Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Wondering what your favorite streaming services are adding to their offerings each month? Decider’s got you covered. Stay tuned for our reports on everything coming to Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, HBO, Showtime, Starz, and Sundance Now.
Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and HBO have something for everyone this April. Original series, classic films, and musical content are among this month’s offerings from your favorite streaming platforms. Netflix continues their massive original content initiative with flicks like Win It All and original series including The Get Down, Dear White People, and Bill Nye Saves the World, while Hulu is ready to knock it out of the park with The Handmaid’s Tale and new episodes of Harlots streaming throughout the month. Amazon knows that you’re trying to catch up on the latest buzzy, hip flicks, and they’re here with titles like The Handmaiden, The Love Witch, and Hello, My Name is Doris to get you up to speed. On HBO’s front, they’re stocking up with recent theatrical releases like Suicide Squad and War Dogs, so cozy up at home and relish in the fact that you don’t have to fight crowds to see these big budget flicks.
It doesn’t matter if you’re seeking your latest binge or simply an indulgence in the best films available out there – these streaming giants have enough content to get you through the month (and then some). Here are the top titles coming to the platforms this April.
NETFLIX
Schindler’s List (1993)
Starring Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, and Ralph Fiennes star in Steven Spielberg‘s devastating telling of the Holocaust. The film focuses on the efforts of Oskar Schindler (Neeson) to save refugees from the hands of the Nazis, and remains one of the most powerful – and most likely to tear you apart – films ever made. The use of black and white (with one heartbreaking exception) is absolutely stunning, and even if the film exists in the ‘watch it once and never again’ category, it’s one of those movies that everyone should see once in their lifetime.
[Stream Schindler’s List on Netflix]
The Get Down: Part II
Baz Luhrmann‘s hip-hop music drama returns for its second installment for April 7, and we couldn’t be happier. While the first season was definitely divisive among viewers, the pure ambition and celebratory nature of the series makes it irresistible. The setting of 1970s New York City and the dwindling of the disco age make it hard not to get sucked in, and even when the story loses sight of itself, the ostentatious glamour of it all makes it enjoyable nonetheless.
[Stream The Get Down on Netflix April 7]
Win It All *Netflix Original
New Girl‘s Jake Johnson takes on his best role yet with Eddie, something of a ‘loser’ who is tasked with watching his acquaintance’s bag of money while he serves a prison sentence. Evidently, Eddie gets hooked on gambling, and must try to win all the money back before its owner is released from jail. Director Joe Swanberg is better than ever with his latest flick, the subject of rave reviews at SXSW. Simply put, Win It All is an endearing example of classic storytelling at its best.
[Stream Win It All on Netflix April 7]
Bill Nye Saves the World: Season 1 *Netflix Original
Bill Nye, former Science Guy, is now out to save the world with his new Netflix original series. Aided by a series of correspondents including fashion model Karlie Kloss, comedians Nazeem Hussain and Joanna Hausmann, science YouTuber Derek Muller, and TV host and producer Emily Calandrelli, the show takes on topics like sex, global warming, GMOs, technology, and alternative medicine, among a ton of other fascinating subjects. The series will feature special guests like Zach Braff, Donald Faison, Rachel Bloom, Joel McHale, and Tim Gunn, as well as other celebrities and actors.
[Stream Bill Nye Saves the World on Netflix April 21]
Dear White People: Season 1 *Netflix Original
A satirical continuation the 2014 movie of the same name, Dear White People follows activist and radio show host Sam White after she is elected head of a residence hall at a predominately white Ivy League college. The series that prompted a wild response and boycott earlier this year should inspire you to do the opposite – it’s witty, biting, and more relevant now than ever. This fresh, innovative series bound to get you thinking is one you won’t want to miss.
[Stream Dear White People on Netflix April 28]
HULU
The Handmaid’s Tale
Eerily relevant as we fight our way through the hell-scape that is 2017, Margaret Atwood’s hit novel The Handmaid’s Tale has been adapted into a stunning series for Hulu. Set in a dystopian United States, the series explores the consequences of a hyper-religious totalitarian society that subjugates fertile women due to widespread infertility and dubs them Handmaids. Elisabeth Moss stars as Offred, a Handmaid hellbent on escaping this enslavement and reuniting with her daughter. Also starring Joseph Fiennes, Samira Wiley, Alexis Bledel, and Yvonne Strahovski, this thought-provoking series resonates on some unsettling levels.
[Stream The Handmaid’s Tale on Hulu April 26]
Almost Famous
Featuring the likes of Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Frances McDormand, Cameron Crowe‘s perfect coming of age/road flick is one of those beautifully nostalgic films that sticks with you long after you watch it. The semi-autobiographical, 1970s-set tale of music, love, and everything in between will make you’ll laugh, cry, and jam to the best tunes ever written. Step into the shoes of William Miller and learn how to be perfectly uncool.
[Stream Almost Famous on Hulu]
JFK
Oliver Stone‘s sprawling exploration of the conspiracies surrounding President John F. Kennedy’s assassination was nominated for eight Academy Awards and features Kevin Costner, Kevin Bacon, Sissy Spacek, Gary Oldman, and a star-studded ensemble cast. Clocking in at about 3 hours long, the stunning film is bound to leave you with more questions than answers.
[Stream JFK on Hulu]
Election
Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick star in this brilliant dark comedy chronicling a high school election and the suburban life surrounding it. Broderick plays Jim McAllister, a popular (but pathetic) high school social studies teacher who makes it his life’s goal to prevent overachiever Tracy Flick (Witherspoon) from becoming student body president. Chaos ensues as both adult and teenager utilize any means possible to ensure that the election goes their way.
