Who needs cerebral cinema when you’ve got rip-roaring films like these on Netflix, Prime Video and Sky Cinema?
By Virgin TV Edit
We may pretend to like niche European cinema when talking to strangers at house parties, but let’s not kid ourselves: nothing entertains quite like a big box-office hit that asks little of both your time and concentration.
Whether it’s explosive action movies laden with one-liners, comedies that have you guffawing like a tickled donkey, or escapist fantasies that whisk you off to faraway worlds, there are plenty of fab flicks to watch right now on Netflix, Prime Video and Sky Cinema.
Here are 50 picks that won’t disappoint…
Extraction
Find it on Netflix
Chris Hemsworth stars as a mercenary out to save a crime lord’s son in this heart-pounding thrill ride.
Bad Boys
Find it on Netflix
A pair of detectives (Will Smith and Martin Lawrence) chase a stolen stash of drugs in director Michael Bay’s high-octane 90s blockbuster.
Last Action Hero
Find it on Netflix
Arnold Schwarzenegger gamely takes the mick out of his tough-guy persona in this spoof-tastic action flick about a movie character who is transported to the real world.
Salt
Find it on Netflix
After she’s accused of being a Russian spy, a CIA agent (Angelina Jolie) goes on the run from US authorities.
Breakdown
Find it on Netflix
A husband (Kurt Russell) frantically searches for his wife after their car breaks down in the middle of the desert in this taut thriller.
Navy SEALs
Find it on Netflix
A crack team of SEALs (including Charlie Sheen in full adrenalin-junkie mode) track down a missile-toting terrorist group.
San Andreas
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
Helicopter pilot Dwayne Johnson is on a mission to save his daughter after a huge earthquake rocks California. Hold onto your hats.
John Wick
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
Keanu Reeves is a former hitman out for revenge in one of the best action films of the last decade.
The Nice Guys
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
This action comedy finds Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling as a pair of ill-matched cops attempting to locate a missing girl in 1970s Los Angeles.
Man On Fire
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
Don’t mess with Denzel Washington, who is on the hunt to rescue a kidknapped girl in this razor-sharp thriller.
The Fugitive
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
It’s a cat and mouse chase for the ages, as a doctor (Harrison Ford) wrongly accused of murdering his wife goes on the run from a dogged US Marshal (Tommy Lee Jones).
The Take
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
Idris Elba’s CIA operative is pulled into a widespread conspiracy after investigating a suspected bomb attack in this pulse-raising thriller
Ride Along
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
An anxious security guard (Kevin Hart) tries to prove he’s worthy of marrying the sister of a tough cop (Ice Cube) by shadowing him on the streets of Atlanta.
Speed
Available in Sky Cinema on demand
Can Sandra Bullock and cop Keanu Reeves save a bus full of passengers from exploding by keeping it above 50 mph? You’d best buckle up for this one.
Die Hard
Available in Sky Cinema on demand
Bruce Willis is the NYPD officer attempting to save his wife and other hostages from ruthless terrorists in one of the greatest action films of all time.
Lethal Weapon
Available in Sky Cinema on demand
A reckless cop (Mel Gibson) is partnered with his polar opposite (Danny Glover), as they try to bring a gang of drug smugglers to justice.
Cliffhanger
Available in Sky Cinema on demand
Sylvester Stallone’s rescue ranger is up against it when a gang of criminals land on the Rocky Mountains after a heist goes wrong.
Legally Blonde
Find it on Netflix
Reece Witherspoon stars as a pampered sorority girl who tries to win back her ex by following him to Harvard law school. Did somebody order a culture clash?
Coming To America
Find it on Netflix
A spoiled African prince (Eddie Murphy) gets more than he bargained for when he arrives in New York to find a wife.
Groundhog Day
Find it on Netflix
A cynical weatherman (Bill Murray) relives the same day over and over again in this inventive comedy.
Dumb And Dumber
Find it on Netflix
A pair of buffoons (Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels) head across the States to return a lost suitcase to its rightful owner.
Spy
Find it on Netflix
Melissa McCarthy’s bored CIA analyst volunteers to go undercover to sting a crime lord. What could possibly go wrong?
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
Steve Coogan stars as North Norfolk’s finest purveyor of airwave-based chat, who must defuse a hostage situation when a disgruntled colleague seeks revenge for being sacked.
Fisherman’s Friends
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
A group of Cornish fishermen taste chart success in this charming musical comedy starring James Purefoy.
What We Do In The Shadows
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi both star and direct in this fang-tastic horror comedy about centuries-old vampires struggling to adapt to life in modern New Zealand.
Blinded By The Light
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
Love the music of Bruce Springsteen? Then this jukebox movie about an Asian teenager growing up in 80s Britain is a must-watch.
24 Hour Party People
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
Steve Coogan plays charismatic Factory Records owner Tony Wilson in director Michael Winterbottom’s story of how Manchester’s music scene caught the UK's imagination in the 1970s and 1980s.
Chicken Run
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
Mel Gibson heads up the impressive voice cast as an American rooster helping a group of British chickens escape from a farm in this clucking good family flick from Aardman Animations.
Hunt For The Wilderpeople
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
A wayward kid and his grumpy foster dad spark a manhunt after going missing in the New Zealand bush in director Taika Waititi’s quirky comedy.
