Top 3 Netflix Movies to Enjoy Before They’re Gone Next Week
Every month, a fresh lineup of movies hits Netflix, while others bid farewell.
With September 1 landing on a Tuesday, you’ve got the rest of the week, plus the weekend, to enjoy some fantastic films that will soon depart from Netflix.
Watch With Us has put together a curated list of the top movies to catch on Netflix before they’re gone next week.
Our picks include a morally ambiguous sci-fi thriller featuring Jennifer Lawrence, a grand fantasy adventure with Barry Keoghan, and an underrated romantic comedy starring Amy Adams.
‘Passengers’ (2016)
Jaimie Trueblood. ©Columbia Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection
Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) finds himself alone after a meteor shower disrupts his cryogenic sleep 30 years into a 120-year journey. In a moment of desperation, he awakens another passenger, Aurora (Jennifer Lawrence), hoping to escape a lifetime of solitude. Their connection blossoms into love, aided by the ship’s robot bartender Arthur (Michael Sheen), but Jim’s secret about Aurora’s awakening looms over them.
Passengers poses an intriguing question — is Jim justified in awakening Aurora for his mental well-being? The film grapples with uncomfortable themes, as Jim essentially coerces Aurora into a relationship. While it arguably glosses over Jim’s questionable ethics, stellar production design and the chemistry between Pratt and Lawrence, along with Sheen’s unsettling performance, elevate the viewing experience.
‘The Wedding Date’ (2005)
Universal Pictures
Kat Ellis (Debra Messing) is fine with being single, but when her half-sister Amy (Amy Adams) gets married in London, she urgently needs a date. With no suitable candidates in sight, she hires professional escort Nick (Dermot Mulroney). Handsome and charming, he’s the perfect companion to take to the wedding and to potentially make her ex jealous. However, what starts as a business arrangement takes a turn into deeper feelings, leaving Kat to ponder whether to pursue a real relationship with Nick.
The Wedding Date often fades into the background among numerous rom-coms from the 2000s, but it’s surprisingly one of the genre’s finest films not featuring Julia Roberts or Sandra Bullock. Messing’s Kat comes off as more shadowed by cynicism than zany charm, as her journey towards love with Nick unfolds against her disbelief in romance. Mulroney seamlessly portrays a hired companion grappling with genuine emotions that transcend mere transactions.
‘The Green Knight’ (2021)
Eric Zachanowich / © A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection
Sir Gawain (Dev Patel) is a brash young knight who accepts a challenge from the enigmatic Green Knight: any warrior who strikes him must journey to the Green Chapel a year later to receive the same blow in return. Overconfident, Gawain beheads the Knight, only to learn that he must fulfill his obligation, as the Knight miraculously survives.
The concept behind The Green Knight is captivating, based on the legendary 14th-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Yet, it feels more like a contemporary fantasy saga influenced by Game of Thrones than traditional medieval tales. Director David Lowery crafts stunning visuals, from giants traversing a somber English landscape to talking foxes who offer Gawain counsel. Patel shines as the overconfident warrior, learning lessons about courage along his quest. If you haven’t yet experienced The Green Knight, carve out some time to watch it soon.
