Netflix is an invaluable resource for anyone wanting to stay inside, stay safe, and enjoy quality films. Whether you’re in the mood for something funny, scary, adventurous, or just plain good, here are some films that you can stream this weekend on the one-stop shop that is Netflix. Add them to your queue to make sure you don’t miss out on these cinematic gems!
Action/Adventure
Okja
Bong Joon-ho, the Academy Award-winning South Korean filmmaker, brings us his 2017 Netflix original Okja. The adventure/sci-fi follows Mija, a young girl who, after the Mirando Corporation kidnaps her best friend, a Super Pig known as Okja, embarks on a quest to bring her beloved pet home.
The Endless
This fun, creepy, and thrilling 2017 sci-fi film from sibling filmmakers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead follows two brothers who return to the cult from which they escaped a decade earlier. However, when they attempt to re-adapt to their old lives, the pair find that things are far from what they remember.
The Old Guard
In 2020, legendary director Gina Prince-Bythewood directed this action-packed tale of ageless warriors fighting to protect the world. Although the cast features a number of big names like Charlize Theron, Chiwetel Ejiofor, et al., it’s the film’s combination of breathtaking action beats and keenly developed philosophical ideas that make it stand out.
Comedies
Dolemite Is My Name
From director Craig Brewer comes the 2019 biographical comedy-drama Dolemite is My Name. It stars Eddie Murphy in top form as Rudy Ray Moore, an actor and comedian who achieved fame by taking on the alter ego of the ferocious rhyme-spitting pimp Dolemite in the 1970s.
Set It Up
This 2018’s delightfully funny film from director Claire Scanlon stars Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell as two assistant’s who plot to play matchmaker for their demanding and eccentric bosses to get some much-needed relief. This well-crafted rom-com takes a page from the early works of Nora Ephron, with a dash of Wes Anderson-esque quirkiness.
Otherhood
This underrated comedic treasure from 2019 features Comic legends Patricia Arquette, Angela Bassett and Felicity Huffman as three mothers who, fed up with being taken for granted, decide to embark on a trip to reconnect with their grown sons. Make sure you add Otherhood to your Netflix queue to experience some heartwarming, 21st century shenanigans.
Documentaries
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson
This Academy Award-shortlisted 2017 documentary piece follows the events leading up to the mysterious death of trans activist Marsha P Johnson, who joined the 1969 Stonewall Riots to propel the LGBT rights movement forward. Directors David France and David Porras’s work is an affecting and honest portrait of a much beloved figure gone before her time.
Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story
This 2019 documentary by Daniel H. Birman follows the story of Cyntoia Brown, an American who, as a teenager inprisoned for a murder she committed, found an unlikely path to redemption, leading to the commutation of her life sentence.
Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution
This 2020 documentary, co-produced by the Obamas, follows the lives of disability activists and their fight to secure disabled people’s civil rights in the 1970s. The film powerfully illuminates how hard-fought activism can bring about lasting social change.
Romantic Dramas
Always Be My Maybe
The first Netflix original romantic comedy to be written, directed and produced by an Asian-American (Nahnatchka Khan), this heartwarming tale follows two childhood friends who, after fifteen years of angsty, romantic tension, reconnect to discover that all is never lost.
6 Balloons
This 2018 drama from director Marja-Lewis Ryan follows the plight of a woman trying to take care of her brother, an opioid addict. This film, starring Dave Franco and Abbi Jacobson, confidently contrasts the immense pain and sorrow of addiction with moments of gentle grace and understanding.
Sierra Burgess Is a Loser
This 2018 gem follows the awkward Sierra Burgess as she navigates the treacherous waters of high school, all while dealing with some surprisingly teenage drama. Tastefully done and deliciously funny, this charming romantic comedy offers lessons in friendship, love, and accepting yourself without necessarily conforming to society’s standards.
Independent Cinema
Beats
Another 2019 offering, Beats is a heartwarming and often thrilling tale set in the 90s-era Scottish hip-hop scene. Two lost souls — a recluse and an aspiring musician — come together to live out the dream they possess but society has denied them.
Driveways
This 2020 gem from director Andrew Ahn stars Brian Dennehy and Hong Chau in a dramatic story about two loners finding solace and friendship in each other. Be prepared for some melodrama and heartfelt emotion, but won’t regret having seen it.
The Half of It
This charming, original low-budget film from Alice Wu was released in 2020, and stars Leah Lewis as a shy, closeted Chinese-American trying to help a football player woo the girl of her dreams. It’s a sweet, heartening film about finding yourself, even when you don’t know who you are.
So there you have it, folks! Netflix has something new to offer every weekend and these titles should give you a great idea of what’s available if you’re in search of some new films to watch. All that’s left to do is pop some corn, grab the remote, and get to streaming!
