The 66 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now
Trying to find the best movie to watch on Netflix can be a daunting challenge. We’ve all been there. You’ve decided you’re going to watch something. You have the entirety of Netflix at your disposal, including even a pared-down list of films you’ve already bookmarked to watch at a future date. But then there’s the choosing. You’ve gotta find something that fits your mood, or something you and your friend/significant other/couch companion can agree on. You spend hours browsing, and by the time you stumble on something you think maybe is the one, it’s too late, you’re too tired, and indecision has won out.
Never fear, though, because we here at Collider have a guide to help you find the perfect Netflix movies available in the U.S. We’ve thumbed through the library and assembled a list of some of the best films currently available for streaming, from classics to hidden gems to new releases and beyond. This list of the best movies on Netflix is updated weekly with all-new choices, so be sure to return the next time you’re looking for something great to watch.
Editor’s note: This post was last updated on April 15th to include Apocalypse Now, Nightcrawler, and Hell or High Water
The Power of the Dog (2021)
Director/Writer: Jane Campion
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee
The Power of the Dog is a slow, sly movie that reveals itself to you in subtle, measured glimpses at tenderness that are otherwise caked in grit, cruelty and crudity. Set in 1920s Montana, Jane Campion‘s awards contender stars Benedict Cumberbatch, giving one of his best performances yet as Phil Burbank; a gruff and bitter cowboy who takes an immediate disliking to his brother’s (Jesse Plemmons) new wife, Rose (Kirsten Dunst). In turn, her son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) takes a disliking to him, determined to protect his mother, setting the stage for fascinating, subtle power plays and dynamic shifts as the contentious new family attempts to settle in together. As with all Campion films, you can expect exquisite shots and stunning glimpses into small moments of human vulnerability, but The Power of the Dog is also a challenging, often caustic film about tracing the ripples of toxicity. It certainly isn’t your average Neo-western, so don’t go in expecting standoffs our shootouts, but even without those flashy calling cards, The Power of the Dog makes a striking impact that seems to land all in one final blow. – Haleigh Foutch
Watch The Power of the Dog on Netflix
Closer (2004)
Director: Mike Nichols
Writer: Patrick Marber
Cast: Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Clive Owen
Directed by the great Mike Nichols with a script by original playwright Patrick Marber, the 2004 romantic drama Closer is both a tender and talky character piece about four desperately lonely people falling in and out of love with each other, and constantly searching for moments of truth in their litany of lies. As the lovers, exes, and enemies in question Julia Roberts, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Clive Owen make for a remarkable ensemble, each as radiant as their characters are repugnant, fully capable of tackling the dialogue-forward demands of Marber’s script and translating its moments of melodramatic flourish into believable and searing vulnerability. Having Nichols behind the camera only enhances the human element amidst the soapy treachery and toxicity, and the fact that Closer feels so emotionally cinematic while retaining so much of its stageplay syntax only further proves what a uniquely empathetic filmmaker he was, and a master of his craft at that. – Haleigh Foutch
Watch Closer on Netflix
The Social Network (2010)
Director: David Fincher
Writer: Aaron Sorkin
Cast: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Armie Hammer, Justin Timberlake, and Max Minghella
The Social Network almost seemed like a joke at first. How could Zodiac and Fight Club director David Fincher make a movie about Facebook, even with The West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin handling the screenplay. But The Social Network ended up not only becoming one of Fincher’s best, it also became one of the best films of the 2010s, as Jesse Eisenberg plays Mark Zuckerberg in this sort-of origin story for the major social media platform. Everything about The Social Network it pitch-perfect, from the thumping score by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor to the rapid-fire dialogue delivered by a fantastic cast. With The Social Network, Fincher crafted a surprisingly great look at social media and the closed-off people who create this virtual worlds. – Ross Bonaime
