The five best movies to watch on a Wednesday
The onset of the streaming era has unravelled the way viewers consume entertainment, making indulging in movies possible anytime, anywhere. But once upon a not-so-distant time, binge-watching demanded planning, popcorn, and a weekend carved out just for cinematic marathons. And the workweek? That was a five-day sprint of hustle, grind, and countdowns to Friday.
Then again, times have changed, and so have we. A midweek no longer needs to mean mid-misery now. If your Wednesday is begging for a breather, we’ve got just the thing: five must-watch movies on Netflix that promise the perfect escape from the blues.
No deep-dives or three-hour emotional sagas here, just breezy plots, charming characters, and stories that whisk you away long enough to forget the emails queued up in your inbox. From feel-good comedies to action with just the right bite, these films are your cinematic pitstop before the week’s final stretch.
So, go ahead and recharge your week with a movie night that doesn’t count for much, but gives back plenty.
The five best movies to stream this Wednesday
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson, 2022)
Despite being a retelling of the beloved wooden boy fairytale, Guillermo del Toro breathed new life into the story with his stop-motion animation take. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio reimagines Pinocchio in fascist Italy during the interwar period, allowing an intricate and historical layer to elevate the horrors of lost innocence. From its stunning animation work to its incredible voice actors, del Toro hit it out of the park in every aspect.
He dedicated the film to his parents, and Pinocchio was the last one to be credited to Mark Gustafson before his death last year. The Oscar-winning feature runs for an hour and 56 minutes, making it a perfect fit for Wednesday viewing.
The Breakfast Club (John Hughes, 1985)
Wednesday is chaotic. Although it’s motivating enough, spelling half of the work week gone, it’s just as much of a disappointment as a reminder to everyone about the other half. So, the best entertainment escape is something that’s short, sweet, and familiar. And the movie that fits pitch-perfect to the description is John Hughes’ The Breakfast Club, currently streaming on Netflix.
The Breakfast Club is about five very diverse high schoolers who spend a Saturday in detention, supervised by the incredibly strict vice principal. It is a perfect capsule of nostalgia that lives on regardless of time, while also carrying the simplicity and warmth of an 1980s coming-of-age feature only Hughes could have captured.
The Room Next Door (Pedro Almodóvar, 2024)
One of the most underrated gems of last year, The Room Next Door is Pedro Almodóvar’s English-language feature debut. Based on Sigrid Nunez’s What Are You Going Through, the film explores the relationship of two close friends, played impeccably by Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, in the wake of one diagnosed with terminal cancer, preparing to meet her end. It delves deep into complex themes of friendship and death, brought onscreen in Almodóvar’s signature style.
The film is sensitive and thought-provoking. But, most importantly, it is visually striking, with its aesthetics complementing and catalysing an immersive viewer’s experience for a profound watch.
Past Lives (Celine Song, 2023)
If you’re in search of something subtle but impactful, pick Past Lives for your hump day needs. The Oscar-nominated film essentially follows the lives of two childhood friends over a period of 24 hours as they reflect on the nature of their bond, having grown apart and living different, distant lives. The story is loosely inspired by Celine Song’s life, and it’s a remarkable directorial debut.
Song has meticulously portrayed the central characters and the trials and tribulations of unresolved love that finds no place yet refuses to fade, alongside the non-linear nature of moving on, and made a watch fit for any day, every day. Past Lives runs for one hour and 46 minutes, but once you hit play, it doesn’t leave your mind.
Mad Max: Fury Road (George Miller, 2015)
In case you want the midweek to pack a punch, Netflix just brought Mad Max: Fury Road to the library this July. And this one stays with you on the road. The post-apocalyptic action film takes place in a scarce-resourced desert where Max Rockatansky teams up with Imperator Furiosa against Immortan Joe and his forces.
Although the six-time Oscar-winning movie is not exactly brief, the striking desolate landscapes, action sequences, the rushing truck of virgins, and, of course, the vibrant music coursing through the terrain are enough to tie you down and engross you, without giving a hoot about the runtime. Hence, if you crave a midweek marathon this Wednesday, take the Fury Road to Valhalla.