For as many streaming services as there is currently are, Netflix remains possibly the premiere platform to watch movies and television shows. The first mainstream streaming service there was, it’s a platform that continues to boast some of the finest and most noteworthy movies you’ll find anywhere.
With a streaming catalog mixed between Netflix original movies and endless amounts of well-known movies like Star Trek, Pineapple Express, and The Danish Girl there’s no shortage of potential viewing options when it comes to Netflix’s impressive lineup of movies.
Here are some of the movies you can currently find streaming on Netflix that we’d recommend checking out.
Updated: November 17.
Period: The Wonder
This past week has been a remarkable week for Netflix-exclusive releases, as seen with the recent arrival of the Florence Pugh-led historical drama film, The Wonder.
In 1862, the dedicated English nurse Lib (Pugh) is sent to a small Irish village to observe a girl who supposedly hasn’t eaten for months. As Lib settles into the town, she begins to wonder whether the girl is truly receiving sustenance from heaven as the villagers believe, or whether something else is at play.
Even in her worst films, Pugh remains a mesmerizing actor, handing in emotionally gripping performances on a regular basis. The Wonder is no exception to this, possessing great performances from its lead cast (Pugh, Tom Burke, Toby Jones, and Ciarán Hinds) and a strong atmospheric tone.
Sci-Fi: Star Trek
In the far future, the United Federation of Planets is threatened by a vengeful, time-traveling Romulan (Eric Bana). The only thing standing in his way is the young crew of the USS Enterprise, including the hot-headed Kirk (Chris Pine), the excitable Bones (Karl Urban), and the emotionally aloof Spock (Zachary Quinto).
By the late 2000s, critical attention around the Star Trek franchise had significantly died down, the popularity commanded by shows like The Next Generation and Deep Space Nine having long since lost its momentum.
Needing to reinvigorate the series from the ground up, JJ Abrams successfully helmed this 2009 reboot film, returning to The Original Series’ roots and creating a new story around old, fan-favorite characters.
It was a humorous and action-packed movie that helped inject new life into the Star Trek universe, ushering in two sequels (each largely decent) and raking in enough fans for several new Star Trek series.
Comedy: Pineapple Express
It’s no exaggeration to say that Pineapple Express is one of the funniest comedies not only of the 2000s, but of all time. Composed of an ensemble cast, it has everything you can want from a comedy film, quickly becoming one of the biggest stoner comedies since Up in Smoke (not to mention a million times better).
Dale (Seth Rogen) is an unambitious process clerk who regularly buys marijuana from his dealer, Saul (James Franco). After they’re implicated in a murder, the two go on the run from Saul’s supplier, his incompetent hit men, and corrupt police officers.
Despite that potentially serious-sounding premise, Pineapple Express is anything but — even the murder scenes are uproariously funny. Backed by regular collaborators like Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, and Bill Hader, it’s a rare comedy that only gets funnier and funnier with repeated viewings.
Musical: Les Misérables
Amid the political upheaval of the French Revolution, the unjustly imprisoned Jean Valjean (Hugh Jackman) breaks his parole and flees from the police. Hunted relentlessly by his former jailer (Russell Crowe), Valjean tries to build a life for himself with a new name and identity as his country slowly changes around him.
We’ll admit, Les Misérables isn’t for everyone. Long on runtime and short on action, it can have some audience members tapping their feet and impatiently checking the time to see how much sooner till the end credits.
But for those more patient viewers, there’s something truly and uniquely epic about Les Misérables, propelling it on the same ambitious plane as other lengthy historical films like Lawrence of Arabia. Not only that, but it also has a mesmerizing score, brilliantly delivered by Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne, Helena Bonham Carter, and Sacha Baron Cohen.
Romance: The Danish Girl
Another Eddie Redmayne film, The Danish Girl is also a touching and, at times, heartbreaking film centered around Lili Elbe, a Danish artist who was the first recipient of a sex-change surgery.
In 1920s Copenhagen, Einar (Eddie Redmayne) and his wife Gerda (Alicia Vikander) are a happily married couple who are successful artists. Posing for their wife’s portrait in a dress, Einar soon discovers they enjoy living as a woman, in sharp contrast to the gender norms of the couple’s day.
