7 New Movies You Can Watch on Netflix This Weekend
Including Italy's Academy Awards submission and Sandra Bullock in her toughest role ever.
Streaming services have become such a way of life that it's hard to remember a time before we had instant access to so much entertainment at one time. But your service can only do so much—eventually you have to be the one to decide what you want to watch. To help you make that call, we've looked at all the recent movie additions to Netflix, from the originals that just made their debut to older classics that the service just acquired. This weekend, your best options include everything from a gorgeous autobiography set in Naples to Sandra Bullock taking a surprising career turn to a heartwarming and funny animated movie about the deadliest animals down under. Read on to see what new movies you should be checking out on Netflix this weekend.
RELATED: The 10 Most Popular Movies on Netflix Right Now, Data Shows.
1
The Hand of God
Italian director Paolo Sorrentino delves into his own life for the drama The Hand of God, which is Italy's submission to the Academy Awards. His young protagonist faces a great personal tragedy while growing up in Naples and is eventually led to a passion for storytelling and filmmaking.
2
Oldboy
Spike Lee's 2013 remake of the acclaimed Korean mystery thriller of the same name stars Josh Brolin as a man who's kidnapped and imprisoned by an anonymous captor for 20 years. When he's just as unceremoniously released, he embarks on a mission of revenge and makes some shocking (and stomach-turning) discoveries about his ordeal and the people behind it.
3
Darkest Hour
Gary Oldman took the Best Actor Oscar for transforming into Winston Churchill for this historical drama set in the early years of World War II. Helmed by Pride and Prejudice and Atonement director Joe Wright, Darkest Hour delves into the Prime Minister's leadership and how it led to Great Britain choosing to take an active side in the war.
4
The Giver
Based on the award-winning YA novel by Lois Lowry, The Giver brings the book's dystopian future to life. Humans now live in a world free of aggression and pain but also of joy and love, while one designated person has to hold all memories of the past. The teen boy chosen to step into the role rebels when he gets a taste of how existence used to be, leading to a confrontation between the community's elders, who want things to stay colorless, and those who'd rather be free to experience the gamut of human emotion. Jeff Bridges, Meryl Streep, Katie Holmes, and a young Taylor Swift are among the cast.
5
Fast Color
If Marvel movies and their exorbitant budgets leave you cold, try a different take on the superhero genre. Fast Color stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw and is about three generations of women who each have some sort of extraordinary ability and must evade forces that want to exploit and study them. It's reportedly being turned into an Amazon series by Viola Davis' production company as we speak.
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6
The Unforgivable
Sandra Bullock plays way against type in The Unforgivable, starring as an ex-convict trying to reenter society and rebuild her family after serving a murder sentence. In their review, The Wrap calls it "an affecting, if flawed, redemption drama" and says that Bullock is a "formidable" presence in a role that's so different from her usual, lighthearted fare.
7
Back to the Outback
Australia is known for being home to all sorts of animals you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley, and this animated comedy turns them into family entertainment. Featuring voice work by famous Aussies like Keith Urban, Eric Bana, and Isla Fisher, Back to the Outback follows a group of dangerous zoo animals who make a break for it so they can live as they're meant to in the wild.
