scorecardThe 18 best movies coming to Netflix in May
  1. Home
  2. entertainment
  3. news
  4. The 18 best movies coming to Netflix in May

The 18 best movies coming to Netflix in May

Jason Guerrasio   

The 18 best movies coming to Netflix in May
Jennifer Lopez in "The Mother."Netflix
  • Check out the best movies on Netflix this month.
  • The streamer will have classics like the "Austin Powers" trilogy and "Pitch Perfect."

"Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" (May 1)

"Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery" (May 1)
Mike Myers in "Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery."      YouTube/Screenshot

Sit back and enjoy Mike Myers' memorable character Austin Powers in this memorable love letter to the spy genre of the 1960s.

The comedy led to an unlikely hit trilogy with sequels "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me," and "Austin Powers in Goldmember." All three are available now on Netflix.

"Black Hawk Down" (May 1)

"Black Hawk Down" (May 1)
Josh Hartnett in "Black Hawk Down."      YouTube screenshot

This gritty war movie depicts a US Black Hawk helicopter that goes down in enemy territory during a raid in Mogadishu in 1993. We watch the heroic rescue mission to save the survivors.

The movie stars Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Eric Bana, Tom Sizemore, Orlando Bloom, Tom Hardy, and Sam Shepard.

"The Cable Guy" (May 1)

"The Cable Guy" (May 1)
(L-R) Matthew Broderick and Jim Carrey in "The Cable Guy."      Sony

Ben Stiller's dark comedy stars Jim Carrey as an unusual cable-repair man who becomes desperate for the friendship of one of his customers, played by Matthew Broderick.

Though the movie received mixed reviews when it opened in theaters, it's since gained a cult following thanks to Carrey's over-the-top performance.

"Captain Phillips" (May 1)

"Captain Phillips" (May 1)
Tom Hanks in "Captain Phillips."      Sony Pictures Releasing

Tom Hanks delivers a powerful performance in this true story that chronicles the first American ship to be hijacked in 200 years.

"Cliffhanger" (May 1)

"Cliffhanger" (May 1)
Sylvester Stallone in "Cliffhanger."      TriStar Pictures

If you're looking for a good action movie to watch this month, you can't go wrong with this Sylvester Stallone classic.

In it, he plays a mountain climber who is suddenly entangled in a heist when a friend (Michael Rooker) is forced to help retrieve packages of cash that are stuck in the Colorado Rockies.

John Lithgow is great as the movie's villain.

"Flight" (May 1)

"Flight" (May 1)
Denzel Washington in "Flight."      Paramount Pictures

Denzel Washington received an Oscar nomination for his powerful performance as a skilled pilot who saves all the passengers when his plane malfunctions — but it's later revealed he was intoxicated while doing it.

Things spiral out of control when his addiction grows in the midst of his hero public profile.

"Girl, Interrupted" (May 1)

"Girl, Interrupted" (May 1)
(L-R) Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie in "Girl, Interrupted."      Columbia Pictures

With a powerful ensemble cast made up of Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie, Clea DuVall, Britanny Murphy, Elizabeth Moss, Jared Leto, and Whoopi Goldberg, we follow Susanna (Ryder) during her stay in a mental hospital during the tumultuous late 1960s.

"Kindergarten Cop" (May 1)

"Kindergarten Cop" (May 1)
Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Kindergarten Cop."      Universal

Arnold Schwarzenegger played against type in this movie and delivered a hilarious comedic performance as a rugged cop who must go undercover as a kindergarten teacher to catch a dangerous criminal.

"Last Action Hero" (May 1)

"Last Action Hero" (May 1)
Arnold Schwarzenegger in "Last Action Hero."      Sony

This Schwarzenegger movie was a big box-office bust when it opened in 1993, but it's one of the most unique action movies in the star's filmography.

It boasts over-the-top action and loads of jokes pegged to the genre, Hollywood, and Schwarzenegger.

"Legends of the Fall" (May 1)

"Legends of the Fall" (May 1)
(L-R) Henry Thomas, Brad Pitt, and Aidan Quinn in "Legends of the Fall."      "Legends of the Fall"/Sony Pictures Entertainment

Set in 1900s Montana, this drama looks at a family that is crippled to its core due to love, war, and betrayal.

Brad Pitt, Aidan Quinn, Henry Thomas, Anthony Hopkins, and Julia Ormond all give fantastic performances.

"Léon: The Professional" (May 1)

"Léon: The Professional" (May 1)
Natalie Portman in "Léon: The Professional."      Gaumont

Director Luc Besson delivers this stylish thriller starring Jean Reno as a disciplined assassin living in New York City who decides to take in a young girl (Natalie Portman) after her family is murdered.

"Paranormal Activity" (May 1)

"Paranormal Activity" (May 1)
Oren Peli's "Paranormal Activity."      Blumhouse

First-time filmmaker Oren Peli delivers one of the best found-footage movies ever made with this low-budget horror movie in which a couple is tormented by an evil spirit.

"Pitch Perfect" (May 1)

"Pitch Perfect" (May 1)
Anna Kendrick in "Pitch Perfect."      Universal

This college comedy is set in the world of a cappella and follows a group of incoming students as they make an all-female group and then try to gain respect in a music competition.

Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp, and Brittany Snow all give great performances.

"Traffic" (May 1)

"Traffic" (May 1)
Benicio Del Toro in "Traffic."      USA Films

Winner of four Oscars, including best director for Steven Soderbergh, we are thrust into the war on drugs by looking at the different perspectives of how it travels from the dealers to those addicted.

The great ensemble includes Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Don Cheadle, and Benicio Del Toro, who also won an Oscar.

"A Man Called Otto" (May 6)

"A Man Called Otto" (May 6)
Tom Hanks in "A Man Called Otto."      Sony

Hanks hits the list again. This time in his latest movie where he plays a grumpy man who turns soft when a young family moves in nearby.

"The Mother" (May 12)

"The Mother" (May 12)
Jennifer Lopez in "The Mother."      Netflix

In this Netflix original, Jennifer Lopez plays an assassin in hiding who must come out to protect her daughter.

"Anna Nicole Smith: You Don't Know Me" (May 16)

"Anna Nicole Smith: You Don
Anna Nicole Smith.      Kypros/Getty Images

This documentary recounts the life of the Playboy playmate whose life was sadly cut short due to the horrors of fame at the age of 39.

"The Boss Baby" (May 22)

"The Boss Baby" (May 22)
"The Boss Baby."      20th Century Fox

This hit animated movie looks at a boy's life that's turned upside down when he gets a baby brother — but not just any baby brother, a suit-wearing boss baby.

Advertisement