Watch The Social Network on Netflix
Tick, Tick… Boom! (2021)
Director: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Writers: Jonathan Larson and Steven Levenson
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Robin de Jesús, Joshua Henry, Judith Light, Vanessa Hudgens
Hamilton and In the Heights creator Lin-Manuel Miranda directs the long-awaited film adaptation of RENT creator Johnathan Larson‘s Tick, Tick… Boom! The result is an excellent movie musical that’s every bit a love letter to theater itself as much as it is to Larson and his tragic tale of short-lived genius. Which is perhaps what makes Miranda such an exceptional fit for the material in his filmmaking debut, and not just because his every-damned-award-winning musical Hamilton is all about capturing the beauty and tragedy of short-lived genius: the Broadway polymath has also been vocal about how Tick, Tick… Boom! influenced and inspired him as a creator, and he even starred in a production of the show several years ago. Equally at home is Andrew Garfield as Larson himself, showcasing a hell of a singing voice and yet another outstanding performance that will lift you up, rake you through the anxiety of excellence, before absolutely breaking your heart. It’s a beautiful film based on a beautiful piece of writing, and whether you’re a fan of Garfield’s, Miranda’s, Larson’s, or just the theater dahling, it’s a moving testament to those who openly embrace ambition, earnestly love performance, and believe that both give them the power to change lives. – Haleigh Foutch
Watch Tick, Tick… Boom! on Netflix
Hell or High Water (2016)
Director: David Mackenzie
Writer: Taylor Sheridan
Cast: Chris Pine, Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges, Gil Birmingham, Dale Dickey, William Sterchi
When it comes to heist movies, Hell or High Water walks amongst the most emotional, contemplative, and Texan experiences of them all. David Mackenzie (Starred Up) and Taylor Sheridan’s (Sicario) raging critique of classism and corruption endemic to the modern American financial system is on full display from the opening of the film. Graffiti and billboards paint the picture of poverty and desperation many folks struggle with throughout the country. The Midland setting, southern accents, and numerous six-packs of texas treasures Lone Star and Shiner give the film a specific tone despite the thematic elements being more ubiquitously relatable. Ben Foster and Chris Pine truly shine as two brothers built of different character, morals, and functions. Their fraternal love is at once silly and tender. Jeff Bridges and his partner Gil Birmingham chew and churn through conversations about history, life, and crime in a way that endears and enchants. Their chemistry is natural and comedic, and their calm approach to the chase is starkly contrasted against the adrenaline-pumping, unpredictable actions of the Howard brothers on their bank-robbing binge.
Watch Hell or High Water on Netflix
Big Fish (2003)
Director: Tim Burton
Writer: John August
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Helena Bonham Carter, Alison Lohman, and Marion Cotillard
While filmmaker Tim Burton is best known for making films that are whimsical and/or fantastically dark, 2003’s Big Fish is his most successful dramatic effort by far. Burton made the movie in the immediate wake of his father’s death, which brings added emotional heft to the story of a dying man (Albert Finney) telling his life’s story to his son (Billy Crudup). The father embellishes just about everything (or does he?), and flashbacks find Ewan McGregor playing his younger self as he goes on a series of fantastical adventures. It all builds to a really emotional finale that will have you in tears. – Adam Chitwood
Watch Big Fish on Netflix
The Imitation Game (2014)
Director: Morten Tyldum
Writer: Graham Moore
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode, Rory Kinnear, Charles Dance, and Mark Strong
One of the most highly acclaimed films of 2014, The Imitation Game has largely faded into obscurity in the years since its release. This is a shame because it really is a pretty great movie. The Imitation Game draws a portrait of the life and times of Alan Turing, one of the most brilliant scientists of his time. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch as Turing, it shows how the mathematician and computer scientist was recruited by the British government to crack the German Enigma code during World War II. It also, perhaps more importantly, shows how despite his contributions, Turing was ostracised and subjected to a horrible fate after it came out that he was gay. Is it a truly accurate historical piece? Not really, but this Academy Award-winning film is certainly a great watch and deserves praise for bringing Turing’s once-forgotten story to a global audience. – Remus Noronha
