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Daily Mirror
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Netflix fans obsessed with wild documentary dubbed their 'best one yet'
It has already become the most watched film on Netflix Netflix fans are 'obsessed' with a new documentary dubbed 'wild' and is said to be the 'best one yet'. The latest feature film doc in the Trainwreck series was released on the streaming platform earlier this week. Available for streaming from Tuesday (July 15), it has already proved popular among subscribers. At the time of writing, the film has surged right up the charts to instantly become the most watched title among UK users. It has leapfrogged ahead of new releases K Pop Demon Hunters, Brick and is proving more popular than Oscar winning Oppenheimer. According to the synopsis, the documentary takes viewers back to October 15, 2009, when a father in Fort Collins Colorado calls 911, claiming that his home-made flying saucer has escaped from the family's back yard. However, he believes that inside is his six-year-old son. This stranger-than-fiction claim is backed up by footage from a news helicopter, which catches up with the balloon and is live-streaming the chase. What starts as a local story and unusual emergency situation quickly escalates into a national one, as everyone from the National Guard, to the Sheriff, and Homeland Security, struggles to come up with a plan to safely rescue the child who is quickly named Balloon Boy. As the balloon eventually lands, people praying for a miracle but instead something else and very unexpected is revealed. Public sympathy quickly turns into righteous outrage, as Balloon Boy and his family become one of America's most infamous, and bizarre news stories. Balloon Boy is the latest in Netflix's Trainwreck documentary series that explores various modern disasters and media-fueled events. Previous instalments have focused on the Astroworld tragedy, the rise and fall for American Apparel and Canadian politician Rob Ford. The latest feature film examines the extraordinary story by looking at archive footage. It also interviews some of the key people involved including authorities who attended the incident, reporters who covered the story and the family at the centre of it all. Fans have been quick to react to Balloon Boy on social media, with one posting: "Obsessed with Netflix Trainwreck.. but the Balloon Boy episode has me thinking.. how awesome would a giant Spacex Starship balloon be." Another simply stated they had put this latest Trainwreck instalment at the top of their list. They said: "New Trainwreck on Netflix. Balloon boy, best one yet." Someone else added: "Watching this wild documentary on Balloon Boy on Netflix, this is craaaaazy wild." One critic recommended that viewers should definitely stream it. In their review, they pointed out several issues that the doc seems to highlight and multiple viewings could reveal some thing new each time. They wrote: "Questions spring out of the narrative about child manipulation and the ethics of media frenzies, fringe thematics that might take deeper root in a documentary series that's more concerned with journalistic integrity than Trainwreck's pursuit of amusement." Another reviewer said: "So why do we need to see the Netflix series if the story was so well reported at the time? For one reason: Balloon Boy is the first time we're getting an in-depth look at the full story from the family's point of view. We're getting sit-down interviews with them all, including the now grown up Falcon, who still seems pleased that he was once at the centre of a national news storm as a little boy." They continue: "I can't wait to get the inside story straight from the source. If you're wondering what to stream this week, make it this as it has the potential to be one of the best Netflix shows."
