10 Best Movies To Watch Before They Leave Netflix Next Month

Netflix might break fans’ hearts when their favorite movies and TV shows leave the platform, but the best thing to do is to watch these titles before they’re no longer available. With big streamers like Netflix, films become available on and off throughout the year, so many of these great projects will be back later in the year, or the start of the next one. Half the fun of subscribing to Netflix and other streaming services is browsing the many options and discovering something new that impacts the viewer.

All 39 movies and TV shows leaving Netflix this month will be sorely missed, but since Netflix has such a wide array of licensed titles, certain films are the biggest losses. These movies are the best offerings on the service right now because they represent a wide range of genres, visual styles, and stories that provide something interesting for everyone watching. For new and old films alike, being added to Netflix can increase their popularity and generate additional exposure for the creative team behind the movie, leading to more work and exciting new projects.

10

Burlesque (2010)

Leaving May 31st

The cast of Burlesque is unforgettable, boasting Christina Aguilera, Cher, Stanley Tucci, and Kristen Bell. However, the real stars are the song and dance numbers, which are so full of energy that there’s rarely a second for the audience to catch their breath. Though Burlesque is rarely cited as a dramatic work of art, the film deserves plenty of credit for being fun and not trying to be something it’s not. The point of watching Burlesque isn’t to have an intense emotional experience, but to let loose and be entranced by the spectacle of the piece.

This isn’t to say that the story doesn’t have tension and stakes and that the characters don’t develop throughout the narrative. Seeing Alice (Aguilera) gain confidence in her performance abilities is surprisingly touching. Additionally, it can’t be overlooked that Cher’s being in the movie automatically makes it all the more campy and tongue-in-cheek because of her reputation for being such an iconic pop star. Set in Los Angeles, and telling the story of a young woman with dreams of fame, Burlesque is an escapist fantasy for the ages.

9

Happy Gilmore (1996)

Leaving May 31st

Like all great Adam Sandler movies, Happy Gilmore is an easygoing comedy with plenty of slapstick humor and opportunities for Sandler to make a fool of himself. Of course, this is all in good fun, as his comedies have become cult classics, and Happy Gilmore is one that should be recognized for its sweet story, iconic gags, and hilarious celebrity cameos. Many Happy Gilmore characters returned in different Sandler movies, as the actor has always been good about taking care of the people he works with.

Famously, Happy Gilmore is a satirical sports film about golf, a sport that isn’t the most enthralling on paper. However, Sandler manages to make the sport exciting to viewers who aren’t familiar with the game. The most iconic cameo in the film is from Bob Barker, with whom Happy (Sandler) ends up getting into a physical fight, though Barker handles him easily. Additionally, it’s charming to see a young Sandler still discovering his skills as an actor and finding his footing in Hollywood.

8

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (2022)

Leaving May 9th

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish made waves for its innovative art style and explicit discussions of aging and mortality in a children’s movie. Like many animated films, though it’s billed as a story for kids, it has something to offer for viewers of all ages, and shouldn’t be discounted because it’s meant as a family film. There are serious moments throughout the story, and it teaches important lessons about fear, legacy, and friendship through the vehicle of a swashbuckling adventure.

As the movie is within the Shrek canon, the filmmakers and writers got to play with new fairytale creatures and expand the existing lore of the Shrek universe. While Puss In Boots: The Last Wish told a complete tale that could well be the last iteration of this part of the franchise, it wouldn’t be out of the question for there to be a follow-up to the film. The film’s success makes the prospect of seeing Shrek 5 all the more exciting.

7

The Great Gatsby (2013)

Leaving May 31st

Baz Luhrmann has taken on many adaptations of classic literature throughout his career, and The Great Gatsby got the same treatment as his earlier work. Also starring Leonard DiCaprio, like Luhrmann’s updated version of Romeo + Juliet, The Great Gatsby takes the setting of 1920s New York City and elevates it with modern music and stylized cinematography, telling the tragic story by F. Scott Fitzgerald at a breakneck pace. If atmosphere and aesthetics are important to a viewer, then the 2013 The Great Gatsby is the place to find them.

It’s easy to be moved by The Great Gatsby, and while most people are familiar with the story even if they haven’t read the book, the movie brings something new and unexpected to the table. The costumes, sets, and dizzying visuals completely immerse the viewer in the world. However, that doesn’t make the story’s emotional core less present. It’s clear throughout The Great Gatsby, that, just like the man himself, the theatrics and extravagance are an illusion, and the real thrust of the narrative is a deeper and darker secret.

6

Split (2016)

Leaving May 31st

If anything, M. Night Shyamalan’s Split was a chance for James McAvoy to prove the range and dimension of his abilities as an actor. Also starring a young Anya Taylor-Joy, Split is much more than meets the eye and delivers a twist in the final act of the film that turns the story on its head. McAvoy’s character, Kevin, has multiple personalities that come and go, all with distinct desires, fears, and natures that require the actor to be someone new in each scene.

