Here Are the Must-Stream Movies Of May 2017
The days are getting longer, the air is getting warmer, and the movies at the multiplex are getting bigger-meaning it's an ideal time to head out to your local theater and catch some of Hollywood's most extravagant would-be blockbusters. Still, that doesn't mean that, should you choose to do the opposite, you won't have anything to keep you entertained at home. Our monthly rundown of the best movies debuting on the Internet's leading streaming services will point you in the right direction, no matter which genre you crave.
Streaming on Netflix:
Anvil: The Story of Anvil (May 1)
This outrageous 2008 rock documentary charts the efforts of Anvil-a former metal-band-on-the-rise, and a current metal-band-toiling-in-obscurity-to finally achieve their headlining dreams.
Don't Think Twice (May 1)
Comedian Mike Birbiglia earned critical raves for this 2016 comedic drama about the ups and downs experienced by members of a New York City improv troupe.
Forrest Gump (May 1)
Life is like a box of chocolates to Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump, a simpleton who stumbles his way through numerous key events in 20th century American history in Robert Zemeckis's Oscar-winning film.
Happy Feet (May 1)
Before George Miller made a triumphant return to action with Mad Max: Fury Road, he helmed this animated hit about a penguin who doesn't sing-like the rest of his chilly compatriots-but instead wants to dance.
In the Shadow of Iris (May 1 – Netflix Original)
An abduction of a banker's wife is the start of a surprising criminal case in this French import (a loose remake of Ring director Hideo Nakata's 2000 original) that's debuting exclusively on Netflix.
Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie (May 5 – Netflix Original)
Directed and co-written by star Jeff Garlin, this unassuming detective story concerns an L.A. sleuth whose crime-solving skills are matched by his inaptitude at keeping his own life in order.
Get Me Roger Stone (May 12 – Netflix Original)
Roger Stone is a political operative with a lust for outrageous clothes, the media spotlight, and lying, and this Netflix-exclusive doc details his rise to prominence-and his long-standing relationship with buddy Donald Trump.
Command and Control (May 15)
If you want to be scared silly about the precariousness of America's military arsenal, be sure to check out this riveting documentary thriller, about a 1980 incident that almost resulted in a nuclear nightmare.
Inglourious Basterds (May 22)
Quentin Tarantino's WWII saga is part revisionist history saga, part power-of-cinema celebration, all revolving around a band of Nazi-hunting soldiers led by Brad Pitt.
Southpaw (May 24)
Jake Gyllenhaal does his best Rocky Balboa impersonation in this Antoine Fuqua sports drama, about a boxer who falls low after a tragic loss, and then strives to rise back to the top of his sport-and, also, to reconnect with his child.
War Machine (May 26 – Netflix Original)
Brad Pitt is an army general in Afghanistan who finds himself taking heavy fire from all sides in this big-budget Netflix political satire from director David Michôd (Animal Kingdom), which co-stars Topher Grace, Anthony Michael Hall, Will Poulter, Tilda Swinton, and Ben Kingsley.
Doctor Strange (May 30)
Benedict Cumberbatch transforms from a skilled surgeon into Marvel's mighty sorcerer in this origin story hit from last year, which is best when bursting with kaleidoscopic visuals.
Masterminds (May 30)
Zach Galifianakis is a rube who's convinced by two criminals (Owen Wilson and Kristen Wiig) to pull off a daring heist in this willfully absurd based-on-real-events comedy from director Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite).
Premiering on Amazon Video:
A Christmas Story (May 1)
In case you can't wait for the 24-hour TV marathon broadcasts that occur annually each December, Bob Clark's enduring holiday classic is available right now courtesy of Amazon.
A View to a Kill, Dr. No, For Your Eyes Only, From Russia with Love, Goldeneye, License to Kill, Moonraker, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Thunderball, Tomorrow Never Dies. (May 1)
No matter which star is your favorite Bond, Amazon has you covered this month with a range of 007 titles.
Cabin Fever (May 1)
Eli Roth first made a horror-movie name for himself with this effective 2002 film about a group of twentysomethings whose vacation at a remote cabin is ruined by a flesh-eating virus that soon begins to consume them.
Cecil B. Demented (May 1)
Stephen Dorff is the leader of a terrorist outfit that kidnaps Melanie Griffith's movie star and forces her to headline its guerilla film in John Waters' Patricia Hearst-inspired black comedy.
Gone with the Wind (May 1)
Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh form an iconic romantic pair in Victor Fleming's legendary 1939 Civil War epic, which remains one of American cinema's most famous – and beloved – works.
Monkey Shines (May 1)
Night of the Living Dead auteur George A. Romero helmed this uneven but entertaining 1988 horror film, about a quadriplegic man who's given, as a therapeutic aid, an experimental monkey that turns out to have exceedingly lethal impulses.
