With the weather cooling down as we enter the autumn months, there is no better time to have a cozy night in while watching some movies on Netflix. As always, the streaming juggernaut is home to thousands of available titles to check out, so we’ve made things a bit easier and picked out some of the best, just for you.
These selections offer up a little something for everyone who will be watching. They include a legendary slasher flick, one of the best animated films in recent memory, a modern coming-of-age classic, a fun buddy comedy with hilarious female leads, and a movie that features a Best Original Song Oscar winner.
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (2023)
Throughout cinema history, there have been some incredible coming-of-age stories brought to the big screen and though it’s relatively new, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret, already ranks among the best. The movie received widespread acclaim after its film festival premiere and continued through its wider release.
Based on the famous Judy Blume novel of the same name, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret follows the titular Margaret, a young girl who deals with the start of adolescence, growing up, and her family’s move from New York City to New Jersey. While the story is certainly great, it’s the people involved who make the film so special.
Abby Ryder Fortson, a few years removed from heartwarming scenes in Ant-Man and the Wasp, is fantastic as Margaret, while Rachel McAdams won a handful of notable awards as her mother, Barbara. This was also the second film written and directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, who was also behind The Edge of Seventeen, another stellar coming-of-age movie.
Unfortunately, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret remains underrated as it bombed at the box office. However, the almost unprecedented 99% Rotten Tomaoes rating shows how great the film is and Netflix is the perfect place for the whole family to give it the viewing it deserves.
8 Mile (2003)
In the early 2000s, it was hard to think of a more prominent rapper than Eminem. He was releasing hits on a consistent basis and, by the time 2003 rolled around, had already put out several all-time great albums. That said, not many people expected him to hop into the world of cinematic storytelling.
Yet that’s just what Eminem did with 8 Mile, a semi-autobiographical film. The story centers on Jimmy/B-Rabbit (Eminem), an aspiring rapper in Detroit who attempts to start a career in the Black dominated world of hip-hop while dealing with his hard-drinking mother, her abusive boyfriend, and the little sister he cares for.
Thanks to Eminem’s popularity, 8 Mile was a huge box office hit, grossing nearly $250 million on a budget of less than $50 million. However, the movie’s success was more than commercial, as it was well-received to the point where it has a 76% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
On top of that, 8 Mile also marked an Oscar win for Eminem as