The Queue

Check out new movies arriving on Netflix, a new TV show starring Steve Carell and Tina Fey, and a list of streaming recommendations.

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I’m back from vacation, and back on the couch watching TV where I belong. I’m still reeling from Season 2 of “Andor,” which I reviewed in full (and with minimal spoilers) for Boston.com last week. If you loved the original Star Wars trilogy but thought you’d aged out of Lucasfilm’s target demographic, be sure to check it out.

On that note, it’s the beginning of a new month, which means it’s time for another all-recommendations edition of The Queue.

This week, we have new movies arriving on Netflix, a TV show from Steve Carell and Tina Fey, and recommendations from some of my Boston.com colleagues.

Classic movies on Netflix

While I usually try to spread recommendations across several streaming platforms, Netflix has an especially strong crop of films arriving in May. Here’s three to queue up this weekend.

“American Graffiti” (1973): Before he changed movies forever with the Star Wars franchise, George Lucas built the blueprint for the coming-of-age genre with “American Graffiti,” showcasing young stars like Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, and Harrison Ford cruising the streets of Modesto, California in search of thrills. (Netflix)

“Starship Troopers” (1997): Paul Verhoeven movies have consistently been misunderstood in their time, perhaps none more so than this sci-fi satire of 23rd-century fascism that bombed at the box office. (Netflix)

“The Jerk” (1979): Steve Martin’s first movie remains his best one, telling the life story of bumbling moron Navin Johnson from his humble beginnings to his even humbler present. (Netflix)

Read more about new movies on Netflix.

New movies and TV to watch

This week’s picks include a boundary-pushing Nicole Kidman movie and a dramedy from Tina Fey and Steve Carell.

“Babygirl” (2024): I can’t think of another actress in her 50s who would be willing to do what Nicole Kidman does in this erotic drama, playing a high-powered executive who forms an unconventional bond with one of her firm’s interns (Harris Dickinson, “The Iron Claw”). (Max)

“The Four Seasons”: Tina Fey’s dramedy finds three couples and longtime friends (including Steve Carell and Will Forte) grappling with the repercussions of a divorce in their group, offering a wistful reminder that while recapturing your youth is a fool’s errand, personal growth can happen at any age. (Netflix)

“The Rehearsal”: Nathan Fielder remains one of the strangest, most original comic minds in the second season of his HBO show, this time using his “rehearsal as a means of preparation” approach to focus on a single, very timely, issue: Airline safety. (Max)

Read more for a full list of new movies and TV shows.

Play or Skip: Staff edition

You’ve heard enough of my streaming picks already, so here’s what the rest of Boston.com’s staff is watching.

Have a show you can’t stop watching? Email me about it at [email protected], and your recommendation may appear in a future edition of The Queue.

“The Last of Us”: I mostly stuck to talking about the first episode of Season 2 in my review of HBO’s zombie drama, but Boston.com’s Jessika Landon was understandably shook up by the impactful second episode: “TLOU was obviously gutwrenching with episode 2. Simultaneously one of the most amazing and terrible episodes of television I’ve ever seen.” (Max)

“Black Mirror”: Individual episodes of Netflix’s anthology drama can vary in quality, so Boston.com’s Abby Patkin had a specific recommendation from Season 7: “‘Eulogy’ was one of the best (and most heartbreaking) episodes of TV I’ve seen in a while, and Paul Giamatti gave a masterclass of a performance. The rest of the season is a bit hit or miss, but this one’s a must-watch.” (Netflix)

“The Studio”: Boston.com’s Ross Cristantiello gave the green light to Seth Rogen’s Apple TV+ comedy, calling it “the best-looking and funniest show” he’s seen in a while: “Every episode is infused with this vibrant, jittering energy that thrusts you into a thrillingly heightened world of Hollywood dealmaking. It perfectly satirizes the studio system and the glamorous idiots who run it without sacrificing a deeply romantic reverence for filmmaking as an art form.” (Apple TV+)

“Hacks”: Boston.com’s Katelyn Umholtz is loving the fourth season of “Hacks,” which is still going strong after its Emmy win: “‘Hacks’ is and has been the funniest show on TV since it premiered. Each new season I watch in fear that it cannot keep going in its perfect direction, but I am proven wrong every time.” (Max)

End Credits

That’s a wrap on this edition of The Queue. If you’re a fan, please consider recommending this newsletter to your friends.

Until next time, good stream hunting, everyone!

— Kevin

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