New to Netflix: July 7 – July 13

Here’s what’s new to Netflix Instant for the week of July 7.

Top Picks

Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013)

Directed by Declan Lowney

What do you get when you mix one part David Brent, one part Austin Powers, and one part Steve Coogan in “The Trip”? Well, it would be something close to Steve Coogan as Alan Partridge in “Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa”. Silly film algebra aside, Partridge is a character with a long and celebrated history in British media, but for those like myself who are unfamiliar with Coogan’s bumbling narcissist, that concoction is a pretty good indicator of what to expect. After somewhat of a fall from grace, “Alpha Papa” finds Alan as a talk-radio DJ at a station that has just been bought. Facing unemployment, he throws a colleague under the bus – a plan that backfires when the spurned jockey (Colm Meaney) returns with a shotgun and takes hostages, refusing to speak to anyone but Alan. Coogan hilariously oscillates between showing concern for the captives and milking his newfound limelight, spending decidedly more time in the latter camp. The writing is quick and sharp with jokes ranging from bone dry to unabashedly foolish, and there is no shortage of sight and sound gags to keep you laughing between the perfectly delivered lines.

Rapid Fire

Out of the Furnace (2013)

Directed by Scott Cooper

Christian Bale and Woody Harrelson lead a star-studded ensemble in this crime drama about two brothers caught in a vicious tangle of violence and fate.

I Am Divine (2013)

Directed by Jeffrey Schwarz

The titular Divine is a fascinating and polarizing icon of popular culture, and this documentary examines the life of John Water’s cult hero muse.

Renoir (2012)

Directed by Gilles Bourdos

The cinematography in this biopic is a beautifully artistic tribute to its subject, famed French impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The film captures the relationship between Renoir and his son Jean, the renowned filmmaker.

The Battered Bastards of Baseball (2014)

Directed by Chapman Way & Maclain Way

This can-do documentary is an original Netflix production about the Portland Mavericks, an independent minor league baseball team that included Kurt Russell, whose father owned the organization.

Maidentrip (2013)

Directed by Jillian Schlesinger

A coming-of-age story wrapped in a documentary, “Maidentrip” follows the journey of Laura Dekker, a 14-year-old from the Netherlands attempting to sail around the world all by herself.