Netflix has a variety of titles and constantly keeps adding newer ones, often including 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. 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 one of the best feature films in Bollywood that talks about friendships amidst burgeoning academic pressure to a Coen brothers classic, here are the five best films you can watch on Netflix this weekend:
5 must-see movies to watch on Netflix this weekend
3 Idiots (Rajkumar Hirani, 2009)
Perhaps one of the greatest Bollywood films in the last few decades, 3 Idiots, is a brilliant coming-of-age story that features some of the best actors in the Indian industry, namely Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, Kareena Kapoor, Boman Irani and Sharman Joshi among others. Widely popular, the film touches on various socio-political issues, especially quality of education, academic pressure, peer pressure and other factors plaguing the Indian education system.
The film is narrated in alternating timelines as it focuses on an unwavering friendship among three boys in an engineering college which is designed to make students crack under pressure. A commentary on love, friendships, heartbreak and failure, it is a must-watch for people of all ages.
No Country For Old Men (Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, 2007)
A hunter stumbles upon two million dollars amidst the remains of a bloody, gruesome drug war and decides to take it against his better judgement. Mayhem and chaos ensue when he is pursued by a psychopathic serial killer who dispassionately commits heinous crimes. At the same time, a laconic sheriff is enamoured by the extent of brutality that he has to fight off.
Set in a classic Texan setting with great cinematography and surreal, wide-angle shots, the film revels in the arid beauty of the land and the wilderness which is juxtaposed with the moral degradation. The Western is a Coen brothers’ classic, a brilliant character study with gratuitous violence.
The Breadwinner (Nora Twomey, 2017)
Based on Deborah Ellis’ bestselling novel, the animated feature is executive produced by Angelina Jolie and weaves a story of love, hope and resilience under religious intolerance and gender oppression. It revolves around a courageous eleven-year-old girl named Parvana who disguises herself as a man to work and support her family in the aftermath of her father’s arrest.
Set in an oppressive Taliban-ruled Afghanistan, the film is a harrowing yet fascinating account of her dauntless courage and unwavering strength, which she derives from several stories in her head. The film also highlights the power that stories have in instilling hope and peace.
Annie (John Huston, 1982)
Annie is based on the eponymous Broadway musical, which had been adapted from Harold Gray’s comic strip, Little Orphan Annie. Set during the Great Depression in New York City, the film revolves around the cheeky titular orphan taken in by an eccentric billionaire, much to the chagrin of the tyrannical woman who helms the orphanage.
With catchy and memorable songs, the film is a heartwarming classic. Aileen Queen as Annie and Albert Finney as the rich man share a brilliant understanding, and the latter undergoes a moving and cathartic character development, making the film a nice and evocative ride.
Ocean Waves (Tomomi Mochizuki, 1993)
The protagonist reminisces his time in high school while travelling to his hometown. Nostalgic memories cloud his brain as he reflects on a time of exuberance and innocence that involved friendships, academic pressure, an eventful Tokyo trip and his unwavering love for a certain girl who continues to occupy a greater part of his mind.
Raw, sincere and simplistic, the film carries within itself the nostalgic yearning for home. With various points of dramatic tension, it is a mellow reflection of human emotions and portrays a beautiful and fond romantic relationship where silence is sometimes more eloquent than mellifluous dialogues.