Metro
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
New Netflix smash hit closes in on 100 million views to dominate global chart
Steve Charnock Published June 26, 2025 2:28pm Updated June 27, 2025 1:55pm Link is copied Comments There aren't many movies that very nearly clock up a sensational 100 million views on the streaming platform Netflix. There are even fewer than achieve that impressive feat in just three weeks. This week's global top 10 is dominated by such a film. Also making the list are a trio of fascinating Netflix Original documentaries, two about tragedies and one on a somewhat tragic figure. Plus there are the usual suspects of action movies and horrors. Here's the top 10 countdown... (Picture: Getty) Liam Hemsworth and Russell Crowe headline this gritty but fun military thriller that's set in the Philippines. Hemsworth plays a rookie armed forces type who's stranded behind enemy lines, while Crowe's character remotely guides him out via drone support. It's tense, loud and leans heavily on the classic lone soldier formula. Reviews have been pretty mixed, but the star power and steady action have clearly struck a chord with plenty of Netflix viewers (Picture: Netflix) This 2007 sequel to 28 Days Later wasn't directed by the original's Danny Boyle. It's darker, bloodier and arguably more brutal than the original, although not quite as good. With Robert Carlyle, Rose Byrne and Jeremy Renner caught in a government-led containment nightmare, it's a decent follow-up and one well worth watching if you've designs on catching the third film, 28 Years Later, in theaters soon. The opening sequence of this remains one of the most talked-about in modern horror (Picture: DNA Films/20th Century Fox) Sigourney Weaver and Holly Hunter star in this '90s psychological thriller that's aged surprisingly well. Alien star Weaver plays an agoraphobic serial killer expert helping police track down a copycat murderer. There's plenty of procedural business here, so it's no envelope pusher. But the performances and eerie mood hold up well. It's been a quiet Netflix hit that might owe its spike to the true crime crowd. Its highlight? A surprisingly deranged performance by crooner Harry Connick Jr. (Picture: Warner Br/Everett/REX/Shutterstock) This documentary takes on the late Rob Ford, the scandal-prone former mayor of Toronto, whose chaotic term included drug allegations, viral gaffes and a death-defying approval rating. Interviews and archival footage piece together a rise and fall that's both jaw-dropping and, at times, weirdly sympathetic. This isn't your typical political documentary. But then Rob Ford wasn't your typical politician (Picture: Toronto Star via Getty Images) Gerard Butler does what Gerard Butler does best here: survive in harsh circumstances and generally run about being an everyman hero. Here he's a commercial pilot who crash-lands in hostile territory and teams up with a fugitive (Mike Colter) to save passengers from a group of rather unpleasant insurgents. The title is wonderfully blunt, but the movie is tightly paced and exactly the kind of throwback action ride Netflix users seem to crave (Picture: Netflix) Covering the immediately-infamous 2023 Titan submersible implosion, this documentary film blends timeline reconstructions with expert interviews and just enough context to explore the hype, the tech and - ultimately - the tragedy. It's not overly sensationalized, but it doesn't pull its punches either. In fact, it makes for quite chilling watch, especially for those who followed the news in real time and remember the shocking story unfolding (Picture: Netflix) Bastien is an ex-MMA fighter who's haunted by having killed an opponent in the ring. Wracked with guilt and seeking a large serving of redemption, he agrees to assist the victim's grieving widow to locate her missing son. In doing so, Bastien has to go on a dicey journey that takes him into a murderous criminal underworld. Luckily for him - and us viewers - he's very, very good at beating people up. This fun French actioner's been doing very well for itself since release and was the third most-watch movie on Netflix last week (Picture: Laurent le Crabe/Netflix) This is the second Trainwreck documentary in the top 10, with the format clearly proving popular with Netflix subscribers. This one examines the fatal 2021 Travis Scott concert disaster in Houston. It looks at crowd dynamics, corporate accountability and fan testimonies, piecing together a disturbing picture of how things spiralled out of control, ending in death. It's, obviously, not a fun watch. But it is a vital one (Picture: Netflix) Animated chaos meets pop culture and fantasy in this stylish action in which a K-pop girl group moonlights as a gang of roving demon slayers. It's bold, neon-colored and fast-paced, perfect for fans of both anime and South Korean pop idols. The voice cast features a whole host of Korean and American talent. While it might perplex more casual viewers not interested in K-pop, Asian culture or fantasy - if you're into it? It's a riot (Picture: Netflix) With nearly double the views of its runner-up, STRAW is the breakout hit of 2025 that no one saw coming. Tyler Perry's latest psychological crime drama follows single mother Janiyah (Taraji P. Henson) whose life unravels in a single harrowing day. Pushed to extremes, she's driven by grief and sheer survival. A shocking twist really bolsters the film and provides a real emotional spine. Critics praise Henson's gut‑wrenching performance and emotional depth. It's a tense, emotional watch that sparked widespread acclaim and discussion. And now almost 100 million people have seen it overall (Picture: Netflix)
