Netflix’s relentless drive to become a streaming service reliant on no other broadcast partners is continuing apace.
In 2022, the streaming giant will be debuting a brand new movie every week. Already available to watch are The Adam Project, he Ryan Reynolds-led family adventure; Against The Ice, a bleak frosty thriller; and Windfall, a twisty home-invasion drama.
And among the big-name releases lined up are Knives Out 2, the sequel to the hugely successful detective drama; The Gray Man, a starry spy thriller with Ryan Gosling, Ana De Armas and Chris Evans; and Spiderhead, a dystopian thriller led by Chris Hemsworth and Miles Teller.
That said, even with the immersive and sizable array of its own movies, Netflix is still reliant on other providers for the majority of its movies, with a large selection leaving Netflix at the end of every month.
We will always keep you up to date on what’s coming to Netflix and what’s leaving Netflix. Right now, we want to make sure you don’t miss out on some top-quality movies before they skip the platform at the end of April.
Moneyball
This hit 2011 drama is billed as a sports movie, but even if you don’t have the slightest interest in sport, let alone baseball, then there’s still an awful lot to love about Moneyball.
The film tells the real-life story of baseball team the Oakland Athletics, the poorest team in Major League Baseball, and their general manager Billy Beane. Beane decides to assemble a new team on a lean budget by employing computer-generated analysis to acquire new players. While the strategy eventually proves successful, it is done so in the face of intense opposition from staff at the club, players, pundits and fans. Beane has to fight every step of the way.
Featuring a script from Aaron Sorkin and a cast that includes Brad Pitt, Robin Wright, Jonah Hill and Chris Pratt, the film isn’t so much a sports movie as a classic man fighting the system drama.
Nominated for six Oscars, it’s a gripping drama that exists on a level way beyond just sport.
When is it leaving Netflix?
April 30
Snatch
Along with Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, this classic gangster romp remains Guy Ritchie’s finest work, with a hilarious script, a twisty plot and a madcap spirit that is sadly lacking from much of his later work.
After scraping together the cash to make Lock, Stock, Ritchie had a major studio backing him for Snatch and he was able to assemble a stellar cast that includes Brad Pitt and Benicio Del Toro. Still, Snatch shares Lock, Stock’s spirit and quip-heavy script for a tremendously fun watch.
The film follows unscrupulous boxing promoters, violent bookmakers, Russian gangsters, incompetent robbers and dodgy jewelers - all fighting to track down a priceless stolen diamond amid a hail of bullets and an awful lot of double-crossing.
It’s a touch dated 22 years after release, but the film is still well worth revisiting before it leaves Netflix.
When is it leaving Netflix?
April 30
The Town
Ben Affleck directs and stars in this lean, brutal adaptation of Chuck Hogan’s novel, Prince Of Thieves.
Affleck plays Douglas "Doug" MacRay, the leader of a seasoned group of bank robbers, who take down a Boston bank and hold Claire, the assistant manager, hostage.
Claire is eventually released unharmed, but Doug decides to follow her to find out how much she has told the police and ensure that Jem, a trigger-happy member of his crew, does not eliminate her as a witness. Things then get complicated when the pair begin a relationship, leaving Doug with one almighty dilemma…
Affleck’s direction is stylish and he commands an all-star cast that also includes Rebecca Hall, Jeremy Renner, Jon Hamm, Blake Lively, Titus Welliver, and a final performance from British actor Pete Postlethwaite.
Make sure you catch it before it skips Netflix.
When is it leaving Netflix?
April 30
About Time
Richard Curtis’ gift for charming romantic comedies is one of a kind and that gift is on full display here in this time-travel extravaganza.
The movie stars Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy, Tom Hollander and Margot Robbie, but is largely focused on Gleeson’s Tim and his father, Nighy’s James. On his 21st birthday, Tim learns from his father that the men of his family have the secret ability to travel back in time to moments they have lived before. Tim decides to use this ability to find himself a girlfriend and pursues McAdams’ Mary, with the ability allowing him multiple chances at winning her heart. However, as the pair grow older, Tim realizes that unpicking the past gets more complicated each and every time.
Made with Curtis’ big-hearted warmth, the film is both eccentric and moving and well worth a watch.
When is it leaving Netflix?
April 15
The Shawshank Redemption
An all-time classic that’s constantly at the top of lists of the greatest movies ever made. If you haven’t seen The Shawshank Redemption, you need to correct that immediately.
Based on Stephen King’s novella, the film is led by Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins. Robbins plays Andy Dufresne, a banker who is sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murders of his wife and her lover, despite his claims of innocence. Inside, he befriends a fellow prisoner, Freeman's contraband smuggler Ellis "Red" Redding, and the pair become firm friends.
The film follows Dufresne’s time in prison, as his skills as a banker become invaluable to the prison’s warden, the scheming Samuel Norton. The pair form a partnership that ultimately forces Dufresne to make a drastic decision.
A meaty drama running at just under two and a half hours, this film will require a long evening. But with brilliant performances, particularly from Robbins and Freeman, glorious cinematography from Roger Deakins, and an elegant script from writer/director Frank Darabont, it’s absolutely worth a watch, or rewatch, before it skips off from Netflix.
When is it leaving Netflix?
April 30
