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 Parenthood, Sing 2, and Molly’s Game, 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: January 30.
Comedy: Parenthood
Split between three different interweaving storylines, Parenthood follows a trio of siblings — the workaholic Gil (Steve Martin), the recently-divorced Helen (Dianne Wiest), and the doting Karen (Mary Steenburgen) — each raising their children in their own way.
From the 1970s well into the 1990s, Steve Martin was the face of comedy, appearing in everything from some of SNL’s highest-rated early to numerous hilarious films like The Jerk, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
Continuing off the momentum he’d built throughout the ‘80s, Martin closed the decade with Parenthood, a brilliant, warm-hearted, family-friendly comedy that ranks as one of Martin’s finest films. More than just a simple comedy film alone, it’s also a brilliant illustration of what it means to be a parent, including the fear, anxiety, and constant worry one has to deal with when raising kids.
Action: The Gentlemen
It’s been a long time since Guy Ritchie measured up to the acclaim of his earliest ensemble films, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. After a lengthy period of subpar films, though, Ritchie nonchalantly steps back into the same artistic voice he’d established in his first two movies, creating an ideal third entry in his loosely-connected trilogy of crime films.
Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) is a wealthy and powerful cannabis dealer in England trying to sell his business to a fellow American expat (Jeremy Strong). When word of the deal gets out, the sale is disrupted by gangsters, low-level criminals, shadowy political figures, and private investigators all trying to secure a piece of Pearon’s empire for themselves.
Returning to the same energetic tone as Snatch, The Gentlemen is a sprawling crime epic that features everyone from McConaughey and Strong to Charlie Hunnam, Michelle Dockery, Colin Farrell and Hugh Grant. It’s an entertaining who’s who of top-notch American and British actors, and the kind of film we’d love to see more of from Ritchie in the future.
Drama: Closer
A film with Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, and Clive Owen? Say it ain’t so! With such an amazing cast at its disposal, it shouldn’t be surprising that Closer is a good film. But what is surprising is just how good it really is.
Over the course of several years, two couples’ relationships (Law and Portman, Roberts and Owen) rapidly deteriorate after the man from one couple (Law) launches an affair with the woman from the other (Roberts).
Commonly seen as a loose, modern adaptation of Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Closer is very much an actors’ movie, each person appearing in the film carrying as much dramatic weight as possible; instead of simple movie characters, they appear as real, tangible people, full of flaws, weaknesses, and insecurities that prevent them from achieving happiness, ultimately hurting those closest to them in the process.
War: Narvik: Hitler’s First Defeat
Climbing the top of Netflix’s most-streamed movies this week is a little-known Norwegian film known as Narvik: Hitler’s First Defeat, centered around the two-month long siege of Narvik by Nazi forces in 1940.
In the isolated town of Narvik, the Nazi military launches a large-scale invasion, hoping to gain control of the town’s healthy iron preserves. Battling the Nazis at sea, in the mountains, and in the streets of their hometown, the ragtag defenders of Narvik experience the fiercest battle of World War 2 up to that point.
It’s always fascinating to see a film about World War 2 from a non-American perspective, with Narvik perfectly satisfying hardcore history enthusiasts and those unfamiliar with Norway’s contributions to the war effort.
Documentary: The Pez Outlaw
Does everybody remember Pez? Those delicious little chalk candies that come in a loaded dispenser, each of which was outfitted with a unique design (usually a character from a movie, TV show, or cartoon).
Over the past decades, Pez has continuously gone in and out of fashion among mass culture; however, there always exists a small contingent of people who remain avid collectors of these addicting little candy dispensers, many of which are seen in Netflix’s documentary, The Pez Outlaw.
Exploring the fandom surrounding Pez, The Pez Outlaw details how the art of dispenser collecting forever changed when Michigan native Steve Glew smuggled in a variety of rare dispensers exclusively found in Eastern Europe, making millions in the process.
Sci-Fi: Jung_E
Yet another film making its way to the top of Netflix’s most-streamed movies list, Jung_E is an ambitious and visually astounding film from South Korean director Yeon Sang-ho (the genius behind the equally outstanding horror film, Train to Busan).
In the 22nd century, Earth has been ravaged by climate change and civil war between human factions. When her mother, a heroic military leader (Kim Hyun-joo), is killed in battle, her scientist daughter (Kang Soo-yeon) works tirelessly to implant her memories into the body of an AI soldier.
Imagine a more straight-laced, emotional version of RoboCop, and you essentially have the premise of Jung_E. The chemistry between Kam and Kim carries much of the movie’s narrative, adding a more humane, existential edge to the typical self-aware AI films we’ve seen before.
Family: Sing 2
Like its earlier predecessor, Sing 2 is a joyous, brightly-colored musical film that not only boasts great music, but has a central storyline that’ll likely catch the attention of most young viewers (not to mention an absolutely massive cast of stars).
With the opening of a new show on the horizon, Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) and his theater troupe scramble to find a reclusive rock star (Bono) who they hope to have headline the upcoming event.
One of the most popular children’s movies released by Illuminations so far, Sing 2 is a stunningly well-done musical film that makes endlessly effective use of its ensemble cast. It may appeal more directly to younger audiences in terms of its simple story and lighter humor, but adults might still find something to enjoy about the movie too.
Biopic: Molly’s Game
Once an Olympic-class skier, Molly Bloom (Jessica Chastain) becomes a target of the FBI, owing to her ties running an underground gambling ring that frequents celebrities, professional athletes, and the Russian mob.
If you ever have an opportunity to watch a movie either written or directed by Aaron Sorkin, do yourself a favor and watch it. Since his cinematic career began with A Few Good Men, Sorkin’s become one of the premiere writers working today, his gifted penmanship providing the backbone for several award-winning films over the years.
As talented as Sorkin is in his original screenplays, his take on biographical stories are some of the best in the industry (examples including The Social Network, Steve Jobs, and Moneyball). With Molly’s Game, Sorkin tackles his most interesting subject yet, shedding light on the incredible life story of Molly Bloom with unflinching frankness and a surprising amount of sincerity and tenderness.
Teen: Sing Street
Don’t let the similarity in name fool you, Sing and Sing Street are two completely different films. As succinct as the two movies are, though, they do share some slight similarities in their themes and tone — both movies being generally light-hearted musical comedies largely capable of being enjoyed by the whole family.
Moving to a new school in 1980s Dublin, Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) rushes to start a band in order to impress a girl he likes (Lucy Boynton), all the while contending with problems stemming from his parents’ argumentative relationship.
It says a lot about Sing Street’s strength as a film that it’s able to transport viewers effortlessly back to 1980s Ireland. Despite its very specific historical settings, the movie’s narrative manages to entrance viewers, dialing each of us back to our own late childhoods, reconnecting us with the best and worst times of our adolescence.
Underrated: Begin Again
Valentine’s Day is near and love is very much in the air. That being said, there are several great romantic comedy-dramas you can currently find filling Netflix’s catalog, the most sadly overlooked among them being Begin Again.
Recently fired from his job, dejected record producer Dan (Mark Ruffalo) is overjoyed when he happens to catch the performance of aspiring musician Gretta (Keira Knightley) at a bar. Convincing her to sign with him, the two navigate the New York music scene, trying to craft Gretta’s first album.
Technically, Begin Again is only partially a romance film, the romantic elements of the movie considerably played down (but still present, nonetheless). Rather, it’s a film about creative potential in its entirety, and the importance of nurturing talent from its infancy to ensure it receives a major platform that it rightfully deserves.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
source https://wealthofgeeks.com/movies-on-netflix-now/
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