Credit: Netflix

Woosh, what a couple of last weeks that just were. The Oscars came, and all of a sudden, it felt like everyone was trying to catch up with all the big movies and performances while also figuring out who really deserved the awards. Before you know it, you are catching up with all the critically acclaimed, mostly serious movies in a week.

And those movies? They are not easy watches. You have to sit through them properly and pay attention because you don’t want to miss anything important, and nobody’s complaining. It’s all good cinema. But after a while… whew. That kind of watching takes effort.

Because once you are done with all that, starting another heavy story doesn’t sound very appealing. You don’t want to sit there analysing scenes or thinking about what it all meant. You just want something that plays and keeps you entertained while letting you relax for a bit.

And that’s exactly what this week is about. Instead of going back into that same space, we are switching things up completely and giving you a list of comedies. These are some of the best yet underrated gems of Netflix, and you can binge one or all, and you won’t feel overwhelmed.

The five best movies to watch on Netflix this weekend

Sandy Wexler (Steven Brill, 2017)

What’s better than Adam Sandler to start a comedy movie binge fest? Hence, we’re starting with Sandy Wexler, and this movie will take you straight into peak Sandler territory. Now, coming to the story, it follows Sandy, a talent manager in 1990s Los Angeles who is… not exactly great at his job, but somehow completely committed to it. He manages a bunch of eccentric clients, all with very questionable careers, and still treats them like they are destined for greatness. That explains the reason behind numerous cameos in the movie.

But things take a turn when he comes across Courtney Clarke, played by Jennifer Hudson, a genuinely talented singer who actually has a shot at making it big. And for once, Sandy isn’t just managing someone out of loyalty; he really believes in her. Unlike his usual role, Sandler doesn’t play him as a typical over-the-top character the entire time. There is a sincerity to Sandy, even when everything around him feels ridiculous. A great watch for any mood.

Ibiza (Alex Richanbach, 2018)

Ibiza is basically what happens when a work trip stops being about work almost immediately. The story follows Harper, played by Gillian Jacobs, who heads to Barcelona for a work assignment. Sounds normal enough, right? Not for long. Her friends tag along, and the trip turns into something else entirely once they decide to head to Ibiza.

Before you know it, things started getting really messy. Parties, bad decisions – all that is still fine, but then a romance with a DJ happens that seems fun at first but gets complicated in a snap. Vanessa Bayer and Phoebe Robinson add a lot to that energy, constantly pushing things further than they probably should. And a fun fact, it was shot partly on location in Spain, which is probably why the whole thing feels so real at the same time. If you are looking for a loud and chaotic watch, Ibiza has to be your next watch.

Otherhood (Cindy Chupack, 2019)

Now, Otherhood takes a very different route but still keeps things easy to watch. This is a story of three mothers who realise their sons have completely drifted away from them. No calls, no visits, nothing. So what do they do? They show up in New York, unannounced.

But if you are thinking that this film has big comedy moments, then let us stop you there because Otherhood is more about old habits and emotional conversations no one really plans for. At the same time, it keeps things light enough not to get too heavy. The cast does most of the work here, with Angela Bassett, Patricia Arquette, and Felicity Huffman playing the mothers.

The After Party (Ian Edelman, 2018)

How often do you find yourself asking this question after a party: “What just happened last night?” If the answer is more often than usual, then The After Party is just the film for you. It is directed by Ian Edelman, who also created How to Make It in America, so you already know it’s going to have that music-industry backdrop running through it.

The story follows Owen, an aspiring rapper whose career almost takes off overnight after a video goes viral for all the wrong reasons. Instead of becoming famous for his music, he ends up becoming a joke online. So naturally, he decides to fix that by sneaking into a major industry party. And everything messes up right after that. But if you really enjoy movies with a protagonist in an awkward situation, this is a must-watch for you.

Handsome (Jeff Garlin, 2017)

And for the dessert, we have Handsome, which goes in a slightly different direction than the rest. We have a guy named Gene Handsome who’s an LAPD detective and is great at solving crimes but not so great at handling his own life. When he is assigned a murder case, things get complicated, not just because of the investigation but because it starts bringing up parts of his past he hasn’t really dealt with.

It’s one of those rare mixes of mystery mixed with comedy, and who doesn’t enjoy both those genres? Handsome stays in that awkward middle space where the humour comes from the character more than the situation. And since the film is directed by Jeff Garlin, who also plays the lead, it very much feels like his style of humour all the way through.