The Best Movies Coming To Netflix In May 2016

Now that we've discussed the best movies leaving Netflix next month, it's only appropriate that we dive into the best movies arriving in May. If you enjoy revisionist westerns, silly cheerleading comedies, and romantic caper films directed by master filmmakers, this is the line-up for you.

Bring It On (2000)

Long before he directed Marvel's Ant-Man, Peyton Reed broke into feature filmmaking with Bring It On, the kind of breezy and silly comedy that is so well assembled that it looks like it was easy. It may be a predictable high school comedy, but it's a predictable high school comedy told with wit and style and just enough nerve, showcasing its cheerleader characters as genuinely talented athletes and allowing them to shine on camera. This was Pitch Perfect over a decade before Pitch Perfect existed. Heck, that's a double feature you should program ASAP.

Pleasantville (1998)

The technology that made Pleasantville visually astonishing back in 1998 is now commonplace, but the film still holds up in an age where relatively simple TV commercials can replicate its beautiful use of color. Gary Ross' initially funny and eventually moving fantasy is a smart dissection of American life, using a fantastical high concept first act (two modern kids get sucked into an old black and white sitcom) to explore revolution and feminism and how the America of the '50s became the America of the '60s. Pleasantville wears its heart on its sleeve and is proudly sentimental, but it's also genuine and irony-free. Like the best fantasies, it never sneers at the world it has created.

To Catch a Thief (1955)To Catch a Thief is one of Alfred Hitchcock's fluffier films. It's a bubbly glass of champagne after the shot of whiskey that was Rear Window, a fine example of a genuine master filmmaker focusing his talents on crafting something joyful and fun after wallowing in darkness. Like several of Hitchock's more lighthearted adventures, this one stars Cary Grant, playing an expert thief who comes out of retirement after someone with comparable skills starts committing robberies. Naturally, that means tracking down the actual thief and romancing the daughter of a wealthy jeweler (played by Grace Kelly in her third and final Hitchock movie). To Catch a Thief doesn't even belong in the top ten Hitchcock movies, but it's still rousing entertainment. Plus, it's the rare movie made before 1990 to get added to Netflix these days.The Keeping Room (2015)

Daniel Barber's The Keeping Room is as politically and emotionally charged as any western in recent memory. Julia Hart's screenplay is elegant in its simplicity: during the tail end of the American Civil War, three southern women, two sisters and their slave, are besieged in their home by two rogue Union soldiers. But that simple framework allows for the stirring of a piping hot pot filled with feminism, violence, and crises of identity. The Keeping Room is practically a post-apocalyptic film, set in a time and place where all law and order have gone out the window and violence rules the land. And through that violence, new bond are formed and society is made anew, but it is one ugly process. This isn't the easiest watch in the world, but it's gripping filmmaking.

Best Movies Coming to Netflix 2AVAILABLE MAY 1

A Study in Sherlock (2016)

Mark Gatiss, who co-created "Sherlock" and plays Mycroft Holmes, discusses the show with Benedict Cumberbatch, Martin Freeman and others in the cast.

Admiral (2015)

In the 1600s, when the Netherlands is under attack by the British navy and on the verge of civil war, a Dutch admiral is his country's only hope.

Ava's Possessions (2015)

A young woman joins a support group for survivors of demonic possession to help her recover from a recent exorcism and expose her repressed memories.

Bring It On (2000)

Pressure mounts on the captain of a decorated cheerleading squad as she attempts to lead her crew to its sixth consecutive national title.

Bring It On: All or Nothing (2006)

Cheer captain Britney plans to have her squad earn a coveted spot in singing sensation Rihanna's video but must think fast when her plan is derailed.

Easy Living: Seasons 1-3

Drowning in debt and shackled to a spendthrift wife, family man Tapio takes dodgy jobs from career criminal Eki in order to keep his family afloat.

El Crítico (2013)

A pretentious film critic who despises romantic comedies realizes that his life is turning into one when he falls for a free-spirited woman.

FernGully 2: The Magical Rescue (1998)

When poachers capture their baby animal friends, the rain forest fairies of Ferngully must brave the perils of civilization to rescue them.

