The list of new films Netflix for this month has been both happy and confused. When we received the May 2023 schedule, I was a little disappointed with the lack of critical highlights, but was ultimately pleased to see some films worth seeing.
But then something strange happened. One of my favorite classic movies that I’ve only seen recently appeared on Netflix out of the blue and without warning. This film, combined with six other gems, gave me reason to create this list to complement our super-size films best movies on netflix round up.
While this list is based on my own preferences, I’ve included the titles’ solid (to excellent) Rotten Tomatoes ratings so you can have a vote of confidence. These titles include an all-time action drama, a family-friendly animated film that parents will really enjoy, and Natalie Portman’s breakthrough performance.
Heat (1995)
This is weird. I spend a lot of time checking what’s coming and going on Tom’s Guide. I also love Michael Mann’s crime thriller Heat (which I admit I only saw for the first time last year). But somehow Heat has slipped under my radar, just like thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) is trying to do in this film.
Hitting Netflix without warning, Heat is one of the best cat and mouse movies of all time. Neil and his gang are caught up in an armored car robbery that netted them $1.6 million in bearer bonds, which caught the attention of the LAPD. Specifically, the savvy Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) has gotten himself on the case, and this vocal lieutenant isn’t giving up easily.
Based on a true story (yes, Neil McCauley was a real crook), Mann’s film is packed with suspenseful drama, perfect action scenes, and emotional moments that allow the characters to reflect on their mistakes. It’s also one of the most influential films of its time, as you see settings and moments that you might have thought other films (e.g. The Dark Knight) were made up of. Also, let’s use Heat as a reference point: It might only score 88% on Rotten Tomatoes, but it’s still an all-time classic.
Arrived on Netflix on: Unknown
Genre: crime drama
Result from Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Pour: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd
Director: Michael man
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Léon: The Professional (1994)
Léon: The Professional was the first film on Netflix’s May list to pass my Oooh! test. Whenever I browse the new movies list, I happen to come across a few titles that make me want to open Netflix on my phone and add them to my list.
The Professional deserves that right because it’s one of those great movies that I haven’t thought about for ages. Léon (Jean Reno) is a hit man living in New York City in a modest apartment building in Little Italy, where his young neighbor Mathilda (Natalie Portman) suffered too much at the beginning of the film. But when corrupt DEA agents led by Gary Oldman’s “Normal Stansfield” somehow make this kid’s life worse, she manages to persuade her neighbor to help her – by teaching her his tricks.
Despite its odd killer-meets-kid premise, The Professional works on multiple levels. Natalie Portman pulls it off as Mathilda, with natural charisma and vulnerability. And while Jean Reno is great as the titular killer, Gary Oldman as the insane villain steals every scene he can get.
Arrived on Netflix on: May 1, 2023
Genre: action
Result from Rotten Tomatoes: 74%
Pour: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, Danny Aiello
Director: Luc Besson
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Chicken Run (2000)
If the kids section on Netflix is too neon drenched for your taste (and even his). The best family movies on Netflix If you can’t escape this problem, it’s best to check out Chicken Run right now.
On a humble farm in Yorkshire, England, Mrs. Tweedy (Miranda Richardson) and Mr. Tweedy (Tony Haygarth) have discovered that just asking for eggs from their hens isn’t enough. Her alternative is an evil-looking machine that turns her chickens into chicken pies, as clever cackler Ginger (Julia Sawalha) finds out. And with the help of Rocky (Mel Gibson), an American rooster who’s spent time at the circus, these chickens might actually fly out of the coop.
While some children may find the threats against the chickens a bit frightening, most viewers will be charmed by Chicken Run’s humor. Not only is the dialogue great, it contains far more thoughtful ideas than one would expect given the barn story.
Arrived on Netflix on: May 1, 2023
Genre: Animated comedy
Result from Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
Pour: Julia Sawalha, Phil Daniels, Lynn Ferguson, Mel Gibson, Miranda Richardson,
Directors: Peter Lord, Nick Park
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Pitch Perfect (2012)
For me, Pitch Perfect is one of those movies that was too good to live up to my expectations. While “competitively a cappella” is the nice expression that usually gets me clicking on Netflix, “Pitch Perfect” managed to surprise with hilarious and sometimes crude antics.
