Netflix welcomes many new films to the streaming service this April. Later this month marks the arrival of Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver, the second film in Zack Snyder’s space opera franchise. Another anticipated release this month is Anyone but You, one of the surprise rom-com hits of 2023 starring Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney.
Both movies should become two of the most popular movies on Netflix. However, Netflix is home to over 3,600 movies, including several underappreciated gems. For April, watch these five underrated movies on Netflix. Our picks include a crime drama from an American icon, a stunning indie from 2017, and a fascinating sports documentary.
Kicking and Screaming (1995)
In 2024, Noah Baumbach is considered a modern auteur and a four-time Oscar nominee. Yet, in 1995, Baumbach was a young writer-director who released his first feature film, Kicking and Screaming. The ensemble dramedy revolves around the lives of four college graduates: Grover (Josh Hamilton), Max (Chris Eigeman), Otis (Carlos Jacott), and Skippy (Jason Wiles).
Each of the guys must face their biggest fear: adulthood. As much as they cling to the past, the group realizes they must grow up and become adults. Grover, in particular, grapples with relationship drama after deciding not to follow his girlfriend Jane (Olivia d’Abo) to Prague. In 96 minutes, Baumbach perfectly captures the anxiety and uncertainty many post-grads feel entering the “real world.” Plus, it’s a Baumbach film, so you know the dialogue will be excellent.
Stream Kicking and Screaming on Netflix.
The Mule (2018)
Don’t take Clint Eastwood for granted. The elder statesman is still acting and directing well into his 90s. What’s even more impressive is that the quality of Eastwood’s movies remains strong. One of Eastwood’s most recent offerings is The Mule, a surprisingly good crime drama. Eastwood stars as Earl Stone, a war veteran and horticulturist who takes a job as a mule for the Mexican cartel. Earl is the ideal mule because the authorities will never suspect him of transporting drugs because of his age and ethnicity.
Besides, Earl is broke and faces foreclosure on his business, so the 90-year-old needs the money. Earl quickly becomes one of the cartel’s best mules, resulting in large financial rewards. However, DEA Agent Colin Bates (Maestro‘s Bradley Cooper) attempts to disrupt the cartel’s drug trade and find the mule. With Agent Bates breathing down his neck, Earl must decide between crime or forgiveness as he stares down the end of his life.
Stream The Mule on Netflix.
I Hate Christian Laettner (2015)
In honor of the NCAA Tournament, learn about one of the best basketball players in March Madness history: Christian Laettner. If you like Duke University, then Laettner is a folk hero. However, Laettner became one of college basketball’s greatest villains because of his privilege, competitiveness, and attitude. I Hate Christian Laettner traces how the Duke legend became the sport’s most disliked player.
The 30 for 30 documentary features interviews with Laettner, Coach Mike Krzyzewski, and his Duke teammates from the late 1980s into the early 1990s. Even if you despise Laettner, the documentary reminds viewers that the Duke legend was no slouch on the court. Laettner always stepped up in the biggest moments. Need I remind you about the shot? Love or hate him, Laettner is a fascinating figure in basketball lore, making him the perfect subject of a documentary.
Stream I Hate Christian Laettner on Netflix.
The Florida Project (2017)
Thoughtful, empathetic, and heartbreaking. Those are the first adjectives that come to mind when describing The Florida Project, Sean Baker’s 2017 drama about a low-income community outside “The Most Magical Place on Earth.” Six-year-old Moonee (Brooklynn Kimberly Prince) lives with her struggling single mother, Halley (Bria Vinaite), at the Magic Castle, a budget motel outside Disney World.
Moonee spends most of her days adventuring with her friends, unaware of the difficult circumstances surrounding her mother’s life. Sometimes, Moonee and her friends cause trouble for the motel’s manager, Bobby (Willem Dafoe), though he tries to protect the kids from harm. The Florida Project is beautiful and harrowing at the same time, creating a memorable experience you won’t soon forget.
Stream The Florida Project on Netflix.
Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)
For a small-budget film, Bodies Bodies Bodies boasts an impressive cast of emerging stars—Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, Myha’la Herrold, Chase Sui Wonders, Rachel Sennott—and industry veterans—Pete Davidson and Lee Pace. Bodies Bodies Bodies is a great example of why casting matters, as the seven actors elevate this witty mystery.
During a hurricane, Bee (Bakalova) and her friend, Sophie (Stenberg), attend a mansion party run by David (Pete Davidson). Other attendees at the drug- and booze-fueled party include Jordan (Herrold), Emma (Wonders), Alice (Sennott), and Greg (Lee Pace). The group decides to play a murder mystery party game. However, the game ends in tragedy, with one of the guests dead. Loyalties will be tested as the friends search for a killer in this humorous whodunnit.
Stream Bodies Bodies Bodies on Netflix.
