The weekends were made for watching great movies on some of the best streaming services, and if you're looking for new arrivals on Netflix, you're in luck. The streamer recently added a slew of movies to its library, and I've combed through the list to find three picks worthy of your watchlist.
These include one of the most charming romantic comedies I've ever seen. I challenge you not to feel all warm and fuzzy after watching. Or, if you want thrills, how about the best sci-fi horror movie ever made in the form of "Alien." Meanwhile, comedy fans should check a very silly but very funny genre effort starring Seth Rogen, Zac Efron and Rose Byrne.
These three movies just recently arrived on Netflix, and each one makes for a great watch this weekend. So, let's dive into my picks this week.
‘About Time’ (2013)
I’m a little picky when it comes to rom-coms. I do enjoy the genre, but there’s a fine line between charming and sappy. “About Time” finds the perfect balance. It’s very sentimental but never crosses into cloyingly sweet. It’s a feel-good movie that celebrates the beautiful mundanity of life, and like all good rom-coms, has two lovable leads in the form of Domhnall Gleeson and Rachel McAdams. Not to mention Bill Nighy in a wonderful supporting role.
Tim (Gleeson) is an everyman who learns from his father (Nighy) that all the men in their family possess a special gift: the ability to travel through time. His power is limited to traveling back to points in his own life, and so he uses his strange ability to meet the perfect girl, which he quickly realizes is Mary (McAdams). This isn’t a time travel movie about saving the world, but about using your limited time on Earth to find true happiness.
Watch "About Time" on Netflix now
‘Alien’ (1979)
“Alien” is not only my favorite movie of all time, but the larger franchise is my favorite in all of media, so if given the chance to recommend it, I'll always take it. At the start of the month, Netflix added both “Alien” and its fan-favorite sequel “Aliens,” so if you’re looking for a double-bill this weekend, look no further. However, much as I love James Cameron’s gung-ho follow-up, it’s the original “Alien” that remains peerless in my book.
The most effective sci-fi horror movie ever made, “Alien” is an intense experience. When it’s not making your skin crawl with fear, it’s constructing a sci-fi future that feels tangible and more than deserving of the further exploration it’s received in the decades since the Xenomorph was first unleashed on audiences. If you somehow don’t know the basics of this masterpiece, it follows the crew of the space ship Nostromo as they encounter an alien life form, one designed to be the perfect predator.
Watch "Alien" on Netflix now
‘Neighbors’ (2014)
Looking for laughs this weekend? Then I submit “Neighbors.” This crude 2014 comedy is neatly pitched around its “family vs. frat” premise, and boasts hilarious performances from an all-star cast of very funny people including Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron and Dave Franco. For Efron in particular, “Neighbors” was a breakout role, allowing him to shed his Disney skin after being known for starring in “High School Musical."
Couple Mac (Rogen) and Kelly (Byrne) are adapting to life with a newborn baby, which is already testing enough. However, things get even more complicated when a boisterous fraternity moves into the house next door. Led by Teddy (Efron) and Pete (Franco), the college group brings utter chaos and debauchery to the neighborhood. At first, Mac and Kelly try to play nice with the fraternity, but eventually reach their limit and engage in a plan to sabotage Delta Psi Beta and get them kicked off campus.
Watch "Neighbors" on Netflix now
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