Naked Gun 1-3 (May 1)
Leslie Nielsen's crowning cinematic achievement is the stupendously ridiculous Naked Sun series (based on his prior TV show Police Squad!), in which he stars as doofus L.A. detective Frank Drebin.
No Way Out (May 1)
Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman, and Sean Young headline this taut political thriller from director Roger Donaldson, about a navy lieutenant who's tasked with investigating-and then winds up as a suspect in-a murder case involving a former fling.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (May 1)
Desperate to get home for Thanksgiving, and yet plagued by numerous travel-related headaches, Steve Martin's executive pairs with John Candy's salesman to trek from New York to Chicago in John Hughes' 1987 comedy.
Sucker Punch (May 1)
Before he became the man behind DC Comics' big-budget movie universe, Zack Snyder helmed this original over-the-top spectacular about a mental patient (Emily Browning) who imagines herself battling through all manner of videogame and movie-inspired scenarios.
The Bad News Bears (May 1)
Walter Matthau is an outright riot as Morris Buttermaker, a drunken lout who winds up coaching a kid's little league baseball team, in Michael Ritchie's classic sports comedy.
The Doors (May 1)
Val Kilmer delivers a mesmerizingly over-the-top performance as The Doors' lizard-king frontman Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's trippy biopic.
Winter's Bone (May 1)
Jennifer Lawrence's big-screen breakthrough came in Debra Granik's 2010 indie, about a young girl in the Ozarks who goes in search of her father as a way to save her family from losing their home.
The Wizard of Oz (May 1)
If you need a plot description for this one, then you definitely need to watch it ASAP. If you don't, well, then feel free to revisit one of cinema's all-time greats.
A Fistful of Dollars (May 4)
Clint Eastwood first embodied his iconic Man with No Name in this, Sergio Leone's initial spaghetti Western triumph (1964), which is based on Akira Kurosawa's equally great Yojimbo.
Manchester by the Sea (May 5 – Amazon Original)
The recipient of the Best Actor (Casey Affleck) and Best Original Screenplay (Kenneth Lonergan) Oscars at this year's award show, this dark drama concerns a young man who, after the death of his brother, is compelled to care for his teenage nephew.
Jackie Brown (May 7)
Pam Grier headlines this all-star Quentin Tarantino crime saga (based on the novel Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard), which also features Samuel L. Jackson, Robert De Niro, Michael Keaton, Bridget Fonda, and Robert Forster.
Moonlight (May 21)
Winner of Best Picture at this year's Oscars, Barry Jenkins' heartfelt drama charts the maturation of gay African-American boy Chiron over the course of three important periods in his early life.
Debuting on iTunes:
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (May 2)
Director Paul W.S. Anderson sends Milla Jovovich's creature-slaying heroine Alice out with a bang in this, the final (or so they say) chapter in the long-running video game-based series.
xXx: The Return of Xander Cage (May 2)
Because spearheading one franchise about a team of multicultural badasses wasn't enough, Vin Diesel returns as extreme sports-loving super spy xXx-with a new crew that includes Donnie Yen and Ruby Rose-in this over-the-top action film.
The Autopsy of Jane Doe (May 2)
A young man's plans to walk away from his dad's coroner business are upended by the arrival of their latest subject-a corpse with some very mysterious characteristics-in this sturdy B-movie starring Emile Hirsch and Brian Cox.
I Am Not Your Negro (May 2)
Raoul Peck's documentary about the late writer James Baldwin – whose fiery prose about American racial dynamics during, and after, the Civil Rights movement is narrated by Samuel L. Jackson – was one of last year's best non-fiction films.
Get Out (May 9)
A young black man agrees to visit his white girlfriend's upstate NY family estate, only to learn that strange things are afoot in this seemingly hyper-tolerant enclave, in Jordan Peele's breakout horror hit.
The Lego Batman Movie (May 19)
Batman is the world's greatest crime fighter, but in this animated hit featuring the voice of Will Arnett as the Dark Knight, his arrogant bluster is merely a mask for his loneliness, which can only be alleviated by constructing a new family.
John Wick: Chapter 2 (May 23)
Keanu Reeves returns as the dapper gun-toting assassin in this thoroughly thrilling, high-octane sequel, which has his Wick fending off a raft of killer adversaries across the globe.
I Am Heath Ledger (May 23)
The life of the late actor-who died in January 2008, months before the release of The Dark Knight, for which he'd win a posthumous Oscar for his role as the Joker-is detailed in this intimate documentary.
Donald Cried (May 30)
A Manhattan banker returns to his Rhode Island hometown, where he's then endlessly pestered by his weirdo childhood friend, in this amusing squirm-inducing comedy from Kris Avedisian.
