I have spent so much time on Netflix this year. So many shows and movies have gotten me through the pandemic, and in a few years, I feel like these shows will remind me of the days spent sitting mostly inside.
However, now that spring is almost upon us, people are starting to get excited about spending more and more time outside — a safe activity, as long as social distancing and masks are still involved. It is still possible to re-create those spring vibes with the right movies.
“Set It Up”
Netflix’s “Set it Up” may seem like any other romantic comedy, but it is just so cute. As a writer who struggles to finish any article out of a fear of failing, I gravitate toward characters like Harper Moore — played by Zoey Deutch. The movie is like “The Parent Trap,” but if you switched out parents for uptight executives and twins for their doubly overworked assistants.
Personally, I think it’s a well-done rom-com that covers many tropes but still manages to create interesting characters who balance each other out. The scene where they go to a baseball game makes me long for crowded streets around Fenway Park and all of the festivities that surround it.
“10 Things I Hate About You”
This movie is a classic, in my opinion. It has all the elements of a great late ’90s or early 2000s teen rom-com — an amazing cast, killer soundtrack, great party scenes and romances that make your head spin. It’s just so comforting, and the warm, hazy colors remind me of those early days of spring where everyone prematurely gets out their shorts and skirts to sit out in any patch of sun.
I love “10 Things I Hate About You” and have rewatched it countless times — especially once the warm weather hits. There is nothing that screams sunshine and happiness more than a young Heath Ledger singing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” while dancing across stadium bleachers.
“Hasan Minhaj: Homecoming King”
It’s not quite practical for stand-up to be on the list, but I don’t mind. Every time I watch this stand-up special on Netflix, I feel happy and ready for growth and change — feelings that dominate the spring season. Hasan Minhaj became one of my favorite comedians from his work on “The Daily Show” and his original series “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj,” but “Homecoming King” solidified his incredible talent and appreciation for visual storytelling.
Minhaj jokes about his childhood and tells stories of a high school dance with a wayward ending. The whole special is filled with vibrant colors and wakes me up from sleepy, New England winters.
Bonus Television Show: “The Good Place”
Here’s a show for anyone looking for a longer commitment than a 1.5-hour movie. “The Good Place” is the perfect show to take you from spring into the summer. Being in the Good Place means no more harsh winters and rain — only sunny, blue skies.
It is such an interesting concept for a show and is quite hard to describe, but the great cast speaks for itself. Entertainment veterans like Ted Danson and Kristen Bell are such a solid foundation for the show to grow upon, while newcomers William Jackson Harper and D’Arcy Carden provided high-quality humor and complex characters. It is a fun and lighthearted show that has just a touch of deep introspection that is perfect for binge-watching this spring.
These films and shows bring me much-needed life and energy to crawl out of the never-ending winter that comes with living in New England. Although they may not all take place in spring, these movies will never fail to re-create those good spring feelings from the screen.
