I'm scouring the Netflix top 10 every weekend, so I can say more confidently than most that a lot of crap movies make the ranking. When you’re hunting for something to watch, sometimes the most buzzworthy movies are the ones that disappoint most.
Some of the best movies hiding in the streamer’s library are the ones flying under the radar, and I’ve got three thrillers worth your time that deserve a lot more attention than they’re getting right now. Whether you’re in the mood for a chilling game of cat and mouse with a serial killer a la "Red Dragon," Jake Gyllenhaal acting his ass off and spiraling out of control in "Nightcrawler," or an unhinged creature feature that's better than it has any right to be (more on that hear-me-out below), these movies deliver.
These three very different kinds of thrillers are well worth your time, and none of them needs a spot in Netflix’s top 10 to earn a place on your watchlist tonight.
'Red Dragon' (2002)
Anytime I get a chance to plug the Hannibal series for work, you can bet your ass I'm taking it. Sure, it's no "The Silence of the Lambs," but "Red Dragon" doesn't get enough flowers for Anthony Hopkins and Edward Norton's killer chemistry and performances. Based on Harris’ novel of the same name, this prequel steps back to the infamous cannibal's first years in jail after FBI profiler Will Graham (Edward Norton) brought him to justice.
Putting Hannibal behind bars nearly cost him his life, and his peaceful retirement is broken when a new serial killer called the Tooth Fairy starts running amok. When the trail goes cold, Will turns to the good ol' doctor for help, which naturally comes at a price. Quid pro quo and whatnot. If you liked this one, please know that the phenomenal "Hannibal" TV show with Mads Mikkelsen is also on Netflix, and it treads a lot of the same territory with some gorgeously gorey shots I still talk about now, a decade after it wrapped.
Watch "Red Dragon" on Netflix now
'Nightcrawler' (2014)
One of Jake Gyllenhaal's most criminally underrated films, "Nightcrawler" is a neo-noir thriller that's surprisingly thought-provoking and positively oozing with style. Gyllenhaal stars as Lou, a down-on-his-luck amateur cameraman who rises to the top filming violent accidents before anyone else can. The more grisly the footage, the more news stations will pay for it.
Lou quickly finds his footing, prowling the streets of Los Angeles after dark to suss out increasingly violent and disturbing stories. Simply put, this is Gyllenhaal’s finest performance, and the fact that the Academy overlooked him for an Oscar nomination remains a crime in itself. At least writer-director Dan Gilroy earned a nod for his razor-sharp screenplay. Lou is a deeply flawed character, and his spiral out of control will stick with you long after the credits roll. Netflix says the last day to watch it is Halloween, so hit play before "Nightcrawler" hops to another streamer!
Watch "Nightcrawler" on Netflix now
'Cocaine Bear' (2023)
What is Cocaine Bear about? Dude, it's exactly what it says on the tin. A bear tweaked out of its gourd tears through anything and everything after getting into a drug dealer's stash in the woods. It's inspired by a stranger-than-fiction news story from the '80s, and honestly is better than it has any right to be.
An entertaining hodgepodge of over-the-top violence and dark humor, it doesn't ever taking itself too seriously, and I think that's why it works. In our review, we said: "The best compliment I can give Cocaine Bear is that it feels imbued with some of the Wet Hot American Summer energy, which makes sense when Elizabeth Banks directed it." For a solid B-movie that's great to laugh at, you can't do much better than Cocaine Bear.
Watch "Cocaine Bear" on Netflix now