James R | On 29, Mar 2015

As April arrives, people across the country will be longing for the long Easter weekend or getting their school holiday slippers ready for some serious hours on the sofa.

Planning to spend some quality streaming time with your telly? Netflix’s line-up of new releases is varied enough to help, from Billy Wilder’s take on Sherlock Holmes to nostalgic 90s comedy horror. There’s a well-timed dose of kids’ entertainment in there, too, not to mention the arrival of Peaky Blinders and, of course, the premiere of Daredevil.

Before you go and buy all the chocolate eggs you can to binge on, here are the top new releases coming soon to Netflix UK:

Grimm: Season 3 – Wednesday 1st April

Detective Nick Burkhardt continues his Buffy-like duty of hunting down nasty monsters inspired by the tales of the Brothers Grimm. Once Upon a Time not dark enough for you? Try this.

Happy Gilmore – Wednesday 1st April

Adam Sandler signed a deal with Netflix last year to make four original films for the streaming service, following huge demand for his movies: they are among the most viewed by members around the world. It is no surprise, then, that Netflix should boost their Sandler catalogue in the UK with this amiable comedy about a rejected hockey player who turns his slapshot skills to the golf course.

Suits: Season 3 – Wednesday 1st April

With Season 4 currently showing on Dave in the UK, Season 3 of Suits lands on Netflix for those still catching up with Mike’s (Patrick J. Adams) fledgling law career. Just the thing for The Good Wife fans needing a legal drama fix.

Queen – Wednesday 1st April

Rani (Kangana Ranaut) is a Delhi girl from a conservative family who is ditched by her fiancé just before her marriage. Shocked by this, she decides to set out on the planned honeymoon alone. As she travels the world and meets new people, she gains new experiences and discovers her own identity.

Star Trek Into Darkness – Thursday 2nd April

This follow-up to J.J. Abrams’ thrilling reboot loses some of the excitement by choosing to explore familiar ground, but the visuals remain spectacular, while the cast have never been better – not least because Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto are joined by the menacing Benedict Cumberbatch.

Chimpanzee – Thursday 2nd April

Meet Oscar. Oscar’s a chimpanzee. He spends his day keeping up with the group and trying to crack open nuts with a rock. It’s tough work. But he’s a happy chimp. Awww. Disney’s nature documentary – narrated by Tim Allen – may spend a little too much time projecting human thoughts and feelings onto its subjects, but this is accessible, charming non-fiction that will capture kids’ attention with its spellbinding forest sequences.

Wreck-It Ralph – Friday 3rd April

Disney’s arcade game movie follows Ralph, the villain of an 8-bit game, which sees him repeatedly tearing down a building, only for Fix-It Felix to repair the damage. Tired of being the bad guy, he wanders the digital world to find another game to call home.

All Hail King Julien: Season 1 (new episodes) – Friday 3rd April

New episodes of DreamWorks’ original Netflix series continue the spin-off antics of deluded lemur Julien, who somehow winds up as the leader of his tribe. Danny Jacobs is no Sacha Baron Cohen, while the jokes are hit and miss, but the relentlessly hyperactive antics offer enough harmless fun for the holidays.

Homeward Bound – The Incredible Journey – Friday 3rd April

This 1993 remake of the original 1963 film of the same name is an enjoyable family adventure about three animals, who race to catch up with their owners when the family moves home and appears to have left them behind. Michael J. Fox and Sally Field provide charming vocals as an exciteable pup and snooty, sarcastic cat.

Faster – Wednesday 8th April

This 2003 documentary, narrated by Ewan McGregor, is the first film to go inside the world of MotoGP.

Tremors – Wednesday 8th April

The residents of Perfection, Nevada, discover a gigantic worm thing underground in Ron Underwood’s creature feature. From the cheesy comedy to Kevin Bacon’s lead, this is a nostalgic favourite for anyone who saw it in the 1990s.

The Crucible – Wednesday 8th April

Daniel Day Lewis and Winona Ryder are on powerful form in this adaptation of Arthur Miller’s timeless play.

Marvel’s Daredevil – Friday 10th April

Marvel’s run of original Netflix series starts with this gritty take on blind lawyer Matt Murdock, who spends his days trying to clean up Hell’s Kitchen and his nights doing the same… with a mask on. Available in 4K ultra HD and with a cast that includes Charlie Cox, Vincent D’Onofrio and Rosario Dawson, this is shaping up to be (ahem) super.

