Skip to main content

Don’t let these 3 May 2024 hidden streaming movie gems fly under your radar

A woman rides a bike in Notes on a Scandal.
Searchlight Pictures

May is the last month of spring before the summer season officially kicks in. It’s also the month when many countries celebrate Mother’s Day, a special holiday for you to tell the woman who gave you life how much you love her and how sorry you are for everything you’ve ever done that’s made her cry.

To celebrate this remarkable month, you might want to check out these underrated streaming gems that will go hand in hand with the vibe of these 31 days. From movies about self-sacrificing mothers to movies about actresses mothering to even a few featuring women who should’ve never been mothers, these underappreciated efforts are among the best movies on Netflix, Amazon, and other services, not to mention perfect options to watch throughout the month.

Recommended Videos

Tully (2018)

Charlize Theron as a pregnant Marlo sitting on a chair and looking intently at someone off-camera in Tully.
Image via Focus Features

The partnership between director Jason Reitman and Oscar winners Charlize Theron and Diablo Cody produced two of the best dramedies from the 2010s. The best is 2018’s Tully, which sees Theron as Marlo, an overworked mother of two pregnant with an unplanned third child. To ease the hardship, her brother hires a nighttime nanny, Tully (Mackenzie Davis), and the two women bond over time.

Tully is a poignant, clever, and remarkably insightful look at the stresses of motherhood. The film depicts the difficulties that come with being a mother, and is unafraid to portray the joys and low points of the experience with earnest wit. It never demonizes nor simplifies the experience, and instead offers a new take through humor and honesty. At the center of it all is an outstanding Theron, who brings genuine depth, vulnerability, and reliability to the role. Tully is among the best comedies on Netflix right now, a tender depiction of parenthood that is as revealing as it is heartwarming.

Tully is available to stream on Netflix.

Stella Dallas (1937)

Barbara Stanwyck as Stella Dallas pulling her hair up in Stella Dallas.
Image via United Artists

The mighty Barbara Stanwyck plays cinema’s most self-sacrificing mother in the 1937 melodrama Stella Dallas. Based on the 1923 novel and directed by King Vidor, Stella Dallas follows the titular character, a working-class woman who marries a wealthy man and has a baby, Laurel; however, the couple soon separates, leaving Stella to care for their daughter. As Laurel grows, Stella begins to realize just how far she’ll go to ensure her daughter’s happiness.

Stella Dallas is an ode to selfless maternal love. Its ideas about what said love should entail are ridiculously outdated, which does hurt its premise a bit. Stanwyck is simply too good in the role, making up for the movie’s old-fashioned tropes and considerably elevating the material. Thus, what remains is a classic melodrama about a woman’s drive to succeed and her unflinching devotion to her daughter, who, contrary to other films with similar premises, is actually quite devoted to her mother. Come for the premise, stay for Stanwyck’s all-timer of a performance.

Stella Dallas is available to stream on Pluto TV.

co-dependency(2006)

Barbara holding Sheba by the collar in Notes on a Scandal.
Image via Fox Searchlight Pictures

If you want to talk about mothers, you talk about Notes on a Scandal. Richard Eyre’s psychological drama stars Oscar winner Judi Dench as Barbara Covett, a solitary and bitter history teacher who develops a friendship with the new art instructor Sheba Hart (Cate Blanchett). As Barbara’s behavior becomes increasingly obsessive, she discovers Sheba’s sexual relationship with one of her 15-year-old students, turning their already complicated dynamic into one of blackmail and psychological codependency.

Dench and Blanchett are at the top of their game in this wicked drama, delivering Oscar-worthy performances and crafting a unique bond that is as unsettling as it’s mesmerizing. The two have a mother-off for the ages, devouring the screen and their co-stars with delightfully deranged gusto. Part adult drama, part psycho-biddy thriller, Notes on a Scandal is largely meant to be a showcase of its talented leads, and it passes with flying colors. It’s one of the best movies on Max right now and a must-watch for any self-respecting movie fan.

Notes on a Scandal is available to stream on Max.

David Caballero
David is a Mexican freelance writer with a deep appreciation for words. After three years in the cold world of Marketing…
10 great horror movies to stream on Netflix this Halloween
Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman in "The Babadook."

Halloween has arrived once more, and people are looking to enjoy a scary movie or two to celebrate. As always, they can count on Netflix to provide a wide variety of horror films to binge-watch this season.

From thrilling slashers like Psycho and Scream to supernatural stories like The Babadook and Evil Dead Rise, there is virtually no shortage of exciting films for fans to scare themselves with this Halloween. Understandably, it may be hard to decide which films to watch, so here's a list of the best horror movies that audiences can stream on Netflix for the holiday.

Read more
3 great Disney+ movies to stream on Halloween 2024
three great disney plus movies to stream on halloween 2024 frankenweenie movie

If you're looking for some truly horrific films for Halloween, then Hulu is probably the Disney-owned streamer where you'll get the most chills. But for families and others who want a touch of horror that's a bit more kid-friendly, then Disney+ should be your streaming destination this Halloween.

Disney may not have a reputation for scares, but the animators have put together some delightfully spooky films over the last four decades that are perfect for this occasion. These are the three great Disney+ movies to stream on Halloween 2024.

Read more
The best hidden gems on Netflix right now
Tim Robinson and Sam Richardson in Detroiters.

Who has time to watch all of their favorite shows on Netflix? That's hard enough to pull off for even seasoned TV watchers. Inevitably, some great shows fall by the wayside because no single person can catch everything that Netflix puts out until someone invents a way for us to watch television while we sleep. Even then, it might still be too much TV.

The best hidden gems on Netflix are the shows off the beaten path that deserve more attention from the streaming audience. This month, Netflix's latest additions to our list include a short-lived Comedy Central sitcom called Detroiters, as well as The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox, which gives sports fans a chance to look back at the team that turned around Boston's fortunes after more than eight decades of failure.

Read more