The first week of March marks the arrival of new films and TV shows on Netflix. The streamer’s biggest movie release this month is Damsel, a fantasy thriller starring Millie Bobby Brown as a princess who must slay a dragon to survive. Another Netflix original arriving in March is Irish Wish, a new romantic comedy starring Lindsay Lohan. Both films will likely debut in the top 10 and become some of the most popular movies on Netflix.
These new films will dominate the Netflix homepage, and rightfully so. However, there are hundreds of good films in Netflix’s library. To find them, you need to know where to look, so we created this list as a road map to hidden gems. Our selections for five underrated movies on Netflix include a musical comedy involving The Beatles, a teen psychological thriller, and an entertaining cop thriller.
Yesterday (2019)
Imagine living in a world without the music of The Beatles. That’s essentially the premise of Danny Boyle’s Yesterday. Jack Malik (Himesh Patel) is a struggling musician in the U.K. hoping for a big break. After being hit by a bus during a global power outage, Jack wakes up and discovers The Beatles never existed, meaning the lowly singer-songwriter is the only one on Earth who knows their iconic hits like Yesterday, Hey Jude, and Get Back.
Using this knowledge to his advantage, Jack plays the songs and passes them off as his own, turning himself into a music icon overnight. As an international rock star, Jack finally gets everything he ever wanted. Yet, it’s not enough because, in the end, maybe all Jack needs is love.
Stream Yesterday on Netflix.
Fear (1996)
Before Mark Wahlberg became an A-list star, he wanted to break free from his Marky Mark image in favor of becoming an actor. One of his first roles came in 1996’s Fear, a psychological thriller starring Wahlberg and a young Reese Witherspoon. In the Seattle suburbs, 16-year-old Nicole Walker (Witherspoon) falls in love with 23-year-old David McCall (Wahlberg). David uses his good looks and charm to win over Nicole’s friends and family. Only Nicole’s father, Steven (William Petersen), is suspicious of David.
Over time, Steven’s intuition is correct as David becomes a psychotic, manipulative, and possessive boyfriend. When Nicole tries to end things, David doesn’t take no for an answer because if he can’t have her, then no one can. Fear is a fascinating moment for Wahlberg and Witherspoon, who were about to become massive stars in the coming years. Despite its over-the-top nature and ridiculous plot, there’s enough suspense and thrills to make Fear your next guilty pleasure.
Stream Fear on Netflix.
Stronger (2017)
The inspiring true story of Jeff Bauman comes to life in the emotional biopic Stronger. Jake Gyllenhaal plays Jeff, a Bostonian who attended the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. Jeff stood near the finish line to wait for his ex-girlfriend, Erin (Tatiana Maslany), and cheer her on. Unfortunately, two bombs explode, causing Jeff to lose both legs.
Because he saw one of the bombers, Jeff aids the FBI in capturing one of the terrorists and becomes a local hero. Behind closed doors, however, Jeff struggles with survivor’s guilt and PTSD from the bombing. By the end, you’ll gain a better respect for Bauman and Boston’s residents, a perseverant group who chose to fight and pick themselves back up in the face of a tragedy.
Stream Stronger on Netflix.
21 Bridges (2019)
It’s been nearly four years since the world lost Chadwick Boseman to cancer. Boseman was a terrific actor who rose to prominence as T’Challa in Marvel’s Black Panther. Before his tragic death, Boseman starred in 21 Bridges, an underrated B-movie cop thriller destined to become a cable TV hit in the same vein as Shooter and Den of Thieves.
Andre Davis (Boseman) is a hardened NYPD detective tasked with leading a manhunt for two criminals (Stephan James and Taylor Kitsch) who killed several police officers. To catch the murderers, Andre convinces the NYPD to shut down the island of Manhattan for the night by closing all 21 bridges. As each hour passes, Andre gets pulled deeper into the investigation and discovers a criminal conspiracy that may involve the NYPD.
Stream 21 Bridges on Netflix.
Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)
Critics and audiences are finally coming around to Zac Efron’s talent as an actor after his heartbreaking portrayal of Kevin Von Erich in The Iron Claw. Efron has shown that talent ever since his days in High School Musical. However, a few misses in the 2010s hurt Efron’s standing in Hollywood, with many believing he could never be a serious actor. Efron’s turn as Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile was important in reestablishing his credibility.
In the late 1960s, Bundy meets Liz Kendall (Lily Collins), a single mother, while studying to be a lawyer. The two strike up a relationship, as Liz falls in love with Bundy’s kindness and charm. Over the next decade, Bundy is accused of murdering numerous women, yet Liz believes he’s innocent. As the evidence mounts, Liz slowly realizes that the man she loves is more a monster than an angel.
Stream Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile on Netflix.
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