The five best movies to watch on Netflix this Sunday
Adulting sucks, but there aren’t many options other than to keep up with the ruse throughout the workweek. But on Sundays? It should be deemed a crime because all we seek is a Netflix escape without having to do the heavy lifting.
For the longest time, Sundays meant heedless fun and a snuggly watchlist that screamed nostalgia. So, in the wake of the holiday season, what do we do? We turn back time!
Netflix unleashed a barrage of titles with the onset of December, meaning it has already done half our work. All that remains is to select a handful to accompany viewers this Sunday.
If you’re interested in a trip down memory lane, buckle up for a marathon with the five best movies to watch on Netflix this Sunday.
The five best movies to stream on Netflix this Sunday
Bad Teacher (Jake Kasdan, 2011)
Looking for some no-commitment fun this Sunday? Well, Netflix recently added a timeless blast from the past, starring Cameron Diaz, Bad Teacher, to its US library. In the comedy punch-fest, Diaz stars as Elizabeth Halsey, a reluctant and sharp-tongued middle school teacher who hates her job and doesn’t even pretend otherwise.
Surprisingly, there’s not one aspect of her occupation – neither her students nor co-workers – to whom she feels drawn. Yet, upon being dumped by her super-rich fiancé, Elizabeth has no option left but to return to her teaching job. However, her comeback arrives with a fair share of plot twists and complications when other players come into the curriculum, putting her scheme in jeopardy.
Kung Fu Panda (John Stevenson and Mark Osborne, 2008)
Before you cry about what awaits you at work on Monday, laugh it out with Kung Fu Panda on Sunday. Netflix US brought the first three films from the franchise on December 1st, so it’s up to you to make the most of their holiday tenure on the platform. The animated martial arts comedy movie is set in a fictional version of ancient China populated by a wide range of anthropomorphic animals.
Kung Fu Panda primarily concerns a clumsy, giant panda named Po, a kung fu aspirant, residing in the Valley of Peace, who basically works at his father’s noodle shop. But when Grand Master Oogway is warned that the malevolent snow leopard, Tai Lung, will escape jail to steal the Dragon Scroll, Po accidentally ends up as the chosen Dragon Warrior who can take down Tai Lung. To fulfil the prophecy, Po must train with some skilled masters and overcome a multitude of roadblocks along the way. While it won’t be easy, it certainly would be fun.
Little Women (Greta Gerwig, 2019)
Those who want a recommendation that hits a bit differently, Little Women is probably the pick for you. Although it may not qualify as “heedless fun,” it is most certainly a comfort watch that revives nostalgia. The coming-of-age period drama serves as the seventh movie adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel of the same name, which revolves around the lives of the March sisters.
Set in Concord, Massachusetts, during the American Civil War era of the 19th Century, Little Women follows the individual journeys of the sisters as they grow up navigating poverty and their father’s absence, taking increasingly different paths, whether in terms of career or marriage. What also sets them apart from one another is their diverse personalities. But what’s important is, despite it all, what brings them together all the time.
Catch Me If You Can (Steven Spielberg, 2002)
A Sunday doesn’t make sense without a crime comedy on the watchlist, and thankfully, Netflix has the perfect 2000s flick to help you with: Catch Me If You Can. Based on the eponymous and semi-autobiographical book by Frank Abagnale Jr, the 2002 movie follows the story of a teenage con artist who learns to impersonate figures from highly qualified professions and commit check fraud.
Having had a hard childhood, Frank fends his profits through various such scams until an FBI agent, specialising in bank fraud, begins to tail him, leading to an intense cat-and-mouse chase. His impersonation skills undoubtedly give him an upper hand for a while, until an uncalculated plot twist hinders his motivation, threatening to upend the streak of his crimes.
Mean Girls (Mark Waters, 2004)
To end the marathon, we have Mean Girls, the 2000s classic that made teen comedy look cool. While most of you must have already crossed halls with Cady Heron and co, in case you need to jog up your memories, the film follows Cady, a homeschooled teenager from Africa, who transfers into an American high school only to find trouble tailing her too.
As she struggles to fit in and make new friends, her reputation with the teachers also doesn’t help. However, Cady soon befriends a duo of outcasts who warn her about a trio of wealthy, spoiled, and mean girls, “Plastics.” But what happens when the Plastics take note of Cady and invite her to join the group?
Teenage heartbreak, chaos, confrontations, and unlimited drama, ensuring the Mean Girls bring a fitting end to the Sunday watch party after all.