Netflix has watched its popularity explode over the last 15 years. Initially, Netflix started off as a movie rental business, similar to the now-defunct Blockbuster. However, they changed their business model to feature primarily online-based streaming services and are now a multi-billion-dollar company. Netflix has over 200 million subscribers worldwide, which is a truly breathtaking number. One of the main reasons for this is the vast array of different movies available on the streaming platform. We will try and break it down to four movies we would recommend that are currently available on the platform. However, with thousands of titles available, we apologize in advance if we miss one or two of your favorites.
We will try to choose a different movie in each genre to supply a range of what’s available. The first movie is based around a high school football team, which is usually the starting point for many NFL stars before obtaining a college scholarship. College football teams act as breeding grounds for many future NFL stars. Depending on which team gets a favorable pick in the draft, they are usually considered better placed to have a solid season. NFL odds can be found online for all the upcoming games and offer a range of different markets.
Audible
Audible is a short documentary film that was nominated for an Academy Award. The film itself focuses on the life of Amaree McKenstry-Hall, who is a deaf football player. The documentary details his battle following his friend’s suicide and how it has impacted him and the rest of his team. It is an inspiring movie about how he and his friends regularly battle adversity to deliver results in their football games.
The Irishman
Martin Scorsese’s latest offering is a blockbuster epic over 200 minutes in length. It features an ensemble cast of some of the most iconic actors to have ever graced the screen. A number of them have worked with Scorsese in the past in some of his greatest films.
Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci are reunited on screen. Like their characters in Goodfellas, they examine a friendship involving the mob’s murky business. However, The Irishman looks further into aging mobsters and the damage they have caused throughout their chosen line of criminal work.
The cinematography, in particular, was highlighted as a stand-out feature of this epic film. The film was well received by critics, with many praising the performances of De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci. It was nominated for several awards and is considered a successful return from one of America’s most iconic film directors.
Joker
Joker is an origin story of the Batman villain of the same name. Set in 1981 in Gotham City, the movie explores a character’s descent into the depths of insanity. Arthur Fleck is a failed comedian with no true friends who slowly but surely becomes The Joker.
Joaquin Phoenix navigated the character in a nuanced and incredibly unsettling way and was praised for his performance. The psychological thriller grossed over a billion dollars at the box office. In addition, it was nominated for many awards at the end of 2019.
Despite many critics agreeing that Phoenix’s Joker did not have the charisma or impact of Heath Ledger’s version from The Dark Knight in 2008, he brings a new angle to the role. He puts his name in the mix with some of the greatest Jokers we have seen over the years, but it falls short of Ledger’s iconic display.
Cast Away
The oldest film on our list was released at the turn of the century. Tom Hanks plays a FedEx employee who becomes stranded on a desert island and must learn how to survive in every possible makeshift way. This classic film tackles the subjects of loneliness and love, as well as how modern society may take for granted the things we have readily available to us.
It led to several award nominations, including an Academy Award nomination for Tom Hanks. The film was a resounding success at the time, both critically and commercially, and it still holds up very well today. Although the film is not cited as Hanks’ best work, it is still worthy of our list and is underrated by many film critics and fans. It is considered one of the defining films of 2000 and a jewel in the crown of one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
