What’s leaving Netflix and other streaming services at the end of the month? Rocky, plus these other great movies you should watch before they’re gone.
We’re almost there, folks. October is right around the corner.
We celebrate horror year-round here at Polygon, but Halloween is a special time of year, and we’re excited to celebrate it with you. But first, some business: There are some great movies leaving streaming services at the end of September, and you should watch them before they’re gone.
You want a feel-good classic? Netflix has got you. What about a side-splitting comedy? Head on over to Prime. And Netflix, Max, and Hulu each have a modern classic for you… whether you’re looking for fast-paced medieval action or the unique voice of Wes Anderson.
Here are the best movies to watch before they leave streaming services at the end of September.Editor’s PickRocky
Year: 1976
Genre: Sports drama
Run time: 2h
Director: John G. Avildsen
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Carl Weathers
Leaving Netflix: Oct. 1
I hadn’t actually watched Rocky until recently. With the release of Creed III, I felt inspired to finally go back and experience the series’ origins.
After finally sitting down and watching it, I realized just how much of an unforced error my hesitation was. Rocky is one of the greatest sports movies I have ever seen, not for what it has to say about the sport of boxing itself, but for what it says about why the sport means anything to anyone at all. It’s a love letter to a downtrodden and disaffected working class of people who are too often overlooked and neglected by their own society.
Rocky is so much more than a “boxing movie.” It’s a story about how the American dream itself is inextricably the summation of every thwarted hope, missed opportunity, precarious mistake, and inevitable heartbreak that precedes it. It’s an unapologetically earnest story about the stubborn yet unassailable persistence of hope in the face of adversity, of choosing to believe in yourself when no one else will, save for those who stand closest to you in your darkest moments. It’s not just about boxing; it’s about the life-changing power of simply choosing to take your shot in this life. Question is: What shot are you gonna take? —Toussaint EganWatch on NetflixMiami Vice
Year: 2006
Genre: Crime thriller
Run time: 2h 12m
Director: Michael Mann
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Colin Farrell, Gong Li
Leaving Netflix: Oct.
