5 award-winning Netflix movies to watch this weekend (May 8-10)
Award season may not be a year-round celebration, but that doesn’t mean your watch list cannot get in on the celebrations every day. Netflix’s catalog of award-winning films, shows, and documentaries gives you several options to pick from when you sit down for a cozy watch.
From Oscar winners to Golden Globe winners, these films from various decades have won awards for lead performances, editing, direction, and more. Here are five award-winning films you can stream on Netflix U.S. this weekend.
Steel Magnolias
Southern charm and cozy comfort
Steel Magnolias is the definition of a comfort movie and a nostalgic one if you grew up in the ’90s. Set in a small Louisiana town, the story kicks off with Annelle Dupuy, a beauty school graduate who is new to the town. She is hired by Truvy Jones to work in her home-based beauty salon. She quickly finds herself becoming a part of a group of women who spend their time at Truvy’s salon, where their daily conversations blossom into strong friendships.
The film sees a lot of Shelby Eatenton (Julia Roberts), a spirited young woman dealing with health issues, and her mother, M’Lynn, who constantly worries about the choices her daughter is making. As the years pass, the women stand by each other through the ups and downs of life.
The film’s cast is star-studded, with legends like Dolly Parton, Sally Field, and Julia Roberts. Roberts earned her first Oscar nomination for her role as Shelby, winning the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture.
Pretty Woman
A chance encounter that turns into something big
Pretty Woman is probably one of the most recognizable rom-com films ever made (and one of Julia Roberts’ most iconic roles), but what I enjoy most about it is how its rewatch value has held up, even decades later. The story follows Vivian Ward, a Hollywood Boulevard sex worker whose life changes after she meets wealthy businessman Edward Lewis. Their relationship begins as a business arrangement but evolves into something more as Edward hires Vivian to accompany him to social events during his stay in Los Angeles.
- Operating System
-
tvOS
- Resolution
-
4K
As the pair spend more time together, Vivian is introduced to a completely different world from her own, while Edward slowly starts reevaluating the isolated life he has built for himself. Slowly, their romance develops, but their worlds clash.
Pretty Woman earned Roberts an Oscar nomination for Best Actress. For her performance, she won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.
Borat
A mockumentary of chaos and spontaneity
Borat is a dark comedy that is a shocking but entertaining watch. The film follows Borat Sagdiyev, a fictional journalist from Kazakhstan played by Sacha Baron Cohen, who travels across the United States to make a documentary about American culture. Many of the people Borat encounters are not actors, which lends authenticity to the interactions and makes everything feel unpredictable. As the trip continues, chaos unfolds, with the mockumentary tipping over to outrageous territory at times.
Borat is definitely a controversial film, with audiences split on how far it stretches its limits beyond comedy. Despite the divisiveness, it went on to earn an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. For his lead performance, Cohen also won the Golden Globe for Best Actor – Musical or Comedy.
Hacksaw Ridge
A bloodless battle
Hacksaw Ridge is an epic biographical war drama and a film for the books. It follows Desmond Doss, a World War II combat medic who refused to carry a weapon because of his personal beliefs. You might expect a standard war movie going in, but the film spends a surprising amount of time painting Doss’s portrait before throwing him into the chaos of battle.
After facing ridicule and resistance during military training, he is eventually deployed to Okinawa, where he serves during the brutal Battle of Hacksaw Ridge. While soldiers around him are killed in massive numbers, Doss repeatedly risks his own life to rescue wounded men from the battlefield.
Hacksaw Ridge has been praised for its cinematography and intense performances, with Andrew Garfield receiving an Oscar nomination for his performance as Doss. The film also won two Academy Awards for Film Editing and Sound Mixing.
Green Book
An unlikely road trip, and a blossoming friendship
One of the best films in recent Hollywood history is this biographical comedy-drama. Green Book follows Tony Lip (Viggo Mortensen), a nightclub bouncer from the Bronx who takes a job driving acclaimed pianist Dr. Don Shirley (Mahershala Ali) during a concert tour through the Deep South in the 1960s. At first, the duo’s different personalities clash. As they set out on a road trip, the journey changes each man, going from one performance to another while using the Green Book—a real travel guide that helped Black Americans find safe hotels and restaurants during segregation.
When it comes to accolades, the film dominated its award season. Green Book was nominated for five awards at the 91st Academy Awards, winning Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Mahershala Ali. It also won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy, among several other awards.
More on Netflix
Netflix’s library has a lot to offer, with monthly refreshes helping you discover new titles for your streaming sessions. This May, Netflix is set to release a string of movies, shows, and documentaries that may pique your interest.
- Subscription with ads
-
Yes, $8/month
- Simultaneous streams
-
Two or four
Stream licensed and original programming with a monthly Netflix subscription.