Latest news with #BritainandtheBlitz
Daily Mirror
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Netflix viewers left ‘deeply moved' by ‘immersive' documentary depicting WWII like never before
Britain and the Blitz is now available to stream on Netflix, and it features vividly restored archival footage and firsthand accounts of WWII Netflix's latest offering is a gripping World War II documentary featuring newly restored archival footage that promises to be one of the most immersive films on the subject. The streaming giant has colourised film and unearthed rare interviews to narrate the story of everyday life during Germany's relentless bombing of Britain from 1940 to 1941. With VE Day just around the corner this Thursday (8th May), it's an ideal moment for history buffs to delve into some crucial wartime history, and Netflix's fresh release, Britain and the Blitz, is sure not to disappoint. Director Ella Wright delivers a poignant and powerful portrayal of the British spirit through the eyes of real-life survivors of the Blitz, including the young Eric Brady, who was only five when his school was hit, and Edith Heap, a 21 year old Royal Air Force plotter, among other resilient Brits. The synopsis teases: "This immersive documentary brings history to life through vividly restored archival footage and firsthand accounts of WWII Britain during the Blitz", reports the Express. In a glowing recommendation, Decider tells Netflix fans to "stream it", praising the film for its "intimate details of survival within a larger story we're likely already familiar with, namely, Britain's seemingly improbable ability to withstand dozens upon dozens of bombing raids spread out over 240 days during 1940-41. "The individual accounts of these people don't just emphasize what happened during that time – they share personal stories of love and romance, of tragedy and heartbreak, as these people, all notably quite young, came of age during a time of extreme hardship that ultimately defined the rest of their lives." A fan on Letterboxd gave it four stars, saying: "Netflix finally does good - an excellent documentary about the Blitz of Britain from September 1940 to May 1941. "Taking a page from Peter Jackson's They Shall Not Grow Old, the film has been nicely colourized with actual recordings of newsreaders over archival films as well as interviews with many Blitz survivors, many of which had to be done in the past as most Blitz survivors would be in their 80s and 90s if not older. One survivor, Edith Heap, actually made it to 100 in 2018." The Irish Independent concurred: "Director Ella Wright uses techniques pioneered by Peter Jackson to create an immersive, deeply moving experience." An IMDb review highlighted the film's unique approach: "Britain and the Blitz is not your 'ordinary' war documentary - it does not focus on; strategic decisions, frontline fighting action or the ongoings in the minds of people on the battlefield. Rather it focuses on the social and fatiguing aspects of life during wartime. It does so pretty well. "BatB offers no insights into the rationale of 'this type of warfare' - it does however offer a few compassionate glimpses into the world of those affected. "In so doing it offers a different kind of insight into the effects of war and tells a story that, arguably, should be told more often." One viewer on X (formerly Twitter) hailed Britain and the Blitz as a "hard-hitting, historical, cinematic masterpiece". Another fan suggested: "If anybody is interested and you have Netflix. Watch Britain and the Blitz. It's fascinating. "People that were there, tell of what they lived through and it's just amazing what Britain and London went through for 8 months to save their country." Britain and the Blitz is available to stream on Netflix.
