Can you believe 2024 is coming to a close? Many streaming services, including Netflix, are making one final push to release premier content. One of the biggest shows of all time, Squid Game, returns for season 2 one day after Christmas. Speaking of Christmas, Netflix will air an NFL doubleheader on December 25, furthering the streamer’s efforts to broadcast more live events.
What about moves? Carry-On, a holiday thriller set at an airport, has already become one of the most popular movies on Netflix this year. While Carry-On will stay on the service, many movies are set to exit stage left off the service at the end of the month. Before time runs out, stream these five movies, including a remarkable thriller featuring an acting icon, a charming 1990s comedy, and one of the most influential blockbusters ever.
We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
Captain Phillips (2013)
The Academy did Tom Hanks dirty. The two-time Oscar winner gave arguably his best performance of the last 15 years in Captain Phillips. Yet the Academy failed to nominate Hanks for Best Actor. Not that the two-time Oscar winner needs our sympathy, but Hanks was snubbed.
Captain Phillips is based on the true story of the Maersk Alabama hijacking in April 2009. Hanks plays Captain Richard Phillips, a veteran mariner tasked with leading a container vessel from Oman to Kenya. During the journey, Somali pirates, led by Abduwali Muse (Barkhad Abdi), board the ship and take the crew hostage. The anxiety-inducing negotiations between Phillips and Abduwali are incredibly intense in this superb thriller from Paul Greengrass.
Stream Captain Phillips on Netflix.
Big Daddy (1999)
Adam Sandler is a comedian with a big heart. As funny as his movies tend to be, there always seems to be a heartfelt message sandwiched between his goofy voices and loud outbursts. In Big Daddy, Sandler transitions into his parental era as Sonny Koufax, a 32-year-old toll booth worker with a poor work ethic and lousy attitude. After being dumped by his girlfriend, Sonny decides it’s time to grow up and garner more responsibility.
Much to his surprise, Sonny takes his own advice to heart by caring for Julian (Dylan Sprouse and Cole Sprouse), a 5-year-old left on his doorstep one morning. Julian is the son of Sonny’s friend Kevin (Jon Stewart). With Kevin out of town, Sonny becomes the de facto father figure, something he never thought possible. Big Daddy is one of the sweetest movies Sandler has ever made and is in the pantheon for his top 1990s comedies.
Stream Big Daddy on Netflix.
Jaws (1975)
Do you like summer blockbusters? Thank Jaws for revolutionizing them. Steven Spielberg’s masterpiece is set in the small New England town of Amity Island, where a great white shark kills a young woman skinny-dipping at night. Police chief Martin Brody (Roy Scheider) wants to conduct a proper investigation, which requires closing the beaches. Since it’s the Fourth of July weekend, Mayor Larry Vaughn (Murray Hamilton) denies Brody’s request and keeps the beaches open.
No surprise here as more people die, forcing Vaughn to play by Brody’s rules. Brody, oceanographer Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss), and weathered ship captain Quint (Robert Shaw) head out to sea to capture and kill the shark. Jaws is a masterclass in suspense and simply one of the most important movies ever released.
Stream Jaws on Netflix.
Easy A (2010)
The movie that will make you look differently at Natasha Bedingfield’s Pocketful of Sunshine is Easy A. In a somewhat modern retelling of The Scarlet Letter, Easy A stars Poor Things actress Emma Stone as Olive Penderghast, a 17-year-old high school student whose lie causes massive drama among her peers. Instead of revealing her lonesome weekend, Olive lies and says she lost her virginity.
Like many high schools, promiscuous gossip spreads like the plague, and before long, the entire school knows about Olive’s (fake) sexual encounter. Instead of hiding from the rumors, Olive embraces them by wearing a scarlet “A” on her clothing. Easy A is a surprisingly endearing comedy about sexual pressure faced by teens as well as the importance of self-worth. Easy A is also Stone’s star-making performance.
Stream Easy A on Netflix.
Friday Night Lights (2004)
There are two rules for the characters in Friday Night Lights: be perfect and win state. Welcome to the world of high school football in the state of Texas. Based on H. G. Bissinger’s seminal novel, Friday Night Lights follows the Permian Panthers, a high school football team from Odessa, Texas, attempting to win the 1988 state title.
The Panthers are local legends who can reach icon status with a state championship. Coach Gary Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton) and his team — including Mike Winchell (Lucas Black), Boobie Miles (Derek Luke), and Don Billingsley (Garrett Hedlund) — understand the pressure that comes with being a Panther. Backed by impressive character development, Friday Night Lights makes football incredibly cinematic, providing the basis for an effective sports movie.
Stream Friday Night Lights on Netflix.
