5 Netflix Picks: What To Watch This Week Begins With A Very Cool Luke

5 Netflix Picks is our weekly list of random movies we recommend you move to the top of your queue, from comedy to romance to horror and everything in-between.

Welcome to another week and a look at what you’ll be watching on Netflix where we once again give you a day-by-day movie list of your Monday through Friday. As usual, the streaming service has a lot of new content on their homepage, but we’re going to click a few pages deep and find for you some new and old titles that will make your evenings on the sofa rock. From an unsung Bond movie to an animated family film in space to a mystery five centuries in the making to a classic musical that you’ve long been putting off, we start with one of the most celebrated movies in the career of a Hollywood icon. Let’s get started …

MONDAY: Cool Hand Luke

The prison movie that pretty much set the standard for all others that followed, director Stuart Rosenberg‘s epic tale of loner and petty thief Luke Jackson (Paul Newman) is just as sharp and influential as it was way back in 1967. Luke, a decorated World War II vet crosses the law and ends up on a Florida chain gang and on the wrong side of the facility’s rough and ready warden (Strother Martin), who uses the “the box” as his choice of punishment. George Kennedy won a best Supporting Oscar for his role as Dragline and is every reason to see this funny, smart, and emotional struggle for independence.

TUESDAY: The Living Daylights

Yup, it’s another Bond movie on the list, this time, an often overlooked entry with Timothy Dalton in his first turn in the tuxedo with veteran Bond director John Glen at the helm. The film marks a sharp turn from the previous Roger Moore era, who revelled in the cornyball potential, looking to give Bond a more gritty edge with actual consequences, and while it would take one more film to really make that happen, this well-received story proved that realism has a place in the franchise. Dalton is very strong in the role and deserves more credit for his efforts. If you haven’t given this a shot, it’s time to do so. This is a great Bond movie.

WEDNESDAY: Planet 51

For the kids this week, here’s a simple but fun little adventure that follows the adventures of astronaut Charles T, “Chuck” Baker (voiced by Dwayne Johnson), who lands on a distant planet, finding it weirdly close to 1950’s America, except inhabited by little green aliens … er rather, natives. He’s the alien but makes friends with a local teen who takes him in, agreeing to help him return to his ship circling in orbit. Too bad the planet’s army catches wind and steps in to stop what they think is the first stages of an all-out invasion. Colorful and action-packed, this 3D computer-animated flick is plenty fun for a family night at the movies.

THURSDAY: The Red Violin

It’s not all that uncommon to follow a family or maybe a supernatural person through many centuries in movies, but a violin? That’s what happens in François Girard‘s highly-compelling mystery, The Red Violin, tracing back over four hundred years and five countries the impact of a unique, red-colored violin. Using tarot cards as pivots for each chapter in the story, this is a curious musical journey with all kinds of twists and an ensemble cast, including Greta Scacchi, Sandra Oh, and Samuel L. Jackson. Maybe not for everyone, this is not the usual in any sense of the word yet is absolutely worth a look, simply for its unique take.

FRIDAY: West Side Story

So here we go. West Side Story is one of the most acclaimed movies in cinema history and you’ve always said, “I gotta watch it one of these days.” Guess what? Today’s the day, and have no worries, it’s gonna be awesome. A sensational musical on its own, it’s also a terrific romance and gritty side-street struggle for a place in the world. Natalie Wood earns her legacy along with a Leonard Bernstein‘s epic score and Robert Wise‘s direction. There’s no point getting into a summary of the story. Just watch. It’s magic.