Irish Independent
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Britain and the Blitz review: With colourised footage and snatches of speech, Netflix doc shows wartime life from a new angle
Director Ella Wright uses techniques pioneered by Peter Jackson to create an immersive, deeply moving experience Pat Stacey The image of a London firefighter atop a long ladder, spraying water at the towering flames licking the night sky, has become the best-known symbol of the Blitz, the eight-month period from 1940 to 1941 when Adolf Hitler's Luftwaffe conducted a virtually non-stop bombing campaign against British cities. It shows up in adverts for British ancestry websites and for the commemorative mail-order tat that's peddled on the satellite channels whenever a major WWII anniversary rolls around. At this stage it's been so overused, not least in television documentaries about the war, that it's in danger of losing its meaning and impact. It inevitably appears again in the new documentary Britain and the Blitz (Netflix, streaming from Monday, May 5). So does other familiar, perhaps even over familiar, footage. A policeman runs down a London street frantically blowing his whistle as a wailing air raid siren announces incoming German bombers. A mother in an apron herds her young children off the street and into a makeshift air raid shelter. St Paul's Cathedral, which became a symbol of Londoners' resistance, wreathed in smoke. Buildings collapse like they're made of nothing more durable than matchsticks and cardboard. The citizens of London huddle in the Underground. A nurse tends to an injured child. But there's less common footage, too. Artworks in the Tate Gallery being moved into storage. The animals in London Zoo being transported to safety. In a clip as upsetting as anything I've ever seen in a war documentary, a little girl of no more than six is trapped up to the waist in rubble, unable to move and crying out for her mother. Given the sheer number of WWII documentaries on the various history channels virtually every day of the week, it's easy to become numbed to such pictures. ADVERTISEMENT Black-and-white footage drawn from a staggering array of sources has been restored and expertly colourised But what makes Ella Wright's film so fresh and powerful lies in how images are married to sound effects and snatches of speech. Using techniques pioneered by Peter Jackson in his superb 2018 WWI documentary They Shall Not Grow Old, black-and-white footage drawn from a staggering array of sources has been restored and expertly colourised. As in Jackson's film, here and there, actors lip-synching to the people on screen brings the voices of the long dead back to a sort of fleeting life. Taken together, it all makes for an immersive, deeply moving experience. The testimonies of those who lived through the Blitz, some of them still with us, are riveting and give a frequently surprising insight into life during wartime. As the bombs dropped, levelling cities; life, love and sex went on Eric Brady was five when he and his big sister Kitty were evacuated from their East End home and sent to live in Wales. Girls and boys were separated on arrival, and foster parents got to pick which children they wanted. Nobody wanted Eric. He was the last one left. Eventually and reluctantly, he was taken in by a woman who would have preferred a girl. As the bombs dropped, levelling cities; life, love and sex went on. An actor reads extracts from the remarkably frank diary of Joan Wyndham, a 17-year-old art student who went on to become a celebrated writer late in life. A local smoothie called Rupert tried to persuade her to lose her virginity. 'I can't help feeling that each moment may be my last,' she wrote. 'As the opposite of death is life, I think I may get seduced by Rupert tomorrow.' Edith Heap was 21 when she became an RAF plotter. Young men and women working alongside another was a perfect setting for romance. 'I don't think I really expected to meet Mr Gorgeous,' she says. But she did: an RAF pilot called Dennis. They became engaged, but his plane was shot down and he was never found. 'I do wish we'd married,' she says. 'I wouldn't have cared if it was 24 hours, or two days, or five months.' The documentary both celebrates Britain's defiance and grounds the Blitz experience in a reality that's often played down or carefully ignored. Not everyone, says Liverpudlian Marie Price, who was 17, shared Winston Churchill's indomitable no-surrender spirit. 'We would have surrendered overnight,' she admits. 'We were just people waiting there to be killed.'
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
New on Netflix This Week (May 5–11): From The Royals to Forever, 12 fresh releases that are screaming 'Binge Me!'
