What to watch this Boxing Day on Netflix UK.
What to watch this Boxing Day on Netflix UK.
So perhaps you’ve eaten more turkey than any human should, drank far too much prosecco, or the only thing left in the celebrations tin are the sad bounty bars that nobody wants. Well don’t worry, whether you’re planning to hide in bed all day with a food hangover, or you need something to put on so no-one talks about Brexit again, Netflix have you covered. Here’s our recommendations for how you should be spending your boxing day.
For the binger
You is back with season two. Season one dropped on Netflix UK last boxing day, and it was all anyone was talking about during Crimbo Limbo. Season two sees Joe headed to LA, but will his old ways and what happened with Beck catch up to him? Penn Badgley returns in the lead role, with Ambyr Childers joining as surprisingly alive ex-girlfriend Candace. The new season will be dropping on the streamer at 9am on Boxing Day.
Feeling artsy?
If you want to feel fancy in front of the family, but also get to enjoy what you’re watching, we recommend French animation I Lost My Body. The animation style is breathtaking enough, but the story is also a beautiful, complex tale of love, loss and lost chances. You can check out our full review of the film when it aired at London Film Festival.
If you need to remember you love your family
Thunder Road is an indie smash hit, and the directorial debut of Jim Cummings, who also wrote and starred in the film, adapted from his original short. It opens with our hero saying goodbye to his beloved mother at her funeral, and goes from sad, to bad, to just downright awkward. Throw in custody battles, financial issues and depression and you’ve got your film. It might sound heavy, but it’s actually a joyous and uplifting romp that will help you remember to cherish those around you – even the ones who got you the ugly socks. You can read more here.
Need a horror fix?
Need to remember there are things out there scarier than Christmas with the in-laws? We recommend Irish horror The Hole in the Ground which follows a single mum and her young son as they move in to a new area which may be hiding more than it seems. Be sure to check out our full review and let us know what you think.
If you need a reminder that being single isn’t the worst thing in the world
Marriage Story has been sweeping award nominations since it’s release, and the performances of the two leads are breathtaking. But you know what else it’s good for? Showing that miserable aunt of yours that maybe being single in your 30’s isn’t the most terrible thing to happen to a human! (Note: Maybe not recommended if you’ve spend Christmas arguing with your significant other…) See what we thought of the film when it was originally released.
Ready for a cry?
Christmas can be rough, and sometimes you just need to let it all out. Five Feet Apart is the one for you. Focusing on two teenagers with cystic fibrosis stuck in hospital, like every good teen flick the pair fall in love – except cystic fibrosis sufferers can’t get closer to each other than six feet. Starring Riverdale alum Cole Sprouse and directed by Jane the Virgin’s Justin Baldoni, the film is sure to have the whole family reaching for tissues. Even your grumpy little sister. Check out our review from it’s theatrical release.
For when you’ve watched Rocky one too many times
Yes I know there’s no such thing as seeing Rocky too many times, but hear us out. Fighting With My Family came out earlier this year and is a pure delight for any age and a great family watch. Focussing on young wrestler Paige who ends up leaving the UK for sunny LA to train for a role in the WWE, it focuses not only on the underdog story, but the wider affects on her family and community back home. Out writer Michelle Patterson was a big fan, let us know if you were too. (Also, it’s Florence Pugh, so you know it’s gonna be great.)
And lastly, for when you just want to see a shit tonne of cockroaches
This writer has a cockroach phobia. This writer ended up in an early screening of the film Wounds at this years London Film Festival. A tense thriller starring Armie Hammer and Dakota Johnson, set in New Orleans? Sounded great. Except there was a cockroach within 5 minutes. And then there were many more. Take a chance on the film yourself and see if you, like me, ended up ripping out clumps of your own hair by the end of the film. (Also keep your eyes peeled for a Q&A with the director of Wounds, hitting the site later this week.)
Whatever you do this boxing day, let us know what you’re planning to watch and what other gems you’ve found on Netflix UK.
