The best films on Netflix right now
From Annette Bening to Sidney Lumet's masterpiece, it's the CW roundup: the best films on Netflix right now
Greta Gerwig, Annette Bening and Elle Fanning find a home on Netflix
September is here and the clouds are looming – it's time to swap beach towels for blankets on chilly evenings at home. When the outdoor world just won't do, look no further than your favourite streaming platform. In what can feel like a never-ending maze of options, we have struck gold. Here's the Culture Whisper edit of the best films on Netflix right now.
The one everyone's talking about 20th Century Women
Before Lady Bird for Greta and The Neon Demon for Elle, two Hollywood indie gems joined Annette Bening in a Mike Mills comedy in 2016. A gorgeously designed state of emotional tumult in 1970s Southern California, 20th Century Women is an effortlessly loveable portrait of a mother and son (Lucas Jade Zumann) and the women who help shape his life. A stunning ensemble is captivating, Mills takes great care of his characters. One to watch with friends, family and savour the memories of long after.
The one that's leaving soon The Jungle Book
2019 will be the year of Disney reboots, as the string of live-action remakes that have started cropping up is about to explode with a whole host of familiar names. So to get ready, now is the time to revisit Jon Favreau's Jungle Book to prepare. Impressively blending live-action and CGI, the film brings beloved characters to life with a realism you can only imagine in the cartoons. Not necessarily as funny but fascinating to watch as a visual treat, it's great homework ahead of Andy Serkis' next reimagining next year.
The one you might have missed at the Oscars Their Finest
In this warm and likeable comedy, Gemma Arterton takes on the task of scripting some good old fashioned propaganda in Blitz-era London, while reckoning with a holster of insecure men at work in the process. Director Lone Scherfig tells the story of a British Ministry of Information film team who had the task of boosting morale through some kind of art. Sounds about right for an evening pick on Netflix, right?
The one to watch to catch up with the film buffs Network
Howard Beale is as mad as hell, and he's not going to take it anymore. In Sidney Lumet's 1976 masterpiece, Peter Finch plays the struggling anchor who slowly loses his mind to the glee of the struggling television network that employs him, alongside a career-best Faye Dunaway and William Holden. Toying with the idea of media exploitation and mental anxiety, Network is a transformative call to arms, stirring for anyone who has the chance to witness it.
The one you can learn something from Icarus
At the 90th Academy Awards, Icarus won Best Documentary Feature. Now comfortably within catching up distance on Netflix, the documentary is an eye-opener on the dark world of doping in sports. Filmmaker-cum-amateur cyclist Bryan Fogel becomes the guinea pig under Russian scientist Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov in order to get to the bottom of this fascinating phenomenon. The result? An investigation of the truth, now more important than ever.
The one everyone's talking about 20th Century Women
Before Lady Bird for Greta and The Neon Demon for Elle, two Hollywood indie gems joined Annette Bening in a Mike Mills comedy in 2016. A gorgeously designed state of emotional tumult in 1970s Southern California, 20th Century Women is an effortlessly loveable portrait of a mother and son (Lucas Jade Zumann) and the women who help shape his life. A stunning ensemble is captivating, Mills takes great care of his characters. One to watch with friends, family and savour the memories of long after.
The one that's leaving soon The Jungle Book
2019 will be the year of Disney reboots, as the string of live-action remakes that have started cropping up is about to explode with a whole host of familiar names. So to get ready, now is the time to revisit Jon Favreau's Jungle Book to prepare. Impressively blending live-action and CGI, the film brings beloved characters to life with a realism you can only imagine in the cartoons. Not necessarily as funny but fascinating to watch as a visual treat, it's great homework ahead of Andy Serkis' next reimagining next year.
The one you might have missed at the Oscars Their Finest
In this warm and likeable comedy, Gemma Arterton takes on the task of scripting some good old fashioned propaganda in Blitz-era London, while reckoning with a holster of insecure men at work in the process. Director Lone Scherfig tells the story of a British Ministry of Information film team who had the task of boosting morale through some kind of art. Sounds about right for an evening pick on Netflix, right?
The one to watch to catch up with the film buffs Network
Howard Beale is as mad as hell, and he's not going to take it anymore. In Sidney Lumet's 1976 masterpiece, Peter Finch plays the struggling anchor who slowly loses his mind to the glee of the struggling television network that employs him, alongside a career-best Faye Dunaway and William Holden. Toying with the idea of media exploitation and mental anxiety, Network is a transformative call to arms, stirring for anyone who has the chance to witness it.
The one you can learn something from Icarus
At the 90th Academy Awards, Icarus won Best Documentary Feature. Now comfortably within catching up distance on Netflix, the documentary is an eye-opener on the dark world of doping in sports. Filmmaker-cum-amateur cyclist Bryan Fogel becomes the guinea pig under Russian scientist Dr. Grigory Rodchenkov in order to get to the bottom of this fascinating phenomenon. The result? An investigation of the truth, now more important than ever.