New on Netflix This Week (May 5–11): Buckle up, buttercup. This week, Netflix is back at it, dropping drama bombs, emotional chaos, sizzling romances and documentaries so juicy you'll forget they're real life. Whether you're in your cosy socks or spilling tea with friends, these 12 fresh drops will give your watchlist the glow-up it's been begging for. 1. Britain and the Blitz - May 5 Oh, honey, grab your ration card and your stiff upper lip; this isn't your average history class. This documentary dives deep into WWII Britain, with restored archival footage so crisp it feels like time travel. It's moody, it's emotional, it's real, and yes, it's got more depth than your ex. 2. The Devil's Plan Season 2 - May 6 Fourteen high-IQ hotshots, locked in one house, battling for a fat 500 million Won. Think chess meets Squid Game but with more brainpower and fewer body bags. It's drama, betrayal, strategy, and suspense wrapped in one addictive package. Big brains? Big stakes? Big yes. 3. Untold: Shooting Guards - May 6 Guns. Ego. NBA drama that made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton finally spilt the real tea about that locker-room incident that spiralled into tragedy. Gritty, shocking, and brutally honest, this doc is not here to play. 4. Last Bullet - May 7 Revenge, betrayal, and car chases that make Fast & Furious look like a driving test. In the final chapter of the Lost Bullet trilogy, Lino's out of prison and out for blood. Buckle in for the wildest ride France has to offer - it's turbocharged chaos with heart. 5. Full Speed Season 2 - May 7 NASCAR drama, baby! If you thought turning left on a racetrack was boring, think again. This docuseries is pedal-to-the-metal adrenaline with off-track emotions, fierce rivalries, and just enough sweat to keep it sexy. 6. FOREVER - May 8 Based on Judy Blume's iconic coming-of-age novel, reimagined by the fabulous Mara Brock Akil. It's 2018 LA, two Black teens navigating love, identity, and those first times. Tender, messy, steamy and refreshingly real. This one doesn't shy away from anything. Bring tissues and maybe wine. 7. Karol G: Tomorrow was Beautiful - May 8 A doc so fierce, so unapologetically powerful, it might just make you believe in dreams again. From Medellín to global stardom, Karol G defied the odds, the critics, and the haters. Witness how a Bichota built her empire, one stadium at a time. Cue the goosebumps. 8. Blood of Zeus Season 3 - May 8, 2025 Greek gods? Daddy issues? Divine drama? Welcome back to Mount Olympus, where betrayals are biblical and battles look like animated blockbusters. Season 3 promises even more backstabbing (literally and mythologically). It's mythology, but make it metal. 9. The Royals - May 9 A broke Indian prince, a Type-A boss babe, and enough sexual tension to melt marble. Think Bridgerton meets Shark Tank in a palace. Fashion-forward, fabulously dramatic, and utterly bingeable, this romcom doesn't just slay, it curtsies while doing it. 10. A Deadly American Marriage - May 9 A fairytale gone fatally wrong. This true-crime doc peels back the picture-perfect surface of Jason Corbett's life and death with a 911 call that will send shivers down your spine. It's haunting, heartbreaking, and impossible to look away from. 11. Nonnas - May 9 One grieving son. A dream restaurant. And an army of adorable Italian grandmas who cook like angels and sass like devils. This heart-warmer will leave you hungry, teary, and ready to hug your nearest nonna. Mama mia, the emotions! 12. Mala influencia - May 9 When a pampered heiress starts receiving anonymous threats, her father hires a brooding ex-con with a mysterious past as her bodyguard. Sparks fly, secrets unravel, and danger lurks in every shadow. This Spanish romantic thriller, based on a Wattpad sensation, is a steamy blend of forbidden love and suspense that will keep you on the edge of your seat. So there you have it, this week's Netflix drop is a full-course meal: spicy, sweet, tragic, and triumphant. Now go forth, binge shamelessly, and remember: life's too short for bad TV. You've got 12 brand-new reasons to cancel plans and sink into the sofa. Don't fight it.
Time Out
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Here's what's new on Netflix in May 2025: 9 best movies and shows to watch
