Global streaming giant Netflix makes its big awards-season splash this week, with plenty of the movies (and one of the TV shows) that are new in the next seven days being ones likely intended to garner awards.
As What to Watch's streaming expert, I look through the upcoming Netflix line-up each week to bring you a curated list of the must-watch shows, movies, documentaries and specials; this week we're looking at videos landing between Saturday, November 16 and Friday, November 22.
Around this time of year, Netflix often starts to release the movies and shows that it hopes will win big during awards season (Oscars cut-off, for example, is in mid-November this year) but I wasn't expecting it to drop so many in just one week! Movie fans in particular will have their evenings booked up this week!
But if you're not interested in what Netflix considers an Oscar-worthy movie, I've made sure my list has some diversity with documentaries, animal shows and a festive rom-com to account for all tastes.
So let's find you something to watch on Netflix this week.
Our Oceans
- Obama-narrated nature doc arrives on Wednesday, November 20
Barack and Michelle Obama's collaboration with Netflix continues with Our Oceans, which is the latest docuseries from the streamer that takes a look at the natural world.
Our Oceans, narrated by the former US President, takes a look at the animals living under the water. Different episodes look at different parts of the ocean, and all the sea creatures that live underneath.
There are set to be five episodes of Our Oceans, with all landing on Netflix on Wednesday, November 20.
The Merry Gentlemen
- Festive rom-com releases on Wednesday, November 20
Netflix continues its series of Hallmark-esque Christmas movies with The Merry Gentlemen, which is like The Full Monty if it took place during the holiday season (and in America).
Starring Chad Michael Murray and Britt Robertson, The Merry Gentlemen is about a woman who wants to save her parents' arts venue, and the only way she can do so is by putting on a male dancing 'revue' (that's the polite term of strip show).
Just shy of 90 minutes, The Merry Gentlemen isn't too long and you can watch it on Netflix from Wednesday, November 20.
Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy
- Documentary movies debuts on Wednesday, November 20
A new documentary movie from Netflix comes at an interesting time (given that Black Friday is a few weeks out). Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy tries to explain why some people need to buy everything.
In the documentary we'll learn how corporations manipulate us into buying things we don't need with money we don't have, with insiders from companies like Amazon and Apple talking us through all the tricks these companies use. This promises to be a controversial documentary amongst people who identify themselves by the brands they spend money on.
You can watch Buy Now: The Shopping Conspiracy on Wednesday, November 20.
A Man on the Inside
- Crime comedy series arrives on Thursday, November 21
For its latest comedy series, Netflix has taken an Oscar-nominated documentary called The Mole Agent and turned it into a fictional series starring Ted Danson.
A Man on the Inside is about an aging professor who's hired by a private investigator to infiltrate a retirement home to solve a crime. As he spends more time in the community, and tries to avoid being found out by the director, he learns to love the other residents and find new meaning in his life.
You'll be able to watch all episodes of A Man on the Inside on Netflix from Thursday, November 20.
Joy
- British drama movie lands on Friday, November 22
The first of Netflix's awards-season plays this week is Joy, starring Bill Nighy, James Norton and Thomasin McKenzie.
Based on a true story, Joy is about the doctors who worked together to create In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) back in the 1970s. The baby they eventually created was called Louise Joy Brown, hence the name.
After a brief theatrical run, Joy is streaming on Netflix from Friday, November 22.
The Piano Lesson
- American drama movie lands on Friday, November 22
The next awards movie from Netflix is The Piano Lesson, starring Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington and Ray Fisher and based on an award-winning book.
The Piano Lesson is two siblings who can't agree on whether to sell an heirloom family piano, a conflict which has ripples in their family's legacy and past. The rest of the family gets involved but they can't help in this great divide.
After finishing a theatrical run, The Piano Lesson hits Netflix on Friday, November 20.
Spellbound
- Animated musical movie releases on Friday, November 20
The last of Netflix's movies this week is aimed more at the animation awards, being directed by the same person as Shrek and with a cast including Rachel Zegler, Javier Bardem, Nicole Kidman and John Lithgow.
Spellbound is about a princess whose parents are turned into monsters, and she has to go on a quest to save them. You may have heard of that premise before but Netflix is leaning into the fairy tale branding heavily.
You (or your children) can watch Spellbound on Netflix from Friday, November 22.
The Helicopter Heist
- Swedish crime series arrives on Friday, November 22
If you don't want a movie this Friday, then The Helicopter Heist is the one for you. It's based on a true story that happened in the noughties in Sweden.
The Helicopter Heist is about a heist from 2009 when some men drove a helicopter onto a cash depot in Stockholm and did away with a huge amount of money. The police couldn't do anything as the chopper flew off into the distance.
Watch The Helicopter Heist on Netflix from Friday, November 22, with eight episodes on the platform.
