It can be hard to find the best movies on Netflix. We all understand the struggle of scrolling time—hours lost to wading through all of the Netflix movie options that could instead have been spent, you know, watching something. Or maybe something has been sitting patiently on your queue, waiting for someone to give you a nudge to finally press play. So, like a beacon in the night, here’s a guide to 25 of the best films within Netflix’s huge selection—including everything from landmark films to cult classics to Netflix original hidden gems—updated monthly as films appear on and leave the platform. Take that, decision fatigue. (And if you want a list of the best shows on Netflix, we’ve got one of those, too.)
The Age of Innocence (1993)
Director: Martin Scorsese
Genre: Romance
Notable cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, Winona Ryder
MPA rating: PG
Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Metacritic: 90
Though it was initially overshadowed by other entries in his filmography, Scorsese’s adaptation of Edith Wharton’s tragic romance has been rising in favor in recent years. And no wonder, because its sumptuousness is undeniable. There’s unsparing 19th-century period design by Dante Ferretti and Robert J. Franco, a lush Elmer Bernstein score, and a dazzling barn burner performance from Pfeiffer at the top of her game. The film’s heartbreaking emotional blows are as brutal as anything in the entire Scorsese canon, even though they come in corsets and coaches. The maestro may have made The Irishman for Netflix (and that movie ranks among the best options on the platform, too), but the rest of his filmography is more than worth a watch as well.
Atlantics (2019)
Director: Mati Diop
Genre: Drama
Notable cast: Mame Bineta Sine, Amadou Mbow, Ibrahima Traoré
MPA rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Metacritic: 85
Achingly romantic and fiercely original, Atlantics is a shape-shifting ghost story of sorts that defies simple categorization. Diop’s first feature follows a young woman set to marry a man she does not love, while her lover flees their native Senegal by sea in search of work. Overnight, spirits begin to possess the townsfolk, seeking revenge against an exploitative corporation. Never less than captivating, the film features unforgettable visuals and an arresting blending of themes that make for one of the most daring Netflix originals—and signal Diop as one of the major breakthrough directors of the past decade.
Dick Johnson is Dead (2020)
Director: Kirsten Johnson
Genre: Documentary
MPA rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
Metacritic: 89
Johnson is always breaking the boundaries of what we think a documentary can be, never more so than in her deeply moving yet not-depressing tribute to her father on the eve of his death. Between candid interviews with her father, Dick, Johnson stages his death in various, surreally funny scenarios, such as a fall down the stairs or being struck by a rogue air conditioner. The director told Vanity Fair that making the film was an act of coping with her beloved parent’s dementia: “How can my father and I together confront the fact that he, who is irreplaceable, will disappear?” The effect is whimsical, profound, and restorative, making for the wildest study of love and loss in Netflix’s vast stable.
Do the Right Thing (1989)
Director: Spike Lee
Genre: Drama
Notable cast: Ruby Dee, Ossie Davis, Rosie Perez, Danny Aiello, John Turturro
MPA rating: R
Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Metacritic: 93
A landmark of American filmmaking, Lee’s classic presents a day in the life of a Brooklyn neighborhood as tensions escalate between its citizens and a local racist pizzeria. The film and its place in the culture are always ripe for reexamination, from that dazzling cast to its “Fight the Power” pop maximalism to its still frustrating total blanking at the 1990 Oscars. Lee’s vision of Black American community remains more potent and influential with each passing year, only bolstering its prominent place in our moviegoing consciousness. Even in the choppy, vast waters of Netflix originals (or Prime Video movies, since it’s available there, too!), the platform still has some of history’s biggest movies hiding in plain sight.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)
Director: David Dobkin
Genre: Comedy
Notable cast: Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Dan Stevens, Pierce Brosnan, Demi Lovato
MPA rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes: 64%
Metacritic: 50
Both a lampoon of silly, earnest musicals and a straightforward silly, earnest musical in its own right, the film casts Ferrell and McAdams as Icelandic underdogs in the eponymous global competition. It’s a wholly satisfying mix of typically goofy Ferrell-isms and hilarious musical performances, all building up towards the film’s soaring, Oscar-nominated ballad “Husavik.” And for fans of the annual real song contest, you’ll find plenty of Easter eggs and cameos from beloved past contestants, including a delightful mashup singalong sequence. More than anything, the film cements McAdams as one of our great stars–she delivers a heartfelt performance that elevates a goofy comedy into something more touching. Play “Jaja Ding Dong”!!
Happy as Lazzaro (2018)
Director: Alice Rohrwacher
Genre: Drama
Notable cast: Adriano Tardiolo, Sergi López, Alba Rohrwacher
MPA rating: PG-13
Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
Metacritic: 87
