While nothing can beat the big screen and surround sound experience that comes with going to the movies, there’s no denying that it’s a costly experience nowadays. That’s why it makes sense to maximize yourNetflixsubscription by watching as much as possible.
To help you achieve that, I’ve selected five fantastic movies that are all available to stream on Netflix right now.
1996
Runtime
1 hour 31 minutes
Adam Sandler has a specific type of comedy that doesn’t always land (I’m looking at you,Grown Ups), butHappy Gilmoreis one of the successes. Sandler plays the eponymous character, an ice hockey player who takes his killer slapshot and anger issues to the golf course, aiming to win enough money to pay off his grandmother’s debts. Along the way he riles up the actual professional golfers and falls for the golf tour’s head of public relations, Virginia Venit (Julie Bowen).
Christopher McDonald is great as arrogant golfer Shooter McGavin, as is Carl Weathers as Happy’s coach. This is a very silly movie—there’s a scene with Happy fighting game show host Bob Barker, after all—but it also has heart. It’s the type of flick that is perfect to watch on a lazy afternoon. If you want more shenanigans, Netflix recently releasedHappy Gilmore 2, though your enjoyment may hinge on whether you have any nostalgia for the original.
2025
1 hour 54 minutes
Joe Scaravella is a real chef who founded Enoteca Maria, an Italian restaurant in New York that employs grandmothers as chefs. It was opened in honor of his late mother and designed to take diners back to their childhood.Nonnastells Scaravella’s story. Vince Vaughn is the lead, giving a more subtle performance than in the comedies he found fame with. Alongside him are talented actors like Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, and Susan Sarandon, to name a few.
It’s a heartwarming story, but it never becomes schmaltzy; the chemistry between the cast is what really makes this sizzle, alongside a healthy serving of gentle humor. Sure, you’ve seen variations of this underdog story before, and it’s not going to blow your mind, but that’s not the point—it’s feel-good viewing that will make you not only appreciate food but also the love that goes into it. Watch it with your family and dish up an ample bowl of pasta afterward.
2018
2 hours 13 minutes
With the likes ofTrue GritandFargo, the Coen brothers know how to make a good film.The Ballad of Buster Scruggsmay have been funded by Netflix, but it retains everything that you would want from a Coen production: dark humor, outstanding acting, and beautiful cinematography. What is different is the anthology format, which takes the structure of six stories set in the American Old West, with the titular singing cowboy starring in just one of these brilliant tales.
My favorite is hard to choose, but it’s probablyMeal Ticket, which features Liam Neeson as an impresario and Harry Melling as a man with no arms or legs who recites classic works. It’s bleak but also powerful, and it stuck with me. Part of the joy comes in the unexpected of what each vignette is about and how they unfold, so I won’t say more, but just know you’re in for a treat.
2 hours 14 minutes
Alfonso Cuarón is the director responsible forHarry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban(a fan favoritePotter),Children of Men, andGravity, so claiming something from his oeuvre as the best is no easy feat. But I thinkRoma, his semi-autobiographical movie from 2018, is more than deserving. That’s not exactly a controversial statement, mind—it was the first original streaming film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
Romais set in Mexico City in the early 1970s, about a young woman called Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio, in her debut performance) who is working as a maid for a middle-class family and finds her life shaken. It’s presented in evocative black and white, which aids the crisp and striking shots. And while the film feels precisely crafted, it doesn’t lose any emotion because of it. Rather,Romais profound and moving, and I find something new to appreciate every time I return to it.
2015
2 hours
The originalMad Maxtrilogy is decent, but it wasn’t until 2015’sFury Roadthat I thought the franchise truly ascended into greatness. Tom Hardy takes over the role from Mel Gibson, lending the character incredible intensity and presence. He teams up with Charlize Theron’s equally worthy warrior, Imperator Furiosa, as the pair attempt to escape the ruthless grasp of Immortan Joe, an evil ruler who commands a group of soldiers called the War Boys.
Fury Roadis non-stop madness in the best way possible, with high-octane action sequences that remain impressive a decade later. It’s set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, which you might think has been done to death, but the visuals are anything but generic—care has been applied to every level, from the costumes to the vehicles, and it all comes together to create something special.
Netflix is always adding new showsand movies, which means there is plenty to keep you busy. Not everything is golden, of course, which is why I’ll be back next week with five more movies that are deserving of your time.
Netflix
Stream all of these great movies, along with plenty more original and licensed programming, with a Netflix subscription.
