Sure, everyone is flocking to Disney+ to watch Hamilton,
but believe it or not, some people want to watch more than one thing in a
month. Here are 28 movies that have arrived on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Hulu
this month–so, yes, not exactly free, but if you’re reading this you’re
probably a subscriber of at least two of these services.
Without further ado…
28. Mean Streets – Netflix
This is not the way to win your trust with your
list, but I’ll admit I have a blind spot: I’ve never seen this Martin
Scorsese/Robert De Niro classic. This July, that will change.
27. My Cousin Vinny – Hulu
Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei star in this
cherished comedy that is worth revisiting if you haven’t seen it since the 90s,
as I imagine is the case with many people (including me).
26. Spanglish – Amazon
Don’t let Adam Sandler’s presence fool you: this
is a surprisingly heartfelt romantic comedy that doesn’t involve romance
between any of the three leads, which also include Tea Leoni and Paz Vega.
25. Pineapple Express – Netflix
The ultimate stoner comedy aside from Harold
& Kumar Go To White Castle and probably others, this Seth Rogen/James
Franco-starring “adventure” doesn’t get mentioned much these days, but it
stands among their other career highlights surprisingly well.
24. Live Free or Die Hard – Hulu
I included the fourth Die Hard on this
list for a reason: it gets trashed for no reason. While certainly a step down
from the first three, it still is an effectively entertaining action film that
is still recognizable as a John McClane movie (unlike the embarrassing fifth
entry).
23. Cloud Atlas – Netflix
The Wachowskis made this centuries-spanning
sci-fi epic and… not everyone got it. Perhaps it was just ahead of its time. Cloud
Atlas is worth revisiting for its scope, vision, and ambition, and unique
dialects.
22. Ali – Amazon/Netflix
While this Will Smith-starring drama about
Muhammad Ali isn’t quite the knockout some hoped it would be, the final fight,
a reenactment of the famous Rumble in the Jungle showdown, still sends shivers
down my spine.
21. Patriots Day – Netflix
Sure, this Peter Berg/Mark Wahlberg
collaboration isn’t their best (see Deepwater Horizon, released the same
year), but Patriots Day, about the terrorist attack and subsequent
manhunt for the Boston Marathon bombers, is surprisingly suspenseful.
Interestingly, Wahlberg, who plays the only fictional character in the movie,
is the weak link.
20. Splice – Netflix
This sci-fi horror thriller is not without its shortcomings, but the intriguing
premise and performances by Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley, and Delphine Chaneac
make Splice a worthy (yet oft forgotten) entry in the genre.
19. MegaMind – Amazon
Take Despicable Me and blend it with The Incredibles and you get MegaMind, which has Will Ferrell playing a supervillain who is consistently defeated by Metro Man (Brad Pitt). While the Despicable Me franchise went on to make billions of dollars, MegaMind unfortunately and unfairly got pushed to the sidelines.
18. The Client – Hulu
If you’re looking for a good ol’ 90s legal
thriller, and I know you are, head on over to Hulu to check out The Client,
a John Grisham adaptation by the recently deceased Joel Schumacher. About a
young boy who, after witnessing a mafia murder, deftly attempts to survive by
enlisting a lawyer for $1 (Susan Sarandon) and avoiding testifying to
prosecutor Tommy Lee Jones.
17. The Town – Netflix
Ben Affleck’s Oscar-winning crime thriller is
understandably and unfavorably compared to Heat, but still delivers some
terrific acting and powerhouse acting from those involved.
16. Sleepless in Seattle – Netflix
Having just watched this one a month ago for the
first time since the late 90s, I was surprised by just how well this romantic
comedy holds up–aside from the fact that Meg Ryan spends much of the movie
literally stalking Tom Hanks and his son.
15. Panic Room – Amazon
This David Fincher thriller, which has armed
assailants attempting to infiltrate a panic room where Jodie Foster and her
on-screen child, played by a young (and very boyish-looking) Kristen Stewart,
are hiding, was one of the more inventive thrillers of the year. Not
surprising, given Fincher’s eye for detail.
14. Hitch – Amazon
This Will Smith/Eva Mendes romantic comedy still
holds up incredibly well, if you’re in the mood for good romantic comedies.
13. The Karate Kid Part I – Netflix
Well, of course.
12. Rabbit Hole – Hulu/Amazon
Nicole Kidman delivers a powerful performance as
a mother whose child is killed by a teen driver (Miles Teller, in an early,
star-making role) in this riveting drama that avoids melodrama or unnecessary
melancholy.
11. Million Dollar Baby – Netflix
Clint Eastwood’s boxing drama, about an old
timer who agrees to train a determined female boxer (Hillary Swank, who won an
Oscar for her performance alongside Eastwood for directing and Morgan Freeman
in a supporting role), understandably makes the list.
10. Total Recall (1990) – Netflix
Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ridiculous sci-fi action
film is still as absurdly fun as it was 30 years ago.
9. Forgetting Sarah Marshall – Hulu
While Forgetting Sarah Marshall did have
the unfortunate side effect of making Russell Brand hot stuff for a minute or
two, this absolutely hilarious romantic comedy starring Jason Segel, Kristen
Bell, and Mila Kunis is a blast.
8. Best In Show – Hulu
Of all the Christopher Guest comedies, Best
in Show is by far my favorite. This mockumentary boasts an amazing ensemble
cast, most notably Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara, who play a married couple
arguably more in love with their dogs (these days, they’re likely more well
known for playing a married couple on Schitt’s Creek).
7. The Witches (1990) – Netflix
A favorite when I was kid, I watched this one
just a year or two ago and it still holds up incredibly well. Based on the
Roald Dahl book, Angelica Houston plays an evil, disgusting witch who hates
children so much she plans to turn them all into mice.
6. The Devil’s Advocate (1997) – Netflix
Keanu Reeves is popular again, so it’s fine time
to recommend this one about a young man who finds himself being seduced by
Satan himself, played deliciously by Al Pacino.
5. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves – Hulu
Yes, Kevin Costner can’t do a British accent,
but who cares? In my eyes, no other Robin Hood movie holds a flame to
this somewhat gritty, darkly humorous adaptation of the classic story.
4. Stardust – Netflix
If you’re looking for a highly entertaining,
rather funny fantasy adventure film, look no further than this odd but
completely accessible film from Matthew Vaughn (X-Men: First Class) that
features a stellar cast including Claire Danes, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Robert
De Niro
3. Schindler’s List – Netflix
This movie for some reason came up in
conversation with my mom, where she said, “Schindler’s List is so good
but it’s not really a movie you want to watch again.” I told her I’ve watched
it many times. The only reason this film is #1 on the list is because my guess
is most people align to my mom’s sentiments on this one.
2. Grizzly Man – Hulu
Documentaries rarely make my lists, simply
because there are very few I rewatch. Grizzly Man, about a man so
dangerously in love with bears that it costs him his life, is breathtakingly
absorbing and a fascinating character study, among other things.
1. Batman: Mask of the Phantasm – Netflix
The debate will never end… which Batman
movie is best? But many don’t even consider this early 90s animated film, which
has Batman up against an equally savvy vigilante seeking revenge.
By Erik Samdahl
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