Cult classic mockumentaries meet intense action on this month’s list of movies you need to stream before they leave. Be sure to catch these old favorites, new experiments, and recent hits.
What’s leaving Netflix
Hardcore Henry
This experimental action movie takes cues from video games just as much as something like John Wick, making for a first-person viewing experience that you’ve never seen before. Hardcore Henry revolves around a man who wakes up with cybernetically-enhanced limbs, but no voice and no memory. The story may not be anything more than your standard action fare, but genre junkies are sure to find that action thrilling. The movie is shot through Henry’s eyes, so to speak, as he tries to get to the bottom of his existence (and gets in too many high-octane fights to count). Hardcore Henry streams until the end of the month.
Skyfall
Arguably one of the best (if not the best) James Bond movies of all time, Skyfall is only available to stream for a limited time. Daniel Craig and director Sam Mendes teamed up to make a sleek, sexy, and action-packed installment of the Bond franchise, perfect for diehard fans and newcomers alike. In this movie, a world-weary Bond must pursue a dangerous cyberterrorist (Javier Bardem) who’s linked to M (Judi Dench). Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, and Naomie Harris also star as members of the MI6 team, and, of course, the film has that iconic title song courtesy of Adele. Skyfall streams until the end of the month.
What’s leaving Hulu
Best in Show
Though Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara are a beloved pair as of late thanks to Schitt’s Creek, some of their best work together comes from a much earlier project, 2000’s Best in Show. This mockumentary from Christopher Guest follows the goings on ahead of and during a prestigious dog show, complete with overly-invested owners, intense dog trainers, and a whole lot of pooches. The cast is fully stocked with some major comedic talents, including Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Lynch, John Michael Higgins, Michael Mckean, and Parker Posey. Best in Show streams until the end of the month.
The Hunger Games
Young adult novel adaptations were a dime a dozen in the ‘10s, but few were as successful (both critically and commercially) as The Hunger Games. The series coincided with Jennifer Lawrence’s launch into A-list stardom, and her performance as Katniss Everdeen across four films is some of the best work the actress has done. She goes from a stoic teen to a traumatized veteran as the apocalyptic world of Panem unfolds and undoes itself around her, and it’s quite the journey to follow. Supporting turns from Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Donald Sutherland and Philip Seymour Hoffman turn the franchise into something truly elevated. The Hunger Games series streams until the end of the month.
What’s leaving Max
Children of a Lesser God
Though Best Picture-winner CODA marked a huge step forward in the portrayal of deafness on the big screen, Children of a Lesser God did the same nearly thirty years earlier. Actress Marlee Matlin happens to star in both films, having won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in the latter. Children of a Lesser God features Matlin as a janitor at a school for the deaf who disagrees with the attitudes of the hearing staff, though a new teacher (William Hurt) offers a new perspective and a new romance. Children of a Lesser God streams until the end of the month.
Drop Dead Gorgeous
This cult classic beauty pageant mockumentary remains gut-bustingly funny, from Kirsten Dunst’s exceedingly earnest midwestern accent to Denise Richards’ heavenly talent portion performance. Drop Dead Gorgeous is a perfectly realized satire, following a small-town pageant and its contestants in the run up to the competition. Foul play is fair play, as the women and girls involved are more than willing to get dirty. It’s a pitch-perfect satire of American culture, and it features stars like Allison Janney, Ellen Barkin, Amy Adams, Brittany Murphy and Kirstie Alley. Drop Dead Gorgeous streams until the end of the month.
Old
Though July is a month all about summer fun, Old shows viewers a beach day that most people would probably prefer to skip. M. Night Shyamalan brings high-concept horror in this film, where a group of vacationers find themselves on a secret shore that seems to make them age rapidly. Each beachgoer tries to work against the clock, but they all have a limited amount of time and, as their bodies age, physical ability. Gael García Bernal, Vicky Krieps, Alex Wolff, and Thomasin McKenzie star in this trippy scary story. Old streams until the end of the month.
What to Watch is a regular endorsement of movies and TV worth your streaming time.