The days are getting longer, the air is getting warmer, and the movies at the multiplex are getting bigger-meaning it's an ideal time to head out to your local theater and catch some of Hollywood's most extravagant would-be blockbusters. Still, that doesn't mean that, should you choose to do the opposite, you won't have anything to keep you entertained at home. Our monthly rundown of the best movies debuting on the Internet's leading streaming services will point you in the right direction, no matter which genre you crave.
Streaming on Netflix:
Anvil: The Story of Anvil (May 1)
This outrageous 2008 rock documentary charts the efforts of Anvil-a former metal-band-on-the-rise, and a current metal-band-toiling-in-obscurity-to finally achieve their headlining dreams.
Don't Think Twice (May 1)
Comedian Mike Birbiglia earned critical raves for this 2016 comedic drama about the ups and downs experienced by members of a New York City improv troupe.
Forrest Gump (May 1)
Life is like a box of chocolates to Tom Hanks' Forrest Gump, a simpleton who stumbles his way through numerous key events in 20th century American history in Robert Zemeckis's Oscar-winning film.
Happy Feet (May 1)
Before George Miller made a triumphant return to action with Mad Max: Fury Road, he helmed this animated hit about a penguin who doesn't sing-like the rest of his chilly compatriots-but instead wants to dance.
In the Shadow of Iris (May 1 – Netflix Original)
An abduction of a banker's wife is the start of a surprising criminal case in this French import (a loose remake of Ring director Hideo Nakata's 2000 original) that's debuting exclusively on Netflix.
Handsome: A Netflix Mystery Movie (May 5 – Netflix Original)
Directed and co-written by star Jeff Garlin, this unassuming detective story concerns an L.A. sleuth whose crime-solving skills are matched by his inaptitude at keeping his own life in order.
Get Me Roger Stone (May 12 – Netflix Original)
Roger Stone is a political operative with a lust for outrageous clothes, the media spotlight, and lying, and this Netflix-exclusive doc details his rise to prominence-and his long-standing relationship with buddy Donald Trump.
Command and Control (May 15)
If you want to be scared silly about the precariousness of America's military arsenal, be sure to check out this riveting documentary thriller, about a 1980 incident that almost resulted in a nuclear nightmare.
Inglourious Basterds (May 22)
Quentin Tarantino's WWII saga is part revisionist history saga, part power-of-cinema celebration, all revolving around a band of Nazi-hunting soldiers led by Brad Pitt.
Southpaw (May 24)
Jake Gyllenhaal does his best Rocky Balboa impersonation in this Antoine Fuqua sports drama, about a boxer who falls low after a tragic loss, and then strives to rise back to the top of his sport-and, also, to reconnect with his child.
War Machine (May 26 – Netflix Original)
Brad Pitt is an army general in Afghanistan who finds himself taking heavy fire from all sides in this big-budget Netflix political satire from director David Michôd (Animal Kingdom), which co-stars Topher Grace, Anthony Michael Hall, Will Poulter, Tilda Swinton, and Ben Kingsley.
Doctor Strange (May 30)
Benedict Cumberbatch transforms from a skilled surgeon into Marvel's mighty sorcerer in this origin story hit from last year, which is best when bursting with kaleidoscopic visuals.
Masterminds (May 30)
Zach Galifianakis is a rube who's convinced by two criminals (Owen Wilson and Kristen Wiig) to pull off a daring heist in this willfully absurd based-on-real-events comedy from director Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite).
Premiering on Amazon Video:
A Christmas Story (May 1)
In case you can't wait for the 24-hour TV marathon broadcasts that occur annually each December, Bob Clark's enduring holiday classic is available right now courtesy of Amazon.
A View to a Kill, Dr. No, For Your Eyes Only, From Russia with Love, Goldeneye, License to Kill, Moonraker, On Her Majesty's Secret Service, Thunderball, Tomorrow Never Dies. (May 1)
No matter which star is your favorite Bond, Amazon has you covered this month with a range of 007 titles.
Cabin Fever (May 1)
Eli Roth first made a horror-movie name for himself with this effective 2002 film about a group of twentysomethings whose vacation at a remote cabin is ruined by a flesh-eating virus that soon begins to consume them.
Cecil B. Demented (May 1)
Stephen Dorff is the leader of a terrorist outfit that kidnaps Melanie Griffith's movie star and forces her to headline its guerilla film in John Waters' Patricia Hearst-inspired black comedy.
Gone with the Wind (May 1)
Clark Gable and Vivien Leigh form an iconic romantic pair in Victor Fleming's legendary 1939 Civil War epic, which remains one of American cinema's most famous – and beloved – works.
Monkey Shines (May 1)
Night of the Living Dead auteur George A. Romero helmed this uneven but entertaining 1988 horror film, about a quadriplegic man who's given, as a therapeutic aid, an experimental monkey that turns out to have exceedingly lethal impulses.
