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New on Netflix in May

April 25, 2017

Enjoying nice weather is so overrated. Who needs a picnic in the park, fresh air, or sunshine when you’ve got hours upon hours of binge-worthy shows to watch? With the return of several Netflix Original fan favorites and a slew of brand new, promising shows and movies, in the month of May, Netflix is certainly testing the limits on how long it’s viewers can go without putting pants on and leaving the house (or at least, putting us all at risk for a severe Vitamin D deficiency). Here are the reasons why we’re canceling all of our plans next month:

On May 5, make sure to check out the Netflix original film, “Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie” starring Jeff Garlin (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) as Los Angeles homicide detective, Gene Handsome. This offbeat comedy follows Detective Handsome as he attempts to solve a murder and make sense of his own life’s problems. The film also stars Natasha Lyonne, Amy Sedaris, and Steven Weber.

Also on May 5, Netflix will begin streaming the documentary, “The Mars Generation,” which takes an in-depth look at the future of space exploration, in both the public and private sectors, and the teens who are training at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center to be the first to, one day, set foot on Mars. Sounds stellar.

The 1908 novel, “Anne of Green Gables” comes to life in the new series, “Anne,” out May 12. This classic coming-of-age story follows a young, orphaned girl who accidentally gets sent to live with an elderly brother and sister on Prince Edward Island. An outsider and free spirit with a stunning imagination, Anne learns to fight for who she is and what she believes in, transforming the lives of her adopted family, and their community.

On May 19, Kimmy, Titus Andromedon, Lillian, and Jacqueline White are all back “in formation” for season three of the hugely popular, overly optimistic, and immensely hilarious “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” co-created by Tina Fey (“30 Rock”). After being kidnapped and forced to live in an underground cult for 15 years, Kimmy decides to move to New York City and take control of her life once again, which turns out, is easier said than done. Kimmy’s contagious positivity catches on, and those close to her begin to feel the mighty effects of self-worth and a sunny disposition.

And finally, after an excruciating delay, Netflix’s, first Original show, and most critically acclaimed, “House of Cards,” returns on May 30. Season Five will pick up right where the show left off, with the aftermath of Tom Hammerschmidt’s article exposing the Underwood’s in the Washington Herald and the terrorist execution of an American hostage. Throughout season four, Frank and Claire Underwood’s relationship showed signs of severe fracturing. Will they continue to re-strengthen their relationship as running mates, or will this be the year Frank’s delicate house of cards finally comes crumbling down? We’ll have to wait and find out.

Throwback Thursday: Billy Joel, “Piano Man”

April 6, 2017

This Day in Music History

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On this day in 1974, Billy Joel earned his first Billboard Top 40 Hit with his now iconic bar ballad, “Piano Man.” The song was only moderately successful during the time of its debut, peaking at #25 on the US charts. However, it wasn’t until after the release of Joel’s 1977 album, “The Stranger,” which launched him into superstardom, that “Piano Man” gained notoriety, becoming his most well-known lyric. The song, written by Joel, is a re-telling of his own experience working as a piano-lounge singer in Los Angeles between 1972 and 1973 while negotiating a split from his first recording label, Family Productions. The large cast of characters that appear in the song are all based on real people who would frequent the bar: “The Waitress” who’s “practicing politics” actually refers to Joel’s first wife, Elizabeth Weber, who worked as a waitress in the bar on the nights Joel sang. In 2016, “Piano Man” was one of twenty-five recordings selected to be preserved by the Library of Congress National Recording Registry, citing its cultural, historical, and aesthetic significance. Drink up!

Throwback Thursday: Notorious B.I.G is Tragically Shot in Los Angeles

March 9, 2017

This Day in Music History

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On this day in 1997, influential rapper, Notorious B.I.G. (also known as Biggie, or, Biggie Smalls) was fatally shot while leaving a party at The Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. Biggie was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and rose to prominence as a central figure of the East Coast hip-hop scene in 1994 after the release of his debut album, Ready to Die. However, as his success skyrocketed, he became heavily involved in the growing East Coast – West Coast Hip Hop Feud. On September 7, 1996, West Coast hip hop rival, Tupac Shakur, was involved in a driveby shooting, where he sustained multiple gunshot wounds and died six days later. Although unconfirmed, rumors of Biggie’s involvement in the shooting of his rival were unavoidable. Six months later, while in Los Angeles to promote his upcoming album, Life After Death, and to shoot the music video for the album’s lead single, Hypnotize, Biggie Smalls was shot four times in his SUV while stopped at the corner of Wilshire Blvd and South Fairfax Ave. He was 24 years old. Biggie and Tupac’s murders remain unsolved to this day.