The beauty of Netflix is that a selection of the best films and shows are available for anyone to stream at a moment’s notice. But the downside is that, unless they were produced by Netflix, they won’t be there forever. Every month, Netflix cycles its content and says farewell to fan-favorite movies and series, while adding new options to replace them.
Fortunately, you still have the opportunity to carve out some time to catch these 10 movies before they disappear from Netflix at the end of August and a new wave of on-demand content appears. Some of them may eventually return, but why take a chance? After all, they’re available to watch right now if you can beat the clock.
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Bad Boys (1995)
Bad Boys for Life proved that Martin Lawrence and Will Smith are still a great comedic duo. But for their first turn as Detectives Marcus Burnett and Mike Lowrey, Lawrence and Smith headlined Michael Bay’s directorial feature debut. All of Bay’s signature comedy and action beats began in Bad Boys. Téa Leoni also stars in the movie as Julie Mott, an escort who needs protection from Mike and Marcus. Some of the funniest parts of the film involve the detectives pretending to be each other for Julie’s benefit — and that makes Bad Boys an even more enjoyable experience.
Rotten Tomatoes: 43%
Stars: Martin Lawrence, Will Smith, Téa Leoni
Director: Michael Bay
Rating: R
Runtime: 119 minutes
Candyman (1992)
Tony Todd’s terrifying turn as Candyman was based upon a short story by Clive Barker that was reworked for the screen by Bernard Rose. The original film still feels very timely, as it explored the existence of a vengeful spirit whose tragedy fueled his rampage. Virginia Madsen’s Helen Lyle investigated the legend of Candyman, and she soon discovered that he was once Daniel Robitaille, an artist and a slave. Daniel was murdered for the crime of loving a white woman, and his link to Virginia placed everyone around her in danger.
There’s a new Candyman sequel coming later this year, with Todd reprising his iconic role. Don’t miss your chance to revisit the original.
Rotten Tomatoes: 74%
Stars: Tony Todd, Virginia Madsen, Xander Berkeley
Director: Bernard Rose
Rating: R
Runtime: 101 minutes
Child’s Play (1988)
Meet Chucky — he’ll be your friend to the end! Brad Dourif played a serial killer named Charles Lee Ray, who managed to cheat death by transferring his soul into a Good Guy Doll. Child’s Play sent Chucky the doll home with young Andy Barclay (Alex Vincent), leading to murder and mayhem courtesy of the killer toy.
Dourif has reprised his role numerous times, but Chucky was never more terrifying than he was in the original film. Catherine Hicks’ Karen Barclay was perplexed by the turn of events, and her confrontation with Chucky is genuinely chilling.
Rotten Tomatoes: 71%
Stars: Brad Dourif, Catherine Hicks, Alex Vincent
Director: Tom Holland
Rating: R
Runtime: 87 minutes
Christopher Robin (2018)
Winnie the Pooh’s Christopher Robin grew up to look just like Ewan McGregor. That’s not such a bad fate, is it? But in the live-action Christopher Robin movie, the title character has lost sight of the things that make life worth living. Fortunately, Pooh and his friends reenter Christopher’s life just when he needs them most.
Hayley Atwell is very charming as Christopher’s wife, Evelyn Robin. But the real star of this movie is Pooh, thanks in large part to voice artist Jim Cummings, who reprised his role from the Disney cartoons.
Rotten Tomatoes: 73%
Stars: Ewan McGregor, Hayley Atwell, Jim Cummings
Director: Marc Forster
Rating: PG
Runtime: 104 minutes
Clueless (1995)
Clueless may have started as a modern take on Jane Austen’s Emma, but writer and director Amy Heckerling made it her own. Alicia Silverstone carried the film as Cher Horowitz, a rich girl who badly needed a sense of purpose in her life. While befriending Tai Frasier (Brittany Murphy), Cher is forced to face some hard questions about herself. The ageless Paul Rudd co-stars as Cher’s former step-brother, Josh. Cher and Josh’s relationship is the heart of this movie, but Cher finds her strength by realizing that she isn’t the center of the universe. This is a coming of age story that never gets old.
Rotten Tomatoes: 73%
Stars: Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd
Director: Amy Heckerling
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 97 minutes
Groundhog Day (1993)
Viewers in 2020 may have greater sympathy with Bill Murray’s Phil Connors as his life constantly repeats a span of 24 hours in Groundhog Day. Harold Ramis’ timeless blend of comedy and fantasy finds Phil stuck in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, seemingly for an eternity. Phil’s burgeoning romance with Andie MacDowell’s Rita is also very sweet. But the secret weapon of Groundhog Day is the way it gets viewers to root for Phil as he slowly becomes a better person for the experience. It’s simply a charming film that never loses its deft comedic touch. There’s a reason why it has such a high score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Stars: Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliott
Director: Harold Ramis
Rating: PG
Runtime: 101 minutes
Jerry Maguire (1996)
What do you want out of life? That’s the question that haunts Tom Cruise in Jerry Maguire. Feeling dissatisfied as a sports agent, Jerry sets out to run a more ethical boutique agency with only Dorothy Boyd (Renée Zellweger) by his side. Cuba Gooding Jr.’s Rod Tidwell is the only football player who retains Jerry’s services, and their contentious relationship helped Gooding win an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
However, Jerry needs to work on himself as well as his clients. It’s a revelation that almost comes too late for him. But instead, Jerry manages to make his way through a very entertaining tale. This movie had us at “hello.”
Rotten Tomatoes: 83%
Stars: Tom Cruise, Cuba Gooding Jr., Renée Zellweger
Director: Cameron Crowe
Rating: R
Runtime: 139 minutes
The Karate Kid (1984)
Cobra Kai may have a new home on Netflix, but The Karate Kid trilogy is on its way out. All three films share certain themes and action beats, but the original Karate Kid has all of the heart, as Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) befriends Mr. Miyagi (Pat Morita). When Daniel is bullied by the students of the local Cobra Kai karate dojo, Miyagi reluctantly agrees to teach him how to defend himself and earn his place in a local martial arts tournament. This is one of the films that defined the ‘80s, and it still resonates decades after it hit theaters.
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Stars: Ralph Macchio, Noriyuki “Pat” Morita, Elisabeth Shue
Director: John G. Avildsen
Rating: PG
Runtime: 127 minutes
The Lake House (2006)
Although some fans jokingly call this film “Speed 3,” The Lake House gets a lot of mileage out of the onscreen reunion between Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. There’s a time travel conceit at the heart of this romance, as Bullock’s Dr. Kate Forster finds a way to communicate with Reeves’ Alex Wyler two years in the past. The only thing that seemingly links the pair is the titular lake house that they rented at two different points in time. Through the power of their words and shared feelings, Kate and Alex find a love that can withstand almost anything.
Rotten Tomatoes: 35%
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Sandra Bullock, Christopher Plummer
Director: Alejandro Agresti
Rating: PG
Runtime: 105 minutes
V for Vendetta (2005)
“Remember, remember, the fifth of November.” Alan Moore and David Lloyd’s comic book serial V For Vendetta gained a new generation of fans when the film adaptation arrived in 2005. In a future vision of England, the government is under the thumb of dangerous fascists who control everything. Natalie Portman’s Evey Hammond encounters V (Hugo Weaving), an anarchist who always hides his face behind a Guy Fawkes mask. Under V’s tutelage, Evey comes to understand why he crusades against the government, and she ultimately joins forces with him. This film seems very timely in 2020. It’s also one of the most faithful adaptations of Moore’s work to date.
Rotten Tomatoes: 73%
Stars: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea
Director: James McTeigue
Rating: R
Runtime: 132 minutes
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