Who's ready to laugh? Netflix, apparently, as its May 2025 slate is loaded with comedies, some involving heavy-hitters. The month kicks off with a Tina Fey limited series also starring Steve Carrell, Colman Domingo and Will Forte, then continues with a darkly comic thriller led by Julianne Moore, an apparently deranged anthology series from stand-up Tom Segura, Vince Vaughn playing opposite Lorraine Bracco and Susan Sarandon, and the final season of Nick Kroll's long-running animated series, Big Mouth. If you're more in the mood for drama, don't worry, there's plenty of that, too. Here are the nine new movies and shows that we're most excited about hitting Netflix this month. The Four Seasons Tina Fey remakes the 1981 Alan Alda comedy about three middle-aged couples whose friendship dynamic is rattled when one of them divorces. Fey, who also stars, frames the eight-episode miniseries around a series of group vacations, which sounds like her way of getting Netflix to fund some expensive getaways for her and her friends – but when the friends are Steve Carrell, Colman Domingo, Will Forte and Kerri Kenney-Silver, it's probably still worth watching. Premieres May 1 Britain and the Blitz Just when you thought you'd consumed everything about the bombing of Britain during World War II comes this six-episode docuseries, featuring first-person testimony from survivors and rather incredible-looking upscaled archival footage that looks like it's out of a Powell-Pressburger film. Should be a handy companion piece to Steve McQueen's Blitz on Apple TV+. Premieres May 5 Untold Netflix's tabloid-y sports docuseries returns to investigate such topics as NFL quarterback Brett Favre's off-field scandals, the 'raw meat' influencer known as the Liver King, and that time two Washington Wizards teammates pulled guns on each other in the locker room. Maybe they should've called it Dirty for 30. Anyone? Premieres May 6 Nonnas After losing his mother, a listless Brooklyn man (Vince Vaughn) recruits a crew of bickering Italian grandmothers to open a restaurant. Want to feel old? The nonnas are played by Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire and, in the Rue MccLanahan role, Susan Sarandon. Directed by Stephen Chbosky (The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Dear Evan Hansen), it's guaranteed to be achingly sentimental, but with that cast, it's hard to imagine it's not at least a little bit charming. Premieres May 9 Bad Thoughts I Think You Should Leave It To Tom Segura? Segura, the popular comic and podcast host, created this anthology series, which is being described as a sort of comedic Twilight Zone, with Segura starring and narrating à la Rod Serling. Words like 'dark' and 'twisted' are also being tossed about, which, if you're familiar with Segura's comedy, isn't surprising. Premieres May 13 Sirens Seems like every year now brings a new darkly comic satire of weird rich people who live near water. Here, a young woman (Meghann Fahy) returns to her island hometown to reunite with her sister (Milly Alcock) and finds her in thrall to an enigmatic socialite, played by Julianne Moore. Coming from Molly Smith Metzler, creator of 2021's much-acclaimed Maid, it should at least be a step up from last year's beachfront mystery, The Perfect Couple. And c'mon: It's Julianne Moore. Premieres May 22 Big Mouth season 8 Nick Kroll's relatably juvenile coming-of-age animated comedy comes to an end as the longest-running adult-oriented scripted series in Netflix history. How many more masturbation jokes can the show cram in before it wraps up? Plenty, we're guessing. Premieres May 23 Fear Street: Prom Queen Mean Girls meets Carrie in this spinoff from Netflix's three-part adaptation of Goosebump s author RL Stine's slightly scarier book series. Set in 1988, in the same cursed town where the previous films took place, a campaign for prom queen at a local high school is disrupted by an unexpected contender – just as the frontrunners start mysteriously disappearing. Premieres May 23 Dept. Q Craving another series involving a cranky, tortured detective investigating a grim cold case? Here's your fix. Based on books by Danish author Jussi Adler-Olsen, the show, from The Queen's Gambit co-creator Scott Frank, stars Matthew Goode as the aforementioned crank, who gets kicked down the totem pole of the Edinburgh police department following a tragic incident, only to discover he's got a knack for solving once-unsolvable mysteries. Premieres May 29 Everything New Coming to Netflix in May 2025 Available May 1: Angi: Fake Life, True Crime The Biggest Fan The Four Seasons Airport Airport '77 Airport 1975 Ali American Gangster American Graffiti Burn After Reading Constantine Crazy, Stupid, Love. Dawn of the Dead Eat Pray Love The Equalizer 2 Hanna Home The Jerk The Lego Movie Mid90s The Mule Ocean's Eleven Ocean's Thirteen Ocean's Twelve The Paper Tigers Past Lives Sisters Starship Troopers The Sugarland Express Trainwreck Trolls Twilight The Twilight Saga: New Moon The Twilight Saga: Eclipse The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1 The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 2 Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit Available May 2: Peninsula Train to Busan Unseen: Season 2 Available May 4: Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor Available May 5: Britain and The Blitz Mighty Monsterwheelies: Season 2 Available May 6: The Devil's Plan: Season 