Authors and animated bears stake their claim on this month’s list. It’s a month full of movies, so there’s no need to binge – it’s time to kick back and (maybe) relax with these dramas, thrillers, and offbeat comedies while you still can.
What is leaving Netflix
Paddington
Just try to take a look Paddington without falling in love with the titular anthropomorphic animated bear – it’s just impossible. Ben Whishaw voices the famous hairy marmalade lover as he ventures from darkest Peru to bright and busy London. Although he has been taken in by the lovely Brown family (which includes Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins and Julie Walters), Paddington wants to learn more about his own family history. This leads him straight to museum prep Millicent Clyde (Nicole Kidman, with a bleached blonde bob for ages), who takes her job very seriously. Paddington streams until Tuesday, May 16e.
Side effects
From director Steven Soderbergh comes Side effects, a twisty psychological thriller about the failure of big pharma and the American mental health system. Rooney Mara stars as Emily, a wealthy housewife whose husband (Channing Tatum) is about to be released from prison for insider trading. Upon his return, a dramatic event leads to her receiving psychiatric treatment from an attentive doctor (Jude Law). When nothing works, Emily’s former psychiatrist (Catherine Zeta-Jones) recommends an experimental new drug. Side effects and stock values play an equal role in this choice. Side effects streams until Wednesday, May 17e.
What is leaving Hulu
Ford vs Ferrari
James Mangold has made both blockbusters and biopics with his films Indiana Jones movie hits theaters this summer. The director’s last film, Ford vs Ferrari, takes on another American icon: the Ford Motor Company. Matt Damon stars as Carroll Shelby, a race car driver turned car designer recruited by Ford to create a car that can beat Ferrari in the famous Le Mans, a twenty-four hour race. Shelby enlists the help of his hot-headed friend and fellow driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale), and together they vow to set the racing world on fire. Ford vs Ferrari streams until Friday, May 19e.
The French shipping
Wes Anderson’s first entry for this month is the director’s most recent, so why not check it out before the filmmaker’s new film begins? Asteroid City premieres in a month? The French shipping is an extended story about the stories behind the latest issue of a newspaper. There’s a dangerous prisoner who becomes a renowned artistic genius behind bars; a massive student protest leading to questionable journalistic integrity; and a creator of haute cuisine who has to endure a hostage situation. The cast is huge, including Benicio del Toro, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Frances McDormand, Timothée Chalamet, and Bill Murray. The French shipping streams through Wednesday, May 24e.
What leaves HBO Max
No country for old men
Widely regarded as one of the best films of the 21st century, No country for old men is breathtaking and heartbreaking on several levels. Joel and Ethan Coen write and direct this Western thriller about the fallout from a drug deal gone wrong. On the one hand, there’s Josh Brolin as a man who walks into the scene and runs off with the money; on the other side is Javier Bardem as the chilling Anton Chigurh, a hitman hired to recover the money. They are followed by a sheriff, played by Tommy Lee Jones, and brutal violence awaits all three. No country for old men streams until the end of the month.
The big hotel in Budapest
The second Wes Anderson movie to get caught before he’s gone is one of the best from the filmmaker. The big hotel in Budapest spanning decades in the titular lodge, it follows recently appointed lobby boy Zero (Tony Revolori) as he navigates the internal and external politics of the hotel’s wealthy clientele. The face of the Grand Budapest is Monsieur Gustave, played with verve by Ralph Fiennes. When an old lover of his leaves behind a priceless piece of art, he and Zero become embroiled in a suspected criminal conspiracy that sends them on the run. Beyond that, it’s stunning with a talented cast and a score worth streaming after watching. The big hotel in Budapest streams until the end of the month.
What to watch is a regular endorsement of movies and TV worth your streaming time.
