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Five Movies or Shows to Stream This Week

13:00 September 21, 2020
By: Lawrence Bourgeois

Streaming services were already at an all-time high in usage rates before we were all locked down and stuck at home for public health reasons. These days, it can sometimes be harder to find something to do with your time. In this list, you'll find a mix of shows and movies that you can sink hours into and still want to come back for more. All productions listed are easily streamable on big-name services.

1. Parasite

Delightfully subversive of expectations, Parasite is one of the best foreign films in recent memory. Through this film, we get a glimpse into the life of an extremely poor family in the Korean slums who use their cunning to manipulate a far richer family into providing for them. Having won multiple awards and been advertised and shown prominently in American theaters despite being entirely in a foreign language, this film has proved itself to be a hallmark of the thriller genre, even overseas. It is currently available on Amazon for a paltry rental price of $3. Parasite is more than worth the money you'll spend to enjoy it during your next movie night.

2. Castlevania

A gritty, bloody, and exceedingly engaging take on the story of Dracula, Castlevania is an animated Netflix original with considerable critical acclaim. The main narrative chronicles Dracula's quest to eradicate humanity and the opposition he faces in the form of the few remaining vampire hunters. As a mature production, the series manages to deftly execute darker themes with well-placed comedic breaks. Castlevania is exclusively available on Netflix.

3. Cobra Kai

While it was a YouTube exclusive for the majority of its life, the Karate Kid's successor has made its way to Netflix with resounding praise. Chock full of witty humor and clever spins on the original smash-hit classic Karate Kid, Cobra Kai is the story of Johnny Lawrence, decades after his humiliating defeat at the conclusion of the original film. With episodes that string together a cohesive yet independent narrative, this is the perfect series to binge-watch. Even if you weren't a fan of the original Karate Kid, this show is still worth giving a shot. Cobra Kai is most readily available on Netflix, but you can also find it on YouTube.

4. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The conclusion to the trilogy hailed for having revitalized Westerns, Clint Eastwood's iconic 60s hit still holds up surprisingly well in modern-day viewing. A gritty and violent portrayal of the American Old West, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly stands as a hallmark of the genre as it tells the story of three gunslingers hunting for a large sum of money amidst the Civil War. You can stream the film on Netflix.

5. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

A fun and engaging film for the whole family, Spider-Verse was critically acclaimed on release for its gorgeous and creative animation and well-paced storytelling. It tells a succession story as well as an unconventional superhero story to surprising effect. Spider-Verse is a good use of your time if you're looking for a lighthearted and enjoyable flick. You can stream it on Netflix.

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