Now that the Barbenheimer mayhem has come and gone, you’re probably looking for quality movies to watch at home until you’re drawn back out to the theater. Fear not movie fan. Our trusted team of streaming platform experts has searched far and wide to dig up five awesome movies that you can check out from the comfort of your own home, on streaming services that you’re probably already subscribed to.
Here are five movies to stream to get you through the dog days of August.
Netflix: Passing (2021)
Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga give an acting tour de force in this gripping drama. Rebecca Hall makes a strong directorial debut in this compelling tale about friendship, identity, and self discovery. The black and white photography is both stunning and adds a cheeky layer of narrative and thematic complexity. Passing unfortunately flew a bit under the radar in a crowded 2021 that included a few bigger hits from Netflix – including Bo Burnham’s Inside, Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog, and Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up. It deserved a bit more buzz when it first came out, but now is still as good a time as ever to check it out.
FOR FANS OF: If Beale Street Could Talk; Past Lives; Roma
Prime Video: Knock at the Cabin (2023)
M. Night Shyamalan has become a very polarizing director. His latest works are often unfairly compared to early hits like The Sixth Sense or Unbreakable. While Knock at the Cabin didn’t completely knock my socks off, I find it immensely enjoyable. Shyamalan directs with a curious empathy. A desire to connect us all through a shared humanity. Sometimes he gets there in odd or even muddled ways. However, I’ve really appreciated the effort he puts out. He doesn’t need a twist or a big reveal to be a great director. Just a strange original idea and a desire to make something uniquely his own. Keep doing your thing M. Night!
FOR FANS OF: The Sixth Sense; Us; Old
Max: Chungking Express (1994)
Wong Kar-wai is one of the most uniquely singular directors in the history of cinema. His movies have a visual language all to themselves. It’s absolutely mesmerizing. Chungking Express is a movie that will live with you long after you finish watching. Moments are weaved together into a beautiful tapestry of such lived in memories that they’ll begin to feel like your own. Canned pineapples will make you cry, the song ‘California Dreamin” will take on new meaning. This movie is an all timer. One that expand your understanding of what can be done in the medium. Definitely something worth checking out.
FOR FANS OF: Fallen Angels; Punch Drunk Love; (500) Days of Summer
Hulu: Bottle Rocket (1996)
A lot of Wes Anderson’s more recent film’s feel too steeped in his signature aesthetic for folks who are not already indoctrinated into the church of Anderson. For those who are interested in getting familiar with his work, but can’t seem to get past the unique style, his first effort as a director might be the place to start. Hints of signature visual style appear scattered throughout the film, tickling the fancy of the uninitiated. It’s also funny as hell. Brothers Owen and Luke Wilson star as bumbling criminals who can’t seem to get anything right.
FOR FANS OF: Rushmore; Clerks; The Royal Tenenbaums
Disney Plus: A Bug’s Life (1998)
The second Pixar film is often (understandably) forgotten in the long line of animated classics produced and distributed by the studio. However, I still hold that A Bug’s Life is among Pixar’s most entertaining movies. Who would’ve thought that a retelling of Akira Kurosawa’s epic masterpiece Seven Samurai with a bunch of bugs would become a forgotten hit for Pixar? That’s somehow how the lasting legacy of A Bug’s Life can be defined. The bug design and animation style are cool as hell. It’s also probably the most laugh out loud Pixar film.
FOR FANS OF: Toy Story; Antz; Seven Samurai
There ya have it. Five great flicks to add to your watchlist. Grab the popcorn. Don’t forget the butter. And load these bad boys up. Happy streaming.
Make sure you check out all of these awesome options and let us know what you think. Also, be sure to let us know the best hidden gems you’ve streamed recently. Share in the comments and help us expand the list!