October 1 – Friday 10th April

Award winning Nollywood film October 1st, directed by Kunle Afolayan, tells the story of Inspector Danladi Waziri, a police officer from Northern Nigeria. He is posted to a remote town of Akote in Western Nigeria to investigate the frequent female murder cases in the community, and solve the mystery before the country’s Independence Day – October 1.

Spring Breakers – Sunday 12th April

Spring Breakers is that rare thing: a film that manages to be about something and at the same time nothing. A vacuous, exploitative pile of trash that satirises vacuous, exploitative piles of trash, it celebrates the culture that surrounds Spring Break while firmly sticking two fingers up at it. And wearing a ski mask. James Franco steals the show as a gun-toting thug with surprisingly good piano skills.

Bobby – Wednesday 15th April

Emilio Estevez’s drama reimagines the final hours leading up to the shooting of Robert F. Kennedy in 1968. Combining newsreel footage with performances from Laurence Fishburne, Ashton Kutcher, Shia LaBeouf, Demi Moore and Helen Hunt, it’s a seriously ambitious look back at a key moment in history.

Chris D’Elia: Incorrigible – Friday 17th April

The latest show to join Netflix’s line-up of stand-up comedy specials, Incorrigible sees Chris D’Elia tackling the NFL’s need for real lions and bears.

Peaky Blinders: Season 1 – Saturday 18th April

Birmingham. 1919. The streets run red with the Peaky Blinders. When Thomas Shelby (Cillian Murphy) takes unofficial lead as the brains of his cutthroat family business – bookmaking mixed with racketeering – his battle for power attracts attention from every source. BBC Two’s poetic and lethal drama follows his rise to the top, taking in politics, ruthless betrayals and bitingly strong female characters.

Oblivion – Sunday 19th April

Tom Cruise stars in this sci-fi about a lone human on an Earth where resources are almost totally depleted. Joseph Kosinski’s movie received a lot of flack upon release for its similarity to other films, but go back to it now and the visuals and world-building are sumptuous, impressive stuff.

The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes (1970) – Wednesday 22nd April

Billy Wilder’s 1970 take on Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective manages to be both period and modern, following Holmes’ investigation into a woman’s missing husband after an attempt on her life. The production values are impressive, the script amusing and Robert Stephens’ Sherlock is accompanied by none other than Christopher Lee as Mycroft Holmes.

Testament – Wednesday 22nd April

A nuclear attack in the US scars the life of a suburban American family living outside San Francisco.

Teen Wolf – Wednesday 22nd April

Meet Scott. He’s your typical high school student. He’s on a mediocre basketball team. He’s unnoticed by the girl he likes. And he’s a werewolf. Michael J. Fox stars in this 1985 comedy.

Derek Season 2 – Thursday 23rd April

Branded as a Netflix original in the US, Ricky Gervais’ comedy drama about a care worker gets Season 2 added to the site. Season 1 is already on Netflix UK.

Cinderella – Friday 24th April

From A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes to Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo, Disney’s animated classic is packed full of winning songs and beautiful, hand-drawn frames. Has it dated since its release all the way back in 1950? Of course. But there’s still magic in the old shoe yet.

I Am Ali – Tuesday 28th April

Clare Lewins’ documentary about the life and career of the legendary boxer is told through archive footage and multiple interviews with his family, friends, opponents and colleagues. The result is both informative and entertaining, but it’s the personal angle that makes this stand out from the pack.

Wednesday 1st April
The English Teacher
Maya the Bee: Season 1
Vic the Viking: Season 1
Elias: Rescue Team Adventures: Season 1
All Relative
Swearnet: The Movie
Approaching The Elephant
The Notorious Mr. Bout

Sunday 6th April
Afflicted

Wednesday 8th April
Prelude to a Kiss
The Great Outdoors

Thursday 9th April
Norbit

Friday 10th April
Hot Lead And Cold Feet (1978)

Monday 13th April
Video Game High School: Season 3

Wednesday 15th April
Chrysalis

Wednesday 22nd April
Delta Force 2: Operation Stranglehold
Missing in Action
Antitrust
Eye for an Eye
Hit and Run
The Hound of the Baskervilles

Friday 24th April
First Kid

Sunday 26th April
Lies Men Tell
Broken

Wednesday 29th April
Braquo: Season 2

 

For a round-up of what’s leaving Netflix UK at the end of March, click here.

 

Photo: Barry Wetcher © 2014 Netflix, Inc. All rights reserved.

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