The 40 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now

If you’re looking for the best movies to watch on Netflix, you’ve come to the right place. Below, we’ve put together an expertly curated selection of some of the most exciting, compelling, emotional and funny movies currently streaming right now.

While it can be daunting thumbing through the streamer’s catalog to find out what to watch, we’ve taken the guesswork and mindless scrolling out of it. This post will be frequently updated with new recommendations, keeping you up to date with all the Netflix movies you should be prioritizing in your queue.

So peruse our list of the best movies on Netflix right now below, and happy watching!

Titanic

It’s tough to explain just how big of a deal “Titanic” was when it came out in 1997 if you weren’t alive then, but suffice it to say it was huge — it played in theaters for a full year, and its home video release was treated like a national holiday. James Cameron’s sweeping romantic epic is one of the greatest cinematic achievements in history, full-stop. It’s swoon-worthy, tense and jaw-dropping in equal measure, chronicling a doomed love story on the fateful ocean liner. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet are young movie stars personified, and the visual effects spectacle of the third act holds up to this day. Embrace it.

Sicario

“Sicario” rips. Directed by “Dune” and “Blade Runner 2049” filmmaker Denis Villeneuve and written by “Yellowstone” creator Taylor Sheridan, the film stars Emily Blunt as an FBI agent who joins an FBI task force to help bring down a cartel. Josh Brolin is the morally questionable CIA agent steering the ship, and Benicio Del Toro is chilling as a mysterious man helping with the mission. Incredibly tense, this thing will have you white-knuckling from start to finish, and leaves a lot to be discussed after the credits roll.

Jurassic World Rebirth

The most recent “Jurassic World” movie is now on Netflix, and it’s pretty fun! Something of a reboot after the Chris Pratt/Bryce Dallas Howard trilogy, “Jurassic World Rebirth” takes a back-to-basics approach, ditching overarching mythology in favor of a terrifying story of a group of individuals tasked with extracting DNA from three specific species on an island research facility. Scarlett Johansson, Jonathan Bailey and Mahershala Ali make for a fine trio, and David Koepp — who wrote the first two “Jurassic” movies — returns to write the script for “Rogue One” director Gareth Edwards.

Blue Moon

Another Oscar-nominated movie that’s newly been added to Netflix is Richard Linklater’s wonderful chamber drama “Blue Moon.” The film takes place almost entirely at a bar after the opening of the musical “Oklahoma!” where lyricist Lorenz Hart laments the success of his creative partner Richard Rodgers’ success with new partner Oscar Hammerstein II. Ethan Hawke plays Hart and puts on an acting masterclass, offering a portrait of a sad, lonely man suffering a creative crisis. Based on true events, the story takes place mere months before Hart’s death.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

The third and best installment in Rian Johnson and Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc mystery series, “Wake Up Dead Man” is a haunting, meaty whodunit set in the community of a local and sparsely attended church in upstate New York. The film shifts the protagonist POV to a young and earnest priest played by Josh O’Connor, who becomes the prime suspect when the fiery (and widely disliked) Monsignor played by Josh Brolin turns up dead. The film is hilarious and shocking, just like the past two films, but also has an introspective and compassionate bent that makes it a surprisingly emotional watch.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

One of the best “Spider-Man” movies ever made, if not the best, “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” simultaneously chronicles the coming-of-age story of Miles Morales and the “return-to-action” arc for a middle-aged Peter Parker, while throwing in Gwen Stacey for good measure. It’s a masterpiece, truly. Brilliantly animated, hilarious and thematically rich in equal measure.

James Bond Franchise

Several James Bond films are now streaming on Netflix for your viewing pleasure. There are many to recommend, but of course Daniel Craig’s “Casino Royale” and “Skyfall” are hard to beat, with “No Time to Die” serving as a perfect sendoff. For the Pierce Brosnan era, go for the terrific “Goldeneye.” Then make sure you check out the underrated “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” as well as Sean Connery’s defining film “Goldfinger.” Have a marathon!

You’ve Got Mail

“You’ve Got Mail” is like the movie version of chicken soup. It will cure any cold. It will quite literally make your blues go away. Nora Ephron’s modern (for 1998) take on “The Shop Around the Corner” stars Meg Ryan as the owner of an independent children’s book store who is fighting against the construction of a big box book store right across the street, which is run by Tom Hanks. Ryan and Hanks’ characters have a kind of hateful flirtation in person, but Ryan’s character is completely in the dark that the man she’s having an internet flirtation with is, in fact, Hanks’ character.

