Photo by Mathieu Improvisato on Unsplash
Every month Netflix does something like this, taking a number of great titles without a warning, and May is looking awfully bad. I remember the lesson that I learned last year when my week long wait for a movie was not fulfilled. So I looked at the leaving list prematurely this time and it’s packed with some real classics. These are the 17 picks that I believe you should make before they get lost in your queue.
Uncut Gems
This Adam Sandler thriller is basically two hours of pure anxiety, and I mean that as the highest compliment. Watch it once and you will completely rethink what Sandler is capable of as an actor.
Puss In Boots The Last Wish
I went in expecting a forgettable sequel and ended up loving every minute of this animated movie. The animation style is gorgeous, and the villain might be the best in any kids movie recently.
Where The Crawdads Sing
If you have never watched the movie and have read the book, now’s the time to rectify that. A slow-burn mystery set in a really pretty South location that sucks you in.
St. Vincent
Bill Murray stars as an irritable old man who befriends a child, and it doesn’t come across as cheesy. It’s a little comedy that packs a punch in an emotional way.
The Great Gatsby
Baz Lurhmann’s adaptation of the classic novel into a shiny party film got people talking and debating it still today. I’m playing Gatsby and everything is gorgeous, though the music is out there.
Happy Gilmore
If you have never seen this old Adam Sandler golf comedy, you owe it to yourself before the sequel buzz dies. It is dumb, loud, and honestly still pretty hilarious almost thirty years later.
The Hunger Games Franchise
All four original Hunger Games movies are leaving at the end of May, which is a pretty big deal. Now is the perfect time to do a full rewatch before they disappear from your library.
Insidious
This is the horror movie that basically launched the entire modern haunting style we see everywhere now. It still holds up super well, and the red faced demon scene gave me actual chills.
Split
This is M. Night Shyamalan’s comeback and James McAvoy has a wild performance. He has several different personalities in his body, and you can’t turn off once you begin watching.
L.A. Confidential
This is an old school noir thriller with the best performances from Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce, and Kevin Spacey. It won several Oscars and it’s definitely one of the wittiest films about crime ever.
Boyz N The Hood
John Singleton made history with this debut about growing up in South Central, and it still hits hard today. The performances feel raw and real, and it remains an important watch for so many reasons.
The Impossible
This is a survival drama based on a real family caught in the 2004 tsunami, and it absolutely wrecked me. Naomi Watts and a very young Tom Holland turn in some genuinely devastating performances.
The Disaster Artist
James Franco directs and stars in this true story about the making of the famously terrible movie The Room. It is funnier than you think, and weirdly moving in a way I did not see coming.
You Have Got Mail
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in a rom com that pretty much gave birth to the genre for a generation. It’s corny in the good way, it’s ideal for a lazy weekend evening with some snacks and no plans.
Magic Mike Last Dance
The final chapter of the Channing Tatum trilogy is way more theatrical than the first two films were. It is honestly more of a dance movie than the usual story, but the choreography is amazing.
The Other Guys
Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg in a buddy cop comedy that’s far cleverer than it initially appears. The antics of Wall Street bad guys are so old fashioned, and still hilarious.
Rosario Tijeras
This Mexican crime drama has three full seasons leaving Netflix, and it is a perfect under the radar pick. If you love telenovela style action and a strong lead, give the first episode a shot.
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