What To Watch in April

It’s been a long time since I’ve done one of these but I wanted to start to bring this back as a feature for Workshopping Humanity! As we unwind from the fun of Easter and enjoy the sunshine of spring, April brings us some intriguing new television and film to keep us entertained for this new month. From a black & white crime drama to a highly anticipated new Luca Guadagnino project, April is going to be a month to remember. All image rights to to their respective owners.

Ripley

From Steven Zaillian, the writer behind the hit HBO show The Night Of and famous screenplays such as The Irishman and Schindler’s List, comes a new show about crime and obsession. Based on the popular Patricia Highsmith novel, The Talented Mr. Ripley, the show follows a man named Tom Ripley (Andrew Scott) who gets hired by a rich man to bring his son Dickey (Johnny Flynn) back home from Italy. What sounds like a fun adventure soon turns unravels into something dark and more hideous. Led by the talented Andrew Scott, and filmed in stunning black & white, this show is going to be something not to miss. Catch all eight episodes on Netflix (not Showtime like it was originally developed at) on April 4th.

Monkey Man 

Dev Patel writes, directs, and produces this new action thriller about a guy named Kid who seeks revenge against the corrupt leaders who wronged him. A film that was once going straight to the Netflix black hole of streaming was saved thanks to producer Jordan Peele who thought it deserved to be seen on the big screen. Thanks to his deal with Universal under his Monkeypaw Productions banner, film fans everywhere can see this epic action thriller on the big screen on April 5. In a month that’s slow on theatrical releases, this one could be a big hit. 

Sugar 

Not much is known about the newest Apple show hitting the service this April. But maybe that’s okay. What’s being teased is that it’s a “genre-bending” take on the classic private detective story that follows John Sugar (Colin Farrell) who's hired to find the missing granddaughter of a famous Hollywood producer in LA. Directed by Fernando Meirelles (City of God & The Constant Gardener) and also starring Amy Ryan and Kirby Howell-Baptiste; it feels like this project is flying under the radar. Hopefully the twists and turns make this one blow up on Apple TV+ starting on April 5 with the first two episodes with the rest weekly afterwards.

The Greatest Hits

Music is such an important part of our lives. It’s often said that certain songs can almost take you back to a certain moment in time; from a first kiss to a heartbreaking breakup, music is such an important part of the arts. But for Harriet (Lucy Boynton), the lead of Searchlight’s newest film The Greatest Hits, it’s a lot more realistic than possible. Certain songs transport her back in time to some of her “greatest moments” with her deceased boyfriend Max (David Corenswet). As she deals with the dilemma of trying to change the past, a new possible love interest emerges in the present (Justin H. Min). You can catch this romantic drama in select theaters on April 5; or you can catch it on Hulu on April 12. 

Wicked Little Letters

After hearing about its delightful premiere at TIFF last year, I’m excited to hear that Wicked Little Letters is coming to the US this April! It’s a British dark comedy mystery about a series of foul-mouthed letters targeting the women of a small seaside town. Rose (Jessie Buckley), the new single mother in town is the main suspect, and it’s up to police officer Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan) to solve the case before time runs out. With Olivia Colman and Timothy Spall running up the cast list, I can’t wait to see how this delightful mystery turns out. Expands to US theaters on April 5th.

Civil War 

Alex Garland, known for his sci-fi projects such as Ex Machina and Annihilation, is back with a new tale sure to start many conversations after the credits roll. His newest film chronicles a group of journalists as they cross a United States in the middle of a second Civil War that could bring about the end of everything we’ve ever known. After getting rave reviews out of SXSW, this could be a big hit for A24. Starring Kristen Dunst, Cailee Spaeny, Nick Offerman and many more; check this one out in theaters and IMAX on April 12. 

The Sympathizer

HBO is hoping to bring back HBO Sundays with its brand new limited series in partnership with A24: The Sympathizer. Based on the bestselling book, the series follows a half-French, half-Vietnamese communist spy as her struggles through the Vietnam War and his eventual landing in the US. Add Sandra Oh, and Robert Downey Jr. playing multiple roles, and you’ve got an intriguing project on your hands. From the minds of Park Chan-wook (Oldboy) and Don McKellar, this black comedy thriller will premiere on HBO on April 14 with new episodes released weekly.

Under The Bridge

One of the best parts of Killers of the Flower Moon was the attention grabbing awards winning performance of Lily Gladstone. If you are like me, you finished the film wondering what else she’s going to do next. The answer is the newest Hulu limited series Under The Bridge. Based on the bestselling book of the same name by Rebecca Godfrey, the story follows the true story of the awful murder of Reena Virk, a 14 year old girl who never returned home from a party. The series follows Riley Keough plays the author who immerses herself into the investigation of the crime; while Lily Gladstone plays Cam Bentland, a police officer involved in the case. We follow these two women as they slowly peel back the layers of this strange case and end up changed forever. Catch this series when it premieres on Hulu on April 17 with the first two episodes; with the rest of the episodes premiering weekly. 

The Big Door Prize Season 2 

Last year audiences were introduced to the town of Deerfield and how a mysterious machine changed how everyone perceived themselves as the residents questioned where they are going in life. The character driven comedy was a delight and I’m glad Apple gave it a second season to have more time with these characters; especially after the Morphio machine changes from showing everyone’s potentials to new visions. Here’s to new relationships, questions, and hopefully some answers about the mysterious Morphio machine. Season 2 premieres on April 24th with the first three episodes, followed by new episodes weekly.

Challengers 

My most anticipated film of the year finally premieres this year after it was delayed from last September due to the SAG strikes. Hailing from Luca Guadagino, this MGM film follows Tashi (Zendaya) a promising tennis star who loses it all due to an injury. Cut to a couple of years later and Tashi is looking to shake her husband’s (Art played by Mike Faist) tennis career up by putting him in a “Challenger” event where he will go up against Patrick (Josh O’Connor). The tension comes with the fact that Patrick is Art’s former best friend and Tashi’s former lover. If the trailer promises anything, get ready for one twisted and dramatic romantic drama. Don’t miss Guadagnino's most mainstream project yet when Challengers hits theaters on April 26.