We’re almost one week through the new year and you know what? So far, so good. And this new year is made even better by Netflix by its promising collection of movies. From White Noise to Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, Netflix is streaming some of the most critically acclaimed films, alluring an even larger population to subscribe to its platform. That being said, if you’re looking forward to binge-watch your weekend hours, here’s a list of the top five movies you can watch for all the fun.
5 best movies to watch on Netflix this weekend
1. A Man Called Otto
Based on the 2012 novel titled A Man Called Ove by Frederik Bachman, which was also previously adapted into a film in 2015, A Man Called Otto is the 2023 movie produced by Sony, featuring Tom Hanks. Released in theatres in mid-January 2023, the viewers and fans of the book are wondering when will the Tom Hanks-starrer hit the Netflix library.
Directed by Marc Forster and written by David Magee, here’s the official synopsis of A Man Called Otto as per Sony Pictures:
“A Man Called Otto tells the story of Otto Anderson, a grump who no longer sees purpose in his life following the loss of his wife. Otto is ready to end it all, but his plans are interrupted when a lively young family moves in next door, and he meets his match in quick-witted Marisol.”
2. White Noise
Released on December 30, 2022, on Netflix, White Noise is an absurdist comedy-drama film, based on the titular 1985 novel by Don DeLillo. Written and directed by Noah Baumbach, the film features some A-list stars including Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig, Don Cheadle, Raffey Cassidy, Sam Nivola and May Nivola. White Noise is temporally set in the 1980s and it follows the life of an academic who is majoring in Hitler studies. The story gains momentum when an air contamination accident occurs near their house.
Premiering at the 79th Venice International Film Festival on August 31st, the film was successful in garnering positive reviews from critics and audiences. Here’s the official synopsis of the film (courtesy of Netflix):
“From Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Noah Baumbach comes to an absurdist comedy about a family grappling with love, death and an airborne toxic event.”
3. The Pale Blue Eye
A 2022 American mystery thriller, The Pale Blue Eye is written and directed by Scott Cooper. Based upon the 2003 titular novel by Louis Bayard, the film revolves around the story of a veteran detective Augustus Landor, who is appointed to investigate a series of murders at the United States Military Academy along with the help of Edgar Allan Poe, a famous American poet and a young military cadet. Set in 1830 in West Point, New York, the film features an ensemble cast including Christian Bale and Harry Melling as Landor and Poe respectively. In addition, it also features Gillian Anderson, Lucy Boynton, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Toby Jones, Harry Lawtey, Simon McBurney, Timothy Spall and Robert Duvall.
Released on January 6th, 2023 by Netflix, here’s the official synopsis of The Pale Blue Eye (courtesy of IMDb):
“A world-weary detective is hired to investigate the murder of a West Point cadet. Stymied by the cadets’ code of silence, he enlists one of their own to help unravel the case – a young man the world would come to know as Edgar Allan Poe.”
4. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
A sequel to the 2019 film Knives Out, Glass Onion is a 2022 American mystery film which is written and directed by Rian Johnson.
With Daniel Craig reprising the lead role of master detective Benoit Blanc, the sequel emphasizes a new case that revolves around a tech billionaire Miles Bron, whose role is reprised by Edward Norton, and his friends. Featuring an ensemble cast that includes, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr, Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson and Dave Bautista, the film is produced by Johnson and Ram Bergman.
Here is the official synopsis of the same (courtesy of Netflix):
“World-famous detective Benoit Blanc heads to Greece to peel back the layers of a mystery surrounding a tech billionaire and his eclectic crew of friends.”
5. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinnochio
Loosely based on the 1883 Italian novel The Adventures of Pinnochio by Carlo Collodi, Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is a 2022 stop-motion animated musical fantasy film. Directed by Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson, the movie was strongly influenced by Gris Grimly’s illustrations for a 2002 edition. Featuring the voices of Gregory Mann and David Bradley as Pinnochio and Geppetto respectively, the movie also includes Ewan McGregor, Burn Gorman, Ron Perlman, John Turturo, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, Tim Blake Nelson, Christoph Waltz and Tilda Swinton.
Pinnochio is a “story of love and disobedience as Pinocchio struggles to live up to his father’s expectations, learning the true meaning of life.”