3 Best Movies to Binge on Netflix This Weekend

Netflix has just added a ton of great movies for the month of August, and here are three excellent films to binge this weekend. Though there is plenty of competition in the streaming game, Netflix was and still is the most prominent name in digital content. From making their own movies to hosting classics, Netflix has just about everything.

Though the August release schedule is mostly dominated by the return of shows like Wednesday, Netflix has also added a bunch of great movies too. From perennial family favorites like Despicable Me, to classic blockbuster franchises such as Jurassic Park, Netflix is awash in high-profile movies. However, some new additions are better than the rest.

While most viewers use streaming services to watch something familiar, Netflix’s August releases offer an opportunity to see something new. Even though these movies have been around for a while, they are quintessential pieces of cinema that everyone should see at least once. From comedy to gripping crime drama, these movies are the perfect way to pass a weekend.

3

Dazed And Confused (1993)

Directed By Richard Linklater

Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused is one of the most important low-budget flicks of the 1990s, not just because it’s an excellent watch, but because of its cast of future stars. Set on the final day of high school in 1976, the nostalgic coming-of-age comedy meanders through a night of hard partying and humorous debauchery.

It captures the essence of its decade with slight exaggeration for comedic effect, but still hits all the right notes to have a timeless quality too. The cast is so large and sprawling that every moment of the film feels important, and the humor is quite effective because it feels so real. Nevertheless, its unfocused plot is its greatest strength.

While it may seem like Dazed and Confused is aimless, Linklater’s storytelling craft is actually on full display. While being entertained by the hilarious and immature antics, viewers are actually seeing a mesmerizing story about the pains of growing up in an uncertain world.

Up-and-comers like Matthew McConaughey (in his first major role) give performances of a lifetime, and nearly each supporting part is filled with a recognizable star. Nostalgia is all the rage today, but it’s mostly confined to the ’80s and ’90s. Dazed and Confused is a throwback to another era’s nostalgia, but it is so much more than its sentimental value.

2

Rush Hour (1998)

Directed By Brett Ratner

After decades as the biggest star in Asia, Jackie Chan’s big break in Hollywood came in 1998’s Rush Hour. The goofy buddy cop comedy teams Chan with Chris Tucker, and the hilarious odd couple must work together to save a diplomat’s daughter from kidnappers. Instead of trying to force Chan into the Hollywood mold, Rush Hour highlights his strengths.

Hearkening back to Chan’s best movies overseas, such as Police Story or Wheels on Meals, Rush Hour combines humor and action for a winning formula. The stunt work is up to Chan’s exacting standards, and the humor is delightful and accessible for most audiences. Tucker and Chan also have wonderful chemistry, and a franchise quickly sprouted from the first film.

Though Rush Hour is hardly high art, it’s the sort of bombastic Hollywood action comedy that doesn’t get made much anymore. It’s also a perfect introduction to Jackie Chan’s larger body of work, since it still represents his brilliant comedic and stunt skills. Rush Hour is a perfect feel-good movie, and it’s guaranteed to please even the pickiest Netflix viewer.

1

The Departed (2006)

Directed By Martin Scorsese

Decades into his career, Martin Scorsese struck gold again with the crime thriller, The Departed. Taking a page from previous successes like Goodfellas, Scorsese borrowed some of his gangster movie magic when crafting the compelling cop drama. The tells parallel stories of infiltration as a cop embeds himself with criminals while a criminal worms his way into the police force.

Once again working with Leonardo DiCaprio, Scorsese effortlessly weaves a criminal yarn that keeps the audience guessing until the very end. Each performance is right on the money, and The Departed marks the only time that Scorsese collaborated with Jack Nicholson. During a decade of hit-or-miss movies, The Departed put Scorsese back on course.

It features a lot of violence and foul language, which makes it unsuitable for youngsters, but mature viewers will be hooked immediately. Scorsese is a filmmaking mastermind, and it could be said that The Departed is one of his major works. At over two-and-a-half hours, The Departed takes up a lot of time, but it’s well worth the watch.

Netflix carries tons of great movies from all eras, but The Departed is a rare specimen in the age of streaming. The Best Picture Oscar winner is certainly the pinnacle of modern filmmaking, but it is a brisk and accessible watch for the streaming audience. A weekend movie binge isn’t complete without a film as resplendent as Scorsese’s 2000s gem.