3 new to Netflix movies to watch this weekend —including a classic rap biopic (Oct. 30-Nov. 1)
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It's officially Halloween weekend. And while you're probably expecting to spend a good portion of Saturday evening enjoying the Halloween festivities, you still have plenty of weekend time left to kick back and watch some fantastic movies on Netflix .
But no one has infinite time, and Netflix’s library can be a little intimidating. Sometimes, we can end up in a loop where we spend more time scrolling through Netflix looking for something to watch than actually watching. That’s where I come in. I've done a deep dive into Netflix's recent film releases and picked out three new drops worth your time. From a film filled with some of the greatest rap bars of all time to a classic action movie dripping with epic fight scenes and espionage, there's something for you.
Here are the Netflix movies I recommend for Halloween weekend; when you're not trick-or-treating or partying, these films are perfect.
I unapologetically love "8 Mile." Maybe it's because I was such a massive Eminem fan during his prime, but something about seeing a somewhat true-to-life retelling of him rising in the battle rap scene hits different. But there's more to love about this film than the rapping — there's action, romance, intrigue and all the other aspects that make a story worth getting sucked into.
Even if you don't like rap music, the overall plot ticks all the right boxes. We witness our hero, B-Rabbit (full name James "Jimmy" Smith Jr.), attempt to do the impossible and make it in Detroit's highly competitive battle scene as a white rapper. It's a classic underdog story like "Rudy," "The Karate Kid," or "Cool Runnings" with the rap scene as a backdrop instead of sports.
Watch "8 Mile" on Netflix now
Ben Affleck is one of my favorite actors, and I'm not afraid to admit it. Does the film legend have some stinkers? Sure, most do. But he's had so many hits that even compiling the poll below was hard, because so many could have been included. And while I don't think many people will put "Animals" as their favorite Affleck film, it's still worthy of a spot on your weekend watchlist.
The real standout is Kerry Washington as Abigail Kimball, Affleck's character Mark Kimball's wife. While running for mayor, the Kimball's son is kidnapped, leaving the pair to get their hands dirty as most of their cash for ransom was spent on the campaign. This pulls them into a web of intrigue and deception, forcing them to reveal a side of their lives they never intended to see the light of day. It's a fun movie that reminds you Affleck can carry mediocre writing as long as he has the right co-stars.
Watch "Animals" on Netflix now
The entire Bourne series hit Netflix in October, so if you somehow haven't seen it, "The Bourne Identity" kicks off the franchise. It follows the tale of Jason Bourne as he tries to unravel his past and figure out who he is and how he knows how to do the things he does. And what he does is awesome! The action scenes are incredible, especially for a film almost 25 years old.
Sure, "The Bourne Identity" really pushed the frantic, shaky-camera style into the mainstream, for better or worse, but those shots do a great job of making you feel like you're right in the middle of the action. Between that and how much the compelling tale of Jason Bourne grabs you and never lets go through this film and its sequels, this is an easy recommendation for me.
Watch "The Bourne Identity" on Netflix now