Netflix is the destination for movie lovers and this weekend, they’ll have plenty to choose from. Among the streamer’s new additions is the long-delayed action movie Havoc, which stars Tom Hardy as a jaded cop on the run from drug dealers and the law.
That movie sounds intense, and for some, that may not be what they want to watch. Hey, that’s cool, since Netflix has tons of older movies for you to discover.
This list rounds up three hidden gems that are worth your time. Two are sports movies that even non-athletes will like, while the third is a drama featuring a former Spider-Man and a former Superman villain.
‘99 Homes’ (2014)
Dennis (Andrew Garfield) is a Florida construction worker who is out of a job and out of time. His family has been evicted from their home, and he needs money fast. He soon strikes a Faustian bargain with Rick (Michael Shannon), an unscrupulous real estate developer who kicked Dennis and his family out of his house: if he helps Rick evict others from their homes, he can earn enough money to get his house back.
99 Homes takes place during the Great Recession and came out seven years after that event. Seen today, it still feels raw and angry — at Dennis for compromising his morals to get a slice of a better life, at Rick for exploiting a broken system and at the real estate industry for allowing the poor to be exploited and robbed by the rich.
A new month brings new resolutions to maintain that diet, to finally do those chores you’ve been putting off and to watch all the latest movies coming to Netflix. In April, the popular streamer is adding over two dozen movies, many of which are good enough to recommend. But one only has so much free […]
99 Homes is sometimes uncomfortable to sit through, but it’s always rewarding, and Garfield and Shannon turn in career-best work as reluctant partners who have more in common than they’d like.
99 Homes is streaming on Netflix.
‘Race’ (2016)
It’s 1933, and Jesse Owens (Stephan James) is a star athlete at Ohio State University. His coach believes he’s good enough to attend the 1936 Olympics, but Jesse is hesitant because it’s going to be held in Nazi-controlled Berlin. As Jesse wins more track meets and qualifies, he’ll have to choose between representing his country at a world-famous sporting event or defying the NAACP by legitimizing an event overseen by people who believe in racist ideology.
Race is a movie that doesn’t stray too far from the sports bio formula, but it convincingly portrays a real-life figure before he became a cultural icon. As Owens, James shows the man behind the legend — charming, imperfect and conflicted with a pivotal decision that will change his life forever. As Owen’s supportive coach, Jason Sudeikis has an appealing, down-to-earth folksiness that he later used to greater effect for his Ted Lasso character in the popular Apple TV+ series.
Race is streaming on Netflix.
‘For Love of the Game’ (1999)
Sam Raimi is known for his horror and comic book movies, but did you know he directed a totally normal sports movie with nary an explosion or decapitated limb in sight? When it was released in 1999, the baseball drama For Love of the Game was met with mostly shrugs by moviegoers and critics, but it’s an entertaining film that delivers the goods.
Netflix’s movies for April have an unusually large number of classic films, including Rudy, a 1993 sports drama starring Sean Astin in the title role. The film is based upon the real experiences of Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, a man who pursued his dream of playing on Notre Dame’s football team despite the people in his […]
Kevin Costner stars as Billy Chapel, a veteran baseball player who is near the end of his career. As he plays what is likely his final game, he reminisces about his romance with Jane (Kelly Preston) and how he drove her away. Is there still time for Billy to end his career on a high note while also saving whatever’s left of his relationship with Jane?
For Love of the Game isn’t a home run like Costner’s earlier —and better — baseball movie Field of Dreams, but it’s still a solid sports drama with more love story than you’d think. Costner and Preston are believable as lovers who still care for each other but are torn apart by their different desires. The movie is too long at 138 minutes, but it ends on a satisfying note.
For Love of the Game is streaming on Netflix.
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