Netflix loses another crop of films and TV shows this month, with a whole lot of comedy disappearing this month. From classics like Ghostbusters to more recent funny flicks like Baby Mama and Role Models, it’s the last chance to laugh before these films leave throughout the month of March. In addition, Disney continues to pull films from the streaming service ahead of the launch of their own competitor streaming service, Disney +, which means that both the recent live-action remake of Beauty and the Beast, and another of the Pirates of the Caribbean films are both leaving this March. While there are also plenty of new series and films arriving over the next few weeks, these are the best of the ones that fans must bid farewell to.
Bruce Almighty
Rubberface Jim Carrey stars in this silly comedy about a man frustrated with his day to day life. After cursing God, Bruce (Carrey) is shocked to find that the Man Upstairs himself actually answers - and challenges him to take on the job and see just how hard it is. Gifted with the powers (and responsibilities) of running the entire world, Bruce quickly discovers that he may have been just a little too hard on God… with plenty of slapstick hilarity along the way.
Leaving: March 1
Ghostbusters
Netflix drops the entirety of its Ghostbusters titles this month, with the original Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters 2, and (for those truly dedicated fans) the animated series The Real Ghostbusters (season 1-5) all disappearing. The recent Ghostbusters remake is also not available to stream on Netflix at the moment, so fans of supernatural comedy may have to look elsewhere - at least, until the long-awaited Ghostbusters 3 is released!
Leaving: March 1 (Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters 2), March 31 (The Real Ghostbusters)
The Breakfast Club
Enjoy a little ’80s nostalgia with this John Hughes classic. Of course, over three decades after it was originally released, there’s not a whole lot new or fresh about the film, but it’s a classic for a reason.
Join a brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess, and a criminal in Saturday morning detention, as they discover that they have more in common than they first thought. Filled with sweet moments, great quotes, and phenomenal dance scenes, The Breakfast Club is always worth a re-watch.
The Cider House Rules
Not everything leaving Netflix this month is comedy, of course. The Cider House Rules is an Oscar-winning romantic drama that deals with a range of complex moral issues. The story revolves around Homer Wells (Tobey Maguire), a young man who grew up in an orphanage, learning under the Doctor that runs it, caring for children - but struggling morally with the abortions that his mentor also performs. After leaving the orphanage to go live with a couple on a farm during the Second World War, events are set in motion that will have Homer questioning everything he thinks he knows.
The Little Rascals
Back to classic comedy with this one: The Little Rascals. This cute ’90s flick is all about a gang of kids and their romances, clubs, soap-box races and more. It’s cute, charming, extremely quotable, and wonderfully lighthearted. And of course, for those who have yet to see this for the first time, it’s definitely one that makes most ‘must watch’ lists.
United 93
This Oscar-nominated film takes on some serious subject matter - a look at the hijacking of United flight 93 on September 11th. There’s no doubt that this is incredibly sensitive and difficult material to adapt for film, but United 93 does it well, and manages to re-create the tension of these events without over-sensationalizing or becoming insensitive. Definitely not one for light viewing, this is still very much worth the watch.
Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World’s End
Disney is pulling the third film in its massive Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Pirates of the Carribean: At World’s End. The film, which wraps up the original storyline, brings together all the Pirate Lords of the seas in order to battle the forces that stand against them.
With this film leaving Netflix, only one of the Pirates movies is still available to stream: Dead Men Tell No Tales, the most recent installment (and one of the least-well received). It’s likely that Disney will move all these films, and the upcoming reboot, to their own streaming service when it launches.
Leaving: March 4
Baby Mama
Time for a little pregnancy/odd couple humor with Baby Mama, starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Fey and Poehler play two extremely different women; an affluent but lonely career woman who desperately wants a baby, and a trashy surrogate. When her surrogate shows up on her doorstep with nowhere else to go, these two wildly different women must find a way to co-exist… but there are more twists and turns than you might expect in this hilarious look at female friendship.
Leaving: March 16
Role Models
Paul Rudd may now be famous as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Ant-Man, but back in 2008, he was starring in this cute comedy about two abrasive energy drink reps who become court-mandated Big Brothers. Paired with an angry little kid (with the vocabulary of a sailor) and a LARP-loving nerd, the two learn some lessons about who they really want to be. Definitely a must-watch for those who want their comedy with a lot of heart, but without hearts and roses as the focus.
Beauty And The Beast
One of Disney’s recent live-action adapations of an animated classic, Beauty and the Beast is a visually stunning film starring Dan Stevens and Emma Watson. For the most part, this is a film for fans of the original, and much of it feels like shot-for-shot remaking. However, a few new songs and updates give it a little something extra, and it’s simply beautiful, sweet, and romantic - everything a Disney movie should be.
Leaving: March 18