Second, studios and production companies are always looking for the best deals for their projects. In an age of numerous streaming services, there’s always someone looking to outbid the other for the rights to a particular movie or show. It’s, therefore, important to sign short-term deals when handing out licenses.
Here are 10 great underrated movies leaving Netflix before the end of July.
10‘I Am Woman’ (2019)
Leaving June 7
I Am Woman
I Am Womanisthe biographical story of Helen Reddy, an Australian singer who moved to America and not only became a pop star but also an actor, television host, and feminist icon. The movie traces her journey from her early days in New York to her glory years in Los Angeles.
Fusing Entertainment with Activism
Replete with bold, expressionistic lighting, joyous atmosphere, cynical conversations, and a sizzling main character,I Am Womanis thequintessential music biopic. Here, we see how the pressures of the industry can strain a marriage. The film alsopunches the soul by featuring several heartbreaking scenes, including one where Reddy collapses and wakes up in the emergency room, only to discover the Equal Rights Amendment bill hasn’t passed. Take a seat and shed a tear with Reddy.
9‘Carol’ (2015)
Leaving June 17
Based on Patricia Highsmith’s 1952 novel,The Price of Salt,Carolfollowsthe romantic relationship between Therese (Rooney Mara), an aspiring photographer, and Carol (Cate Blanchett), an upper-class woman going through a difficult divorce. Therese has a male lover, too, but after meeting Carol, she falls deeply for her. Predictably, their love story gets marred by unforeseen challenges.
Powered by Two Talented Leads
In a star-making performance,Rooney Mara cements her image as a laconic, passionate, and light-lidded everyday woman while the alluring Blanchett executes one of the most sensual pieces of dialogue in the film industry. The two stars conspire to makeCaroldamn close to flawless. There are many similarLGBTQ stories in cinema, but none has a greater effect on the mind and heart than this.
8‘Blood Will Tell’ (2019)
Leaving June 21
Everything is well inBlood Will Tell (La Misma Sangre)until the matriarch of a family dies under unclear circumstances.Her husband, Elías, a cattle baron who has been struggling financially, becomes the main suspect. And his son-in-law, Santiago, is convinced that he really did it. But is he guilty?
When Home Becomes Hell
With quiet purpose, director Miguel Cohan gradually builds emotional impact in this tense portrait of a family falling apart due to unfortunate circumstances. We watch as the increasingly intense confrontationsraise thorny discussions about parental responsibility and the role of a man in the household. Each second of the 113-minute running time has a thought-provoking scene, so choose this Argentinian film boldly.
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7‘Obsessed’ (2009)
Leaving July 1
Obsessedstars Idris Elba and Beyoncé as Derek and Sharon, a happily married couple looking forward to moving to the next social class after the former gets a promotion. Unfortunately,Lisa (Ali Larter), a worker at Derek’s office, soon infiltrates this blissful marriage, with disastrous consequences.
An Unexpected Threat
Elba’s performance captures the anxiety of a man who tends to be hunted by trouble, instead of him looking for it, while Beyonce is pitch-perfect as a long-relaxed wife finally getting to let out her inner fierceness. Working from a script by David Loughery (better known forStar Trek V: The Final Frontier),director Steve Shill creates a beautifully nuanced romance drama with the picturesque Altadena, California, serving as an atmospheric backdrop.Don’t miss this tiny wonder which sure packs a wallop.
6‘Awakenings’ (1990)
Awakenings
Awakeningsfollows Dr. Malcolm Sayer (Robin Williams),a doctor who discovers that the experimental drug L-Dopa can revive catatonic patientswho survived an encephalitis epidemic years earlier. A tight bond then develops between him and the patient, Leonard Lowe (Robert De Niro).
Conversation is the Best Medicine
Influenced by the real-life journals of the famed neurologist Oliver Sacks,Awakeningsbrilliantlyweaves stories from the source material with beautifully scripted scenesshot by famed Oscar-nominated Czech lensman Miroslav Ondříček.De Niro is affecting as a man looking forward to a new chapter in his life, and Robin Williams is great as always. Spare time for this touching tale.
