The Town
Ben Affleck’s second film as a director / screenwriter is a twisted, surprising and very enjoyable crime thriller. Affleck, in one of his better performances, plays Doug, the leader of a gang of thieves in masks who robs a bank in Boston, and takes the principal (Rebecca Hall) hostage. Upon release, Doug follows her to ensure she does not contact the police, and finds himself drawn to her. John Is is the FBI agent trying to capture the bandits, including Jeremy Renner who pressed in an intense performance that earned him an Oscar-worthy nomination. Argo, Affleck’s Oscar-winning film (this time he just directed, and starred), is also on Netflix, providing two hours of first-rate entertainment. His friend Matt Damon also stars on Netflix – he is the privateer after whom Steven Spielberg’s excellent war film “Save Private Ryan” is named.
Cast Away
A modern Robinson Crusoe story, with Tom Hanks as a dedicated FedEx worker swept to a lonely island, and a volleyball player as Six. The story of physical and mental survival was carried on Hanks’ shoulders in a well-remembered performance. It’s one of the better films of Robert Zamakis (“Forest Gump” is also on Netflix) known for mini-digital breakthroughs, but here he actually challenged himself to create a film with a minimum of special effects (except for the plane crash, of course). Hanks’ relationship with the ball, which he names Wilson (after the company that made it, not after his wife Rita Wilson), gives the film a human and captivating dramatic layer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXEeFAtrLLY
pride and Prejudice
A successful and well-cast adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved book, about the daughters of the Bennett family and their search for worthy grooms in rural England of the 19th century. Kira Knightley was nominated for an Oscar for her performance as Elizabeth, who challenges the snobbish bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy (Matthew McFadden, who offers a different version of the character), and Donald Sutherland is especially great as her father. It was Kerry Mulligan’s film debut (as younger sister Kitty), and Rupert Friend’s second film, which plays the reckless Wickham. It was also Joe Wright’s first film, whose stylish and sweeping directing elevates the film above the ultra-popular TV series created ten years earlier. Rosamund Pike, who plays older sister Jane, was also in her infancy. Ten years later she was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in “Disappearing,” David Fincher’s effective thriller that is also on Netflix.
Manibul
On the face of it the real case of Oakland’s failing and poor baseball team manager, who tried to put together a winning team through a computerized analysis of the players’ data, does not seem like a particularly cinematic story. But the sharp and clever script written by Steven Zailain (“Schindler’s List”) and Aaron Sorkin finds drama and comedy among the statistics columns. Brad Pitt leads the film Baone, and alongside him shine Philip Seymour Hoffman and Joan Hill (who won one of the film’s six Oscar nominations). There are now several good Pete movies on Netflix – the man knows how to choose interesting roles for himself – including the historical epic “Troy” (with Pete as Achilles) and Quentin Tarantino’s two pseudo-historical films, “Disrespectful Bastards” and “There Were Times in Hollywood”.
American gangster
Ridley Scott’s best film of the present century tells a true story, roughly, of a drug lord (Denzel Washington) in the 1960s Harlem, and of the police task force set up to capture him. At the head of the unit stands a straight-through police detective (making him hate his corrupt colleagues) played by the excellent Russell Crowe. The excellent screenplay by Stephen Zaleine (“Manibul”) launches a rhythmic, charismatic and entertaining crime film in the tradition of the great gangster films. Notable sources of inspiration: Brian De Palma’s “Scar Face” – which is also on Netflix – and of course “The Godfather”.
Flight 93
Paul Greengers’ nerve-wracking film recreates in real time all the stages of the hijacking of United Airlines Flight 93 in the Sept. 11 attacks, and the passenger takeover of the hijackers, which led to the plane crash in a field in Pennsylvania. Most of the film takes place in the ground control centers that follow the hijacked flights, and although the ending is known in advance, it is not only very suspenseful, but also gains human power. The unknown actors contribute to the chilling sense of realism.
Angry Max: Road to Rage
In a post-apocalyptic desert world, where whoever controls the water sources rules humanity, five women escape their fate as the lesser sex of a cruel leader. They are aided by the severed warrior Fioriosa (Charlize Theron) and Max (Tom Hardy), the protagonist of previous films in the franchise. An entire army followed them. George Miller redefines the most macho genre and generates a feminist hurricane. It is a kinetic and thrilling cinema that locates the remnants of humanity in a sword world. If the film makes you crave another Tom Hardy, you can find it in several movies on Netflix, including the sweeping British crime thriller “Layer Cake,” which launched Matthew Vaughn’s spectacular directing career.
Did not find a movie for you or have you seen them all? Try the first part of our list, where you will find seven more quality movies that can be found on Netflix