Each month, lots of new films and TV shows are added to Stan‘s library. Critic Claire White surveys each month’s selections and picks for titles most worth watching. For the full list of everything arriving on the platform, scroll down.
Top Picks: TV
SisterS (March 31)
Sneaking onto Stan just before April kicked off, SisterS is a new comedy-drama created, written by and starring Sarah Goldberg. After the death of her mother, Sare (Goldberg) flies to Ireland to find a half-sister she never knew she had. Together, they embark on a road-trip to find their alcoholic father, whom Sare also never knew. Most known for her role as Sally on HBO’s Barry, Goldberg has proven herself a nuanced performer, able to dig into the emotional vulnerabilities of her characters.
Totally Completely Fine (April 20)
In this new Australian dark-comedy series, 20-something washout Vivian (Thomasin McKenzie) inherits her grandfather’s waterfront house, at the behest of her older, more put-together brother. What at first seems like the break Viv needs is soon more than she bargained for, as the house’s position near a cliff-face is a known suicide site. Talking people off the ledge when your own life is a mess is a daunting task, but Thomasin McKenzie, who has been a stand-out performer since her 2018 break-out role in Leave No Trace is surely up to it.
Blindspotting: Season 2 (April 14)
A spin-off series of the 2018 film of the same name, Blindspotting is back for a long-awaited second season. Described as a love letter to Oakland, Jasmine Cephas Jones (Hamilton) stars as Ashley, whom, after the sudden incarceration of her long term partner and father of her son, Miles (Rafael Casal, also one of the creators of the film/show), Ashley moves in with Miles’ mother and sister. Season two picks up nine months after the events of the previous season, as Ashley continues to strive to build a life for her and her son—but she may be reaching breaking point.
Top Picks: Movies + Specials
Language Lessons (April 6)
Screenlife—that is, films that tell their story entirely through a computer screen—has been a rising genre over the past years. It’s a mode of creative filmmaking that has been ripe for horror (Unfriended) and suspense (Searching), but during the worldwide lockdowns the form was utilised by Natalie Morales and Mark Duplass to create Language Lessons, a heartfelt exploration of an unexpected friendship between a Spanish teacher and her student. Told entirely via their video calls it’s a tender reminder of the way we form connections.
The Portable Door (April 7)
Ancient magic meets corporate strategy in this new fantasy feature directed by Australian Jeffrey Walker. Based on the book by Tom Holt, the story centres on two new interns at the mysterious London agency J.W. Wells & Co. As they try to juggle the odd work-practices of their new roles, they also discover the highly coveted “portable door,” which can transport them anywhere they want. Featuring performances by Sam Neill, Christoph Waltz, Sophie Wilde, Miranda Otto and Rachel House, it’s sure to be a whimsical adventure.
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (Director’s Cut) (April 16)
Some films don’t require a bevy of film bro’s kicking up a fuss for a director’s cut. Steven Spielberg’s 1977 sci-fi drama about an electrical lineman in Indiana’s encounter with a UFO was re-released theatrically as a special edition in 1980, with some scenes shortened to allow for new scenes to be added. Unhappy with the altered ending of the special edition, in 1998 Spielberg released a Director’s Cut which features his favourite parts of both versions. Just as the legend likes it.
All titles arriving on Stan in April
April 1
The Commuter
Any Questions For Ben?
Line of Duty: Season 6
April 2
The Kill List
Under the Same Roof
April 5
Zog & The Flying Doctors
The Snail and the Whale
April 6
Flack: Seasons 1-2
Language Lessons
April 7
The Portable Door
April 8
The Animal (2001)
April 9
The Year of Fury
Willy’s Wonderland
April 10
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
April 11
Disturbing the Peace
Wife and Husband
Sicilian Ghost Story
April 12
The Biggest Little Farm
The Cover
April 13
Lucy the Human Chimp
April 14
Blindspotting: Season 2 Premiere
April 15
The Spongebob Movie: Sponge Out of Water
Black Hawk Down
April 16
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (Directors Cut)
Comedy Queen
April 18
I Was a Dreamer
April 19
Nordic By Nature
The Trouble With You
Belushi
April 20
Totally Completely Fine: Season 1
Honour: Season 1
April 22
Love Songs for Tough Guys
Sweet Dreams (Fai bei sogni)
Vanguard
Underworld (2003)
Underworld Evolution
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans
Underworld Awakening
Underworld: Blood Wars
April 23
The Good Girls
April 24
From: Season 2 Premiere
April 25
The Split: Season 3
April 26
Welcome to the North
Argentina
Blue Streak
April 27
The Worldly Girl
April 28
She Dies Tomorrow
One Kiss
Italian Race
April 30
Don’t Be Bad
See also
* Best new movies and TV series on Netflix Australia
* Best new movies and TV series on Amazon Prime
* Best new movies and TV series on Disney+
* All new streaming movies & series
