Barry Jenkins adapts a Pulitzer Prize, the Australian classic Puberty Blues returns, more Handmaid’s Tale and an Oscar-worthy biography of Judas and the Black Messiah will be released online in May.

Thuso Mbedu will star in Barry Jenkins’ adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize winning novel, The Underground Railroad on Amazon. Image provided.

Another month, another overwhelming list of releases on a multitude of streaming platforms. Or not! In this new feature, Screenhub picks the cream of the crop – local productions, award-winning features and critical darlings that are reaching a corner of the internet near you. Here are the top five things you can stream in May 2021:

Puberty blue

Netflix ANZ has got its hands on the licensing of the coming-of-age classic in Australia: Puberty Blues. The movie directed by Bruce Beresford traces the life of Debbie and Sue, two teenage girls who are coming of age as Australia’s sexual revolution of the 1970s is in full swing. Exploring drugs, sex and youth rebellion, he details their lives and loves. It will be available to stream from May 12.

PUBLICITY

THE UNDERGROUND RAILWAY

Amazon Prime has announced an exciting new series from Oscar winner Barry Jenkins. Executive produced by Brad Pitt, The Underground Railroad will chronicle the desperate attempt of Cora Randall (Thuso Mbedu in her first role) for freedom in the south of the war. Based on Colson Whitehead’s Pultizer Award-winning novel of the same name, this ten-episode limited series will air from May 14 on Amazon Prime.

THE HISTORY OF THE HAND

The highly anticipated fourth season of The Handmaid’s Tale is finally here! The first episode has already hit SBS On Demand, with episodes releasing weekly in the dystopian series that has already been renewed for a fifth season.

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Yes you are not on board The Handmaid’s Tale train again, it’s a dystopian series based on the world of Margaret Atwood’s novel of the same name. Created by Bruce Miller, the Hulu series is set in a bleak future after America’s Second Civil War, in which all fertile women, known as “ maids, ” are enlisted into slavery to procreate. The fourth season begins directly after Season 3, which documented June’s transformation into a resistance fighter, ultimately orchestrating the rescue of 86 children from Gilead who were shot dead in the process. You’ll need to tune into the weekly episodes on SBS on Demand starting April 28 to find out if she survives!

Judas and the Black Messiah

Now that Oscar season is over, we’re all updating our must-see movie list. If you want to see the movie that won Daniel Kaluuya his first Oscar, Judas and the Black Messiah has been accelerated for digital output. This biopic follows the true story of 17-year-old Bill O’Neal, played by Best Actor nominee LaKeith Stanfield, who makes a deal with the FBI to infiltrate the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party, in exchange for dropping criminal charges. .

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The film details the events that led to the assassination of frontman Fred Hampton (Kaluuya, in his role winning Best Supporting Actor). The film will be available for streaming from the beginning of the month on AppleTV, Foxtel Store, Google Play, Microsoft, Amazon Prime Video, Telstra TV Box Office.

Domina

Stan just announced a new original series, Domina. The epic eight-part drama will tell the true story of the first Empress of Rome, Livia Drusilla, with Kasia Smutniak in the lead role. The series certainly sports a cast that is closely familiar with the epic genre, including talents like Liam Cunningham, who once played Ser Davos on Game of thrones, and The witcher Colette Tchantcho. Australians involved in this one include director Claire McCarthy (The Luminaries, The Waiting City) and filmmakers Denson Baker and Nicola Daley. It looks like an exciting sight promising for a comfortable night’s sleep, now that winter is coming – or is it just the Game of thrones do the vibrations affect me? Domina premieres on Stan on May 14.