Netflix and other streaming services have changed the game in terms of our exposure to foreign language films; where before, lots of anglophones found watching subtitled films a bit of a drag, doing so these days has become fairly commonplace. The day that Netflix made it possible to filter shows and films per language was an excellent one. The problem is, there’s a lot of rubbish out there… However, the good thing about watching something to help you improve your language skills is that even if you feel like the story was a waste of time, you may well have still picked up some new vocabulary.
Check out my post on 5 free ways to become the ultimate active listener to turn your viewing activities into highly fruitful learning opportunities.
Here’s a list of the latest series I’ve watched on Netflix and my take on them:
Disparu à Jamais (Gone for Good)
This was a really gripping watch; I binged it over a weekend and was hooked on every moment.
There’s lots of really useful French in it! A lot of Harlan Coben’s novels have been adapted for the French screen, despite the fact that he’s an American writer. Get ready for a series of twists.
The Parisian Agency
This is a group watch and will give you the same level of ick as Emily in Paris. That’s what makes it a great watch. It’s a delusional snapshot of Paris but why not indulge in it?
There’s lots of informal French to pick up, and some cool properties along the way.
Le Mensonge (Something to Hide)
I watched this because I recognised the lead actor – Daniel Auteuil – from the great film Le Brio (which I mentioned in my post on 10 must-watch French films to improve your French) and Victor Meutelet from his brief appearances in Emily in Paris as Camille’s younger brother.
It’s a pretty disturbing story, but is full of legal language, and I watched it just as we were studying a module on legal vocabulary in class, so that was pretty useful.
Une Mère Parfaite (A Perfect Mother)
This is pretty gripping throughout, and has a smattering of German along with the French, and various shots of Berlin and Paris.
Andreas Pietschmann, who plays the Captain in 1899, plays the father.
Zone Blanche (Black Spot)
I barely managed two episodes of this because I just found it too gross and disturbing.
I’d be interested to hear others’ thoughts on it if you managed to stomach any more episodes!
Les Combattantes (Women at War)
A really refreshing take on a traditionally male-dominated time in history.
The storylines are varied and high octane.
There are even some queer storylines in the series, which give a new perspective on this period in history.
La Forêt (The Forest)
I watched this one years ago, before my French was any good, but I still remember it! Pretty disturbing but incredibly compelling. It seems that a dark forest, naked women and remote communities are a favourite series combination for the French.
Having attempted Black Spot, as I’ve already mentioned, there’s very much a fine line between palpability and just downright grossness. This one is the former not the latter.
Are there any series you’ve seen recently that you either rated or hated? Comment below!
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