Skip to main content

Five shows to stream this week: ‘No Country for Old Men,’ ‘The Get Down,’ and more

five shows to stream august 14 no country for old men image 1
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Online streaming is bigger than ever, and with so many streaming services adding new shows and movies every week, it can be nearly impossible to sort through the good and the bad. If you need something to watch and don’t want to wade through the digital muck that washes up on the internet’s shores, follow our picks below for the best new shows and movies worth a watch.

This week: a Coen Brothers masterpiece, a musical series on Netflix, and a classic thriller.

Recommended Videos

No Country for Old Men

no country for old men image 2
Miramax

The Coen Brothers have one of the most impressive bodies of work in film; among their masterpieces are Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and No Country for Old Men, a grim crime drama based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy. No Country is the story of Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), a hunter who stumbles upon a drug deal gone wrong, leaving with a bag of cash. Moss thinks he can make a clean getaway, but he is soon pursued by the many parties who want the money, including cartel assassin Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), a seemingly unstoppable killer who views himself as an agent of fate. No Country is a bleak film, and the Coens frame the conflict against the harsh beauty of the Texan steppes. On a formal level, this is possibly the Coens’ best work; witness one particularly beautiful chase scene in the desert at dawn, Moss silhouetted by the lights of the truck pursuing him.

 

The Get Down

the get down image 1
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Whatever you think about the quality of Baz Luhrmann’s films (Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge, The Great Gatsby), you have to give him credit for always going big. His latest project is The Get Down, an original musical limited series for Netflix, which explores the origins of hip hop in New York through song and dance numbers. The show follows two street-smart kids with a passion for the arts, Shaolin Fantastic (Shameik Moore) and Ezekiel “Books” Figuero (Justice Smith), as they pursue their dreams in the dilapidated Bronx of the ‘70s. As expected of a Luhrmann production, the show is colorful, with brash sets and costume designs, and bombastic performances. The show also features original music from rapper Nas. The Get Down may be a bit over-the-top, but it is an impressive experiment nonetheless.

The Aviator

the aviator imago
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Businessman, engineer, director, pilot: Howard Hughes was one of the great Renaissance men of American history. Any film about his life ought to be suitably massive, and that is the case with Martin Scorsese’s The Aviator, which follows Hughes (Leonardo DiCaprio) through his prime, as he develops new aircraft, dates Hollywood actresses, and eventually faces charges of war profiteering. Hughes’ lifelong struggle with mental illness is at the heart of the film. Here is a man who determined the future of engineering, yet at times could barely function in society. The film has a clear affection not only for Hughes’ tortured brilliance but also the incredible time period in which he lived, with lavish art deco sets. DiCaprio is in fine form here, channeling Hughes’ charisma and intensity.

Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Los Angeles Rams

hard knocks la rams
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The long-running reality series Hard Knocks, each season of which follows an NFL team as they prepare for the upcoming football season, returns this week. This season, the subject of interest is the Rams, recently returned to Los Angeles after twenty or so years in St. Louis. Los Angeles is a glamorous market for a football team, and Hard Knocks takes advantage, putting as much focus on the California sun and surf as the team. Hard Knocks may not be the most incisive documentary series, but for football fans curious about how the Rams are working through this transitional period, this season should be a particularly fun watch.

The Silence of the Lambs

the silence of the lambs
Orion

One of the few films to win Academy Awards in all five major categories, 1991’s The Silence of the Lambs is easily one of the greatest psychological thrillers ever made. Opening with FBI recruit Clarice Starling’s (Jodie Foster) fateful assignment to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a cannibal imprisoned in a mental hospital that seems more like a dungeon, the film follows Starling as she passes training and is put on the case of a serial killer nicknamed Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine). Seeking Lecter’s advice on the case, Starling immerses herself in the mind of a murderer. The horror of the case is compounded by Starling’s struggle to prove herself in a male-dominated agency, a struggle reflected in the direction. The camera often traps Clarice in its gaze, leering at her as her coworkers do, and as Bill does at his victims. The script, direction, and standout performances from Foster and Hopkins make The Silence of the Lambs as close to perfect as a film can be.

