Netflix adds a lot of excellent new movies every month, and the August 2024 slate is impressive. However, these new additions come at the expense of some old favorites, and unfortunately that means we have to say goodbye to a few dozen films.
Netflix’s removal from the schedule in just a few days is especially bad this time, as the popular streaming service is losing a modern coming-of-age comedy, a superhero adventure that paved the way for the genre’s cinematic dominance, and a well-crafted mystery thriller with a truly shocking ending. All of these films would have deserved to be on the list of the best Netflix movies, but very soon they will disappear altogether.
Luckily, you still have a little time to enjoy them, so here are the five Netflix movies you need to watch now before they’re removed from the streaming service.
“The Edge of Seventeen” (2016)
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Considering I was in my twenties when The Edge of Seventeen hit theaters in 2016, it’s perhaps a little surprising that a movie about high school students resonated with me so much. Then again, being an awkward and awkward teenager is a pretty universal experience, and this coming-of-age comedy will resonate with you too if you ever made a fool of yourself as a kid (and believe me, making a fool of myself was my special skill in school).
Hailee Steinfeld stars as a 17-year-old student named Nadine who feels uncomfortable in society. Her only goal in life is to graduate high school without any problems and to avoid the glare of her extremely popular brother Darian (Blake Jenner). But when Darian starts dating Nadine’s best friend (Haley Lu Richardson), her high school experience turns into a nightmare. Look forward to a great supporting role from Woody Harrelson as a sarcastic teacher with some very funny lines.
Watch on Netflix until 31 August
“American Hustle” (2013)
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If you were to judge a film solely by the star cast of its lead actors, American Hustle would get the highest rating. This crime drama from David O. Russell stars Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Jeremy Renner. Of course, simply throwing a bunch of well-known actors onto a set is no guarantee of a good film, so it’s fortunate that American Hustle has a script as sharp as its acting talent.
Based on a series of FBI operations from the 1970s and 1980s, American Hustle is a darkly comedic story about two con artists, Irving Rosenfield (Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Adams), who are coerced by cocky FBI agent Richie DiMasso (Cooper) into taking part in an undercover project to bring down New Jersey Mayor Carmine Polito (Jeremy Renner). The plan is vague enough without Irving’s unpredictable wife (Jennifer Lawrence) threatening to bring down the whole house of cards herself out of jealousy.
Watch on Netflix until 31 August
“Burning after reading” (2008)
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The Coen brothers (Joel and Ethan) have one of the most impressive filmographies in Hollywood history. While their best film is probably a three-way battle between “Fargo,” “The Big Lebowski,” and “No County for Old Men,” if we’re talking about the Coen brothers’ most overlooked film, I’d choose “Burn After Reading” every time. This satirical comedy has an all-star cast and a wonderfully sharp sense of humor.
The film revolves around an absurd misunderstanding when two dim-witted gym workers (Frances McDormand and Brad Pitt) discover a CD (remember those?) containing the memoirs of a former CIA analyst (John Malkovich). The two believe they have just stumbled upon a dossier of top-secret government information and are trying to use those details to get rich quick through blackmail. Also starring George Clooney, Tilda Swinton and JK Simmons, Burn After Reading is a brisk comedy with just enough punch to keep you hooked until the end.
Watch on Netflix until 31 August
“Spider Man 2” (2004)
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Director Sam Riami’s entire Spider-Man trilogy is being removed from Netflix this month (as are the two entertaining but flawed Amazing Spider-Man films). To keep this list from being dominated by the Spider-Head, I’ve narrowed it down to a single Spider-Man film. Naturally, my immediate choice was 2004’s Spider-Man 2. Not only does this high-profile superhero film celebrate its 20th anniversary this year, but it remains one of the best efforts in the entire genre when compared to the latest and greatest films.
In this middle chapter of the trilogy, Tobey Maguire once again plays Peter Parker, and this time the friendly neighborhood hero faces his toughest opponent yet: Dr. Otto Ocatvius (Alfred Molina). This scientist was transformed into the evil Dr. Octopus after an experiment gone wrong. Now it’s up to the wall climber to save the day while trying to balance his civilian life and deal with his lover MJ Watson’s (Kirsten Dunst) engagement to another man.
Watch on Netflix until 31 August
“The Gift” (2015)
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Joel Edgerton writes, directs and stars in this truly gripping psychological thriller. The Gift is notable not only for its shocking final act, but also for the serious, ominous fear that slowly builds up pretty much from the beginning. Even in scenes that aren’t meant to be disturbing, you always feel like something is wrong, and when you get to the big twist at the end, you’re left with a different feeling.
Simon (Jason Bateman) is a cautionary tale that reminds viewers that the past always catches up with them. He seems to have everything under control in life. He has a beautiful wife, Robyn (Rebecca Hall), has just moved into a fancy house in an affluent Los Angeles suburb, and is about to get a big promotion at work. But when an old acquaintance from school, Gordo (Edgerton), reappears in Simon’s life, everything changes and long-hidden secrets come to light.
Watch on Netflix until 31 August
