March is almost over and, well, it’s a bit sad to see the month end. Why? Well, if you’re a movie fan, you’ve experienced an embarrassment of riches both in theaters and at home. Dune: Part Two brought back the big-budget spectacle while TV shows like Shōgun have reminded people that TV can still churn out Game of Thrones-style epics.
Netflix has also had a killer month with entertaining shows like The Gentlemen and original movies like Damsel. Chances are, you’ve probably seen both of those, so if you’re still looking for stuff to watch this weekend, we have you covered. Tech Reader has compiled a list of three underrated movies on Netflix that are worth watching this weekend.
Need more recommendations? Read our guides to the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, and the best movies on HBO.
High-Rise (2015)
In the opening moments of High-Rise, you’ll notice immediately that something is off. A swanky apartment building has been gutted and ransacked; a man’s expensive clothes are blood-soaked and torn; and in the background, another man lies still with a smashed TV set encircling his bruised head. This is just a hint of what’s to come in Ben Wheatley’s smart, violent satire, which adapts J.G. Ballard’s 1975 novel about a London high-rise that gradually descends into chaos.
Tom Hiddleston stars as Robert Laing, the man we glimpsed in the movie’s short intro, who witnesses the debauchery of the higher floors of the building (who function as stand-ins for the upper class of British society) and the growing anger and rebellion of the high-rise’s lower floors (the lower class). Suspicions between the floors/classes grows, violence erupts, and horses and dogs are eaten; it’s just another day in Great Britain. There’s nothing subtle about High-Rise, but it’s blunt-force symbolism and commitment to its own audacity make it an intoxicating watch. It will make you think twice about signing that lease on your apartment.
Fun with Dick and Jane (2005)
Sometimes, you just need to watch a dumb, silly comedy over the weekend to forget your troubles. There are a lot of those on Netflix, but what makes Fun with Dick and Jane so special is the chemistry between the two leads, Jim Carrey and Téa Leoni. As the titular Dick and Jane, they have an easy, bubbly rapport, and you really believe they are a long-married couple who are just as committed to each other as they are to their numerous crimes.
Dick and Jane are used to the good life, which is why they are so desperate to save it when Dick loses his well-paying corporate gig. Unable to hold down blue collar jobs, the couple resort to desperate means to keep their fancy home and feed their family: robbery. While this may sound like a serious drama, it’s played for laughs, and there’s just enough of them to make this simple remake (Jane Fonda and George Segal were the first Dick and Jane in the 1977 original) work.
A Walk Among the Tombstones (2014)
It’s still cold, which means there’s still time to watch a Liam Neeson action movie. Among the best is A Walk Among the Tombstones, a 2014 cop thriller that still doesn’t get the love it deserves. Neeson stars as Matt Scudder, a former FBI agent-turned-private detective working the mean streets of NYC. When a drug kingpin (Dan Stevens, miles away from Downton Abbey) asks Scudder to find the men who murdered his wife, Matt’s investigation turns up a number of surprising revelations that force the PI to question what’s right and wrong.
A Walk Among the Tombstones is a great example of modern film noir with its conflicted anti-hero, shady supporting cast, and tight, twisty plot. The movie is also makes great use of its New York City locations, and while it’s a cliché to say, the location really is another character in the film.
Editors’ Recommendations