Will Nicol
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Will Nicol is a Senior Writer at Digital Trends. He covers a variety of subjects, particularly emerging technologies, movies…
3 underrated Netflix shows you should watch this weekend (January 24-26)
The cast of HBO's Insecure

Netflix wants to be your television home, and it's been remarkably successful in that endeavor. The streamer features an amazing lineup of excellent shows, but when it's time to find something to watch, you might be at a bit of a loss over what to pick.
Thankfully, that's where we come in. We've pulled together a lineup of underrated series that are available on the streaming service, whether you're looking for something that will be over relatively quickly or a much longer commitment. These are three underrated shows on Netflix you should make time for this weekend.

We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
Insecure (2016-2021)
Insecure - Trailer - Official HBO UK
The show that justifiably became Issa Rae's calling card, Insecure chronicles a very specific slice of modern black female life. Crucially, the show is always rooted in the perspectives of its two deeply flawed central characters, Issa and Molly, both of whom deal with a variety of major and minor crises over the course of several years in their lives.
Insecure is funny, real, and remarkably open-hearted even about its more objectionable characters. Featuring an outstanding array of Black talent, the series deserved every bit of acclaim it received and its extended run on HBO.
You can watch Insecure on Netflix.
Unorthodox (2020)
UNORTHODOX Trailer (2020) Netflix
A brilliant, sensitive look at Hasidic Judaism in the United States, Unorthodox tells the story of a woman who flees from an arranged marriage in Brooklyn in order to find a new life. When the past starts to catch up, she faces hard choices about what her future should be.
Unorthodox features a stunning central performance from Shira Haas, and it's one of the best Netflix miniseries to fly entirely under the radar. It might not be focused on true crime, but Unorthodox will leave you on the edge of your seat.
You can watch Unorthodox on Netflix.
The Pacific (2010)
'Our Cause Is Just' Trailer | The Pacific | HBO Classics
A spiritual sequel to Band of Brothers, The Pacific focuses on troops stationed on the other major front of the war. This series was every bit as gripping and acclaimed as its predecessor, but it hasn't had the same staying power. Based on true accounts of Pacific soldiers, the series chronicles their journey from Guadalcanal to Iwo Jima, Okinawa, and ultimately to their return home in the aftermath of V-J Day.
Produced by Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg, the series is a brilliant reflection of the joys and immense sorrow of being a soldier in one of the bloodiest conflicts in human history.
You can watch The Pacific on Netflix.

Read more
If you have to watch one Netflix show this January 2025, stream this one
if you have to watch one netflix show this january 2025 stream younger tv hero

Netflix may be the top streamer for original programing, but it's also a digital afterlife for shows that aired on broadcast networks, cable channels, or even other streaming services like the recently resurgent Evil. This month, our pick for the one Netflix show you need to watch in January 2025 is Younger, a drama/comedy that premiered on TV Land in 2015.

Prior to the debut of Younger, series creator Darren Star had a proven track record in television including Beverly Hills, 90210, Melrose Place, and Sex and the City. Younger lived up that pedigree by having a six-season run on TV Land before it moved to Paramount+ for its seventh and final season. This show already has a following, but Netflix has a way of helping old programing to reach new heights. Ahead of Younger's Netflix premiere on January 7, we're sharing the reasons why you should stream this show.
The premise is still timely in 2024

Read more
3 Netflix shows we can’t wait to see in January 2025
Three people look down in Harlan Coben's Missing You.

With a new year comes new hopes, new fears, and new resolutions. While we all want to lose a little weight or be more active, my main resolution for 2025 is simple: watch more shows. Fortunately for all of us, Netflix is more than willing to help us achieve that goal.

January 2025 has a lot of new shows to feast on, with the most prominent being the second seasons of the hit action series The Recruit with Noah Centineo and The Night Agent. But there are also three underrated shows on Netflix that deserve your time and attention.

Read more