March 2020’s Best Streaming Titles: Goodfellas, Shaun the Sheep, Swingers, Kung Fu Panda

Scorcese’s classic gangster epic, more Aardman genius, the ultimate ’90s guy movie, martial arts panda mayhem, and more.
Swingers - Doug Liman
Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn are so money in Swingers

As Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime, et al. add more content, it can be difficult to know what to look for amidst all of the new titles. Every month, I compile a list of particularly noteworthy and interesting movies and TV shows to add to your streaming queues.

If you’d like to receive my streaming recommendations even sooner, become an Opus subscriber today.


Netflix

Goodfellas (Mar 1)

Martin Scorsese’s gangster epic is based on the true story of Henry Hill (played by Ray Liotta), a mob associate who eventually became an FBI informant. The film follows Hill’s introduction to the mob life, and his rise and fall in the gang through the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. The film was nominated for multiple Oscars, eventually winning “Best Supporting Actor” for Joe Pesci’s performance as the unhinged Tommy DeVito.

Beastars (March 13)

Based on Paru Itagaki’s manga, Beastars is set in a world populated by anthropomorphic animals divided into herbivores and carnivores à la Zootopia. When a student is murdered at a prestigious school, tensions rise between the herbivores and carnivores. Meanwhile, a young wolf finds himself developing feelings for his rabbit classmate.

Carmen Sandiego: To Steal or Not to Steal (March 10)

It may not have featured Rockapella’s dulcet tones, but Netflix’s recent Carmen Sandiego reboot still proved plenty enjoyable. Who knew we actually needed a Carmen Sandiego backstory or mythology? In this interactive adventure, you help guide the world’s greatest thief as she tries to save her friends from the evil clutches of Villains’ International League of Evil (aka, V.I.L.E.).

Shaun the Sheep: Adventures From Mossy Bottom (March 17)

Fresh on the heels of the delightful A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon, Netflix is giving us more of Aardman Animations’ beloved sheep. This time, it’s in the form of 20 short episodes that find Shaun, Bitzer, and the rest of the farm up to new — and painstakingly animated — hijinks.

Sol Levante (March 23)

There aren’t too many details floating around concerning Sol Levante’s storyline. What is know is that the anime is an experimental collaboration between Netflix and Production I.G and it’s supposed to be the first hand-drawn anime done in 4K quality. That news alone has me intrigued. Hopefully, the storyline will measure up to the technical details.

Here’s everything arriving on and leaving Netflix in March 2020.


Hulu

Swingers (March 1)

There was a time when my friends and I considered Swingers to be the ultimate guys’ movie, but don’t let that turn you off from this clever, winsome ’90s comedy. In Doug Liman’s directorial debut, Jon Favreau (who wrote the script) plays a struggling actor and comedian who’s reeling from his last relationship. Vince Vaughn plays the ladies’ man trying to help Favreau get over his broken heart with the help of parties, a trip to Las Vegas, and lots of swing music.

Wayne’s World (Mar 1)

Arguably the best Saturday Night Live-inspired film, Wayne’s World follows the adventures of Wayne (Mike Myers) and Garth (Dana Carvey) as they bring to their public access TV show to the big time. It’s basically an opportunity for Myers and Carvey to do their schtick, but what a schtick it is. Party on, Wayne. Party on, Garth. Sha-wing!

Conan the Barbarian (March 2)

What is best in life? Well, as Conan taught us once so well, it is “to crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of the women!” In this classic sword-and-sorcery film, Arnold Schwarzenegger plays one of his signature roles, the titular barbarian who must take on an evil cult to avenge his family’s death. Conan the Destroyer also arrives on this day, and both films require the STARZ add-on.

Devs (March 5)

In this trippy-looking series from the mind of Alex Garland (Annihilation, Ex Machina), a young programmer tries to solve the disappearance of her boyfriend, which she believes is linked to a mysterious division of the quantum computing company they both work for. Devs stars Lily Chan, Alison Pill, and Nick Offerman as the company’s enigmatic CEO.

Here’s everything arriving on and leaving Hulu in March 2020.


Amazon Prime

Kung Fu Panda (Mar 1)

The casting of Jack Black as the voice of Po, a panda who dreams of being a martial arts legend, was clearly a stroke of genius. Set in an version of medieval China populated with anthropomorphized animals, Kung Fu Panda is a thoroughly entertaining action/comedy for the whole family that also packs some delightful depth beneath the martial arts hijinks. (And for what it’s worth, I contend that Tai Lung’s prison escape is one of the great cinematic action scenes of all time.)

Here’s everything arriving on and leaving Amazon in March 2020. As usual, there’s a lot of overlap between Hulu and Amazon Prime’s offerings.

Enjoy reading Opus? Want to support my writing? Become a subscriber for just $5/month or $50/year.
Subscribe Today
Return to the Opus homepage