This is sometimes the world’s most beautiful sentence: “Hey hon, do you want to just stay in and watch Netflix?”
Between work and family and social outings, a quiet, relaxing evening at home with that special someone is sometimes the perfect way to spend the night.
But finding the right show, movie, documentary or stand-up comedy special to satisfy both parties is often the challenge. One person likes horror movies, but the other is grossed out by blood. One person is into quirky, independent movies, but the other is all about big blockbuster epics with explosions, gunfights and more explosions.
So what’s a couple to do?
Netflix , like life, is all about compromise. Luckily, there’s plenty of titles on the streaming service that will entertain both parties and turn a boring night on the couch into the perfect date-night cuddle fest.
Here’s a few new Netflix titles worth checking out:
David Brent: Life on the Road (Comedy)
Fans of the British version of “The Office” know David Brent, the cringe-worthy boss played Ricky Gervais. It’s been 15 years since Brent appeared in the BBC2 “documentary,” and now he’s a sales rep for a bathroom supply firm. But Brent wants to hit the “Free Love Freeway” one more time with his band Forgone Conclusion and see if he can make it as a rock star.
Melancholia (Sci-Fi)
Kirsten Dunst, who won the Best Actress Award at the 64th Cannes Film Festival for this role, plays a bride who must cope with the end of the world as another planet begins colliding with Earth. It’s science-fiction drama-psychological thriller also starring Alexander Skarsgård and Kiefer Sutherland.
Finding Dory (Animated)
The wildly successful sequel to the wildly successful animated Disney film “Finding Nemo,” “Finding Dory” follows everyone’s favorite blue tang fish voiced by Ellen DeGeneres. Dory is on a search for her parents when she’s captured and taken to an aquarium. Will Marlin and Nemo save her? It’s a Disney movie, so they probably will rescue her, but that shouldn’t stop you from seeing the movie.
Crazy Ex-Girlfriend Season 2 (TV comedy)
The title of this CW show is a bit misleading because it may seem like its audience should be teenage girls. But watch one episode of this comedy that incorporates Broadway-style musical sing-a-longs, and you’ll see that it’s one of the funniest shows on television. Created and starting Rachel Bloom, “Crazy Ex Girlfriend” follows the misadventures of Rachel Burden, a lawyer who leaves a life in New York City to chase a summer fling who lives in California. Lots of inappropriate jokes and lots of fun. (“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend season one is streaming too)
Mike Birbiglia: Thank God for Jokes (Stand-up)
Fans of NPR’s “This American Life” know Mike Birbiglia from his numerous appearances on the public radio program, including his tale about sleepwalking, which was later turned into the film “Sleepwalk with Me.” Birbiglia is back with “Thank God for Jokes,” an hour-long comedy special filmed in 2016 while he was on tour. If it’s like everything Birbiglia touches, it will be very, very funny.
Milk (Drama)
If you want a movie that will make you think and lead to a discussion about human rights, gay rights and more, than “Milk” is a good bet. The movie is based on the life of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay person elected to public office in California. Starring Sean Penn and directed by Gus Van Sant, “Milk” is a powerful film that went on to win two Academy Awards, including Best Actor in a Leading Role and Best Screenplay.
Memento (Thriller)
Starring Guy Pearce, this psychological thriller follows the struggles of a man who suffers from short-term memory loss but uses a system of Polaroid photographs and tattoos to find his wife’s murderer.
Moonrise Kingdom (Comedy)
A perfect date night movie about two star-crossed tweens, Moonrise Kingdom is eccentric, quirky and boasts a wonderful ensemble cast of characters (Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Bruce Willis, and Edward Norton) who are trying to stop the two 12-year-olds from running away from their tiny New England island together.
