Every month, Netflix makes us happy by revealing what's coming to its streaming library, but also makes us sad by listing what's making its way out the door. While we already know what's heading out, and we've done our mourning elsewhere, it's now time to celebrate the new films that are coming to the streaming platform's canon. In particular, there are 11 films we're really excited to see loading into the queue, and they're a pretty unique bunch! Here now are the films we're rushing to add to our Netflix lists in May.
Amelie
Magical realism is something that many stripes of cinema have tried to exhibit, with French cinema being the one area that seems to excel at balancing the quirky with the grounded. Amelie is a fine example of such a high wire act, as the beautiful, storybook-esque visuals and twists are housed in a story that is as human as it is simple. Seeing Audrey Tautou make her way through Amelie's quest to deliver happiness is one of the most rewarding experiences you could ever expect to see, and now you'll be able to experience it for yourself.
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
In a perfect world, Hellboy II: The Golden Army would have spawned Hellboy III in a heartbeat. Guillermo del Toro's powerful sequel not only one-ups the fantastic original film, but it makes for an infinitely enjoyable sequel with massive replay value. Even better, this second film in the Ron Perlman duology gets to show off the impressive creature design and sympathy for monsters that del Toro is famous for, making this a fantastic film to revisit after The Shape of Water won its Best Picture trophy a couple months ago.
Red Dragon
Red Dragon is the best damned Brett Ratner film, period. There's no debate, no room for argument with this claim. (OK, fine, IMO.) And part of the reason this entry in the Hannibal Lecter canon takes that spot is the fact that the film has such an impressive cast of heavy hitters. It's as if they only needed someone to tell them where to stand. Edward Norton, Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Emily Watson, Mary Louise Parker, and, of course, Sir Anthony Hopkins all play a part in this puzzle box of a thriller, and it's a beautifully dark thing to watch unfold.
The Bourne Ultimatum
In the total history of the Bourne franchise, there are five films that are canon, with two of them being debated hotly for their merits. Though at the very least, fans on either side of the argument can agree that The Bourne Ultimatum is a perfect would-be end for a franchise that was once on the top of the world. Beginning in an era where James Bond was on a decline, and thriving / concluding around the same time he was finding his feet again, this capper was the way the series should have closed once and for all.
The 40-Year-Old Virgin
It's hard to believe that it's been 13 years since Judd Apatow debuted on the film scene with The 40-Year-Old Virgin in his hands. While his fame would eventually skyrocket with films like Knocked Up, this would still be the film that defined his career, and changed the face of comedy into what we know it to be on the very day. Looking back on the film that started it all has us thinking back to all of the most memorable moments and quotable quotes we adopted after seeing this movie, making a return to Andy Stitzer's adventures in romance a welcome night home in the near future.
The Kingdom
Peter Berg has become a fixture in the realm of war movies, especially when it comes to true stories of heroism. While The Kingdom isn't a true story, it is Berg's debut in the realm of the grounded war film, and it still holds up. Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Garner, and Chris Cooper headline this tense thriller about the investigation into a terrorist attack on a U.S. military base. Both action packed and introspective, it's an underrated examination of the current state of warfare and counterinsurgent operations.
Wanted
Every now and then, talk about the proposed sequel to Wanted pops up in the news, despite the fact that this not officially cancelled film has pretty much stalled out in terms of development. However, if you rewatch that original film, you can see why this subject continues to come up, as that original film was so out of the ordinary that it managed to make a long lasting impression of memorable insanity. Maybe we'll see a reboot, now that Mark Millar is aligned with Netflix, but for the moment, we'll be perfectly fine with the ability to watch this one again through streaming.
Cargo
The journey that Cargo has taken leading up to its acquisition as a Netflix original is a hell of a story. What was once an award winning short that was the talk of YouTube became a horror drama starring Martin Freeman, as a man who has only a limited amount of time to secure his infant child's future. Of course, that quest is complicated by the fact that he's roaming through the Australian outback, as well as his rapidly declining condition due to being infected with a zombie plague. Something tells us we'll need tissues for this one.
Disney / Pixar's Coco
Well, it's official... Netflix wants us to cry our eyes out throughout May. As if Cargo didn't threaten to flood our faces with saline, Disney / Pixar's Coco is also headed to the service's streaming library, and not a moment too soon. Just as we were drying our eyes about this heartfelt tribute to Mexican culture, it went and made us cry with the fact that it won Best Original Song and Best Animated Feature at the Oscars. And now, it'll make us cry even more, as we watch and re-watch the most re-playable Disney film in quite a while.
Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story
To the public at large, Hedy Lamarr is a classic film icon at most and a Blazing Saddles punchline at least. Leave it to history to vindicate her in the long run, with Bombshell: The Hedy Lamarr Story, which highlights her Hollywood achievements as well as her contributions to the scientific advances in the field of radar. With a personal history that could only be part of the movies, Hedy Lamarr's life story makes this newcomer all the more exciting to add to our queue.
Shrek
Considering how much of a landmark production it was during its debut, Shrek didn't need an internet resurgence to bring it back into the limelight. But before you could say "Shrek is love, Shrek is life," a meme brought this old favorite out of the shadows and into people's hearts and minds yet again. While there are plans being drawn up for a full fledged revival of Mike Myers' classic character, through the means of a fourth sequel, it's nice to know we can soon see the original on our Netflix account, ready to prove to us whether a fifth film is a good or bad idea.