It all starts with Beca (Anna Kendrick) struggling to fit in at Bearden University and decides to try the all-female a cappella team The Bearden Bellas. At least she makes the decision to do so after Insulting the team’s queen bees by disparaging their passion.
While “Pitch Perfect” got Rebel Wilson a breakthrough role in the role of the still-oddly named “Fat Amy,” the film ultimately wins because the script is a very solid group comedy in which the students learn to get along.
Arrived on Netflix on: May 1, 2023
Genre: musical comedy
Result from Rotten Tomatoes: 81%
Pour: Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Rebel Wilson, Adam DeVine, Anna Camp, Brittany Snow
Director: Jason Moore
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Dawn of the Dead (2004)
Two years after the stellar British zombie film 28 Days Later breathed new life into the undead genre, Zack Snyder brought the genre’s resurgence to the US with a new Dawn of the Dead. Similar to the original, the new Dawn of the Dead brings a group of unwelcome Americans to a mall and forces them to try to unite in order to survive.
Packed with excellent action and a dark sense of humor, the new Dawn of the Dead proclaimed that zombie movies were back in full swing. Also, experience Ty Burrell from the pre-modern family as Steve, one of the less likeable or useful survivors.
Arrived on Netflix on: May 1, 2023
Genre: Zombie Horror
Result from Rotten Tomatoes: 76%
Pour: Sarah Polley, Ving Rhames, Jake Weber, Mekhi Phifer, Ty Burrell, Michael Kelly
Director: Zack Snyder
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Traffic (2000)
From the point of view of Steven Soderbergh’s “Traffic”, the drug trade is as complex as one can imagine. Traffic connects the world through three storylines at different levels of the situation.
In Mexico, police officer Javier Rodriguez (Benicio del Toro) is hired by a general to track down a drug cartel. In Ohio, Judge Robert Wakefield (Michael Douglas) fights crime at work and at home, while his daughter Caroline (Erika Christensen) tries everything from cocaine to meth cartel cooperate.
All of this would be too much in the hands of most directors, but Soderbergh deftly threads the thread as he jumps from one story to the next. It doesn’t hurt that it has a fantastic cast and that Stephen Gaghan’s script juggles all of these storylines in an almost effortless manner. There are no preachy tones, nor a simple good-bad dynamic: just chaos.
Arrived on Netflix on: May 1, 2023
Genre: theatre
Result from Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Pour: Michael Douglas, Don Cheadle, Benicio del Toro, Dennis Quaid, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Luis Guzman
Director: Stephen Soderbergh
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Flight (2012)
I’ve heard some call Flight cheesy or Oscar bait. And while Denzel Washington received an Oscar nomination for his performance as Pilot Captain Whip Whitaker, Flight is anything but saccharine if you ask me.
Whitaker, who used cocaine at work to stay awake, makes matters worse when he concocts a screwdriver cocktail on a flight the next morning. When Whip wakes up mid-flight and sees that the plane is in chaos, he manages to land the ship so safely in a field that there are only six fatalities out of 102. And then he must confront the secrets he’s been keeping – all while being hailed as a hero.
Washington received well-deserved applause for his tough performance, and critics raved about the scene in the sky where the plane goes haywire.
Arrived on Netflix on: May 1, 2023
Genre: theatre
Result from Rotten Tomatoes: 77%
Pour: Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, Kelly Reilly, John Goodman, Bruce Greenwood
Director: Robert Zemeckis
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More Movies Coming to Netflix May 1st, 2023
- Above suspicion
- Airport
- Airport ’77
- Airport 1975
- Austin Powers in Goldmember
- Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
- Austin Powers: The spy who shagged me
- Black Hawk Down
- The cable guy
- Captain Phillips
- cliffhanger
- Conan the Barbarian
- The Croods
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- For colored girls
- girl interrupted
- The Glass Castle
- Back home
- whoops
- Igor
- kindergarten policeman
- Last action hero
- Legends of Passion
- A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
- Marshall
- Paranormal Activity
- Peter Pan (2003)
- Rainbow High: Season 3
- Rugrats: Seasons 1-2
- The Smurfs: Season 1
- Starship Troopers
- steel magnolias
- The Story of Despereaux
- vampires
- The Wedding Date
- Young Victoria