The Ritual

If you wanna be scared, watch “The Ritual.” I’m not going to tell you much about it other than the fact that it follows a group of men who travel to Northern Sweden to honor their friend who recently died, and during their hiking trip they start to encounter… well. Just watch. If you liked “The Empty Man,” “Hereditary” or other moody horror dramas, you’ll enjoy this one.

Train Dreams

One of the absolute best movies 0f 2025 and an Oscar nominee for Best Picture, “Train Dreams” is best described as “The Assassination of Jesse James” meets “Tree of Life.” The film stars Joel Edgerton as a logger working in the 1910s, but it charts the course of essentially his entire life in a way that feels both epic and intimate, chronicling love, loss and everything in between. It’s a movie made up of small moments that feel huge, with gorgeous filmmaking from director Clint Bentley and Edgerton’s best performance of his career. Don’t miss this one.

KPop Demon Hunters

You’ve heard the buzz, now see the movie. The most-watched film in Netflix history, “KPop Demon Hunters” is an absolute blast that will put a smile on your face from beginning to end. The original animated film concerns three pop stars who are secretly demon hunters, using their catchy tunes to keep a demonic presence at bay. But they meet their match when a group of demons form a boy band to steal their thunder. Every song is a banger and this thing, created by Sony Pictures Animation, looks great.

28 Years Later

One of the best sequels ever made and one of the best films of 2025, Danny Boyle’s horror sequel “28 Years Later” is terrifying and devastating all at once. The film picks up 28 years after the events of the groundbreaking zombie pic “28 Days Later” and takes place on an island that has kept the zombies at bay by using the ocean tides to their advantage. But when a young boy takes his sick mother ashore to help get her better, chaos erupts. Danny Boyle’s stunning direction and Alex Garland’s surprising script steer this into a wildly emotional meditation on death, loss and grief.

Frances Ha

Before Greta Gerwig was the director of “Barbie,” she broke out in a huge way as the co-writer and star of Noah Baumbach’s 2012 gem “Frances Ha.” This black-and-white indie follows a young girl named Frances living in New York who’s going through a bit of a quarter-life crisis as she ponders her future as a ballet dancer. Adam Driver makes a memorable appearance as her friend Lev, which is not the only thing that connects this delightful feature to the HBO series “Girls.”

The Wild Robot

Maybe the best film of 2024, “The Wild Robot” follows a robot named Roz (Lupita Nyong’o) who crash lands on an island filled with animals. When Roz happens upon a young baby goose, it decides its mission is now to protect and raise the animal — with a little help from a red fox (voiced by Pedro Pascal). This is a tremendously emotional mother-son story about the challenges that come with being a parent, and the difficulty of letting go. It’s also gorgeously animated and directed by Chris Sanders, of “Lilo & Stitch” and “How to Train Your Dragon” fame.

Frankenstein

It’s alive! For years writer/director Guillermo del Toro, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind “The Shape of Water,” “Pinocchio” and “Pan’s Labyrinth,” has dreamed of making a new version of Mary Shelley’s immortal “Frankenstein.” Now, he finally has. And it’s a doozy. One of his best, most sumptuous films, “Frankenstein” is niftily split into two sections – in the first, we get the story of the doctor (Oscar Isaac), whose mother died while he was young and whose father (Charles Dance) was a demanding ghoul; the second tells the story of the creature (Jacob Elordi), a tortured amalgamation who becomes obsessed with confronting his creator. Both are extremely complicated, fraught narratives, full of colorful characters like Mia Goth’s Lady Elizabeth, who is the doctor’s brother’s fiancée, and Christoph Waltz as an arms dealer who literally supplies Doctor Frankenstein with arms (and legs and torsos).

Will & Harper

“Will & Harper” is tremendous. The documentary, which premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, follows Will Ferrell and his longtime friend and collaborator Harper Steele as they go on a road trip together. Steele was a writer on “SNL” and worked with Ferrell on his weirder films and projects (like that Lifetime movie with Kristen Wiig), and Steele transitioned during the pandemic. Ferrell proposed they take a road trip across the United States, during which Steele welcomes the opportunity for Ferrell to ask a number of questions about her transition. It’s sweet and emotional, but also feels truly important and potentially life-changing for many.

