The Rental is now on Netflix – Picture: IFC Films
Welcome to one of the best roundups of the best new movies on Netflix we’ve been able to compile for quite some time. Thanks to the first of the month movie rotation and some excellent content out of Netflix, there are plenty of movies to be digging into over the weekend. Here are our picks of the best new movies on Netflix for April 2nd, 2022.
Sixty-nine new movies and shows hit Netflix on April 1st, 2022, in case you missed it. There’s plenty there to look over, so if you want the text list, visit our roundup, or for a complete look at what’s new on Netflix, head over to our hub page.
Last week’s list of the best new movies is well worth looking over if there’s nothing for you here in this list.
Now, without further ado, here are our favorite new movies on Netflix (specifically in the US – regional availability with vary) for the weekend of April 2nd, 2022.
Her (2013)
Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
Director: Spike Jonze
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson
Writer: Spike Jonze
Runtime: 126 min
Awards: Won 1 Oscar. 83 wins & 186 nominations total
We’ll kick off our recommendations with an Oscar-winner in the form of 2013’s Her.
The Warner Brothers sci-fi movie is quite unlike anything you’ll see and is a movie about the well-known Turing test without explicitly mentioning it.
Set in Los Angeles, the movie follows a card writer who begins to develop a romantic relationship with a fast-evolving artificial intelligence operating system.
Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood (2022)
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Drama
Director: Richard Linklater
Cast: Zachary Levi, Jack Black, Glen Powell
Writer: Richard Linklater
Runtime: 97 min
Netflix had two major movie releases of its own this week and while The Bubble has sucked up the majority of the press, Apollo 10 1/2 will perhaps become one of Netflix’s most prized hidden gems.
Achieving a certified fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the hybrid animation series sees a man narrating his life as a 10-year-old growing up and watching humanity’s journey to the moon.
Here’s the critical consensus for the new movie:
“The sweetly nostalgic Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood finds Richard Linklater reusing visual and thematic ingredients in a deeply personal, freshly inspired way.”
Michael Clayton (2007)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Director: Tony Gilroy
Cast: George Clooney, Tilda Swinton, Tom Wilkinson
Writer: Tony Gilroy
Runtime: 119 min
Awards: Won 1 Oscar. 28 wins & 114 nominations total
Tilda Swinton picked up an Oscar for her supporting performance in this legal thriller which is another addition from Warner Brothers this week.
Written and directed by Gilroy, this impactful and poignant follows a lawyer who is unearthing the criminal coverup that happened while an investigation looked into the effects of toxic agrochemicals.
It scored an NYT Critic’s Pick at its time of release and returns to Netflix on April 1st having last streamed back in 2018.
The Imitation Game (2014)
Genre: Biography, Drama, Thriller
Director: Morten Tyldum
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode
Writer: Graham Moore, Andrew Hodges
Runtime: 114 min
Awards: Won 1 Oscar. 49 wins & 165 nominations total
Arriving on Netflix this past Monday, we see the return of The Imitation Game to Netflix US and if you haven’t caught it yet, definitely take the time to while it’s back on the service.
Cumberbatch puts in a stunning performance as he plays the role of the aforementioned Turing who, alongside a team of mathematicians, was able to break the elusive enigma code during the Second World War.
The Rental (2020)
Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery
Director: Dave Franco
Cast: Dan Stevens, Alison Brie, Sheila Vand
Writer: Dave Franco, Joe Swanberg, Mike Demski
Runtime: 88 min
Awards: 5 nominations
Our final pick for this week is a brand new movie that hasn’t appeared on Netflix before. Released by IFC Films, this mystery horror movie seems to truly split audiences down the middle. We’ve seen absolutely glowing reviews and some that doesn’t hold the movie in much regard at all. As a result, it’s a compelling watch to see which side of the fence you sit on.
Here’s what you can expect if you do decide to give it a spin:
“A dreamy weekend getaway at a gorgeous and remote seaside rental takes a nightmarish turn for two couples when their secrets emerge and fear creeps in.”
What’s been your favorite new movie on Netflix US this week? Let us know in the comments down below.