The five best movies to watch on Netflix this weekend
You know that moment when Friday finally hits and your brain just… logs out? You are done making decisions or pretending to have a personality at work or college. All you want is Netflix to magically hand you something good so you don’t spend the next hour scrolling like a lost soul.
Except Netflix never does that. It throws the same ten famous films at you like a pop quiz you did not prepare for. And suddenly, you are just begging Netflix to throw something meaningful at you without you having to waste time searching for it.
So here’s the rescue plan. Five films that absolutely deserve more noise, the type you put on “just to try” and end up pausing your snacks because you’re actually invested. These aren’t the usual blockbuster picks, but some surprising ones you forget exist until someone forces you to watch them.
These movies will carry the weekend for you. All you need to do is hit play and let yourself get lost in the underrated world of movies.
The five best movies to watch on Netflix this weekend
Moxie (Amy Poehler, 2021)
Remember that one time in school when a kid finally snaps in the school hallway and decides he is done with taking all the bullshit? Moxie has that exact vibe. This movie follows a quiet girl named Vivian who accidentally becomes the rebel leader of her high school without really planning for all the mess that comes with it. And the best part is how ordinary everything looks until suddenly it isn’t. The tiny acts of protest turn into something bigger because people start finally showing up for each other.
And the joy here isn’t in some giant speech scene like it usually is in the high school movies. Instead, it is in the way her world slowly wakes up. It is awkward and funny in places it should not be… but also quite comforting. And it is directed by Amy Poehler, so you know that it has to be amazing. If you have ever wished you could reset your school experience with a tiny spark of bravery, Moxie taps that exact nerve.
All Together Now (Brett Haley, 2020)
Now it’s time to slide into a softer lane with All Together Now. This movie will give you the feeling of when you pretended everything was fine while juggling a hundred things that would’ve broken you. This is exactly what happens with our protagonist, Amber, who becomes homeless and starts living in a school bus. And the way she keeps smiling through it? It’s not possible to have tears in your eyes. You’re rooting for her from the first ten minutes because you can see how much she tries to protect everyone else, even when her own life is hanging by thread she tied herself.
What hits harder than anything is how the film doesn’t shove sadness in your face. It lets you watch her hold everything together with that “I’m fine” smile people use when they are clearly not fine. And the moment her friends stop hovering at the edges and actually show up for her? It reminds you that support should feel normal, not like a dramatic twist dropped for effect.
Carter (Jung Byung-gil, 2022)
Carter is a masterpiece that jumps straight into the story. A guy wakes up with no idea who he is, no idea why people are chasing him, and no time to figure anything out. He is then thrown into fights and moving cars, and everything is happening really fast, and he’s trying to survive while piecing together what he is doing there in the first place.
What makes it fun is how you learn things at the same speed he does. There is no slow setup or long explanation. Just you following a man who is forced to trust instructions from a voice in his ear while the entire world tries to take him down. After two emotional films, this feels like a full-blown action reset button.
The Decline (Patrice Laliberté, 2020)
The Decline starts off looking pretty harmless. A group of people sign up for this survival camp run by a guy who is basically famous in the “prepper” world. Everyone shows up thinking they are about to spend a weekend learning how to light fires and build shelters. Maybe brag about it later. Everyone tries their best to look prepared.
And then one training exercise goes wrong, horribly wrong, and the whole camp flips in seconds. People aren’t debating anymore. They are scared, trying to figure out whether to call the police or pretend nothing happened. And that is when you see everyone’s real personality come out.
The Perfect Date (Chris Nelson, 2019)
Ending on something sweet is necessary after all that tension. The Perfect Date is basically about a guy who tries to build the perfect version of himself. And not figuratively but quite literally, because he thinks it will help him achieve all the things he dreams of. And obviously, it goes sideways because pretending to be flawless is exhausting.
The charm isn’t in the romance as much as watching him realise he built a whole world where he never gets to be honest. It’s silly in parts and very cute in others, and just fun enough to be the cooldown round after the intensity of the previous picks. In short, it is the ideal way to end a weekend watchlist without overthinking anything.