My Month of Streaming
It’s safe to say that my Letterboxd account has been working overtime this month, and my May diary is stacked with 16 more movies and shows from across the best streaming services – and this list is one of my most varied yet.
Last month I revisited some of my favorite movie musicals, as well as venturing into uncharted territory with films like ’80s sci-fi classic The Terminator (1984).
My May watch list comprises two releases from 2024, both of which earned awards at this year’s Oscars, a new Netflix docuseries about two of Britain’s most notorious serial killers, and a mix of other new watches and revisits, including an early ’00s chick flick starring Lindsay Lohan and Rachel McAdams – have I given that last one away?
Conclave (2024)
Director: Edward Berger
Age rating: PG
Runtime: 120 minutes
Where to stream: Prime Video (US & UK)
I missed Conclave in theaters, and like a lot of people I was prompted to watch it by the real-life conclave to elect a new pope following the death of Pope Francis. It was everything I was expecting from a movie set solely in Vatican City with its fascinating insight to the process of electing a new pope, but what I was not expecting was the twist in the final scenes.
Following the death of a fictional pope, Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with organizing the conclave to elect a successor. With the leaders of the Catholic church from around the world gathered in Vatican City, Cardinal Lawrence upends the proceedings with stunning revelations.
Love on the Spectrum season 3
Creators: Karina Holden & Cian O’Clery
Age rating: N/A
Episode runtime: ~ 39 minutes
Where to stream: Netflix (US, UK & AU)
One of my favorite reality TV shows returned in April, and though I made sure to watch every episode on the day it came out, I couldn’t resist rewatching it over again throughout May.
Not only is it one of the best dating reality shows, Love on the Spectrum is one of my best Netflix shows overall. It’s equal parts comedic, wholesome and, at times, heart-breaking, but its cast of unique individuals looking for romance is what gives it that special edge.
A group of adults, all of whom are on the autism spectrum, navigate the world of dating and relationships for the very first time. The show offers fascinating and moving insights into their characters, and challenges preconceptions by highlighting the diverse range of autistic personalities.
A Complete Unknown (2024)
Director: James Mangold
Age rating: R
Runtime: 141 minutes
Where to stream: Hulu (US); Disney+ (UK & AU)
James Mangold, who directed the 2005 Johnny Cash biopic Walk the Line, returns to the subject of enigmatic rock’n’roll legends with A Complete Unknown, which charts Bob Dylan’s rise from ambitious young folk singer to becoming one of America’s most popular singer-songwriters, and his controversial decision to ‘go electric’, which divided the American folk music community.
I went into A Complete Unknown with an open mind, as I knew little about Dylan’s life and his influence on folk and rock music, and was looking forward to learning more. However, while I enjoyed the movie I’d say it’s a fairly average biopic, and I felt that I didn’t learn a lot about his influence on folk and acoustic music other than he’s a talented musician and songwriter. But I’m still glad I watched it.
Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story (2025)
Director: Dan Dewsbury
Age rating: TV-MA
Episode runtime: ~ 60 minutes
Where to stream: Netflix (US, UK & AU)
True crime is one of those genres that I’ve strayed away from partly because of the ‘true crime girls’ phenomenon that feels like it’s taking over the podcast and documentary genres – and Ryan Murphy hasn’t helped its reputation either with his fictitious televised accounts of famous cases.
However, when I saw the new Fred and Rose West docuseries being teased on Netflix, I was intrigued. I’m a youngish person living in the UK, and I was vaguely familiar with the case, but I wasn’t familiar with the gory details, and when I watched the show my jaw hit the floor.
Across three episodes the docuseries delves into the infamous story of Fred and Rose West, who together murdered at least 12 young women and girls between 1967 and 1987, including one of their own children. Using previously unheard audio and video recordings, and accounts from those involved in the investigation, the series gives a comprehensive and grimly fascinating account of two of Britain’s most notorious serial killers.
