Gone by Thursday: The best movies leaving Netflix this week

While there are daily drops of new material on Netflix, everything from crazy reality shows to classic rom-coms, there’s also a constant churn of content dropping off the global streaming service.

So although you might think a movie or TV show will be available to watch on there forever, the truth is that’s very much not the case, some only available for a few months at a time.

In order to assist those keen to get the most out of their subscription, and in order to help with your viewing priorities, Stuff to Watch has come up with a list of five fabulous movies that won’t be around for much longer.

Make sure you catch them while you can.

Atomic Blonde (2017)

Charlize Theron headlines this stylish action-thriller about a spy who has to find a list of double agents that is being smuggled into the West on the eve of the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989.

Based on Antony Johnston and Sam Hart’s 2012 graphic novel The Coldest City, John Wick stunt co-ordinator David Leitch’s directorial debut also features James McAvoy, John Goodman, Eddie Marsan and Sofia Boutella.

“In a victory for style over substance, it forces the instincts to follow the plot and care about the characters to surrender to its and Theron’s unrelenting cool,” wrote The London Evening Standard’s Matthew Norman.

Black Mass (2015)

Johnny Depp plays Whitey Bulger, the most infamous criminal in the history of South Boston, in this star-studded biopic.

The impressively assembled ensemble also includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Joel Edgerton and Kevin Bacon.

“Compelling and powerfully acted, with just enough wrinkles to avoid the ghosts of gangster movies past,” wrote Empire magazine’s Chris Hewitt.

Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain (2021)

Best-known for music documentaries like 20 Feet From Stardom, John Cash’s America and Brian Wilson: A Beach Boy’s Tale, Morgan Neville turns his attention to the life and career of the much-loved – and troubled – chef, author and TV star.

Features a mix of archival footage and new interviews with Bourdain’s friends, family and co-workers.

“The film-makers have done a terrific job here trawling through episodes [of Bourdain’s TV shows], stitching together footage to create a portrait of a man who went out in the world with open eyes, hungry for encounters and meaning,” wrote The Guardian’s Cath Clarke.

Split (2017)

While the central girls-in-peril (including Anya Taylor-Joy) conceit might have seemed a little over familiar, Shyamalan manages to overcome any sense of déjà vu thanks to the ever-shifting narrative sands of his antagonist’s affliction and a stellar performance by James McAvoy.

Charming and menacing in equal measure, the Scotsman draws the audience into his fractured world and will have you either on the edge of the seat, or cowering behind it.

Troy (2004)

A great action director (Wolfgang Petersen) and a starry cast (that included Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Brian Cox and Orlando Bloom) should have turned Homer’s poem into a box-office busting epic.

Unfortunately, this solid effort’s fortunes suffered from a then battle-weary audience and hysteria created by the homoerotic subtext of Paris and Achilles’ relationship.

“There are breathtaking vistas, taut political intrigues, dangerous romantic liaisons and one of the greatest wardrobes ever assembled for a costume drama,” wrote New York Daily News’ Jack Mathews.