Zoolander
Available in Sky Cinema on demand
The comedy about two conceited male models (Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson) was so hot back in 2001 – and it’s still hot right now.
Hot Fuzz
Available in Sky Cinema on demand
A London policeman (Simon Pegg) is transferred to a sleepy town that isn’t quite as sleepy as it looks…
Mean Girls
Available in Sky Cinema on demand
When a girl (Lindsay Lohan) moves to a new high school, she encounters the cut-throat world of social cliques.
Anchorman: The Legend Of Ron Burgundy
Available in Sky Cinema on demand
Will Ferrell is at his quotable best as an arrogant news anchor whose world is turned upside down when a female news presenter joins his team.
Labyrinth
Find it on Netflix
The genius of David Bowie and Jim Henson in one movie? You bet! A teenage girl (Jennifer Connelly) is in a race against time to save her baby brother from Bowie’s Goblin King.
Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle
Find it on Netflix
A group of teenagers must battle their way out of a computer game in this action-packed blockbuster starring Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Karen Gillan and Kevin Hart.
Space Jam
Find it on Netflix
Basketball superstar Michael Jordan teams up with the Looney Tunes gang to defeat a bunch of monsters in this 90s sports comedy.
The Neverending Story
Find it on Netflix
A young boy is plunged into a fantasy world after discovering a mysterious book in this spellbinding 80s favourite.
Legend
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
Tom Cruise is out to save the woman he loves from the Lord of Darkness (Tim Curry) in director Ridley Scott’s epic fantasy adventure.
Wonder Woman
Find it on Netflix
Gal Gadot is kicking butt and taking names as the eponymous warrior and DC Comics character.
Jurassic World
Find it on Netflix
New theme park. Same outcome. When a genetically modified breed of dinosaur escapes, who will survive?
The Mask
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
Jim Carrey is at his most outrageous as a loser who discovers a mysterious mask that brings out a wild alter-ego. Somebody stop him!
Early Man
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park directs this hilarious animated comedy about a young caveman (voiced by Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne) who must unite his tribe to battle against the evil Lord Nooth (Tom Hiddlestone).
The House With A Clock In Its Walls
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
Jack Black and Cate Blanchett star in this spooky mystery about a strange house that harbours plenty of dark secrets.
The BFG
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
Steven Spielberg directs this big-hearted Disney adaptation of Roald Dahl’s classic fantasy tale, starring Mark Rylance as the titular giant.
Mirror Mirror
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
Get swept off your feet by this capitvating reimagining of Snow White, starring Lily Collins, Julia Roberts and Armie Hammer.
Justice League
Find it in Apps & Games > Prime Video
Batman (Ben Affleck) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) team up with their superhero buddies to take on a powerful enemy.
Enchanted
Available in Sky Cinema on demand
A young woman who lives in an animated fairy-tale kingdom and dreams of finding her happily ever after is banished to the rough and tumble of New York.
Aquaman
Available in Sky Cinema on demand
Things are about to get wet and wild when the eponymous superhero (Jason Mamoa) is tasked with stopping a war between the inhabitants of the land and the sea.
Jumanji
Available in Sky Cinema on demand
Following his release from a mysterious board game after decades, a man (Robin Williams) has to face dark forces to truly set himself free.
Four Kids And It
Available in Sky Cinema on demand
Jacqueline Wilson’s popular novel about four children who discover a strange creature that has the power to grant wishes is brilliantly brought to life. Find out more from our interview with Wilson here.
How to watch Netflix with Virgin TV
If you have a TiVo® box or Virgin TV V6 box, powered by TiVo®:
Press home on your remote
Select Apps & Games
Select All Apps
Select Netflix
If you’re already a Netflix subscriber, you can also access the app through Search & Discover or by pressing Red on channel 204. Just sign in with your existing login and start watching. And you’ll only have to log in the first time you use it.
If you’re new to Netflix, then you’ll need to subscribe to use the app. The easiest way to do this is by going to netflix.com/virginmedia. You can also subscribe using the Netflix app in Apps & Games.
How to watch Amazon Prime Video with Virgin TV
Prime Video is available to all Virgin TV customers with a V6 box, powered by TiVo®. Simply sign up to Amazon Prime Video via their website, and you can log in on the box. And because Prime Video is fully integrated into TiVo®, you can search without even going into the app. Just select Search & Discover from the Home menu and type in the name of the show or movie you’re after.
Find out what’s on Sky Cinema
Get even more lights, cameras and action with our movie homepage, featuring all the daily premieres and more of the thousands of films available on demand on Sky Cinema.
Watch on the go
If you subscribe to Sky Cinema on Virgin TV, you can watch on the go with the Sky Cinema app on your mobile, laptop or tablet anywhere in the UK (or while temporarily in the EU) with a WiFi or broadband connection. Just download from the Apple app store, Google Play or the Amazon appstore and log into the app to start watching.
Upgrade to Sky Cinema now
Don’t have Sky Cinema? You can find out about our Sky Cinema package and upgrade here.
Netflix: Netflix subscription required at extra cost.
Amazon Prime Video: Amazon Prime subscription required at extra cost. 18+. Click here for T&Cs.
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