Rebel Ridge

“Rebel Ridge” will have you on the edge of your seat from its first frame to its last. The original thriller from writer/director Jeremy Saulnier stars Aaron Pierre as a man who’s urgently trying to bail his cousin out of prison for reasons that soon become clear. But when a pair of small-town cops seize the cash, he’s put on the backfoot with the clock ticking and mountains of corruption to sift through. What unfolds is a cross between “Jack Reacher,” “First Blood” and “The Pelican Brief” with crackling dialogue, a terrific Don Johnson performance and a star-making turn from Pierre.

Sing Street

“Sing Street” is the definition of a feel-good movie. The 2016 film takes place in 1985 Dublin and follows a young boy yearning for more who decides to start a band with his new classmates. Inspired by his older brother’s (Jack Reynor) love of Duran Duran and other similar bands, he and his friends strive to make the band work all while juggling teenage problems like crushes, broken friendships and tough home lives. The original songs in this film are incredibly catchy (no surprise given that it’s written and directed by “Once” filmmaker John Carney) and the film builds to a tremendously emotional crescendo.

Hit Man

This movie is an absolute blast. Inspired by a true story, “Hit Man” stars Glen Powell as a mild-mannered man who does contract work for the local police disguising himself as a hit man to catch people plotting murders on tape. But when he falls for one of his would-be criminals (a woman played by Adria Arjona), he finds himself caught between two identities — the “hit man” personality she fell in love with and the guy he really is. Richard Linklater, the award-winning filmmaker behind “School of Rock,” “Boyhood” and the “Before” series, directs with a keen eye for humanity in every character but packages the whole thing as a screwball comedy. Powell co-wrote the script and is dynamite in the lead role, showing off tremendous chemistry with Arjona.

1917

Sam Mendes’ one-shot World War I film earned a boatload of Oscars, and deservedly so. The film is presented as one long, unbroken take (for which cinematographer Roger Deakins won an Academy Award) as it follows a soldier played by George MacKay through one day on the battlefield in April, 1917. It’s an astounding accomplishment and best watched with your full attention. Andrew Scott, Benedict Cumberbatch, Richard Madden and Mark Strong all have memorable but small roles as MacKay’s character makes his way through the muck

The Killer

David Fincher’s “The Killer” is a delightfully unique twist on the hitman movie. Written by “Seven” writer Andrew Kevin Walker, the film is broken up into chapters and follows an assassin played by Michael Fassbender in the wake of a hit gone wrong. But whereas most films would go right, “The Killer” goes left. There is precious little dialogue spoken out loud by Fassbender’s character as our insight into this machine-like presence comes from lengthy voiceovers. Fincher delights in immersing us into this man’s psyche as he world kinda sorta unravels.

Glass Onion

You simply must, must, must watch “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” if you enjoy things like “fun” and “comedy.” This “Knives Out” sequel (once again written and directed by Rian Johnson) is a brand new mystery, with Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc as the only returning character from the original film. This time, he’s invited to a secluded island by a tech billionaire (played by Edward Norton), who has gathered a group of his closest friends – played by Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr. and Janelle Monae – in Greece to play an elaborate murder mystery game. To say more would spoil the surprises, but suffice it to say this is just as thrilling, hilarious and surprising as the first “Knives Out” and you’ll want to watch it again immediately once it’s over.

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

Guillermo del Toro’s first stop-motion feature film is as emotional as you’d expect, and this is “Pinocchio” like you’ve never seen the story before. Co-written and directed by del Toro, this adaptation features the voices of Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Burn Gorman, Cate Blanchett, Finn Wolfhard, Ron Perlman and Tilda Swinton and offers up a fantastical twist on the Carlo Collodi Italian classic. Emotional and awe-inspiring in equal measure, and set against the backdrop of fascist Italy, this is a gorgeous work of art.

Mudbound

The first film to ever earn a woman an Academy Award nomination for Best Cinematography, 2017’s “Mudbound” is a moving and compelling historical drama. Directed by Dee Rees and shot by Rachel Morrison, the film follows two World War II veterans as they return home to Mississippi, one white and one Black. Carey Mulligan, Jason Mitchell, Garrett Hedlund and Mary J. Blige anchor the terrific ensemble cast as the film tackles race relations in the past with a direct line to our present, packed with rich and complex characters.

