Netflix Instant: Five movies to stream before they expire

It’s out with the old and in with the new on Netflix. Come New Year’s Day, more than 80 titles will expire and no longer be available for instant streaming.

Here are five great movies you should stream one more time before they vanish from Netflix’s instant streaming lineup come Jan. 1:

UPDATE: The 5 movies listed here earlier as available on Netflix in January were through Netflix’s DVD service, not streaming.

5 MOVIES TO STREAM BEFORE JAN. 1

1. Being John Malkovich

This classic Spike Jonze film, which was nominated for three Academy Awards, stars John Cusack as a puppeteer who discovers a hidden portal in his office that leads into the mind of actor John Malkovich. Once Cusack, his wife (Cameron Diaz), and co-worker (Catherine Keener) discover they’re able to control Malkovich’s mind for 15 minutes before being chucked out into the real world again, the three begin to exploit their newfound discovery.

2. Do the Right Thing

Nearly 25 years after its release, Spike Lee’s drama about race issues that arise in a Brooklyn neighborhood still packs just as much of a punch. The film takes place on the hottest day of the year, when tensions begin to rise among the highly segregated Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood. A staple in cinema classes, Do the Right Thing is definitely one of those films that deserves a re-watch and even more deserving of a first watch if you haven’t gotten around to it yet.

3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind tells the story of what happens to a couple (Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet) when they both decide to have their memories altered to forget the other. While the film is a romantic drama at heart, it also brings a bit of a sci-fi element to the olde saying of “You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.”

4. Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back

Kevin Smith penned, directed, and starred in this epic road-trip flick centered on Smith’s lovable stoner duo Jay and Silent Bob. The two embark on a quest to Hollywood, hoping to collect royalties off a producer who is turning their comic book alter egos, Bluntman and Chronic, into a feature film without their permission. Chock-full of ridiculous hijinks and cameos from George Carlin, Carrie Fisher, and more, this is definitely one Kevin Smith film worth a re-watch before Netflix does away with it.

5. Titanic

We’re pretty sure this one needs no explanation. How could anyone forget (or resist, for that matter) the timeless, tragic love story that was Jack and Rose? Don’t lie, we know Titanic is on your guilty pleasure movie list too, so grab the tissues and that leftover Christmas fudge and settle in for a night with Kate and Leo.