Tom's Guide
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
Netflix's No. 1 movie chronicles the infamous 'Poop Cruise' — what to know
Netflix's "Trainwreck" anthology has already tackled the disastrous 1999 reboot of the Woodstock music festival ("Trainwreck: Woodstock '99"), the crack-smoking scandal of Canadian mayor Rob Ford ("Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem") and the 2021 Astroworld accident that saw the deaths of 10 people during a Travis Scott concert ("Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy"). And now the documentary series is taking on one of the most infamous cruises in recent memory. After premiering on the streaming service on June 24, "Trainwreck: Poop Cruise" quickly climbed up the list of Netflix's top movies of the week and holds the No. 1 spot as of writing. It's baffling viewers with its shockingly true story about a 2013 Carnival cruise that went awry after an engine fire left the ship without power for refrigeration, lighting, air-conditioning and, notably, flushing toilets. Here's everything to know about the trending "Trainwreck: Poop Cruise" doc and what critics are saying about Netflix's latest title. Over 4,000 vacationers were hoping for a four-day luxury cruise sailing round-trip from Galveston, Texas to tropical Cozumel, Mexico. What they got was basically the Fyre Festival of onboard disasters. After an engine room fire on February 10, 2013, destroyed electrical cables supplying a Carnival Triumph cruise ship, the boat was left drifting with no power for propulsion, refrigeration, air-conditioning, or even flushing toilets. Soon, raw sewage was leaking all over the ship in a dangerous biohazard and food supplies began to dwindle. Unsurprisingly, fed-up passengers revolted against the cruise company, who struggled to control the fallout before the media grabbed onto the outrageous "Poop Cruise" story. Along with interviews with passengers, crew members and others who experienced the ill-fated voyage, the hour-long special also features found camera footage from those onboard. If you need more convincing to tune into the scandalous new Netflix documentary, several critics have been praising the latest "Trainwreck" installment, with Lucy Mangan of The Guardian calling it "a fascinating look at a toilet disaster that still haunts passengers 12 years later" but proves to be good fun for subscribers: "Unlike the unfortunates aboard the Triumph, we viewers are in and out of the situation in under an hour and feel like we have had quite a lot of fun in the process." Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. John Serba over at Decider doubled down on the film's enjoyment factor, writing: "The doc is a mostly unserious account of the few miserable days aboard the Triumph, with plenty of commentary and photos detailing how utterly disgusting it was. Admittedly, and especially because nobody suffered serious physical harm, it's hard not to laugh at the comedy of misfortune and poor judgment that defines this saga." Even more simply, James Jackson at The Times dubbed it "the grossest, and funniest, documentary of the year." Sounds like just the thing to add to our watch lists this weekend! Watch "Trainwreck: Poop Cruise" on Netflix now
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem – this shameless, crack-smoking politician's life makes for car-crash TV
Canadians make bad decisions too. For proof, see this schadenfreude-fuelled documentary about Rob Ford, the bellicose former conservative mayor of Toronto. Ford's rolling scandals in office include public drunkenness, smoking crack with gun-runners, and lying about everything. Talking heads in the documentary, sensitively titled Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem (Netflix, from Tuesday 17 June), remember him as 'an everyman … without a shred of credibility … who turned city hall into a circus'. That seems unfair. Circuses aren't that bad, and I refuse to believe every man smokes crack cocaine. Most documentaries wring every ounce of lurid detail from their subjects. This guy has more chaos than fits inside 49 minutes. We do get thrillingly grainy footage of him twirling his crack pipe, slurring first-degree murder threats with Mortal Kombat-levels of specificity, and making bizarre rants in Jamaican patois, against what or whom I'm not sure. First-hand sources are film-maker's gold, and Ford is happy enough to spend his lowest points around people who video everything. These people never have good phones though, do they? There isn't space to do more than mention Ford's extensive legal and domestic troubles, nor critique his executive choices, which included voting against grant money for HIV programmes, removing bike lanes and declaring transit workers an emergency service so they couldn't strike. In one council meeting, Ford reportedly stated: 'Those oriental people work like dogs.' He later apologised for the remark, which he had intended as a compliment. Shamelessness and