Finger of God (2007)

When filmmaker Darren Wilson set out to document God's presence in today's world, he had no idea what he would find or where the journey would take him.

Gary Gulman: It's About Time (2016)

Gary Gulman tackles topics like extreme laziness, Hitler and the joys and pitfalls of shopping at Trader Joe's with his typical neurotic bewilderment.

Great Expectations (1998)

Unattainable to Finn since her youth, Estella holds his fascination. He soon becomes obsessed with being a successful artist to gain her love.

I Am Road Comic (2014)

In his follow-up to "I Am Comic," filmmaker Jordan Brady books himself a weekend gig and interviews fellow comedians about why they go on the road.

Jesus Town, USA (2014)

When the actor playing Jesus in a small town's annual Easter pageant steps down, a young member of the cast takes on the role — but he has a secret.

Just Friends (2005)

Years after high school, a once-portly nice guy comes home for the holidays and reunites with a former crush he still has feelings for.

Kevin Hart Presents Keith Robinson: Back of The Bus Funny (2015)

It's everything you might expect from the man who taught Kevin Hart how to be a comedian. Keith Robinson brings his in-your-face style to everything from the moment he stopped liking his own son to the real reason why Obama was elected.

Kevin Hart Presents Lil Rel: RELevent (2015)

In Lil Rel Howery's first hour-long special, he talks about everything from his upbringing to raising his own children to getting roasted by teenagers on public transportation, all with his signature high-energy delivery. A natural performer, Lil Rel proves that he can hold his own when it comes to all the relevant issues.

Kevin Hart Presents: Plastic Cup Boyz (2015)

Comedy trio the Plastic Cup Boyz take the stage at San Diego's House of Blues for a wild night of stand- up, sketches and more.

LoliRock: Season 1 (2014)

LoliRock follows the journey of young Iris, a spirited teenage girl with a beautiful voice and an unending desire to help others. When Iris joins the girl group LoliRock, her life is changed forever, as a new world of music, mysteries and magical powers is revealed.

My Last Day Without You (2011)

During a brief trip to New York on business, German executive Niklas meets a young female musician who exposes a new side of the city to him.

The Nutty Professor (1996)

Humiliated while trying to impress a pretty grad student, portly professor Sherman Klump takes a massive dose of his new weight-loss potion.

Off the Map (2013)

Four friends in middle school – Federico, Paula, Graciela and Fabián- decide to skip class and sneak in to the school basement. But Miriam, the class' gossiper and teacher's pet, discovers them and threatens them. She will rat on them if they don't let her stay and be part of the adventure. This way, what was meant to be a time of intimacy, playing pranks and having fun between friends, is turned into the time when jealousy, fear, hatred and hidden crushes are exposed, unveiling a series of conflicts unthinkable of before skipping class. Meanwhile, upstairs, on the school's surface, the Teacher and the Principal discover five kids are missing and warn their parents, who react in different ways, hence revealing conflicts of their own.

Palm Trees in the Snow (2015)

The accidental discovery of a long lost letter drives Clarence to travel from the snowy mountains of Spain to Africa, to visit the land where his father Jacobo and uncle Kilian spent most of their youth, the island of Fernando Poo. In the heart of a land as lush and seductive as dangerous, Clarence unearths the secret of a forbidden love story framed within turbulent historical circumstances whose consequences will have repercussions in her present-day life.

Pleasantville (1998)

Teens David and Jennifer get sucked into the black-and-white world of a 1950s TV sitcom. But Jennifer's attitude literally brings color into the show.

Shark Lake (2015)

An exotic animal dealer accidentally lets a bull shark loose in Lake Tahoe, and the ravenous creature wreaks havoc on the peaceful town.

She's Beautiful When She's Angry (2014)

An inspiring look at the brilliant, outrageous women who spearheaded the 1960s women's movement resonates with those who still face gender inequality.

Sixteen Candles (1984)

Samantha's family has forgotten her sixteenth birthday, a day that could be perfect if only Jake Ryan would look her way.

Sugar Coated (2015)

This documentary investigates the history of the food industry's use of sugar, its health impact on society and the politics of the "new tobacco."

