The Eddy

This eight-episode musical drama about jazz explores multi-racial tensions in Paris, while paying homage to the French New Wave film movement of the late 1950s. It follows Elliot Udo, an African American expat, who tries to run a jazz club that everyone from the police to underworld mobsters want to shut down, while caring for his biracial daughter Julie. Directed by La La Land’s Damien Chazelle, it confronts issues of race and poverty through the French capital’s jazz scene. 

Releasing 8 May 

Becoming

Former President of the United States Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama signed a deal with Netflix in 2018 to produce films and series. This month, they released their third title Becoming, which is based on Michelle Obama’s best-selling autobiography. It explores her roots in the Southside of Chicago, and how she found her voice as one of the most influential women in the world. Much of the documentary traces the immense scrutiny she faced as First Lady, including the racism, sexism, threats and judgement that she needed to rise above.

Releasing 6 May

The Half of It 

Alice Wu’s new movie The Half of It is a coming-of-age rom-com about Chinese-American straight-A student Ellie Chu, who agrees to be paid to write a love letter for a jock. Unlikely as it is, they both become friends and she then falls for him. Inspired by the 19th century play Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand, the film sticks to the classical tropes of a romantic comedy but has an LGBTQ twist. It’s tenderhearted with likeable characters that you can’t help but root for. 

Releasing 1 May 

All Day and a Night

Directed by Joe Robert Cole, this drama from one of the screenwriters of Black Panther, follows a young man’s journey of self-discovery after landing in the same prison as his father. While serving life in prison for homicide, he looks back at the circumstances, people and the systems in Oakland, America, that seem to set its black citizens up for failure.

Releasing 1 May 

Space Force

Space Force is a new workplace comedy series from Steve Carell and Greg Daniels, who starred in and wrote The Office, respectively. Carrell plays an Air Force general given the difficult job of leading Space Force, a newly-founded galactic division of the US Army.

Releasing 29 May 

Have a Good Trip

Actors, musicians, comedians and writers tell their drug stories in Netflix’s new documentary Have a Good Trip. It’s a rambling series of stories about wild hallucinations, bad decisions and misadventures, the best of which is Ben Stiller’s who recalls an intense paranoia after a bad acid trip.  There are plenty of familiar faces — Sarah Silverman, A$AP Rocky, Sting, Carrie Fisher and Anthony Bourdain.

Releasing 11 May