emotional dysregulation are fantastic traits for reality TV; at some point they became necessary for public office too. Trainwreck feels like a rear-view mirror on that turning point. Ford swings between joking around, puce-faced outrage and meek apology. He resembles a baby, which makes strange sense. If it's unfair to attack appearance, let's just say he was a voluptuous blond, and voters in the western world have a type. It is impossible to imagine a woman or an ethnic minority candidate getting away with one of the bad decisions Ford compulsively makes. Those folks can't even wear tan. The story – and our glee in watching it – is complicated by the fact that Ford is a casualty of addiction issues. The question of who, how and when we forgive is a live one. Does it make a difference if the wrongdoer demands we move on, as Ford does? His popularity remained high. He would have been re-elected but in 2014, was diagnosed with an aggressive abdominal tumour and died in 2016. That same year Trump was elected president. There's a sick familiarity to the way controversies bounce off the Canadian mayor. The way he demonises the media as liars when he knows another scandal is about to break. The way he is able to position himself as a victim, and voters eat it up. There is an attempt at balance. 'I'm proud to show this side of the story, and … why I stood by him through thick and thin,' says his former head of security. The Rob-Ford-was-a-good-man argument here hinges upon a story we're told about a time the mayor was buying himself a Subway sandwich. Upon learning there was another order waiting but no driver, Ford delivered the stranger's sub himself. Doesn't make him Nelson Mandela, does it? By his own reckoning he made $35 plus three bucks as tip. Why does he have that much time in the day? Trainwreck shows Ford going door to door, asking people if their fridge freezers are working correctly, and taking a water-jet to graffiti. That's not governing; that's being a handyman. We all need to be more serious about public office. While politics will always be about public perception, it shouldn't be reduced to entertainment, and ideally should be distinguishable from true crime. Otherwise the only winner is social media clips and documentaries. No point pretending it isn't watchable, though. I was gripped by this grainy footage, of a mayor fighting the public, or ploughing into an elderly female councillor, while barrelling across the chamber floor in a state of agitation. He might have been on his way to the Speaker's podium, to rip off his shirt and yell: 'Are you not entertained?' I was. I'm not proud of it.
Global News
25-06-2025
- Business
- Global News
You can make bets on when the Eglinton Crosstown LRT will finally open
The Eglinton Crosstown LRT has been plagued by delays and cost overruns for a decade but there is now a way you can win (or lose) a few bucks on the project. Fanduel is taking bets on when the project will be completed. 'Our goal is to engage in the conversations our customers are already having, offering odds on the moments that resonate,' a spokesperson for the website told Global News in an email. They said the site has been taking bets on the project for about a month now and it has begun to catch on. 'We have seen increasing interest in these markets with 30 per cent of all bets being placed this week,' the spokesperson said. 'The top two most popular timelines are 'On or after November 1st' and 'Before or on August 31st'.' Story continues below advertisement Bettors will get paid +550 for the former and +1100 for the latter. A $10 bet on Before or on August 31st pays out $110. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The favourite is for a launch between Sept. 16 and Sept. 30 at +195, followed by between Sept. 1 and Sept. 15 at +210. Other options include the first and last two weeks of October. The company offers a disclaimer noting that the official opening day will be confirmed by the Toronto Transit Commission and the Eglinton Crosstown LRT must be open for public use. Fanduel is also offering another novelty bet for Torontonians, as they can put down a few dollars on what the highest temperature will be on Canada Day. The current favourite is 27 C at +170. A field bet of 20 C or lower has odds of +5500. You might consider yourself a lucky loser if you don't win, while a $5 winning bet would pay out $275. The Eglinton LRT was initially slated to open in 2020 when Rob Ford was Toronto's mayor and it was announced Metrolinx would fund the construction. But the project has been delayed for years, leading to the eventual removal of any opening date by Metrolinx. Earlier this month, Ontario Premier Doug Ford told reporters that the project was on track to open in September. Story continues below advertisement 'That's what I'm hearing. I'm hearing some positive things about the Eglinton track and hopefully we'll be handing it over in the next couple of weeks to the TTC,' Ford said. Last week, Metrolinx interim CEO Michael Lindsay told reporters that the TTC was now in control of the 28 trains on the mid-town line as testing continues. He offered that civil infrastructure and driver training are finished, with a 14-day formal trial and a 30-day practice remaining before the job is done. — with files from Global News' Isaac Callan and Colin D'Mello