[Stream Election on Hulu]
Short Term 12
Before she took home the Oscar for her devastating role in Room, Brie Larson delivered an emotional, honest performance of the same caliber in Short Term 12. Also starring John Gallagher Jr. and Keith Stanfield, the film follows Grace (Larson), a young supervisor in a group home for troubled teenagers. While attempting to help these teens navigate their darkest issues, Grace is forced to deal with her own – and receives help from her loving boyfriend (Gallagher) and the teens along the way.
[Stream Short Term 12 on Hulu April 13]
AMAZON PRIME VIDEO
American Playboy: The Hugh Hefner Story
Playboy magazine founder Hugh Hefner is the subject of Amazon’s fascinating new original docuseries, which tells his story through the use of cinematic reenactments, archival footage, and interviews. American Playboy takes us through the founding of the infamous magazine, the construction of Hefner’s empire over 60 years, and his fight for social justice and civil rights. Hefner’s life and career may seem like old news at this point – he’s mildly overexposed, to say the least – but the deep dive American Playboy takes into his legacy is a revelatory ride.
[Stream American Playboy on Prime Video April 7]
There Will Be Blood
This sprawling oil epic starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Paul Dano helmed by the masterfulPaul Thomas Anderson is a film that remains unparalleled on both scale and execution. Set in the midst of California’s petroleum boom, Day-Lewis plays Daniel Plainview, a man who begins as a humble miner and evolves into an unhinged wealthy oil tycoon. His rise and fall is played by Day-Lewis with such genuine intensity and nuance it’s impossible to look away (even when the character is at his moral worst), and when he’s on screen opposite Dano (or anyone, frankly), it’s like watching a flawlessly-choreographed dance.
[Stream There Will Be Blood on Prime Video]
The Handmaiden
Park Chan-wook (Oldboy, Stoker) brings us this awards-overlooked, bold erotic thriller that tells the story of a con man who hires a handmaiden to help him steal an heiress’ fortune. Inevitably, things get pretty twisted (and sexy) along the way, and not everything goes as planned. The Handmaiden is an extraordinary feat on multiple levels; the editing is unique, the visuals are stunning, and the storytelling sucks you in from the start. The film’s strong feminist undertones carry the narrative throughout, and the result is something that must be seen to be believed.
[Stream The Handmaiden on Prime Video April 13]
The Love Witch
This stunning love letter to 1960s pulp horror might as well be the real thing; shot on 35mm film and utilizing a hyper-saturated color palette, the film is a visual treat – and a narrative one. The Love Witch follows the eponymous young witch named Elaine whose love spell victims inevitably turn up dead when she’s done with them. Once she meets the man of her dreams, however, things change – and her pathological narcissism leads her down a path of insanity, desperation, and murder.
[Stream The Love Witch on Prime Video]
Catastrophe: Season 3
Rob and Sharon are engaged in the same uproarious antics we’re used to in the third season of Amazon’s hit original series. The hilarious Rob Delaney and Sharon Horgan star in this off-beat love story that seamlessly employs sharp wit and black comedy – and it seems like it only gets better with each season. The actors’ chemistry and acting chops make Catastrophe a must-stream.
[Stream Catastrophe: Season 3 on Prime Video April 28]
HBO GO & HBO NOW
Suicide Squad
Sure, the critics might have hated it, but don’t you want to see what all the fuss is about? Will Smith, Viola Davis, Margot Robbie, Jared Leto, and more star in this big-budget adaptation of our favorite DC antihero team. While the film as a whole is definitely not the best DC has done, the talented cast, humorous moments, and special effects make this one worth a watch. What are you waiting for? Mayhem has never been more fun.
[Stream Suicide Squad on HBO April 15]
War Dogs
Miles Teller and Jonah Hill star as rookie arms dealers in Todd Phillips’ (The Hangover) big-budget black comedy. While based on a true story, the flick is heavily fictionalized (and because of this, we get a lot more laughs). They two young guys happen to get a $300 million contract from the Pentagon so that they can arm the American allies in Afghanistan, but this task does not prove to be nearly as simple as they assume it to be. While there’s not anything particularly fresh about this flick, it’s still provides some funny moments and an all-around good time.
[Stream War Dogs on HBO April 8]
Slumdog Millionaire
Danny Boyle‘s Academy Award-winning film tells the story of an 18-year-old orphan from Mumbai (a sublime Dev Patel) who is arrested on suspicion of cheating while just one question away from winning the Indian version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?. In an effort to prove his innocence, he tells the story of his childhood in the slum where he was raised, and just how this street kid knows enough to win a contest so big. Also starring Freida Pinto, it’s easy to see why this unique, engaging story of love and loss won Best Picture in 2008.
[Stream Slumdog Millionaire on HBO]
Mamma Mia!
Meryl Streep sings and dances her heart out in this big-screen adaptation of the hit ABBA musical alongside dreamboats Colin Firth and Pierce Brosnan. This beloved story of a bride-to-be (Amanda Seyfried) who sets out on a quest to discover who her real father is never takes itself too seriously, allowing the audience ample enjoyment and sing-a-long opportunities, and the performances (who knew Meryl had those pipes?!) are unforgettable.
[Stream Mamma Mia! on HBO]
Cape Fear
Robert De Niro earned his sixth Academy Award nomination for his portrayal of Max Cady, an ex-con with a bone to pick in Martin Scorsese‘s striking remake of the 1962 classic. After serving 14 years in prison, Cady learns that the lawyer who defended him (Nick Nolte) buried a report that would have lightened his sentence – so he naturally decides to terrorize the lawyer’s family to exact his revenge. De Niro’s performance as the unhinged ex-con will sit with you for days after watching this crime classic.
[Stream Cape Fear on HBO]