The Power of the Dog

Writer/director Jane Campion’s 2021 drama “The Power of the Dog” is a powerful and surprising film about, among other things, family. Set in 1925 Montana, Benedict Cumberbatch and Jesse Plemons play a pair of brothers whose strained relationship is pushed to the limit when Plemons marries a widowed single mother (played by Kirsten Dunst) on a whim, and brings her son (played by Kodi Smit-McPhee) to live with them on their ranch. The performances are top-notch all around, as Campion crafts a complex and tension-filled character-centric drama that’s certainly one of 2021’s best films.

tick, tick… BOOM!

“Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda makes his feature directorial debut with the Netflix musical “tick, tick… BOOM!,” based on the autobiographical stage musical by “Rent” creator Jonathan Larson. Andrew Garfield plays Larson, who is on the cusp of turning 30 and has yet to have a masterpiece staged on Broadway. As he puts the finishing touches on his sci-fi rock epic, he grapples with his own anxieties, his crumbling relationship with his girlfriend, and the impending AIDS epidemic that’s taking his friends far too quickly. The songs are incredible and the direction is inspired, but Garfield’s electric and soulful performance makes this a must-watch.

Mank

This one might come with a “For Cinephiles Only” warning, but if that describes you there’s much to love in David Fincher’s 2020 film “Mank.” Gary Oldman stars as Hollywood writer Herman J. Mankiewicz as the film chronicles his experience writing the screenplay for “Citizen Kane,” all while flashing back to events from his life that inspired certain characters and themes in what many consider to be the greatest film ever made. Fincher presents the film entirely in black-and-white (it won the Oscar for Best Cinematography), and Amanda Seyfried gives a terrific performance as Marion Davies while Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross compose a surprising original score.

Private Life

Kathryn Hahn has made a career out of scene-stealing supporting performances, but she takes center stage in writer/director Tamara Jenkins’ 2018 dramedy “Private Life.” Inspired by Jenkins’ own experience, Hahn and Paul Giamatti star as a middle-aged New York City couple struggling through infertility who decide to try and have a child through IVF. The film follows the ups and downs of infertility in heartbreaking detail, while also finding moments of humor throughout that ring true to life. Hahn and Giamatti are spectacular together, as they also chronicle how their journey strains their marriage.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs

This Western anthology from the Coen Brothers is a delightful romp that builds to a shockingly emotional conclusion. “The Ballad of Buster Scruggs” is made up of six different stories set in the Old West, each featuring different characters. Themes of mortality, morality and justice are prevalent throughout “Buster Scruggs” just as they are through the Coens’ other films, but this time all against a wonderful, slightly exaggerated Western backdrop. The stellar cast includes Tim Blake Nelson, Stephen Root, Zoe Kazan, Bill Heck, Liam Neeson and Brendan Gleeson.

Marriage Story

Writer/director Noah Baumbach 2019’s drama “Marriage Story” is, ultimately, a divorce story, but it’s so richly drawn and beautifully acted that you’ll find your own heart breaking as you watch the conscious uncoupling of a pair played by Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver. This is far from a mean-spirited or even depressing film. Instead, while it does indeed chronicle the dissolution of a relationship (inspired by Baumbach’s own life) and how the divorce impacts their young son, “Marriage Story” smartly always keeps an eye on one very important fact: while these two individuals may be splitting up, that doesn’t mean the love they once had for each other wasn’t real. Driver and Johansson are terrific, and Laura Dern is a scene-stealer in her Oscar-winning supporting turn.

The Mitchells vs. the Machines

If you’re looking for a movie the whole family can enjoy, the 2021 Netflix original “The Mitchells vs. the Machines” is an emotional crowd-pleaser that’s as funny as it is inventive. Directed by Mike Rianda and produced by Phil Lord and Chris Miller, the film follows a family going on a cross-country road trip to send their eldest daughter Katie (Abbi Jacobson) to college, where she hopes to learn how to become a filmmaker. The family isn’t on the best terms when the road trip begins, which makes things even trickier when a robot uprising occurs, leaving the dysfunctional Mitchells as humanity’s last hope. This is a hilarious, colorful and heartfelt story about the importance of communication.