Terra (2015)

We no longer see the wild, we dream of it. It's an age-old fascination, visible in the paintings of the Chauvet Cave. But this dream is today disappearing, vanishing in factory smoke and industrial smog.

Things We Lost in the Fire (2007)

Attempting to piece her life back together after losing her husband in a tragic incident, grieving widow Audrey turns to an unlikely ally: her husband's childhood friend Jerry, an emotionally wrecked heroin addict.

To Catch a Thief (1955)

Suspected in a new series of heists in the hotels of the French Riviera, a reformed jewel thief sets out to clear himself and catch the real thief.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Runnin' Down a Dream (2007)

Explore the history of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, including Petty's famous collaborations and notorious clashes with the record industry.

Who's Driving Doug (2016)

When a college student with muscular dystrophy agrees to let a slacker be his new driver, they set off on a reckless road trip to Las Vegas.

AVAILABLE MAY 2

The Replacements (2000)

In the wake of a player's strike, an old-guard coach drafts a team of gridiron misfits and losers as replacements for the Washington Sentinels.

AVAILABLE MAY 3

Submerged (2015)

When the kidnapping of a controversial corporate figure's daughter goes awry, her limo careens off a bridge, leaving the survivors trapped underwater.

AVAILABLE MAY 4

The Keeping Room (2015)

With the men of their clan all fighting or lost on the battlefield, three Southern women face the sinister attentions of two Union Army deserters who are pillaging the landscape ahead of the main forces in this taut Civil War drama.

Shanghai Knights (2003)

Dynamic duo Chon Wang and Roy O'Bannon are in London to avenge the murder of Chon's father but end upon on an even bigger case involving the royals.

AVAILABLE MAY 5

Fourth Man Out (2015)

A young mechanic comes out to his extremely straight best friends. Once they get used to the idea, they're determined to help him find the right guy.

Marseille – NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Robert Taro has been the mayor of Marseille for 25 years. Now he faces a merciless election against his young, ambitious former protégé.

AVAILABLE MAY 6

Ali Wong: Baby Cobra – NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Unapologetic and nasty mom-to-be Ali Wong desperately wanted a conventional life. Baby Cobra is Wong's hilarious journey of how hard she worked to find Mr. Perfect, get married, buy a house and have a baby. But it all didn't exactly turn out how she planned. And while Wong complains that feminism is the worst thing that's ever happened to women, what's more empowering than being the first and only comic to film a 1-hour stand up special 7-months pregnant?

Baby Daddy: Season 5

Ben unexpectedly becomes a parent when an ex-girlfriend drops off a baby girl. But with help from friends and family, he steps into the role of dad.

Grace and Frankie: Season 2 – NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin co-star as two women forced to reinvent their lives in this funny, honest Emmy-nominated Netflix original series.

Young & Hungry: Season 3

A female food blogger is hired as a personal chef by a young tech tycoon and faces a new menu of challenges, both inside and outside of the kitchen.

AVAILABLE MAY 8

The Chosen Ones (2015)

Young Ulises falls in love with teen Sofia, even as he is forced to lure her into his family's prostitution ring. Now he'll do anything to rescue her.

AVAILABLE MAY 9

A Stand Up Guy (2015)

When his outrageous open-mic standup comedy routine goes viral, low-rent mobster-in-hiding Sammy gets a lot of attention he seriously doesn't want.

AVAILABLE MAY 10

Eisenstein in Guanajuato (2015)

In 1931, famed Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein's trip to make a film about Mexico's history becomes a journey of personal and creative awakening.

AVAILABLE MAY 11

Chelsea – NETFLIX ORIGINAL

It's not her first talk show, but it is a first of its kind. Ideas, people and places that fascinate her, three times a week, all in her unique style.

Goosebumps (2015)

None-too happy about moving to a small Maryland town, teen Zach Cooper finds his outlook changing after meeting the gorgeous girl next door, Hannah Stine — whose reclusive father happens to be hiding a big secret.

They Look Like People (2015)

While visiting an old friend in New York City, a man begins receiving eerie phone calls that warn him something evil is about to happen.