5‘The Squid and the Whale’ (2005)
The Squid and the Whale
The Squid and the Whalecenters on two brothers living in Brooklyn who are deeply affected by the impending divorce of their parents, Bernard (Jeff Daniels) and Joan Berkman (Laura Linney). Older sibling Walt (Jesse Eisenberg) is on dad’s side, but he is crashing out at school while Frank (Owen Kline) quietly roots for mom. Tensions surge further when Joan suddenly becomes more successful in her career than Bernard.
The Grass Suffers When Two Bulls Fight
It’s enlightening, watching two siblings as they endure the rigors of parental tensions, before they endure the full blunt of parental conflict. Most importantly, the film is refreshing. Whereas otherdivorce dramasemphasize the scale and history of each partner’s poor behavior, this one immerses us in the experience through the eyes of the innocent people who get caught up in all the chaos. And could there have been an artsier title? The movie is named after the giant squid and sperm whale diorama housed at the American Museum of Natural History.
4‘The Hater’ (2020)
Leaving July 6
Tomasz Giemza (Maciej Musiałowski) fromThe Hatertakes up a job at a public relations company after getting expelled from law school.It turns out to be a troll farm in the business of spreading fake news, targeting diligent and unassuming personalities who happen to be influential. Well, Tomasz begins to enjoy his job, but it’s only a matter of time before things get dangerous.
Being Careless Has Consequences
Musiałowski (better known forhis performanceOperation Nation) is perfectly cast in this taut, gritty social thriller. His Tomasz is a study in impunity and delusion, a young man completely in thrall to a job that’s bound to destroy him. The numerous costars playing officemates are also fabulous in their roles as sleazy denizens of the corporate world. Bad things are coming for this hater, so stick around and find out.
3‘The Neon Highway’ (2024)
Leaving July 11
The Neon Highway
InThe Neon Highway, Wayne Collins (Rob Mayes),an aspiring country singer-songwriter, is forced to put his dreams on hold after a car accident. Years later, while working a 9 to 5 job to support his family, hebumps into Claude Allen (Beau Bridges), a washed-up country music legend. Together,they vow to pursue their musical superstardom again. But will they be welcomed back by an industry that has moved on?
Examining Life’s Unpredictability
A small, independent drama with an outsize impact,The Neon Highwayis worth watching for any person eager to make it in the entertainment industry.Mayers brilliantly pulls off the tricky role of a gentle, hardworking, accepting man who, underneath the happy face, lies a deep desire to erase his inner pain. Bridges also complements him beautifully. Tears are likely to flow, but smiles will come, too.
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2‘MILF’ (2018)
Leaving July 16
MILFtracksthe unlikely group romance that develops between a trio of forty-something women who are vacationing on the French Riviera and three twenty-something men who work at a local sailing club. As expected, tension soon slips into this unusual courtship development.
Dreams Come True?
One can easily assume that this sweet film is suitable for younger men dreaming of older women only. It’s not. The seemingly simple tale of flirtation in fact, a striking allegory for perseverance, boldness, freedom, and adventure that most audiences will appreciate.MILFalso serves asan elegant nature film that celebrates the beauty of beaches and the ocean. Plus, there are a few nice jokes.
1‘You Hurt My Feelings’ (2023)
You Hurt My Feelings
You Hurt My Feelingstells us exactly what Beth (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), a memoirist and creative writing teacher, will feel. As she is working on her first novel, her husband, Don (Tobias Menzes), a struggling therapist, offers a glowing review of her manuscript. However, she later eavesdrops on him, telling her brother-in-law that the book is terrible. What are the consequences?
Examining the ‘Marriage vs Career’ Clash
Tobias Menzies tends to handle “bad marriage” plots quite well.Outlanderand many other films and shows are proof of this. He is also wonderful here, butLouis-Dreyfus is the true star, juggling optimism and disappointment with ease. Andif you are fond of movie arguments, this right here has some of the best ones. Overall,You Hurt My Feelingsis a heartbreaking, thought-provoking film with considerable insight and depth.
