In my house, the weekend is prime movie-watching time, and so wherever Friday evening arrives, I’m straight onto Netflix (or one of the best streaming services) to start up the first, but certainly not the only, movie marathon of the weekend.
To help you spend more time watching great movies and less time endlessly scrolling the Netflix library trying to find something to watch, I’ve combed through the recent arrivals on the platform and picked out three flicks that are worthy of your attention. There’s plenty of variety here, from an overlooked comic book blockbuster to a brand new holiday rom-com.
‘Blue Beetle’ (2022)
“Blue Beetle” was a DC superhero movie released at a pretty awkward time. It’s technically part of the now-defunct DC Extended Universe and landed in theatres after it was confirmed that James Gunn and Peter Safran were rebooting the comic book universe. Unsurprisingly, audiences weren’t all that interested in a comic book movie set in an interconnected universe with an expiration date. However, it was a rare bolt of energy in the usually po-faced DCEU, and deserved a little more attention than it received.
Based on the cult favorite DC character of the same name, “Blue Beetle” sees a college graduate given a superpowered suit of armor after finding himself in possession of an ancient alien relic. Naturally, some very powerful and very bad people want the relic for themselves, and so Jamie Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) must quickly learn how to become a hero to prevent it from falling into the wrong hands. “Blue Beetle” may not be the most memorable superhero movie ever, but it’s energetic and quite entertaining.
Watch "Blue Beetle" on Netflix now
‘Champagne Problems’ (2025)
Netflix began rolling out its Christmas movies for 2025 last week with “A Merry Little-Ex Mas” and the slate continues this week with “Champagne Problems.” But most accounts, this holiday rom-com is pretty much exactly what you’d expect: Two very attractive people slowly falling in love in a wintry setting. But these movies can serve as a bit of a seasonal comfort blanket, and so long as you keep your expectations in check, “Champagne Problems” should offer enough fun to be worthwhile. Just don’t bet on any real fizz.
The festive rom-com sees an American executive, Sydney Price (Minka Kelly), head to Paris for the holidays, but she’s not traveling to Europe for snowy sightseeing; she’s making the journey for business. Her firm is hoping to acquire a local champagne brand, and she needs to woo the founder (Thibault de Montalemert) to convince him to agree to a deal. Soon after arriving, she has a magical evening with a stranger (Tom Wozniczka) before discovering he’s actually the founder’s son. I guess you can mix business and pleasure.
Watch "Champagne Problems" on Netflix now
‘Train Dreams’ (2025)
“Train Dreams” is one of the most acclaimed Netflix movies of the year, currently holding a very strong 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes. And while I can imagine some viewers will be turned off by its slower pacing, meditative tone and period setting, if you can appreciate movies that convey a specific mood as much as they tell a compelling story, then “Train Dreams” looks to be one of the streaming service’s most essential originals of 2025 to date.
Based on the novella by Denis Johnson, it stars Joel Edgerton and Felicity Jones. Opening in 1917, it follows Robert Grainier (Edgerton), a logger working away from his family to help develop railroads that are spreading across the United States. Finding beauty in the nature that surrounds him, and considering his own place in a rapidly changing world, “Train Dreams” has been described by critics as “intimate” and “emotional.”
Watch "Train Dreams" on Netflix now
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