In the mood for a fun sequel involving one of pop culture’s most iconic villains? Well, don’t watch Joker: Folie a Deux then. The Todd Phillips follow-up to his massively successful 2019 film Joker has been receiving awful reviews and negative audience scores … and it just came out!
For those who prefer their movies to be at least entertaining, then you’ve come to the right place. This list offers three underrated movies that we guarantee are better than that Joker sequel. All you need is two hours of free time and a Netflix subscription.
Need more recommendations? Then check out the best new movies to stream this week, as well as the best shows on Netflix, best shows on Hulu, best shows on Amazon Prime Video, and best shows on Disney+.
Troy (2004)
Excited for Gladiator 2 but can’t wait two months to see sweaty men in sandals battle on land and sea? Well, relax, Netflix is streaming Troy, which has enough epic movie testosterone to go around. The film boasts an all-star cast headed by Brad Pitt and that also features Orlando Bloom, Eric Bana, Diane Kruger, Brian Cox, Brendan Gleeson, Sean Bean, Julie Christie, and Peter O’Toole. It also has fierce battles, tender love scenes, and, yes, a giant fake horse.
The film is a loose retelling of Homer’s epic poem The Iliad, which depicts the Trojan War, the romance of Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, by Paris, the invasion of Troy, and the fall of heroes Achilles and Hector. At 163 minutes, Troy sometimes wears out its welcome sometimes, but the battle scenes are truly breathtaking and Pitt, as the bronzed human hero Achilles, has never looked better. He gives Kruger’s Helen a run for her money, and that’s saying something.
Troy is streaming on Netflix.
EuroTrip (2004)
For those of a certain generation, the words “Scotty doesn’t know” have a special meaning. For those who don’t know, those infamous three words are uttered, and sung, in EuroTrip, a raunchy, totally classless comedy that may make you feel guilty for watching it. But it’s fun, lightweight, and often stupidly funny, and it perfectly captures the youth culture of the early 2000s, which now seems as ancient as the Victorian Age.
In EuroTrip, recent high school graduate Scotty doesn’t know his girlfriend is cheating on him … until he hears about it in a popular song. Despondent, he turns to his German pen pal Mieke, and quickly decides to fly to Germany to meet her in person. Alongside his friends Cooper, Jenny, and Jamie, Scotty must navigate unexpected obstacles like a sex club dominatrix, strong pot brownies, lascivious Italians, and other odd continental offerings to find what he thinks is his true love.
EuroTrip is streaming on Netflix.
Wimbledon (2004)
Tennis season may be just about over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t watch movies about the entertaining sport. The 2024 Zendaya drama Challengers is arguably the best movie about tennis, but if you’re craving something lighter and sweeter, then Wimbledon is just the ticket. The rom-com benefits from having two charismatic leads, Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany, and a glossy look and feel that’s appealing to tennis fans and neophytes alike.
Peter Colt’s tennis career is almost over. Aged out and eclipsed by younger, brasher opponents, he believes the upcoming Wimbledon tennis tournament is his last shot at Grand Slam glory. But to win, he needs something extra, and that Lizzie Bradbury, a rising tennis star on the women’s tour, may be the person to give it to him. Will their burgeoning romance come in the way of their dreams of winning it all? You’re just going to have to watch Wimbledon to find out.
Wimbledon is streaming on Netflix.