Though elements of Elbe’s real-life story are omitted or fictionalized for dramatic purposes, The Danish Girl is nevertheless a stellar film with incredibly inclusive themes. Along with the numerous awards and nominations the film’s narrative received, Redmayne and Vikander’s performances were particularly singled out for praise, leading to an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, respectively.
Crime: Monster
Don’t let the title confuse you — this 2003 biographical film is focused on a totally different serial killer from Evan Peters’ Jeffrey Dahmer.
In the late 1980s well into the 1990s, Daytona Beach prostitute Aileen Wuornos (Charlize Theron) tries to start anew. Without any means of making money, though, she soon turns to killing her clients and stealing anything they have on them for the sake of her survival.
Monster is most famous for Charlize Theron’s chameleon-like performance, looking and sounding exactly like the real-life Wuornos. But aside from Theron’s Oscar-winning portrayal, the movie is also memorable in that it shows how financial necessity and hardship ultimately led to Wuornos’s killing spree, focusing on how the part society plays in shaping certain individuals into murderers.
Drama: Girl, Interrupted
A beloved cult favorite of the 1990s, Girl, Interrupted is one of those films where the story is subpar, but the performances elevate it to a must-see level.
In the late 1960s, 18-year-old Susanna (Winona Ryder) is admitted to a local psychiatric hospital following a nervous breakdown. Undergoing treatment, she befriends some of the fellow women on her ward — including the charismatic sociopath Lisa (Angelina Jolie).
The film that won Jolie an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, Girl, Interrupted makes incredible use of Ryder and Jolie’s exceptional talents as actors. Throughout it all, the two women play a game of cat and mouse, their mental well-being and health on the line. Who will emerge victorious — and even more than that, who will emerge with their sanity completely intact?
Documentary: Is That Black Enough For You?!?
As we mentioned above, this past week has seen a number of worthwhile Netflix exclusive movies and series, including the engrossing documentary, Is That Black Enough For You?!?
As we all know, the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s forever changed the American landscape, allowing Black individuals greater freedom and representation. As the social climate of the country changed, so too did the presence of Black actors in pop culture, with dozens of movies released from 1968 into the 1970s featuring Black stars in more prominent roles.
Featuring interviews with actors and directors from the historical era it discusses — including Laurence Fishburne, Whoopi Goldberg, Samuel L. Jackson, and Billy Dee Williams — Is That Black Enough For You?!? illustrates how much the film industry changed within the span of a decade. In addition to that, it also shows just how important such change was in terms of representation, inspiring an entire generation of POCs who witnessed Black actors achieve the same level of focus and cinematic exploration as other celebrities of their era.
Thriller: Inside Man
Doctor Who showrunner Steven Moffat is back at it again, once again teaming up with his former Who star, David Tennant, in a decidedly different kind of project than Whovians might’ve expected.
Focusing on two interconnected storylines, Inside Man simultaneously follows a prisoner on death row in Arizona (Stanley Tucci) and a vicar in England (Tennant) who is forced to hold his wife prisoner (Lyndsey Marshal) after a grievous misunderstanding.
Characterized by the offbeat comedic style Moffat has perfected over the years, Inside Man is a darker and far more serious show focusing on how accidents and miscommunication can result in the most heinous of crimes (not unlike Fargo). Fortunately, too, it’s a mere four episode-long miniseries, meaning you could bang it on a blustery afternoon.
Underrated: Stutz
Along with Keanu Reeves, Jonah Hill is without a doubt one of the most stand-up people working in Hollywood today. Endlessly likable and genuine in his personality, Hill managed to seize control of his career when he realized he didn’t like the direction it was going, turning it in a new direction that excited him as a creative individual.
In the past, Hill has openly and plainly discussed the labels people have stuck on him, preferring to create his own films and star in non-traditional movies that he’s comfortable appearing in. In Stutz, Hill elaborates further on his mental health and his bold career choices, talking with psychiatrist Phil Stutz about how the burden of stardom turned his career into something he dreaded.
It’s natural to assume that we all hold a glamorous view of fame and fortune, imagining that celebrities live on a higher plane of existence than us average folk. But Stutz tells us otherwise, touching upon the real-life implications fame can have on us from a psychological standpoint, demonstrated by Hill’s own transformation over the years.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
source https://wealthofgeeks.com/movies-on-netflix-now/
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