Watch The Imitation Game on Netflix
Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992)
Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Writer: James V. Hart
Cast: Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder, Anthony Hopkins, Keanu Reeves, Richard E. Grant, Cary Elwes, Sadie Frost, Billy Campbell, Tom Waits, Monica Bellucci
Among the most stunning, sumptuous, heck – downright decadent – horror romances ever put on film, Francis Ford Coppola‘s take on Dracula is both one of the most faithful to Bram Stoker’s text and one of the most imaginative in its adaptation. Gary Oldman stars as the title blood-sucker, a fearsome warrior turned seductive living dead who sets his sights on Winona Ryder‘s Mina, believing her to be the reincarnation of his long-lost love. It’s a technical marvel of a movie, from the striking costumes to the luxurious sets and finely-crafted miniatures Coppola used to bring such a sense of scale and otherworldliness. And it also happens to based on one of the most enduring, enchanting horror stories of all time. – Haleigh Foutch
Watch Bram Stoker’s Dracula on Netflix
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
Director: Guy Ritchie
Writers: Joby Harold, Guy Ritchie, Lionel Wigram
Cast: Charlie Hunnam, Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey, Djimon Hounsou, Aidan Gillen, Jude Law, Eric Bana
Arthurian legend gets a full Guy Ritchie makeover in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, and it’s some of the most delightful nonsense in recent memory. Charlie Hunnam stars as the reimagined Once and Future King; all snark, swagger, brawling with the boys, the rest of the Ritchie signatures. Reinventing the legendary ruler as a London – nay, Londinium – street kid who discovers a world of magic and begins his journey to the throne, Legend of the Sword never takes itself too seriously and relishes in the kinetic street fights, heightened melodrama of royal affairs, and the world of wild creatures in equal measure. And Daniel Pemberton‘s score freaking rips – almost five years later and it’s still on my regular Spotify rotation. There are plenty of dark and dense Arthurian adaptations out there, but if you’re looking for one that lets loose and enjoys the most heightened, fantastical parts of the saga, Legend of the Sword is a blast, and as a longtime defender, I’m thrilled the film is finally having a moment on streaming. – Haleigh Foutch
Watch King Arthur: Legend of the Sword on Netflix
I’m Thinking of Ending Things
Writer/Director: Charlie Kaufman
Cast: Jessie Buckley, Jesse Plemons, Toni Collette, and David Thewlis
Charlie Kaufman is no stranger to films that make you feel like your brain is leaking out of your head, like with his directorial debut Synecdoche, New York, or with screenplays like Being John Malkovich and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. With I’m Thinking of Ending Things, Kaufman adapts Iain Reid‘s novel of the same name, in which Jake (Jesse Plemons) brings his girlfriend (Jessie Buckley) to meet his parents (Toni Collette and David Thewlis). But of course no Kaufman story could be that simple, as I’m Thinking of Ending Things becomes a twisty, strange, and remarkable experience unlike any other film. By the end, I’m Thinking of Ending Things becomes one of the most insane and towering achievements of Kaufman’s career, which is really saying something. — Ross Bonaime
Watch I’m Thinking of Ending Things on Netflix
Hairspray (2007)
Director: Adam Shankman
Writer: Leslie Dixon
Cast: Nikki Blonsky, Zac Efron, John Travolta, Michelle Pfieffer, Christopher Walken, James Marsden, Amanda Bynes, Queen Latifah, Brittan Snow, Elijah Kelley, Allison Janney
Inspired by John Waters’ 1988 film of the same name, Adam Shankman’s film adaptation of the Broadway musical Hairspray is a full-on fun time that knows just how to make the best of its cast’s many, many talents. Set in 1962 Baltimore, during the age of integration, the film stars Nikki Blonsky (who made her film acting debut on the film and walked away with a Golden Globe nomination) as Tracy Turnblad, who lands a spot on the Corny Collins Show and learns some tough but sweet life lessons along the way. Blonsky is a force of good energy, and Christopher Walken and John Travolta are impeccably, improbably matched as her loving parents. The ensemble is fabulous across the board, including an oh-so-swoon-worthy Zac Efron as her paramour Link Larkin, and Adam Shankman directs the hell out of the musical numbers, making Hairspray a wall-to-wall blast to watch that will undoubtedly have you tapping your toes. — Haleigh Foutch