2 Untold: Shooting Guards Available May 7: Full Speed: Season 2 Last Bullet Available May 8: Blood of Zeus: Season 3 FOREVER Heart Eyes Karol G: Tomorrow was Beautiful Available May 9: A Deadly American Marriage Bad Influence Nonnas The Royals Available May 11: ABBA: Against the Odds Available May 12: Tastefully Yours Available May 13: All American: Season 7 Bad Thoughts Untold: The Liver King Available May 14: American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden Married at First Sight: Season 17 Smile Snakes and Ladders Available May 15: Bet Love, Death & Robots: Volume 4 Franklin Pernille: Season 5 Secrets We Keep Thank You, Next: Season 2 Vini Jr. Available May 16: Dear Hongrang The Quilters Rotten Legacy Available May 20: Sarah Silverman: Postmortem Available May 21: Newly Rich, Newly Poor Real Men Sneaky Links: Dating After Dark The UnXplained with William Shatner: Season 6 Available May 22: Sirens Tyler Perry's She The People Available May 23: Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds Big Mouth: Season 8 Fear Street: Prom Queen Forget You Not Off Track 2 Available May 24: Our Unwritten Seoul The Wild Robot Available May 26: CoComelon: Season 13 Mike Birbiglia: The Good Life Available May 28: F1: The Academy Available May 29: Dept. Q Available May 30: A Widow's Game The Heart Knows Available May 31:
Newsweek
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Everything New on Netflix in May 2025
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Entertainment gossip and news from Newsweek's network of contributors If you like gripping documentaries, you're in for a treat this month. American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden is a Netflix Original documentary detailing the search to find the notorious architect behind some of the most devastating terrorist attacks in history. May also sees the release of a pair of UK-centric documentaries shedding light on fascinating moments in time from across the pond. The first is Britain and the Blitz, another Netflix Original chronicling Britain at the dark height of WW2, when German forces subjected major cities to a prolonged bombing campaign. American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden releases in May 2025 on Netflix American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden releases in May 2025 on Netflix Netflix The other is Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story, which explores the life and crimes of two of the worst serial killers in British history. With Love, Death & Robots (Volume 4) bringing you ten brand new episodes, as well as the complete Twilight Saga from Twilight (2008) to Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (2012), here's everything new on Netflix in May 2025, attributed to WhatsOnNetflix. What's New on Netflix in May 2025 May 1 Angi: Fake Life, True Crime (Season 1) Netflix Original Mid90s (2018) Past Lives (2023) Paul (2011) Sisters (2015) The Biggest Fan (2025) The Equalizer 2 (2018) The Four Seasons (Season 1) The Walk (2015) Twilight (2008) The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009) The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2011) The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 (2012) Trainwreck (2025) – Comedy starring Amy Schumer. Why I Dress Up For Love (Season 1) May 2 Bad Boy (Season 1) Peninsula (2020) Unseen (Season 2) May 4 Conan O'Brien: The Kennedy Center Mark Twain Prize for American Humor (2025) May 5 Britain and the Blitz (2025) Mighty Monsterwheelies (Season 2) May 6 The Devil's Plan (Season 2) UNTOLD: Shooting Guards (2025) May 7 Full Speed (Season 2) Last Bullet / Lost Bullet 3 (2025) May 8 Blood of Zeus (Season 3) Forever (Season 1) Heart Eyes (2025) May 9 Nonnas (2025) Too Hot to Handle: Italy (Season 1) May 11 ABBA: Against the Odds (2024) May 13 Bad Thoughts (Season 1) UNTOLD: The Liver King (2025) May 14 American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden (Season 1) Fred and Rose West: A British Horror Story (Limited Series) Garbo: Where Did You Go? (2024) Smile (2022) Snakes and Ladders (Season 1) May 15 Bet (Season 1) Franklin (Season 1) Love, Death & Robots (Volume 4) Pernille (Season 5) Secrets We Keep (Limited Series) Thank You, Next (Season 2) The Reserve (Limited Series) May 16 Dear Hongrang (Season 1) Football Parents (Season 1) Rotten Legacy (Season 1) The Quilters (2025) May 20 Sarah Silverman: Postmortem (2025) UNTOLD: The Fall of Favre (2025) May 22 Sirens (Limited Series) May 23 Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds (2025) Big Mouth (Season 8) Fear Street: Prom Queen (2025) Forget You Not (Season 1) May 26 Cold Case: The Tylenol Murders (Limited Series) Mike Birbiglia: The Good Life (2025) May 27 Better Late Than Single (Season 1) May 28 F1: The Academy (Season 1) May 29 Dept. Q (Season 1) May 30 A Widow's Game (2025) May 31