Mean Girls (2004)
Director: Mark Waters
Age rating: PG-13
Runtime: 97 minutes
Where to stream: Paramount Plus (US); Netflix, Disney+, Paramount Plus (UK & AU)
Whether you like it or not, Mean Girls is one of the greatest chick flick movies, if not the finest example of the genre, earning its icon status over the years for the same reasons that we love Clueless (1995) and Legally Blonde (2001) – chief among those reasons being its catalog of quotes that are still referenced to this day, with “Is butter a carb?”, “You can’t sit with us!”’, and “That’s so fetch!” topping the list.
Cady (Lindsay Lohan) moves to a US high school after spending most of her life in Africa with her zoologist parents, and is exposed to the pervasive and ruthlessly enforced clique system. She befriends a group of outcasts, but when she finds herself being accepted into a group of popular girls nicknamed ‘The Plastics’, she uncovers the sinister meaning behind their name and infiltrates the group to execute revenge on its vicious leader Regina George (Rachel McAdams).
Final Destination (2000)
Director: James Wong
Age rating: R
Runtime: 108 minutes
Where to stream: Max (US); Netflix (UK)
Although I’m a big horror fan, the Final Destination franchise had never really appealed to me, but after watching the unhinged spectacle that was Final Destination: Bloodlines (2025) in the cinema, I had no choice but to take a trip back in time.
In my experience, the best way to enjoy the serious unseriousness of Final Destination is to get a bunch of friends around for a sleepover with a large pile of snacks, so that everyone can share in an ordeal that’s by turns terrifying and cringe-inducing.
Before boarding a flight to Paris with his class, high school student Alex (Devon Sawa) has a vision of the plane exploding. Along with his classmates he’s removed from the plane after demanding that everyone get off, only to watch the plane go up in flames mid-air – just like his premonition. While Alex and his fellow survivors think they’ve cheated death, it turns out that death has other plans for them, as one by one they meet their gruesome fates.
Final Destination 2 (2003)
Director: David R. Ellis
Age rating: R
Runtime: 90 minutes
Where to stream: Max (US); Netflix (UK)
My friends and I were so enraptured with Final Destination that we decided to embark on a mini movie marathon – albeit only making it to Final Destination 3 (2007).
Final Destination 2 has an even wilder opening scene than its predecessor, packing unnecessarily giant explosions and multiple cars flipping down the highway for what feels like hours. It’s a great opener.
The set-up is pretty much the same as the first movie. Kimberly (A.J. Cook) has a premonition of a highway accident resulting in the death of multiple drivers, including her and her friends. And once again, death comes knocking for them down one by one.
As for Final Destination 3… well, you can probably work that one out for yourselves.
The Simpsons Movie (2007)
Director: David Silverman
Age rating: PG-13
Runtime: 86 minutes
Where to stream: Disney Plus (US, UK & AU)
On a more light-hearted note, May found me craving to be reunited with one of my favorite animated movies. Earning an easy 5-star rating from me, The Simpsons Movie is still as funny as it was when it was released 20 years ago, and its underlying political message still resonates.
The world’s favorite yellow family find themselves out of favor with their friends and neighbors after a series of catastrophic events caused by Homer’s reckless behaviour results in the entire town of Springfield being enclosed in a large glass dome by the Environmental Protection Agency. When they’re faced with an angry mob, the family has no choice but to escape Springfield, but the town is at greater risk than anyone realises.
Party Girl (1995)
Director: Daisy von Scherler Mayer
Age rating: R
Runtime: 94 minutes
Where to stream: Prime Video, Hulu, Peacock (US); Prime Video (UK); Plex, Hoopla (AU)
I stumbled upon Party Girl in Prime Video’s library, and after enjoying Parker Posey’s campy, business executive character in Josie and the Pussycats (2001) I decided to give this cult indie movie a chance.
An easy 90-minute watch that’s perfect for when you’re in the movie that requires minimal concentration, Party Girl was filmed on a budget, and was the first feature film to premiere on the internet – and its soundtrack of ’90s underground house and dance music is the icing on the cake.
Mary (Posey) is a free-spirited young woman living in New York City, who, despite being short on cash, always finds a way to indulge in the NYC nightlife. When she’s arrested for hosting an illegal rave she has to ask her godmother Judy (Sasha von Scherler) to post bail for her. To pay her back, Mary starts working at the library Judy manages, and is surprised to discover a serious side hidden beneath her party girl persona.
