The Queue

From Netflix’s “Man on Fire” to Apple TV's “Widow’s Bay," here are the movies and shows worth streaming in May.

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A typical edition of The Queue starts with me going in-depth on a single topic — whether it’s highlighting the best baseball movies ever or breaking down the best free streaming services   — before offering some quick streaming recommendations.

Once a month, however, I’ll be sending you an all-recommendations edition of the newsletter, because the struggle of deciding what to watch is eternal.

With the start of a new month heralding a slew of new movies and shows being added to streaming libraries, we’ve got plenty of recommendations to help you make the most of your time on the couch.

New movies to watch on Netflix in May

“Burn After Reading” (2008): Back in 2008, the Coen Brothers caught some flak for following up their Best Picture winner “No Country For Old Men” with “Burn After Reading,” a daffy crime caper starring Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt as clueless gym employees who try to sell what they think are misplaced classified documents to the highest bidder. On the scale of Serious Coens to Silly Coens, “Burn” is right up there with “The Hudsucker Proxy” among the silliest of their oeuvre. That’s not a bad thing, particularly whenever Pitt is onscreen. (Netflix)

“National Lampoon’s Animal House” (1978): Like many movies from decades past, there are moments in “Animal House” that would never see the light of day in a contemporary comedy. But that’s to be expected for a film that was seen as anarchic and transgressive upon its release back in 1978. The troublemaking Deltas, the stuffed-shirt Omegas, and the pencil-pushing Dean Wormer remain oft-imitated archetypes today. And the late John Belushi, in an almost wordless performance as super-super-super senior Bluto, is an unforgettable personification of pure id. (Netflix)

“Starship Troopers” (1997): Paul Verhoeven movies have consistently been misunderstood in their time, perhaps none more so than this sci-fi action blockbuster that bombed at the box office in 1997. Critics claimed the film — about a group of 23rd century cadets training to invade an alien planet — glorified violence and authoritarian tendencies, somehow missing that the director of “RoboCop” and “Total Recall” might be satirizing, not endorsing unchecked fascism. (Netflix)

3 more TV shows I’m excited about

In last week’s newsletter, I admitted to being overwhelmed by how much good TV has come out in the last month. But if those 12 shows didn’t tide you over, here’s three more on my radar.

“Widow’s Bay” (2026): Imagine what would happen if the Mayor from the movie “Jaws” was forced to ignore not just a single shark, but the fact that his entire town is clearly haunted. That’s what’s happening in “Widow’s Bay,” which was filmed in Massachusetts last year and stars Matthew Rhys as the guileless leader of a small island New England town. A little bit “Twin Peaks,” a little bit early-era “American Horror Story,” and consistently funny, to boot. (Apple TV)

“Man on Fire” (2026): I’ve only seen one episode, but I’m cautiously optimistic about this new series, based on the 1980 novel of the same name and adapted for the big screen by Tony Scott in 2004. That’s because of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (“Watchmen”), who steps into Denzel Washington’s shoes as John Creasy,  an ex-mercenary tasked with protecting his friend’s daughter (Billie Boullet) after she witnessed a crime. (Netflix)

“House of the Spirits” (2026): Based on Isabel Allende’s 1982 novel of the same name, this series is a multi-generational story of the Trueba family, as told by the women who make the family work, often in spite of the prideful, violent men they are tied to. (Prime Video)

Play or Skip: Staff Edition

You’ve heard enough of my streaming picks already, so here’s what the rest of Boston.com’s staff is watching. 

Have a show you can’t stop watching? Email me about it at [email protected], and your recommendation may appear in a future edition of The Queue.

• “Noah Kahan: Out of Body” (2026): Senior producer and self-appointed Noah Kahan beat reporter Heather Alterisio was a big fan of both the Vermont native’s new album and his new Netflix documentary: “As a New Hampshire native and fellow depressed middle child who has spent much of my life driving up and down I-89, I can’t help but relate on so many levels to Noah Kahan’s experience growing up in the Upper Valley of the twin states. In both the documentary and his new album, Kahan teeters on the edge of an internal divide: who he was before his meteoric rise and where he goes from here. Despite it all, he remains humble and grounded in his hometown roots.” (Netflix)

• “Matlock” (Season 2): General assignment editor Peter Chianca has been keeping up with Kathy Bates’ “Matlock” reboot over on CBS, and is happy to report that the showrunners have made good use of the twist from Season 1 without overtextending themselves: “The end of Season 2 wraps up the central mystery of the first two seasons, which is good because it was getting fairly ludicrous and would have gone right off a cliff if they tried to extend it any further. But basically I just like watching Kathy Bates chew scenery, and she does it here with aplomb, surrounded by a plucky crew of supporting actors who are more than game to play second banana, like Beau Bridges and Jason Ritter (son of John). (Paramount+)

• “Beef” (Season 2): My editor usually tries to keep these short, but for food writer Katelyn Umholtz’s last day at Boston.com, I’m giving her all the space she needs to rave about the second season of Lee Sun Jin’s anthology show, which she devoured in a single day: “It was always going to be challenging to go up against the smart and outlandish road rage thriller that was ‘Beef’ Season 1, with its perfect performances, sharp writing, and visually-striking scenes. But I feel Season 2 was equally satisfying in those areas while also tackling a bigger world and taking bigger swings in its storytelling. I also loved this season’s soundtrack, with the show leaning into the Millennial Indie Sleaze era. How nice of an anxiety-inducing show to also have nostalgic, perfectly placed needle drops that make you want to dance in your living room — which is exactly what I did when the Yeah Yeah Yeahs ended Episode 2.” (Netflix)

End Credits

That’s a wrap on this edition of The Queue. If you’re a fan, please consider recommending this newsletter to your friends.

Until next time, good stream hunting, everyone!

— Kevin