Credit: Netflix

Have you observed how streaming has totally changed the movie game? Back in the day, if a film flopped at the cinemas, that was pretty much curtains. But now? A film can turn up on Netflix, sit there for months or even years, and then all of a sudden you see it in the Netflix charts.

This week’s picks are sound and all. You’ve got a belter of an action film that’ll have you gripping the sofa, but also a romance at the same time that has the critics arguing. There’s also a beloved space movie in the mix.

And that’s the best bit about a weekend, isn’t it? It isn’t always about chasing whatever’s just dropped. Sometimes it’s finding a film that’s got enough laughs. Half the best films are right under your nose.

So go ahead; before you end up doing that thing where you waste crucial time on a movie hunt and end up watching nothing, let us save you the bother. These are the five Netflix films you definitely want to add to your watchlist this weekend.

The five best movies to watch on Netflix this weekend

The Choral (2025)

If you are into your British period dramas, then The Choral is definitely one to stick on the list. It sees director Nicholas Hytner teaming up with playwright Alan Bennett again, and those two have turned out some absolute crackers over the years. This time they’re taking us back to the First World War, but don’t go expecting too many explosions and battle scenes. Nah, the story stays back home, where every street is carrying a bit of heartbreak.

Ralph Fiennes plays Dr Henry Guthrie, a choirmaster who rocks up in a little Yorkshire town after most of the fellows have headed off to fight. Instead of letting the local choir disappear altogether, he gets the women, the kids and the older folk together for a crack at performing Edward Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius. Before long, the rehearsals turn into something much bigger than just getting ready for a concert. They give everyone somewhere to put all the grief they’ve been bottling up instead of keeping it locked away in silence. It takes its time, but stick with it, because by the end, it more than earns every minute.

Extraction 2 (2023)

The second instalment of Extraction begins with Tyler Rake being pulled back into the field to rescue Ketevan, her children Nina and Sandro, from a Georgian prison run by her husband, Davit Radiani. He is a ruthless crime boss. Now, getting them out kicks off a nightmare, too. Before long, Tyler and his crew have got Davit’s family breathing down their necks, and they’re dragged into one massive scrap that tears across half of Europe.

Did you know that the biggest talking point around Extraction 2 wasn’t the story? It was that bonkers 21-minute action sequence stitched together to look like a single take. Director Sam Hargrave has a background as a stunt coordinator, and it shows. You’ve most probably watched this one, but don’t you think it’s time to revisit it? Especially if you are after a film that treats action like a craft.

Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

People talk about No Way Home all the time, but Homecoming is where Tom Holland earned the role. Marvel skipped the spider bite and trusted viewers to know Peter Parker’s story, which left room for something better. And now with Spider-Man: Brand New Day on your doorstep, it makes so much sense that you revisit this. You see, instead of another origin film, it gave us a teenager who keeps biting off more than he can chew.

Peter returns to Queens after helping Tony Stark in Captain America: Civil War, convinced the Avengers will call again. While waiting, he patrols the neighbourhood with help from Ned Leeds and stumbles upon Toomes, whose crew sells weapons built from Chitauri technology recovered after the Battle of New York. Peter chases the case without thinking things through and lands himself in trouble more than once. That’s when he learns that being a hero has nothing to do with the suit on his back. Since it landed on Netflix this July, now’s as good a time as any to give it a watch.

The Vow (2012)

Here is a little piece of trivia for you: The Vow hits a bit differently when you find out it was based on what actually happened to Kim and Krickitt Carpenter, a couple whose whole marriage got turned upside down after a horrific car crash wiped years of memories clean. Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum don’t go over the top with it either. They don’t try to milk the heartbreak. Instead, they let all those awkward little silences do the talking, which works a treat because this is a story where love’s got to start all over again.

Paige and Leo are living the dream till one car crash changes absolutely everything. Paige wakes up with no clue who Leo even is. In her head, she’s still living with her mum and dad, and she is engaged to her ex, Jeremy, and she’s studying law instead of chasing her passion for art. Most people would’ve packed it in, but not Leo. He sticks around, even though the woman he is mad about looks straight through him like they are strangers. Watching him earn her trust all over again is what makes the film work, because it isn’t really about getting memories back. It’s about finding a way to fall in love all over again.

Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)

Is it just us, or have you ever wondered that Zathura has spent years living under Jumanji’s shadow, which is a bit unfair when you think about it? Both films came from Chris Van Allsburg’s books, but Jon Favreau took this one in a different direction. Instead of jungles, he sent the adventure into deep space. Walter and Danny are two brothers who would rather argue than spend time together until they discover an old board game in the basement. Once they start playing, their house is launched into outer space, and every move unleashes a fresh disaster.

A stranded astronaut, along with flesh-eating Zorgons and a damaged robot, keeps the game in motion, while older sister Lisa gets dragged into the mess whether she likes it or not. The only way home is to finish the game, though that means the siblings have to stop squabbling long enough to survive it. Did you know most of the visuals came from practical effects built on real sets? That old-school approach gives the film a warmth plenty of family blockbusters still struggle to match, even with bigger budgets.