An underrated Paul Walker thriller and Red and Kitty head to the 90s: This week’s best and biggest on Netflix

Check out Jordan Parker's 'The week's best and biggest on Netflix' every Friday on CityNews Halifax.

Joy Ride

This film came out in my teen years and almost immediately became a favourite. It’s endured as a little gem in my life ever since.

It follows a love-struck man and his jailbird brother as they head on a road trip from Colorado to New Jersey to pick up the former’s love interest.

But a prank they pull on a trucker using their CB radio goes awry, and they soon become the target of the man after their misdeed.

Director John Dahl – known for The Last Seduction and Rounders – makes one of the most thrilling, high-octane, and underrated films of the 2000s.

Co-written by Star Trek reboot filmmaker J.J. Abrams, it features Steve Zahn, Paul Walker, and Leelee Sobieski in interesting turns.

It’s a highly entertaining film and one you have to tune in for.

4/5 Stars

Freaky

One of the best genre mash-ups in recent times, this body-swapping flick was an absolute delight.

Co-writer and director Christopher Landon – responsible for Happy Death Day and its sequel – blends comedy and horror perfectly here.

After a teenage girl miraculously swaps bodies with a middle-aged serial killer, she realizes she has less than a day to change things back before it becomes permanent.

Vince Vaughn gives his best comedic performance since 2005’s Wedding Crashers, and shows us exactly why he was such a sought-after presence for decades.

Kathryn Newton – known for Big Little Lies and Blockers – gives an unhinged turn as a pint-sized serial killer, and it was just the perfect amount of camp.

It’s one of those movies you probably missed during the pandemic that you’ve got to catch up on now.

4/5 Stars

Don’t Say A Word

I can’t sit here and tell you this is a cinematic masterpiece, but there are moments that have stayed with me for 20 years.

Director Gary Fleder – who did Runaway Jury and Things To Do In Denver When You’re Dead – creates a twisty little thriller.

A psychiatrist is trapped in a game of cat-and-mouse after his daughter is kidnapped. He’s tasked by the abductor to get a secret code out of a young woman in a psychiatric institution.

Perhaps the most memorable part of the film is the performances – Michael Douglas is formidable in the film, Sean Bean is a perfect villain, and Brittany Murphy gives a career performance.

Come for the intriguing story, but I guarantee you’ll be impressed by Brittany Murphy, a star taken from us too soon.

4/5 Stars

The Change-Up

In the midst of Green Lantern and career difficulties, Ryan Reynolds comedy The Change-Up got lost in an unfortunate shuffle.

Reynolds and Jason Bateman team in this raunchy, hilarious comedy about a single bachelor and a married family man who switch bodies at an inopportune time for both.

Yes, this is the second body-swapping movie on the list, and they’re equally worth your time. Reynolds’ character has a gaggle of beautiful women in his repertoire, and a job as an actor. Bateman’s is an executive with a wife and three kids.

Watching these two hilarious actors switch things up is absolutely hilarious, and they’re joined by the very game Olivia Wilde, Leslie Mann, and Alan Arkin.

Directed by Wedding Crashers helmer David Dobkin, it’s a fun ride, even if it isn’t particularly memorable.

3.5/5 Stars

That ‘90s Show

I caught the first three episodes of this in preview screenings, and I was hit by an incredible wave of nostalgia.

A sequel to That ‘70s Show, this takes place in 1995, and Leia Forman – child of Donna and Eric – decides to spend the summer with her grandparents in Point Place.

Red and Kitty were the heart and soul of the original show, and it’s so nice to see this show centred around them.

Kurtwood Smith and Debra Jo Rupp provide a solid foundation as we introduce new characters, and young actors Callie Haverda, Ashley Aufderheide, Mace Coronel, Sam Morelos, Maxwell Acee Donovan and especially Reyn Doi make a wonderful new group.

With some really fun cameos and a ton of tie-ins to the show we know and love, this one has promise, even if it may still have to find some footing.

3.5/5 Stars