AVAILABLE MAY 12

Bleeding Heart (2015)

A yoga instructor reunited with her long-lost biological sister is determined to save her from an abusive boyfriend and a life of prostitution.

AVAILABLE MAY 15

We Are Still Here (2015)

A couple recovering from their son's death finds themselves haunted by vengeful spirits when they move to a rural town that hold a horrifying secret.

Yo Soy la Salsa (2014)

More than a genre, the salsa was a cultural movement that arose in a time of need for strengthening the Latino culture and spread across the world with such force that 50 years later still moving the feet of the dancers in the most inhospitable corners world. At the heart of the movement is the figure of Johnny Pacheco, who know as one of the great musical legacy responsible for gender salsa.

AVAILABLE MAY 17

American Dad!: Season 10

This comedy follows a conservative CIA agent and his eccentric brood, which includes a talking goldfish with the brain of an East German athlete.

Kindergarten Cop 2 (2016)

Assigned to recover sensitive stolen data, a gruff FBI agent (Dolph Lundgren) goes undercover as a kindergarten teacher, but the school's liberal, politically correct environment is more than he bargained for.

Slasher: Season 1 (2016)

Although her parents were murdered just moments before she was removed from her mother's womb, Sarah Bennett is all grown up and ready to leave the past behind. But when she and her hubby return to the family home, history begins to repeat itself.

AVAILABLE MAY 18

A Girl Like Her (2015)

Amid South Brookdale High School's social scene, sophomore Jessica Burns suffers unrelenting harassment by class queen Avery Keller. But with help from best friend Brian Slater, Jessica turns the tables on her tormentor.

AVAILABLE MAY 19

Benders: Season 1 (2015)

Though their amateur ice-hockey squad comes up short on skills, Paul Rosenberg and his teammates are united — not only by their passion for the sport but by an almost equal passion for drinking beer.

AVAILABLE MAY 20

Lady Dynamite: Season 1 – NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Comedian Maria Bamford stars in a series inspired by her own life. It's the sometimes surreal story of a woman who loses – and then finds – her s**t.

AVAILABLE MAY 22

David and Goliath (2015)

An epic drama drawn from biblical accounts of King David's life. While the army of Israel cowers before the taunts of hulking Philistine giant Goliath, young shepherd David finds the courage and faith to meet him in combat.

The Letters (2014)

Letters written by Mother Teresa to a spiritual adviser over decades reveal her inner struggles as she devotes herself to helping the poor in India.

The Ouija Experiment 2: Theatre of Death (2015)

A group of unsuspecting theatre goers are trapped, after a ravenous spirit is resurrected and released from a Ouija board.

AVAILABLE MAY 23

Electricity (2014)

Electiricty is an Alice in Wonderland for the modern day – an extraordinary hallucinatory journey seen through the eyes of a young woman with epilepsy as she searches for her long lost brother.

AVAILABLE MAY 26

Graceland: Season 3

Joining forces in their undercover efforts, a group of agents from the FBI, DEA, and U.S. Customs move into a beachfront house in Southern California.

The Last Man on the Moon (2016)

In this artful blend of memoir and documentary, former Apollo astronaut Gene Cernan looks back to the glory days of NASA's lunar landings and his unique distinction of being the last man to stand on the moon.

AVAILABLE MAY 27

Bloodline: Season 2 – NETFLIX ORIGINAL

When the black sheep son of a respected family threatens to expose dark secrets from their past, sibling loyalties are put to the test.

Chef's Table: Season 2, Part 1 – NETFLIX ORIGINAL

Find out what's inside the kitchens and minds of six international culinary stars in this Netflix original six- part docu-series.

The Do-Over (2016) – NETFLIX ORIGINAL

The life of a bank manager is turned upside down when a friend from his past manipulates him into faking his own death and taking off on an adventure.

Mako Mermaids: Season 4 – NETFLIX ORIGINAL

This "H2O" sequel follows Zac, a boy who accidentally turns into a merman and threatens the existence of three young mermaids who guard Mako Island.

AVAILABLE MAY 28

Hell on Wheels: Season 5

Former Confederate soldier Cullen Bohannon sets out on a quest to find his wife's killer as post-Civil War America struggles to rebuild its identity.