Though Split has horror elements, it’s a thriller at its core, keeping the audience guessing until the very end. The final moments of Split revolutionized what a sequel can be. While Split has merit as part of the horror genre and includes many great performances, it should be noted that its depictions of mental health conditions have faced backlash. The movie should be taken as pure fiction and nothing else, especially regarding its portrayal of dissociative identity disorder.

5

You’ve Got Mail (1998)

Leaving May 31st

Some of the best quotes from Nora Ephron’s movies came from You’ve Got Mail, and though the film isn’t as famous as Ephron’s earlier project When Harry Met Sally, it’s just as romantic. It’s based on the play, Parfumerie by Miklós László, which has been adapted many times for the stage and screen through the musical She Loves Me and the 1940 film The Shop Around The Corner. In 1998, when the movie premiered, communicating with a secret admirer through email was as contemporary as it got.

This makes You’ve Got Mail a time capsule of the period just before the 21st-century cell phone boom. Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks have excellent chemistry and their combative enemies-to-lovers romance stands the test of time when watching today. Similarly to most of Ephron’s work, You’ve Got Mail has been enormously influential within the rom-com genre, and remains a relevant part of the cultural conversation. Watching it today is a callback to the height of quality and popularity of the classic romantic comedy.

4

The Hunger Games Franchise (2012 – 2015)

Leaving May 31st

All four of the original Hunger Games movies are currently available on Netflix, and though they’ll be leaving soon, there’s still plenty of time to return to Panem or experience the story for the first time. Based on Suzanne Collins’ book trilogy of the same name, The Hunger Games revolutionized the YA genre, ushering in the 2010s heyday of dystopian narratives featuring teenagers as the chosen ones. What makes The Hunger Games stand out among similar works is that Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) has no interest in being a hero, and is a compelling window into the story’s world.

The most recent addition to the franchise, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, is a prequel to the story, chronicling one of the earliest Games in the history of Panem. Though few of the beloved characters from the first movies are featured, it did well at the box office and has created a new wave of interest in the franchise. The Ballad will hit the streaming service Starz starting in May for those who didn’t have the chance to catch the film in theaters. For full context, watching the initial movies is a great place to start.

3

L.A. Confidential (1997)

Leaving May 31st

Some of the greatest detective stories ever told are set in Los Angeles, and L.A. Confidential takes the best parts of film Noir and examines them through the lens of Hollywood. The film is a period piece, taking place in the 1950s, the Hollywood Golden Age, and the filmmakers had lots of fun developing fantastic sets, costumes, and the unbelievable mystery that weaves together the characters and their motivations. Although Titanic was the blockbuster of 1997, L.A. Confidential held its own at the box office and during award season, earning a place in the historical memory.

The long history of L.A. crime films preceded L.A. Confidential and gave it big shoes to fill, but the movie stood out and went on to influence many great works that came after. Across the board, the performances have been hailed as nearly flawless, which is thanks to the great work of the actors as well as the skill with which the characters were written, crafted, and developed throughout the story. Though all aspects of the film work together to create its undeniable success, the screenplay is a highlight of the project.

2

Uncut Gems (2019)

Leaving May 8th

In Uncut Gems Sandler’s serious movie role proved he’s a great actor, as they have many times before. However, for audiences coming of age in 2019 when Uncut Gems premiered, this film might have been their first exposure to a Sandler role that wasn’t solely comedic. Although there are elements of dark comedy in the story, overall Uncut Gems is an anxiety-inducing thrill ride that doesn’t let up until the end. Directed by the Safdie Brothers, the movie features their trademark lightning-fast pacing and a complex protagonist who isn’t easy to like.

Howard (Sandler) is a gambler who consistently risks everything he has to feed his addiction and greed. Since Uncut Gems isn’t a casual watch, undertaking a viewing of the film requires some emotional preparation. However, it’s a masterclass in building tension and raising stakes throughout a story, making it impossible to turn away from even if Howard’s fate seems inevitable. Sandler received great acclaim for his work, but his performance wouldn’t be half as strong without the supporting actors to flesh out the story’s world.

1

Boyz N The Hood (1991)

Leaving May 31st

Boyz n The Hood is probably the most important and influential film on Netflix right now, and audiences who haven’t experienced the film should head to the streamer and watch it before the end of May. John Singleton perfectly balances the universality of coming-of-age and the growing pains of adolescence with the perspective of being a young Black man in America, growing up in South Central Los Angeles. The movie directly deals with gang violence, racial injustice, and police brutality in its most serious and heartwrenching moments.

However, amidst the tragedy that is inextricable from the story, many moments of hope, joy, and happiness create a three-dimensional picture of life for the young men at the heart of the narrative. Most notably, Laurence Fishburne gives a career-defining performance as the father to the protagonist, Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.). Tre is not a perfect person, but he is a relentlessly compelling and empathetic window into the intricacies of the lives of the people he loves. As Tre learns and grows throughout the film, the audience does in turn.