Director David Cronenberg’s satire of the Hollywood film industry was released on DVD and Blu-ray in the U.K. and France last year and Germany in March, but it’s finally getting a U.S. release on April 14. Julianne Moore leads the dark comedy’s all-star cast, alongside Mia Wasikowska, Olivia Williams, John Cusack, and Robert Pattinson.

    “Antarctica: A Year on Ice”
    A journey to the end of the world is probably best done in person or at least in IMAX or on the big screen, but “A Year on Ice” will still dazzle you at home. This stunning feature-length documentary takes you deep inside the experience of living in Antarctica for a full year. It didn’t win more than a dozen film festival awards for nothing.

    TV Worth Watching

    “TURN: Washington’s Spies” (Monday on AMC at 9 p.m. EST)
    This AMC series used to just be “TURN,” but apparently that didn’t sell the story enough, so they added “Washington’s Spies.” Jamie Bell leads the cast as Abe Woodhull, and two back-to-back episodes will launch Season 2 on April 13. If you’re not caught up, don’t worry — AMC is repeating the first 10 episodes on Monday, from the pilot at 10:30 a.m. leading up to the two new episodes.

    “Justified” (Tuesday on FX at 10 p.m. EST)
    It’s time to tip your hat goodbye to Raylan Givens and company. The FX series comes to a close on April 14 with the Season 6 finale, called “The Promise.” Stay tuned to see what happens when Raylan, Boyd, and Ava fight one last, bloody battle to find out who leaves Harlan alive.

    “Veep” (Sunday on HBO at 10:30 p.m. EST)
    “Game of Thrones” rightly gets the most attention Sunday nights, but you should definitely stay up for “Veep.” Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s pitch-perfect comedy continues Season 4 on April 19, with Episode 2’s “East Wing” following a visit from the Israeli prime minister. There’s no way that can go well, so cover your eyes and watch through your fingers to see how much it might go wrong.

    New on Netflix

    “Hot Fuzz”
    You mothers! If you haven’t seen this amazing British action comedy from Simon Pegg and Nick Frost (“Shaun of the Dead”) do yourself a favor and catch it on Neflix starting April 16.

    “The Babadook”
    This chilling horror movie follows a mother and her son, who has nightmares about a monster coming to kill them. It has a 98 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which means it very well might scare the bejesus out of you. Find out on Netflix, DVD, and iTunes on April 14.

    “Noah”
    Russell Crowe stars as Noah in Darren Aronofsky’s epic action-adventure based on the Biblical flood. This may not be how Christians recall reading it in the Bible, but that’s the magic of Hollywood. Also stars Emma Watson, Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone, and Anthony Hopkins, so you could watch it just for them.

    New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only

    “Paddington” (iTunes)
    Charming, cuddly live-action family film brings the beloved children’s character to life. Warm and fuzzies galore! Check it out on iTunes starting April 17.

    “They Came Together” (Amazon Prime)
    This Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd comedy, directed by David Wain, didn’t get the best reviews but … it’s Paul and Amy! The rest of the cast is great too — Michael Ian Black, Ellie Kemper, Christopher Meloni, Cobie Smulders, Max Greenfield, Bill Hader, etc. So what if it’s a series of rom-com clichés? Paul and Amy!

    “The Messengers” (Hulu)
    The CW’s new supernatural drama premieres April 17 and you can check out the first episode the next day on Hulu. In the series premiere, “Awakening,” a mysterious object falls to Earth, sending out a shockwave that causes five strangers to die, only to miraculously come back to life moments later.
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