By As with every month, Netflix and Amazon TV are shaking up their catalogue and changing the TV, film and documentaries you can browse. Good news for your watching schedule, bad news for your laughable aspirations of going to the gym after work.
Here's the best of what's being added in April.
Netflix
American Psycho (4 April)
Christian Bale is captivating as smooth serial killer Patrick Bateman in the 2000 film adaptation of Brett Easton Ellis' wickedly macabre novel. With its snide look on Wall Street and materialism and exploration of extreme violence, the film has aged surprisingly well.
My Next Guest Needs No Introduction with David Letterman (6 April)
The new Netflix series from television nobility David Letterman might have a hint of hyperbole to its title but his guests have more than lived up to expectations. Following in the footsteps of Barack Obama, George Clooney and Malala Yousafzai, Jay-Z joins the talk show for a candid talk. A revelation about his mother is particularly emotional.
6 Balloons (6 April)
After Katie's (Abbi Jacobson of 'Broad City') brother (Dave Franco) fails to turn up to a family party she finds him relapsed into heroin addiction and spends one night driving across Los Angeles in search of a detox centre with his two-year-old daughter. A bleak but important look at the drug crisis in America and an impressive change of pace for two actors known for their comedy.
Seth Rogen's Hilarity for Charity (6 April)
Netflix's April Fool's Day prank that they had acquired comedian Seth Rogen in an "unprecedented business move" actually had some truth to it. The stunt was to reveal Rogen would be partnering with Netflix for a special stand up show to benefit Alzheimer’s research. The push is to get millennials to care about and understand the cause - all you have to do is stream and lol.
Lost in Space (13 April)
The streaming giant will give another reboot to this loved 1906s series that looks infinitely more impressive than the 2004 adaptation thanks to some futuristic sci-fi visuals. This time Toby Stephens (Die Another Day) and Molly Parker ('House of Cards') head up the Robinson family who get lost in space on their way to a find new colony.
Monty Python (13 April)
Rejoice fans of the Not The Messiah, as a sizeable chunk of the Monty Python back catalog will be at your fingertips later this month. The addition includes all of their films and also TV series' 'Monty Python's Flying Circus', 'Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus' and 'Monty Python Conquers America'.
Chef’s Table: Pastry (13 April)
The food series and mesmerising visual feast is now expanding beyond their popular original show to a new offering focused on desserts. Celebrated pastry connoisseurs feature including Milk Bar's Christina Tosi and three Michelin star chef Jordi Roca who holds the title of World’s Best Pastry Chef award. Bring snacks.
Amazon TV
The Looming Tower (new episodes every Thursday)
Tracking the growing threat of Osama Bin Laden and Al-Qaeda through the 1990s, this series reveals the tense rivalry between the FBI and CIA which may have inadvertently been a factor in the tragedy of the September 11 attacks. Adapted from Lawrence Wright's 2006 book, The Looming Tower stars Jeff Daniels (Steve Jobs, The Martian) and is created by Dan Fulton, screenwriter of both Capote and Foxcatcher.
The Florida Project (6 April)
Sean Baker's pastel-hued vision of Disneyland from outside the gates of the park told through the eyes of a child is a masterful piece of storytelling that was criminally overlooked at the Oscars this season. Performances from Willem Dafoe and first-time actors Bria Vinaite and Brooklynn Prince are especially bold and moving.
Bosch Season 4 (13 April)
Now Amazon's longest-running one-hour series, 'Bosch' is based on Michael Connelly's novels about a homicide detective. In season four Harry Bosch is assigned to lead a task force to solve the murder of an attorney who's been killed on the eve of his civil rights trial against the LAPD.
All or Nothing: A Season with the Dallas Cowboys (27 April)
The Amazon Sports documentary which focuses on a different NFL team each season spends some time with the Dallas Cowboys for their third instalment. No American football knowledge is required for his inside peek at the drama of the brutal game though fans of Last Chance U and Friday Night Lights will be right at home watching the team with so much promise stumble when the pressure mounts.
Logan Lucky (27 April)
Despite the celebrated director (Steven Soderbergh) and impressive cast (Daniel Craig, Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Hilary Swank, etc, etc, etc) the buzz around this 2017 heist comedy died somewhat upon release. A shame: it's a slick and funny offering from the Oceans 11 director that's well worth a watch. It's also a move to comedy for Daniel Craig after a stony few years as miserable James Bond and one that makes you wish he'd done it sooner.
