Cult classic mockumentaries meet intense action on this month’s list of movies to stream before they leave. Be sure to catch these old favourites, new experiments and recent hits.
What is leaving Netflix
Hardcore Henry
This experimental action film takes cues from video games as well as anything like that John Wickmaking for a first-person viewing experience unlike anything you’ve seen before. Hardcore Henry revolves around a man who wakes up with cybernetically enhanced limbs, but no voice and no memory. The story may be little 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 into 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 create a slick, sexy and action-packed installment of the Bond franchise, perfect for diehard fans and newcomers alike. In this film, a world-weary Bond must chase down a dangerous cyber-terrorist (Javier Bardem) linked to M (Judi Dench). Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw and Naomie Harris also star as members of the MI6 team, and of course the movie has that iconic title song courtesy of Adele. Skyfall streams until the end of the month.
What is leaving Hulu
Best in show
Although Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara have been a beloved couple lately thanks to Schitt’s Creekbrings together some of their best work from a much earlier project, 2000’s Best in show. This mockumentary from Christopher Guest follows the goings-on before and during a prestigious dog show, complete with over-invested owners, intense dog trainers, and lots and lots of puppies. The cast is filled with some great 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
Adaptations of young adult novels were a dime a dozen in the 1910s, 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 in 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 around her, and it’s quite a journey to follow. Support turns from Josh Hutcherson, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Donald Sutherland and Philip Seymour Hoffman make the franchise something truly elevated. The hunger Games series streams until the end of the month.
What leaves Max
Children of a lesser God
Although Best Picture winner CODA marked a huge step forward in the representation of deafness on the big screen, Children of a lesser God did the same almost thirty years earlier. Actress Marlee Matlin happens to star in both films and 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 attitude of the hearing staff, though a new teacher (William Hurt) offers a new perspective and romance. Children of a lesser God streams until the end of the month.
Drop dead beautifully
This cult-classic mockumentary of a beauty pageant remains heartbreakingly funny, from Kirsten Dunst’s extraordinarily sincere Midwestern accent to Denise Richards’ celestial portion of talent. Drop dead beautifully is a perfectly realized satire, following a small-town pageant and its participants leading up to the competition. Foul play is fair game as the women and girls involved are more than willing to get down and dirty. It’s a perfect satire of American culture, starring Allison Janney, Ellen Barkin, Amy Adams, Brittany Murphy and Kirstie Alley. Drop dead beautifully streams until the end of the month.
Old
Although July is a month of summer fun, Old shows viewers a beach day that most people would probably rather skip. M. Night Shyamalan brings high-concept horror to this film, in which a group of vacationers find themselves on a secret coast that seems to age them quickly. Each beachgoer tries to work against the clock, but all have a limited amount of time and, as their bodies age, physical capabilities. 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.
