Buried Under 5,000 Netflix Movies? Here’s Your Escape Plan.
Godzilla: Minus One
Genre: Sci-Fi/ Monster Horror
Release Date: 2023
Why is this Godzilla better than the rest? The usual formula is simple: Big dinosaur + big city + generic characters (plus that classic water ripple in a cup). That's BEDMAS right?
But Minus One rips up the math. Instead of cardboard cutouts, it centers on Kōichi, a former kamikaze pilot stumbling through post-WWII Japan—a country already in ruins, where soldiers return home unwanted and everyone is just trying to rebuild. Then, of course, a giant radioactive lizard shows up to remind them that survival is still very much optional.
The result? A monster movie with heart and devastation in equal measure, proving spectacle means more when the human story underneath actually matters.
Good Will Hunting
Genre: Romance/ Drama
Release Date: 1997
Some movies tug at your heart. Others crack you up. Good Will Hunting? It does both—and throws in a perfectly smug apple line for good measure.
Matt Damon and Robin Williams deliver performances so warm you’ll feel like you’ve been hugged… then roasted… then hugged again. And yes, I get an extra kick knowing parts of it were filmed right here in Toronto—meaning I can now brag that my city is basically a co-star.
And if you loved how Good Will Hunting balances raw emotion with the brilliance of its lead character, you’ll find a kindred spirit in 3 Idiots—which I’ve featured on my Best Movies list: “Movies That Got Stuck In My Brain (And Heart). Both are coming-of-age stories where intelligence isn’t just about being “smart”—it’s about finding yourself.
🎧 Back in November 2024, we dedicated a full Film Room episode to Good Will Hunting—breaking down the laughs, the feels, and exactly why this movie still hits harder than Will’s right hook.
The Call
Genre: Psychological Thriller
Release Date: 2020
Now, this is a Netflix original film, which 8/10 times means the movie is cheeks. Fortunately, this happens to be one of the 2/10 times where the movie doesn’t share characteristics with a posterior.
Speaking of 2, in this South Korean film, we have Seo-yeon and Young-sook. One lives in the present, and the other lives in the past. They are connected by a phone that, over time, leads them to build a relationship. But when you start messing around with the past, you might regret ever picking up the phone in the first place.
This horror/thriller keeps you guessing all the way until the end… definitely not cheeks. Good job, Netflix.
👉 And if you loved the mind-bending mystery of The Call, check out Memento on my Watch the Best Free Movies Online — No Subscriptions Needed list. Both films twist time and memory into puzzles you’ll be thinking about long after the credits roll.
Boyz N The Hood
Genre: Drama/ Coming of Age
Release Date: 1991
One name: John Singleton (okay, technically two names) — aka the youngest director and first Black American in movie history to be nominated for Best Director at the Oscars! If you don’t know anything about this movie, then great. Boyz n the Hood follows a group of friends as little kids in L.A. and then flashes forward to them in high school.
Rap music has become pretty common as the catalyst for telling stories of struggle in underprivileged Black communities. This film does not fall short of balancing the fun, the conflicts, and the misfortunes that so many face on a day-to-day basis, even to this day.
And hey — Ice Cube is in this one! 🎤
👉 Speaking of a boy in a hood… we actually did a whole episode on another classic: Home Alone.
🎧 Listen to our Home Alone episode here!
Straight Outta Compton
Genre: Biography/ Period Drama
Release Date: 2015
When you read “Ice Cube,” what do you think of? Something to freshen up your beverage? Are We There Yet? Friday?
Well, it’s funny you mentioned Friday, because like that 1995 classic comedy, this movie was also directed by F. Gary Gray.
And once upon a time in 1987, one of the most influential groups in music history was formed: N.W.A. (N*ggaz With Attitudes). For those who grew up with them, I salute you and your record players. But for those born in the late ’90s and beyond, this movie is more than just entertainment — it’s a cultural time capsule.
It teaches you about the highs and lows of the music industry, speaks on what the world was going through culturally, and shows how five young men reshaped rap music forever.
Ice Cube helped bring Straight Outta Compton to life, but his impact on film truly started with Boyz n the Hood. What’s wild is how his career bridges the worlds of music, film, and social commentary — proving that storytelling, whether through lyrics or on screen, can shift culture.