As summer comes to an end, the season of Halloween is offering up an early treat for horror fans. This weekend at the box office, the end is nigh for Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren, as The Conjuring: Last Rites makes its theatrical debut. Joining the likes of Darren Aronofsky‘s Caught Stealing, Benedict Cumberbatch and Olivia Colman‘s The Roses, and Zach Cregger‘s horror hit, Weapons, The Conjuring: Last Rites joins a box office lineup bursting with quality but lacking in quantity. So, to make up for that lack of quantity, you’ll want to look no further than the comfort of your own home and the world’s biggest streamer. With that in mind, here’s a look at three movies you should watch on Netflix this weekend.
For more recommendations, check out our list of the best shows and movies on Netflix.
Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.
3
‘Bridesmaids’ (2011)
Rotten Tomatoes: 89% | IMDb: 6.8/10
Considered by many to be one of the funniest 21st-century comedies, Bridesmaids is set in the ruthless world of bridal parties, as a bridesmaid and the maid of honor fight for the attention of the bride-to-be. With one chance to give their friend the most memorable bachelorette party, nothing will stop either of them from trying to top the other, even when everything starts to go chaotically wrong.
Bridesmaids is heralded as a work of comedic genius for many reasons, but none more so than the film’s outstanding cast. Alongside Kristen Wiig in the lead role, the film boasts the likes of Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Rebel Wilson, Ellie Kemper, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Terry Crews, Michael Hitchcock, Jon Hamm, and Melissa McCarthy, with the latter even earning an Academy Award nomination for her performance. Also recognized by the Academy for its original screenplay, Bridesmaids is both critically acclaimed and universally beloved.
2
‘Inglourious Basterds’ (2009)
Rotten Tomatoes: 89% | IMDb: 8.4/10
Quentin Tarantino’s filmography is stacked with some of the most iconic movies of all time, with the alternative World War II epic Inglourious Basterds regarded as one of his best, even by the man himself. Set in Nazi-occupied France during World War II, the film follows Brad Pitt‘s Lt. Aldo Raine as he assembles a team of soldiers to assassinate Nazi leaders, with their plan becoming strangely intertwined with a similar plot by a theater owner.
Alongside Pitt at his gripping best alongside the likes of Mélanie Laurent, Diane Kruger, and Michael Fassbender, it is Christoph Waltz who steals the show, with one of the best performances ever to win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. This was one of eight such nominations Inglourious Basterds received, with this number still arguably too low. A powerful, visually dynamic, and darkly comic historical tale, Inglourious Basterds is a must-watch movie.
1
‘Paddington’ (2014)
Rotten Tomatoes: 96% | IMDb: 7.3/10
For those looking for the perfect movie to watch with the whole family this weekend, would you please consider looking after this bear? The first in one of cinema’s greatest modern trilogies, Paddington follows the titular bear, voiced by Ben Whishaw, as he makes the trip from his home in Peru to London in search of a new life. There, he is adopted by the Brown family, albeit reluctantly by patriarch Henry (Hugh Bonneville).
A beautiful allegory for an immigrant’s journey, Paddington has been an icon in the British media since 1958, although the recent Hollywood adaptation has seen the bear become one of the world’s most famous furry characters. Sure to make you beam with joy and sob sentimental tears, this gorgeous British flick is both hilarious and utterly moving, and if you like this first entry, you simply must watch the near-perfect sequel.