Watch Hairspray on Netflix
Gattaca (1997)
Writer/Director: Andrew Niccol
Cast: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Alan Arkin, Loren Dean, Ernest Borgnine, and Jude Law
Easily one of the best science fiction films of the 1990s, Andrew Niccol’s movie explores prejudice through the unique concept of genetic discrimination. In a near-future setting (beautifully designed with a mid-century modern look), Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) aspires to be an astronaut, but because he was born out of love and not genetically crafted like others in this future, he’s got a heart condition that rules him out of employment. Determined to follow his dream, he takes the identity of Jerome Morrow (Jude Law), a perfect specimen now confined to a wheelchair. As Vincent tries to keep the ruse alive, he’s suspected of murder at his company, Gattaca. The film is thrilling, sad, and reframes our thinking about prejudice in clever, thoughtful ways. It is sci-fi at its finest and has lost none of its punch over the past couple of decades. – Matt Goldberg
Watch Gattaca on Netflix
Nightbooks (2021)
Director: David Yarovesky
Writers: Mikki Daughtry and Tobias Iaconis
Cast: Winslow Fegley, Krysten Ritter, Lidya Jewett
A delightful “gateway horror” film for the whole family (ok, maybe not the super young kids), Nightbooks is adapted from the book of the same name and follows two kids trapped by a vicious (but fabulous) witch who demands a new scary story each night. Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23 and Jessica Jones star Krysten Ritter is giddily glamorous and genuinely menacing as the big bad witch in question, and director David Yarovesky (Brightburn) does a fantastic job translating horror staples into family-friendly fare, making for a film that’s genuinely spooky, but still a whole ton of fun. Further credit to Yarovesky, Nightbooks is also one of the best and most distinct-looking Netflix originals in recent memory and it takes care to build out its world of magic and horror with a stylish flourish. Speaking of style, don’t even get me started on Ritter’s glittering costumes because I could write a novel of praise. Whether you’re looking for a new spooky season favorite, or you’re just looking for a good spooky movie regardless of the season, Nightbooks is a creepy, creative treat. – Haleigh Foutch
Watch Nightbooks on Netflix
Worth (2021)
Director: Sara Colangelo
Writer: Max Borenstein
Cast: Michael Keaton, Amy Ryan, Stanley Tucci, Tate Donovan, and Lauren Benati
I know a drama set in the wake of 9/11 is a tough sell, but Worth is absolutely one of the best films of 2021. Based on a true story, it follows an attorney in Washington D.C. who is tasked with figuring out exactly how much each of the 9/11 victims’ families will receive as part of insurance payouts, literally deciding each person’s worth. He battles bureacracy and cynicism at every turn, and is touched by his interactions with the victims’ families. Michael Keaton and Amy Ryan give terrific performances here, and Stanley Tucci is a scene-stealer as always. — Adam Chitwood
Watch Worth on Netflix
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Writer/Director: David O. Russell
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Jacki Weaver, Chris Tucker, and Julia Stiles
While Silver Linings Playbook was billed as an “Oscar movie,” scoring eight nominations including Best Picture, at heart it’s really just a solid romantic comedy. Bradley Cooper plays a man suffering from bipolar disorder who moves back in with his parents after being released from a psychiatric hospital. He meets a recently widowed young woman (Jennifer Lawerence) who vows to help him get back with his ex-wife, but wouldn’t you know it, while training for a big dance competition Cooper and Lawrence accidentally fall in love. It’s charming and offbeat, owing to filmmaker David O. Russell’s unique sensibilities, and Cooper and Lawrence (in an Oscar-winning performance) have tremendous chemistry. – Adam Chitwood
Watch Silver Linings Playbook on Netflix
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)
Director: George C. Wolfe
Writer: Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Cast: Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo, and Michael Potts