13th

Netflix has a wide variety of documentaries to choose from, but Ava DuVernay’s 2016 film “13th” is a must-watch. The doc delves into mass incarceration in the United States, and how race and injustice intersect with the issue, through the prism of the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which abolishes slavery except as punishment for a crime. Through a number of interviews, DuVernay examines why a disproportionate number of Black people are incarcerated in the U.S., and how the current justice system perpetuates this injustice.

Enola Holmes

One of the great things about Netflix is how it has a little bit of something for everyone, and in that vein, the YA-skewing “Enola Holmes” is a delight for the teenaged crowd (and beyond). Based on the young adult series of the same name by author Nancy Springer, the film stars Millie Bobby Brown as the younger sister of Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill). When her mother (Helena Bonham Carter) goes missing, Enola leaves the safety of her home compound and ventures into London to try and solve this mystery. Along the way, however, Enola learns that her mother kept many secrets of her own. This is a rollicking mystery-adventure that’s also a sweet and substantial coming-of-age story, all wrapped up in a gorgeous 19th century Victorian package.

Set It Up

If you’re into romantic comedies, you simply must check out “Set It Up.” This Netflix original is a throwback in the best way, as Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell have that Meg Ryan/Tom Hanks chemistry in a story about friends turning into lovers. They play overworked assistants to demanding bosses (played by Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs) and hatch a plan to set their bosses up in an effort to earn more free time themselves. But their scheming puts them in frequent close contact, during which sparks fly.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga

The Netflix original comedy “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga” is not just an incredibly funny film, it’s a surprisingly emotional one too. Based on an original idea by Will Ferrell, the “Elf” actor stars as one half of an Icelandic duo alongside Rachel McAdams, both of whom are thrust into the spotlight when they’re unexpectedly selected to compete in the international singing competition Eurovision. The film is packed with some genuinely great songs, and a sweet story about staying true to your roots in the face of immense growth.

The Fear Street Trilogy

Everyone loves a good scare, but the “Fear Street” trilogy gives you three times the thrills for the price of one overarching story. These three interconnected films trace the origins of a witch’s curse on a small town, covering events in 1994 in the “Scream”-inspired first film, then heading back to 1978 for the summer camp slasher sequel, before concluding in the year 1666 for the third and final feature that reveals the origin story of the Shadyside witch. Colorful, fun and genuinely scary, the “Fear Street” trilogy tells a truly epic horror story.

Miss Americana

The Taylor Swift documentary “Miss Americana” is full of surprises. While the film begins by chronicling Swift’s career, complete with the ups and downs it encompassed, it soon morphs into the origin story of a feminist as Swift begins to speak out on socio-political issues important to her. It’s a fascinating window into the management of fame, as some around her caution against making any kinds of political statements for fear of alienating her fanbase. Swift is honest throughout – or as honest as a documentary like this can be – and the film doesn’t shy away from tough moments like Kanye West infamously interrupting her at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards.

The Irishman

Martin Scorsese’s 3-hour-and-40-minute gangster epic “The Irishman” is best viewed in one sitting – trust me. The brilliance of the film is in its construction, as Scorsese charts the career of a hitman for the mob from the 1950s up to the present day. But unlike the bombast of “Goodfellas,” this is a film where regret and grief hang over nearly every frame, subtly building until the mournful third act hits you like a ton of bricks. Robert De Niro’s Frank Sheeran spends his entire life killing people, and what does it all add up to? Scorsese gets downright philosophical with questions of morality and mortality, crafting a self-reflexive film about what it means to come to the end of your life and look back on what you’ve done, why you did it and whether it was all worth it in the end.

Da 5 Bloods

Spike Lee is not known for making bland films, and indeed his 2020 Vietnam veterans drama “Da 5 Bloods” is confrontational in the best way. The story revolves around four aging Vietnam War veterans who return to the Southeast Asian country to search for the remains of their fallen leader — and also a trove of buried treasure. Along the way they confront their own fears and differences, as Lee’s film delves into how America left an entire generation of soldiers behind.

Crip Camp

Netflix is host to a ton of great documentaries, including “Crip Camp.” This Oscar-nominated 2020 film begins by showcasing archival footage from a camp in the 1970s that was created for teens with disabilities, before then following various individuals as they fought for disability rights. It’s a moving portrait of activism that shows just how far we’ve come as a country, and how far we have left to go.

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