Netflix is rolling out a slew of new movies. Last weekend, the animated stop-motion movie I Am Frankelda premiered to positive reviews. This weekend, Netflix gets back into the rom-com department with Voicemails for Isabelle, starring Zoey Deutch and Nick Robinson.
As for thrillers, our No. 1 pick this week has been a staple in Netflix’s global top 10 for the last month. It’s a shocking documentary that will spark some difficult conversations. The other two movies on this week’s list include a fascinating screenlife thriller from 2018 and a shark adventure perfect to watch for the summer.
3
The Requin
The sharks bite back
Shark movies are intense. No surprise there. The idea of an apex predator attacking someone without being seen is a scary proposition. I always come back to Jaws and John Williams’ iconic score, which signaled the arrival of the murderous shark. Two months ago, Netflix released an original shark movie called Thrash, which saw these immense creatures terrorize a town during a Category 5 hurricane.
If Thrash is a movie that you enjoyed, then stay in the same genre and check out The Requin, Le-Van Kiet’s horror movie from 2022. 1990s icon Alicia Silverstone stars as Jaelyn, a woman still grieving the loss of a child she lost due to a stillbirth. Looking to get her mind off things, Jaelyn heads to Vietnam with her husband, Kyle (James Tupper), for a holiday. Disaster strikes when a tropical storm devastates their resort, as Jaelyn and Kyle drift away on the remains of their bungalow.
So, where are the sharks? With the couple stranded at sea, a great white shark bites Kyle’s leg off. Now, it’s a waiting game. Jaelyn must act quickly to save her husband before he bleeds to death. Like many shark movies, The Requin can feel ridiculous at times. However, 99% of shark movies won’t be Jaws, so I’m willing to sacrifice accuracy for entertainment, and The Requin does exactly that.
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Searching
One of the more innovative thrillers
What is a screenlife movie? It’s a story told entirely on screens, including a television, tablet, or phone. After watching Searching, you would think it was made out of necessity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Surprisingly, it was made in 2018, about two years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet Searching is unquestionably better than every screenlife movie that came during the pandemic.
Directed by Aneesh Chaganty, Searching stars John Cho as David Kim, a widowed father left to take care of his daughter, Margot Kim (Michelle La). One night, David learns from Margot that she will be out for the night. The next morning, David discovers that Margot is missing and files a missing person’s report, which is picked up by Detective Rosemary Vick (Debra Messing). Using social media, David conducts his own investigation into the issue as he tries to find his daughter.
If you’ve never seen a screenlife movie, it can take a few minutes to adjust to the presentation. We stare at screens all day, but to see them used as a storytelling technique is an interesting choice. However, Searching implements the screenlife technique to perfection, as the quick cuts and unique presentation are a winning formula.
1
The Crash
An eyebrow-raising documentary
Netflix is still the leading streaming service when it comes to true crime. That’s not to say that other services can’t put out a true crime documentary. What I will say is that Netflix continues to transform these addictive cases into massive hits for the service. I look at Making a Murderer, The Staircase, and The Perfect Neighbor as examples of popular true crime docs for Netflix. Add The Crash to the list.
The Crash was one of the most anticipated documentaries that arrived on Netflix in June, and it certainly has lived up to the hype. For those unfamiliar with the case, The Crash retraces the steps of a 2022 tragedy in Strongsville, Ohio. On the night of July 31, 2022, Mackenzie Shirilla crashed her car into a brick wall, killing two passengers, including boyfriend Dominic Russo and friend Davion Flanagan. Shirilla, who drove the car, survived.
The natural thing to do is assume the crash was a horrible accident. The more investigators dove deep into the case, they soon questioned if Shirilla crashed the car on purpose. The Crash reexamines that fateful event and the ensuing investigation that became a double-murder case. Shirilla is interviewed for the documentary, which is a huge accomplishment for the filmmakers, considering the police never spoke to her before or after the arrest. Prepare for the unexpected in this shocking documentary.
- Subscription with ads
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Yes, $8/month
- Simultaneous streams
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Two or four
More movies to watch
You probably know this, but in case you haven’t, Netflix has one of the best libraries in streaming. You can stream several addictive movies this month, including The Breakfast Club and Chef. After finishing these thrillers, you can check out more, like Dead Man’s Wire, on Netflix’s genre page.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
