Not looking to binge-watch 10 hours of a scripted series this weekend? Here are five great movies to watch on Netflix that you may not have even known were available (since they are not Netflix Originals). For the most part, these films look great in Digital HD and a couple, as noted below, stream in 4k Ultra HD.
Moneyball (2011)
The MLB season might be over, but it doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy one of the best baseball movies to date. Brad Pitt stars in this 6-time Oscar-nominated drama that centers on the story of A’s General Manager Billy Beane. Pitt was nominated for Best Actor for his convincing portrayal of Beane (Gary Oldman won that year for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) and Jonah Hill is hilariously-dry as his sidekick Peter Brand. In Moneyball, you’ll also enjoy performances by Philip Seymour Hoffman, Chris Pratt, and Robin Wright, as well as many actual baseball managers, coaches, and scouts.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)This 5-time Oscar-winning film stars Jack Nicholson and Louise Fletcher who both won Academy Awards for their performances. Miloš Forman also won for Best Director and the film took home the coveted Best Picture award. Why else should you watch it? The Digital HD presentation of One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest looks better than any previous TV broadcast and delivers 5.1 channel sound. What’s more, the movie is the inspiration for the new Netflix Original Series “Ratched” starring Sarah Paulson.
Glory (1989)
Matthew Broderick, Morgan Freeman, and Denzel Washington star in this Oscar winning film by Edward Zwick. The movie tells the story of the first Black men to fight in the American Civil War under the banner of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry Regiment. We ranked Glory the best 4k Blu-ray release of 2019, but if you don’t have a 4k Blu-ray player Glory gets pretty darn close in quality when streamed in Ultra HD on Netflix.
There Will Be Blood (2007)
There Will Be Blood (2007)This is a heavy film but critically acclaimed for its cinematography, art direction, and screenplay, not to mention the Oscar-winning performance by Daniel Day-Lewis as the ruthless oilman Daniel Plainview. The film was nominated for a total of eight Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director (Paul Thomas Anderson). There Will Be Blood is unfortunately not offered in Ultra HD (neither is it on 4k Blu-ray), but the Digital HD quality is not bad.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
On the other side of the spectrum, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a fun ride in its new take on the Marvel Comics-created character that made his first appearance in “Amazing Fantasy” #15 in 1962. The movie won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature along with several other Best Animated Feature awards that year. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse has a great soundtrack (with music from Post Malone, DJ Khalil and others) and looks super-sharp streaming in Digital 4k UHD on Netflix.
Also See: Here’s What’s New on Netflix in 4k, HDR & Dolby Atmos
