Another week, another comic book movie about to bomb at the movie theater. The once-indestructible genre has experienced more misses than hits lately, but Kraven the Hunter promises to be one of the worst of them all. It’s already around 15% on Rotten Tomatoes, and its box office prospects don’t look so good.
So why go see it? If you have a Netflix subscription, there are plenty of good movies on there. You’ve probably already seen It Ends with Us, the most popular movie on Netflix right now, but chances are, you haven’t watched the following three films, two of which are leaving Netflix at the end of the month. Save some money and time this weekend and watch an underrated crime drama with Bryan Cranston or a breezy remake with Jude Law.
We also have guides to the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
The Infiltrator (2016)
Most people know Bryan Cranston from Breaking Bad, a great crime show that chronicles the transformation of a schoolteacher into a drug kingpin. What most people don’t know is that Cranston made a movie in 2016 that played with the same themes and subjects as that massively successful show. It’s called The Infiltrator and, unlike Breaking Bad, it’s based on a true story.
Cranston stars as Robert Mazur, a real-life U.S. Customs Service agent who went undercover to bust a money-laundering and drug distribution ring overseen by the notorious Pablo Escobar. As usual with movies like this, there are scenes of unbearable tension as Mazur’s cover is almost blown numerous times. But none of it feels cheap, and that’s largely due to Cranston’s dedicated performance. Like Walter White, Mazur is a man surrounded by criminals and lowlifes, and it will take all of his willpower — more than what poor Walt had in the end — to make it out with his morals, and life, intact.
The Infiltrator is streaming on Netflix.
Being Julia (2004)
Julia Lambert (Annette Bening) has it all: a successful career as a stage actress in 1930s London; a loving husband, Michael (Jeremy Irons), who isn’t threatened by her success; and a close relationship with her son, Roger (Tom Sturridge). But Julia isn’t entirely happy, and she lapses into an affair with a younger man, Tom (Shaun Evans). Will this affair jeopardize Julia’s marriage and her reputation as a squeaky-clean celebrity? Or will Julia finally attain the contentment that’s been eluding her for so long?
Being Julia sounds like a melodrama, but it’s not: it’s a comedy that’s as light and ephemeral as Julia herself. The movie is filled with great character actors (Harry Potter actor Michael Gambon shows up as a ghost!), great set direction (you really believe it’s England from a century ago), and a deft directorial touch by István Szabó. Best of all is Bening herself, who was nominated for an Oscar for her wicked performance. It’s a hoot.
Being Julia is streaming on Netflix.
Alfie (2004)
Here’s another one from 2004, the year of so-so movies that are now considered to be underrated. And while Alfie doesn’t measure up to the 1966 movie that it’s based on, it’s still a good watch on a quiet afternoon. When all you want is good company, it’s hard to pass up a cast that features The Order‘s Jude Law, Susan Sarandon, Marisa Tomei, Jane Krakowski, and Nia Long.
Alfie is a ladies’ man who works as a limo driver in Manhattan. As he romances a variety of ladies — including Liz (Sarandon), an older woman who owns a cosmetics company; Julie (Tomei), a woman in a troubled marriage; and Lonette (Long), the girlfriend of his best friend — Alfie realizes his caddish ways are catching up to him. Will he learn his lesson? Or will Alfie always be a fool in love making all the wrong decisions?
Alfie is streaming on Netflix.