The 2020 film Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is a powerhouse showcase for the acting talents of all involved, including Chadwick Boseman in his final live-action performance. Based on the stage play of the same name, the film chronicles a day in the life of iconic recording artist Ma Rainey as she assembles her team to record a new album on a hot summer day in 1927. Tensions rise and the dialogue crackles between these various characters, as Boseman’s trumpeter dreams of making it big on his own while the temperamental Ma Rainey knows what lies ahead all too well. This is an excellent performance-driven drama. – Adam Chitwood
Watch Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom on Netflix
The Lost Daughter (2021)
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Writer: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Cast: Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Jack Farthing, Peter Sarsgaard, and Ed Harris
In her directorial debut, Maggie Gyllenhaal has to handle a complex balance in telling the story of Leda Caruso (Olivia Colman). Leda takes a holiday to Greece and upon watching young mother Nina (Dakota Johnson) with her child, Leda reflects back on her own struggles with motherhood. Adapting Elena Ferrante‘s novel of the same name, Gyllenhaal presents a lead character whose impulsiveness could easily have been seen as selfish, but instead, Gyllenhaal and Colman present Leda as an intricate and extremely complicated character. The Lost Daughter provides not only another great Colman performance, but a fantastic introduction to Gyllenhaal as a commanding filmmaker. – Ross Bonaime
Watch The Lost Daughter on Netflix
Django Unchained (2012)
Director/Writer: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington, Samuel L. Jackson, Don Johnson, Walton Goggins, and James Remar
Quentin Tarantino’s most financially successful film to date remains his 2012 Western epic Django Unchained, which is set in 1858 and tells the story of a freed slave’s (Jamie Foxx) quest to save his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) from the clutches of a ruthless plantation owner (Leonardo DiCaprio) – with the help of a German bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz), of course. Django Unchained is tremendously unsettling in terms of providing an unflinching glimpse at the lives of slaves in America (and the cruelty inflicted upon them), but it also has that Tarantino touch that makes it wildly entertaining – a combination that may strike some as odd or in poor taste. However you fall, DiCaprio’s menacing performance is undeniably among his very best, Foxx’s arc is particularly impressive, and it’s hard to argue with Waltz’s Oscar win for his supporting turn. – Adam Chitwood
Watch Django Unchained on Netflix
The Fear Street Trilogy (2021)
Director: Leigh Janiak
Writers: Leigh Janiak and Phil Graziadei (Part One), Zak Olkewicz (Part Two), Phil Graziadei and Leigh Janiak and Kate Trefry (Part Three)
Cast: Kiana Madeira, Olivia Scott Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr., Sadie Sink, and more
Inarguably one of the best Netflix originals ever, the Fear Street trilogy is the perfect binge-watch. This adaptation of the R.L. Stine book series is an interconnected trilogy of horror movies, each with its own tone and twist on the slasher genre, bound by characters and mythology. The action begins in Fear Street: 1994, which introduces the town of Shadyside where everything bad always tends to happen. A group of teenagers finds themselves hunted down by a bevy of serial killers from the town’s past, only to discover the culprit may be a centuries-old curse. The second film, Fear Street: 1978, is a summer camp slasher that goes into Shadyside’s past to recount a horrific event while revealing more of the mythology until the third and final movie, Fear Street: 1666, works as an origin story for the curse and the Shadyside Witch. These movies absolutely rule, and are perfect for a Friday night date night. – Adam Chitwood
Watch Fear Street on Netflix
Sorry to Bother You (2018)
Writer/Director: Boots Riley
Cast: Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler, Omari Hardwick, Terry Crews, Patton Oswalt, David Cross, Danny Glover, Steven Yuen, and Armie Hammer
It’s best to go into Sorry to Bother You as cold as possible, but if you need to know the brief synopsis, it follows Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield), a young black man who discovers he’s a wiz at telemarketing when he puts on his “white voice”, but as he starts becoming more successful, he begins to compromise his values. But that’s just the basic premise of Boots Riley’s scathing satire on race, capitalism, art, masculinity, and commerce. It’s not a film that works 100% of the time, but its ambition is undeniable, and the film is at turns hilarious, damning, and completely bonkers. – Matt Goldberg
Watch Sorry to Bother You on Netflix
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