Netflix subscribers probably know how this works by now. Each month, Netflix adds a bunch of new movies and TV shows to its library, but at the same time, to make room (or, to be more specific, because licensing deals expire), a bunch of old favorites are concurrently removed.
Unsurprisingly, that same routine is playing out this month. Netflix’s April 2026 slate is full of new stuff to watch, but at the very end of the month, the streaming service will also wave goodbye to a sizeable handful of movies. But some of the movies leaving Netflix next week (the last day to watch is April 30) are very much worth your time.
Article continues below
You may like
‘12 Years a Slave’ (2013)
12 YEARS A SLAVE – Official Trailer (HD) – YouTube
Watch On
One of the strongest Best Picture winners of the 21st century, “12 Years a Slave” is a devastating historical drama that recounts the life of Solomon Northup, a free African-American in the 19th century, who was tricked by a conman and sold into slavery.
Chiwetel Ejiofor plays Northup, and watching his desperation at his ordeal is harrowing, but even more affecting is his resolution not to give in to despair. Lupita Nyong’o gives support as a fellow slave named Patsey, and she’s just as phenomenal. Heck, the whole cast is incredible, apart from perhaps a miscast Brad Pitt, with a phony Southern accent.
Based on Northup’s memoir of the same name, after being kidnapped and sold into slavery, Solomon Northup endures 12 years of bondage. Along the way, he encounters a cruel plantation owner (Michael Fassbender), receives unexpected kindness from another (Benedict Cumberbatch), and above all, he seeks to survive by whatever means necessary, in the hopes that he might be reunited with his family.
Watch “12 Years a Slave” on Netflix until April 30
‘Hell or High Water’ (2016)
HELL OR HIGH WATER – Official Trailer HD – YouTube
Watch On
Before building a “Yellowstone” empire, Taylor Sheridan wrote a trio of movies dubbed the “American Frontier Trilogy.” The trilogy comprises “Sicario,” “Wind River” and “Hell or High Water.” These three movies are narratively unconnected, but each explores the modern American West, and each is an essential watch for anybody who enjoys a good thriller.
I could make a case for each being the strongest of the trilogy, which speaks to the consistent quality. “Hell or High Water” is perhaps the most overlooked of the three, so I urge you to give it a watch before it leaves Netflix. It’s helmed by director David Mackenzie, who is a real genre heavyweight, having also directed last year’s “Relay” and “Fuze.”
“Hell or High Water” centers on two brothers (Chris Pine and Ben Foster), who embark on a bank-robbing spree, which they believe is justified after a Texas bank threatens to foreclose on their land if a large debt isn’t settled. As their robbies continue, a veteran Texas Ranger (Jeff Bridges) attempts to stop them as his final act before retirement.
What to read next
Watch “Hell or High Water” on Netflix until April 30
‘Jaws’ (1975)
Jaws Official Trailer #1 – Richard Dreyfuss, Steven Spielberg Movie (1975) HD – YouTube
Watch On
There’s a part of me that is tempted to present this pick without any further explanation. Do I really need to explain why you should make time to stream “Jaws”? We’re talking about one of the most acclaimed, celebrated, and influential movies in the history of cinema. Steven Spielberg’s genre-defining shark thriller movie needs no explanation.
OK, so if you somehow have missed the boat on “Jaws.” It’s a cinematic icon for so many reasons. It basically built the blockbuster industry as we know it, it coined the term, and “Jaws” became the highest-grossing movie ever at the time. It’s a masterpiece in sound, editing, storytelling, and tension. Plus, it made an entire generation of moviegoers afraid to leave the safety of the beach, fearing what was lurking in the water.
Starring Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw and Richard Dreyfuss, it sees a quiet New England resort town terrorized by a man-eating great white shark. Soon, a plucky trio, comprised of a police chief, a marine biologist, and a shark hunter, set off to hunt the predator and save the town.
Watch “Jaws” on Netflix until April 30
‘Whiplash’ (2014)
WHIPLASH | 10th Anniversary Rerelease Official Trailer (2024) – YouTube
Watch On
One of my favorite movies of the 2010s, “Whiplash” is a breathless and highly intense exploration of obsession and power dynamics. You have Miles Teller as an everyman protagonist, but the real star of the show is J.K. Simmons, as an ensemble instructor who doesn’t just expect perfection from his students; he refuses to accept anything less.
These two clash in some of the most memorable movie scenes of the decade, and with writer/director Damien Chazelle drawing on his own high school jazz band experience, there’s an authenticity to “Whiplash” that makes every crash of the cymbals hit even harder. The stakes might technically be low, but there’s more tension here than in most universe-saving flicks. Plus, the finale is spectacular. I could rewatch it on a loop.
Andrew Neiman (Teller) is an ambitious jazz drummer invited to participate in the most prestigious ensemble at his New York music conservatory. Overseen by the ruthless Terence Fletcher (Simmons), Andrew is pushed to the brink by his exacting teacher, and he becomes obsessed with being the best, even if that costs him his own sanity.
Watch “Whiplash” on Netflix until April 30
‘Train to Busan’ (2016)
Train to Busan Official Trailer 1 (2016) – Yoo Gong Movie – YouTube
Watch On
A decade later, “Train to Busan” is still one of the most exciting zombie movies I’ve ever seen. And I’m clearly not alone in that opinion. The movie holds a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes and has been cited as an influence across the zombie genre over the past decade.
There’s little time to catch your breath in “Train to Busan.” After a brisk bit of scene-setting, the zombie apocalypse begins, and the movie leans hard into the mayhem. From here until the end, it’s a desperate battle for survival against hordes of the undead. While its human element isn’t its strongest aspect, there is a compelling father-daughter character arc.
Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, it follows Seok-woo (Gong Yoo), a workaholic father who boards a bullet train with his estranged daughter traveling from Seoul to Busan. However, this journey soon proves treacherous when a zombie apocalypse breaks out, and Seok-woo and his fellow passengers struggle to find safety. But it’s not just the walking dead that is a threat now that society has gone to hell; the passengers also face dangers from within the train.
Watch “Train to Busan” on Netflix until April 30
Follow Tom’s Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Subscribe to Tom’s Guide on YouTube and follow Tom’s Guide Entertainment on TikTok.
More from Tom’s Guide