Choosing what to watch has never been as hard as t is today, with so much to choose from it can be kind of hard to decide, especially with platforms like Netflix making every movie sound enticing. But if you are up for some suggestions, we have a small list of movies that you might have missed that are definitely worth a watch. Some of them are popular, but others have flown under the radar very undeservedly, so you may find a hidden gem in the list.
Movies to consider if you have Netflix and a free evening
Daughters (2024)
This one is a tear jerker, it follows the story of four girls Aubrey, Santana, Raziah and Ja’Ana preparing for a special daddy-daughter dance with their jailed fathers. While it would make a great fiction, what makes it so poignant is the fact that it is a documentary following four real families. It explores the lives of the children that inmates leave behind when incarcerated and the effects that this has on their lives. It is a very human perspective of a systemic issue which is incarceration.
Kneecap (2024)
On a lighter note, but still dealing with heavy topics, this biopic chronicles the formation and rise of the Irish-language hip-hop group Kneecap and stars its members in some of the roles. It is set not that long ago, the late 2010s, and follows teenagers Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh and Naoise Ó Cairealláin as well as their father, former IRA member father, Arlo (played by Michael Fassbender) as they form the group and use their origins and new platform to challenge societal norms and advocate for the preservation of their native tongue.
Schindler’s List (1993)
It is a classic for a reason, as it delves into one of the darkest periods in history, the Holocaust. It reenacts the true story of Oskar Schindler who was a wealthy, politically connected German industrialist who initially seeks to profit from World War II by employing Jewish workers in his factory. After witnessing the horrors of the Nazi rule, he changes sides and uses his considerable resources to shield his workers from deportation and death, saving over one thousand people.
How to Have Sex (2023)
This might not be everyone’s taste as it does not follow an intense plot or even has a villain. It is just the telling of a few nights out in a Mediterranean party resort, where British teenager Tara enjoys a holiday of drinking, dancing and enjoyment along with two friends. This holiday takes a darker tone as the protagonist needs to navigate the lines of choice and consent along with the pressures and vulnerabilities young women often face.
Man on Wire (2008)
This fascinating documentary based on the life of French tightrope walker Philippe Petit tells the story of one of his most famous stunts, the 1974 high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of New York’s World Trade Center. Combining reenactments with real footage and photographs of the time it gives chills to those who appreciate the intricacies of the walk.
His Three Daughters (2023)
A harrowing story about family grief and complex sibling dynamics, it follows three sisters Katie, Rachel and Christina as they navigate the last days of their father’s death. They deal with the complex emotions that come from grief as well as their own troubles as sisters.
RRR (2022)
Set in 1920’s colonial India the fil explores two men on two opposite paths that come together in an unexpected way in the months before the revolution. Their story culminates with the abduction of a young girl by colonial authorities, setting off a chain of epic confrontations, daring escapes and emotional reckonings as they drift apart and become enemies, only to come back together to fight for the common good.
Shiva Baby (2021)
In this feature, a college student named Danielle attends her family’s shiva reluctantly when her sugar daddy unexpectedly shows up along with his family and an ex-girlfriend. Given the pressure cooker situation, we see Danielle’s life unravel along with the family pressures that are so common in gatherings of this type.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
The original was legendary and hard to live up to, but somehow the sequel managed to do it. Focused on a lone drifter we know as “Mad Max” as he gets entangled in a high-speed rebellion led by a fierce warrior named Furiosa as she flees with the enslaved brides of the tyrannical ruler of their world, this movie subverts genre tropes by making the central plot not about conquering or escaping, but about liberating.