Picture: Blumhouse Pictures
Thanks to a big batch of new releases hitting the service on May 1st, there are many new movies to watch on Netflix this weekend. If you’re looking for some highlights, here are our picks of the best new movies to hit Netflix US over the past seven days.
Please note: these movie releases are specifically for Netflix in the United States. Other regions availability will vary.
For the full list of what’s new on Netflix this week, visit our new on Netflix hub, and for some TV recommendations, my colleague Jacob Robinson has you covered.
Soft & Quiet (2022)
Rating: R
Language: English
Genre: Drama, Horror, Mystery
Director: Beth de Araújo
Cast: Stefanie Estes, Olivia Luccardi, Dana Millican
Writer: Beth de Araújo
Runtime: 91 min / 1h 31m
As we first revealed early in April, Blumhouse’s Soft & Quiet made its streaming (SVOD) debut on Netflix on May 1st and if you’re familiar with the work of Blumhouse, you probably already know what you’re in for.
You’ve maybe seen some of the sensationalist headlines surrounding this new horror movie, whether that’s making audiences “feel sick” or giving critics “serious panic attacks.” While those descriptions are a little extreme, this horror entry does deliver on what it sets out to do, and you’re either going to be in the take it or leave it camp. Thankfully, we’re in the take it camp!
American Graffiti (1973)
Rating: PG
Language: English
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Director: George Lucas
Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat
Writer: George Lucas, Gloria Katz, Willard Huyck
Runtime: 110 min / 1h 50m
Awards: Nominated for 5 Oscars. 9 wins & 13 nominations total
Truly classic movies are hard to come by on Netflix, with licensing of older movies often hard to come by, but on Monday, we saw the release of a great comedy movie that comes from the director of Star Wars: A New Hope, George Lucas.
The movie tells the story of a group of teenagers in California spending one final night together following their high school graduation.
A Man Called Otto (2023)
Rating: PG-13
Language: English
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Director: Marc Forster
Cast: Tom Hanks, Mariana Treviño, Rachel Keller
Writer: Fredrik Backman, Hannes Holm, David Magee
Runtime: 126 min / 2h 6m
The big new Sony movie dropped today (Saturday) in the form of the Tom Hanks comedy-drama, A Man Called Otto.
Here’s what you can expect:
“Enraged by the world and hardened by grief, a cranky retiree plots his own demise but is foiled when a lively young family bursts into his life.”
The movie did wonders at the box office and scored well with audiences too. kpcc.org concluded that Hanks “is perfect” for the role of a grumpy old man.
Even more Sony movies are coming to Netflix throughout 2023 with 65, Missing, The Pope’s Exorcist, and Big George Foreman all expected to arrive by the years end.
Chicken Run (2000)
Rating: G
Language: English
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Director: Peter Lord, Nick Park
Cast: Mel Gibson, Julia Sawalha, Phil Daniels
Writer: Peter Lord, Nick Park, Karey Kirkpatrick
Runtime: 84 min / 1h 24m
Netflix got a few big animation movies this week but the one we’re happily rewatching is Chicken Run, the stop-motion animated movie from Aardman Animations.
With groundbreaking animation (only matched in our opinion by Kubo and the Two Strings and Netflix’s Pinocchio) and humor that’ll have you sniggering regardless of age, Chicken Run remains a true great.
Plus, as you are no doubt aware, Netflix is getting its own Chicken Run entry 23 years after the first movie debuted, with Dawn of the Nugget due to release later this year.
The Young Victoria (2009)
Rating: PG
Language: English
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Director: Jean-Marc Vallée
Cast: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend, Paul Bettany
Writer: Julian Fellowes
Runtime: 105 min / 1h 45m
Today was a day of celebration with the coronation of King Charles III. If you’re looking to spend the weekend with royalty on Netflix, you can rewind the clock to see Emily Blunt play the role of Queen Victoria.
The Oscar-winning movie retells the turbulent first few years of the young Queen’s rule and her romance with Prince Albert. If we were to make one last segue, it’s a perfect companion to watch if you’ve been binging through Queen Charlotte too.
What’s been your favorite new movie added to Netflix this week? Let us know in the comments down below.