If you’re old enough to remember video rental stores, you might recall the magic of choosing from a limited selection and committing to your pick. Nowadays, it’s common to experience decision paralysis when scrolling through the vast catalogs of streaming services.
To help you decide what to watch for this week’s movie night, I’ve rounded up five great movies currently available on Netflix.
Sherlock Holmes
Adaptations of Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective are a dime a dozen, but don’t overlook this take from director Guy Ritchie. Sherlock Holmes stars Robert Downey Jr. in the title role, bringing all his usual charisma. Alongside him is Jude Law as Holmes’ faithful companion, Dr. John Watson. The two have a wonderful dynamic, and the movie sizzles when they are playing off each other. The cast also includes Mark Strong as villain Lord Henry Blackwood and Rachel McAdams as the devious Irene Adler.
If you’re looking for a slow, contemplative movie with smart deductions from the famous sleuth, this isn’t it. There is mystery, and Holmes is an intelligent character with snappy dialogue, but there’s also a lot of action. That’s not a downside since it’s exciting, but it’s important to know what to expect. The movie also has a great sense of style, bringing Victorian England to vibrant, gritty life. A sequel, A Game of Shadows, came out in 2011, but it’s not as good as the first.
Hit Man
Hit Man is an interesting 2023 movie from director Richard Linklater. Glen Powell plays Gary Johnson, a professor who also helps the New Orleans police with sting operations. Gary usually works behind the scenes, but when his colleague is suspended, he finds himself out in the field pretending to be a hitman. It turns out he has a knack for it; he dives in headfirst, researching the targets and creating a new persona for each case.
Things get tricky when Gary falls for Madison (Adria Arjona), who wants to hire him to kill her abusive husband. Hit Man isn’t easy to pin down because it’s a comedy, romance, and thriller all bundled together, but roll with it and you’ll have a great time. It may have a silly premise (despite being loosely based on a true story), but the two lead actors make it work, and their chemistry is undeniable.
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
In 2020, Netflix announced two animated series based on the world of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Neither has come to fruition, but that doesn’t matter since you can stream the hilarious and bizarre Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory movie from 1971 instead. It stars Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka, who tours a group of children around his fantastical chocolate factory after they win a competition. Wilder is triumphant in the title role, giving the character both charm and edge.
That curious mix of tones is partly why the movie has so much staying power and why it’s enjoyable for all ages. The factory, with its flowing chocolate river and unusual creations, is suitably enticing but also oddly sinister. When the children are dispatched in amusing ways for not following Wonka’s rules, it’s clear this isn’t a standard tour—and the less said about the downright creepy boat ride, the better. So, grab your favorite chocolate bar and enjoy the film.
Stand by Me
Based on a Stephen King novella, Stand by Me is the ultimate coming-of-age film. It takes place in the summer of 1959 and is about a group of boys (played by Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell) who hear about a dead body near their Oregon home and set out to find it. The kids each have different personalities, but they bond on their trek through the woods as they talk about life and get into all sorts of mishaps involving trains, leeches, and dogs.
Part of what makes Stand by Me so powerful is that it evokes nostalgia for the simplicity of childhood, even if you don’t relate to any of the specifics like the era or setting. It’s a classic story of adventure and friendship, supported by believable performances from the young cast. King, who is known for not liking most adaptations of his work, once called this movie one of his favorites. It was also nominated for an Academy Award and two Golden Globes after its release in 1986.
Joy
Joy is a brilliant, heartwarming film about the work involved in the birth of the world’s first baby conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF). It’s a story about love and science, strengthened by the fact that it’s a true story from recent history. It revolves around gynecologist Patrick Steptoe (Bill Nighy), physiologist Robert Edwards (James Norton), and embryologist Jean Purdy (Thomasin McKenzie), the British trio whose work led to the arrival of Louise Joy Brown in 1978.
The three actors are outstanding and give grounded performances, supported by a script that doesn’t sensationalize—the conflict these scientists faced from the likes of the media and the public is genuine. The film also empathetically portrays the families involved in IVF, including those who were unsuccessful in the trials but were nonetheless vital to the research. Overall, Joy is an emotional, educational watch and one of Netflix’s best original films.
One way to get better Netflix recommendations is to rate everything you watch, so don’t forget to do that when you finish these movies. You should also use your watchlist to track the shows and movies that you’re looking forward to.
- Subscription with ads
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Yes, $8/month
- Simultaneous streams
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Two or four
Stream all of these great movies, along with plenty more original and licensed programming, with a Netflix subscription.