5 must-see movies to watch on Netflix this weekend

Netflix has a variety of titles and constantly keeps adding newer ones which often include new releases and old-time classics.

More often than not, we find ourselves doomscrolling through Netflix, trying to determine our next go-to watch. Brain fog usually affects our judgement and we end up grumpy and sleepy, unable to decide on a film. Worry not, we at Best of Netflix have decided to create a comprehensive list for you every week to choose your next weekend watch.

With thousands of movies on offer, finding great content on Netflix isn’t the most challenging thing to do. However, with so much choice, often, breaking those thousands of titles into a concise list of great movies to watch can feel like an unwelcomed uphill task. Thankfully, we’ve done all the hard work for you.

While Netflix adds new titles every month, there are certain brilliant classics and older flicks that you must sink your teeth into. From Meryl Streep’s first-ever Academy Award-winning performance to Satoshi Kon’s animated dream-like hysteria, here are the five best filsm you can watch on Netflix this weekend:  

5 must-see movies to watch on Netflix this weekend

Kramer vs. Kramer (Robert Benton, 1979)

If you have recently watched Noah Baumbach’s, Marriage Story and found it heartbreaking, Kramer vs. Kramer will be a punch in the gut. Starring Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep as the titular Kramer couple, the film focuses on a messy divorce that delves deeper into an ugly custody battle.

Based on Avery Corman’s 1977 novel, the film won Hoffman and Streep Academy Awards in their respective categories for their realistic performances. While Streep’s courtroom monologue became somewhat iconic, the film gained notoriety after the veteran actress accused Hoffman of bullying and harassment.

Paprika (Satoshi Kon, 2006)

Set in a futuristic premise, a dream terrorist wreaks havoc by infiltrating a device that records others’ dreams and replaces them with nightmares. When all hell breaks loose, only a female therapist can put a stop to this by posing as Paprika, a dream detective who must defeat the perpetrator.

A brilliant and violent infusion of the differences between fiction and reality, Kon uses dazzling images to emphasise duplicitousness, duality and contrast. An absolutely mind-boggling and nearly psychedelic trip, the film is as unsettling as Kon’s Perfect Blue and also influenced Christopher Nolan’s dream-induced hysteria in his 2010 film Inception.

Hotel Transylvania (Genndy Tartakovsky, 2012)

Starring Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Steve Buscemi, Kevin James and others in voice roles, Hotel Transylvania is the first film of the successful titular franchise that sees a hilarious twist to the story of the deadly Count Dracula.

With Sandler’s distinct Italian accent as the Count, the film sees Samberg’s human character, Johnny falls in love with Dracula’s daughter, voiced by Gomez. A total riot, the film adds a funny, innocent and adorable twist to the film that abounds in supernatural delinquents and a lot of warmth and laughter.

Superbad (Greg Mottola, 2007)

The film is written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg with the events being heavily inspired by the duo’s real-life experiences. While they initially wanted to be a part of the film, Jonah Hill and Michael Cera seemed befitting in their roles as awkward teenagers who are high school misfits, desperate for party invitations and the much-coveted ceremony of losing their virginities.

A night of debauchery is disrupted by irresponsible and drunk cops, menstruating fiances and messy rows which leads to rookie mistakes and black eyes. Within the awkwardness of the teenage phase, the narrative exudes an aura of naivete and vulnerability.

Girl, Interrupted (James Mangold, 1999)

Mangold’s 1999 psychological drama was adapted from an episodic novel. Although it was criticised for romanticising mental illness, the film is an intriguing and unsettling watch that records Angelina Jolie’s best performance to date. Also starring Winona Ryder in the lead, Mangold’s cinematic exploration of mental health is still among some of the best Hollywood films on the same issue.

Ryder stars as a suicidal and lost teenager who is rushed to a mental institution following an alleged suicide attempt. She soon befriends a ragtag team of residents at the institution including a rebellious and sociopathic Jolie with whom she forges an unlikely friendship.