Naked Gun 1-3 (May 1)
Leslie Nielsen's crowning cinematic achievement is the stupendously ridiculous Naked Sun series (based on his prior TV show Police Squad!), in which he stars as doofus L.A. detective Frank Drebin.
No Way Out (May 1)
Kevin Costner, Gene Hackman, and Sean Young headline this taut political thriller from director Roger Donaldson, about a navy lieutenant who's tasked with investigating-and then winds up as a suspect in-a murder case involving a former fling.
Planes, Trains and Automobiles (May 1)
Desperate to get home for Thanksgiving, and yet plagued by numerous travel-related headaches, Steve Martin's executive pairs with John Candy's salesman to trek from New York to Chicago in John Hughes' 1987 comedy.
Sucker Punch (May 1)
Before he became the man behind DC Comics' big-budget movie universe, Zack Snyder helmed this original over-the-top spectacular about a mental patient (Emily Browning) who imagines herself battling through all manner of videogame and movie-inspired scenarios.
The Bad News Bears (May 1)
Walter Matthau is an outright riot as Morris Buttermaker, a drunken lout who winds up coaching a kid's little league baseball team, in Michael Ritchie's classic sports comedy.
The Doors (May 1)
Val Kilmer delivers a mesmerizingly over-the-top performance as The Doors' lizard-king frontman Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's trippy biopic.
Winter's Bone (May 1)
Jennifer Lawrence's big-screen breakthrough came in Debra Granik's 2010 indie, about a young girl in the Ozarks who goes in search of her father as a way to save her family from losing their home.
The Wizard of Oz (May 1)
If you need a plot description for this one, then you definitely need to watch it ASAP. If you don't, well, then feel free to revisit one of cinema's all-time greats.
A Fistful of Dollars (May 4)
Clint Eastwood first embodied his iconic Man with No Name in this, Sergio Leone's initial spaghetti Western triumph (1964), which is based on Akira Kurosawa's equally great Yojimbo.
Manchester by the Sea (May 5 – Amazon Original)
The recipient of the Best Actor (Casey Affleck) and Best Original Screenplay (Kenneth Lonergan) Oscars at this year's award show, this dark drama concerns a young man who, after the death of his brother, is compelled to care for his teenage nephew.
Jackie Brown (May 7)
Pam Grier headlines this all-star Quentin Tarantino crime saga (based on the novel Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard), which also features Samuel L. Jackson, Robert De Niro, Michael Keaton, Bridget Fonda, and Robert Forster.
Moonlight (May 21)
Winner of Best Picture at this year's Oscars, Barry Jenkins' heartfelt drama charts the maturation of gay African-American boy Chiron over the course of three important periods in his early life.
Debuting on iTunes:
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (May 2)
Director Paul W.S. Anderson sends Milla Jovovich's creature-slaying heroine Alice out with a bang in this, the final (or so they say) chapter in the long-running video game-based series.
xXx: The Return of Xander Cage (May 2)
Because spearheading one franchise about a team of multicultural badasses wasn't enough, Vin Diesel returns as extreme sports-loving super spy xXx-with a new crew that includes Donnie Yen and Ruby Rose-in this over-the-top action film.
The Autopsy of Jane Doe (May 2)
A young man's plans to walk away from his dad's coroner business are upended by the arrival of their latest subject-a corpse with some very mysterious characteristics-in this sturdy B-movie starring Emile Hirsch and Brian Cox.
I Am Not Your Negro (May 2)
Raoul Peck's documentary about the late writer James Baldwin – whose fiery prose about American racial dynamics during, and after, the Civil Rights movement is narrated by Samuel L. Jackson – was one of last year's best non-fiction films.
Get Out (May 9)
A young black man agrees to visit his white girlfriend's upstate NY family estate, only to learn that strange things are afoot in this seemingly hyper-tolerant enclave, in Jordan Peele's breakout horror hit.
The Lego Batman Movie (May 19)
Batman is the world's greatest crime fighter, but in this animated hit featuring the voice of Will Arnett as the Dark Knight, his arrogant bluster is merely a mask for his loneliness, which can only be alleviated by constructing a new family.
John Wick: Chapter 2 (May 23)
Keanu Reeves returns as the dapper gun-toting assassin in this thoroughly thrilling, high-octane sequel, which has his Wick fending off a raft of killer adversaries across the globe.
I Am Heath Ledger (May 23)
The life of the late actor-who died in January 2008, months before the release of The Dark Knight, for which he'd win a posthumous Oscar for his role as the Joker-is detailed in this intimate documentary.
Donald Cried (May 30)
A Manhattan banker returns to his Rhode Island hometown, where he's then endlessly pestered by his weirdo childhood friend, in this amusing squirm-inducing comedy from Kris Avedisian.
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