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The 50 best movies on Netflix right now (May 2023)

Do you want to watch a movie this weekend? You could catch Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 in theaters for a second time if you like. But if you want to stay home, Netflix is still your best option. This week, the Netflix original movie The Mother gives Jennifer Lopez her first real action flick in over two decades. And if you need a bit more drama, Tom Hanks’ most recent film, A Man Called Otto, is heating up the Netflix charts.

Of course, these flicks are only the tip of the iceberg. There’s always something new to watch on Netflix. But if you don’t have time to keep track of what’s coming and going, that’s something we can help you with. All you really need to do is check out our continuously updated list of the best movies on Netflix right now.

Looking for something else? We’ve also rounded up the best shows on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime, and the best movies on Disney+. For Netflix fans, check out the 10 most popular movies on Netflix right now.

Watching from abroad? Use a Netflix VPN to access your country’s catalog from anywhere in the world. Want to watch on the go? We can show you how to download movies on Netflix.

The Mother (2023) new
The Mother
52 %
7.4/10
r 115m
Genre Action, Thriller
Stars Jennifer Lopez, Joseph Fiennes, Omari Hardwick
Directed by Niki Caro

It might be a bit late in her career for Jennifer Lopez to jump back into action films, but if it worked for Liam Neeson, then it can work for J-Lo. The Mother casts Lopez as an unnamed assassin with a particular set of skills, none of which are particularly useful when it comes to being a parent.

But when the Mother learns that the daughter she gave up, Zoe (Lucy Paez), is in danger from her enemies, she drops everything in an attempt to save her from an old foe, Adrian Lovell (Joseph Fiennes). And nothing Lovell puts in the Mother’s way can stop her for long.

A Man Called Otto (2022) new
A Man Called Otto
51 %
7.5/10
pg-13 126m
Genre Comedy, Drama
Stars Tom Hanks, Mariana Treviño, Rachel Keller
Directed by Marc Forster

Tom Hanks really plays against type as the title character in A Man Called Otto. Otto Anderson has good reasons to be severely depressed and even suicidal. Rather than facing his twilight years without his recently deceased wife, Sonya (Rachel Keller), Otto prepares to end it all until he keeps running into his new neighbors, Marisol (Mariana Treviño) and Tommy (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo).

Much to Otto’s annoyance, he can’t kill himself because Marisol and her family always seem to arrive at inopportune times. But through their growing connection, Otto may yet find a new reason to live.

Pitch Perfect (2012) new
Pitch Perfect
66 %
7.1/10
pg-13 112m
Genre Comedy, Music, Romance
Stars Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp
Directed by Jason Moore

Who could have known that Pitch Perfect would launch two sequels and a spinoff series, Peacock’s Bumper in Berlin? Only the fans of the original film, which is now back on Netflix and racing up the movie charts. Anna Kendrick headlines the cast as Beca Mitchell, a college freshman who is somewhat involuntarily drawn into the intrigue of the campus’ all-female a cappella group, The Bellas.

Beca quickly finds herself clashing with The Bellas’ leaders, Aubrey Posen (Anna Camp) and Chloe Beale (Brittany Snow), over the group’s stale routines. Beca also ends up courting Jesse Swanson (Skylar Astin), a freshman who joins The Bellas’ bitter on-campus rivals, The Treblemakers. That’s a recipe for drama, especially when Beca’s personal desires conflict with the aspirations of her group.

The Dilemma (2011) new
The Dilemma
46 %
5.3/10
pg-13 111m
Genre Comedy, Drama
Stars Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Winona Ryder
Directed by Ron Howard

Ronny Valentine (Vince Vaughn) faces multiple crises in the black comedy The Dilemma. Ronny and his buddy/business partner, Nick Brannen (Kevin James), are on the verge of a pitch that could change their lives forever. However, Ronny soon discovers that Nick’s wife, Geneva (Winona Ryder), is cheating on him with Zip (Channing Tatum). And if Nick discovers the truth, it may imperil their company.

To compound things even further, Ronny’s attempt to learn more about Geneva’s affair only causes his girlfriend, Beth (Jennifer Connelly), to believe that his gambling addiction has returned. This forces Ronny to question whether his personal life is more important than his professional aspirations.

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022) new
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody
51 %
6.6/10
pg-13 144m
Genre Music, History, Drama
Stars Naomi Ackie, Ashton Sanders, Stanley Tucci
Directed by Kasi Lemmons

The story of Whitney Houston is both a triumph and a tragedy. The late singer rose from obscurity to become one of the most famous women in the world, only to die suddenly at 48 years old. Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody doesn’t attempt to sugarcoat Houston’s history, as it follows her meteoric rise and equally epic fall.

In the film, Whitney (Naomi Ackie) is supported by her friend-turned-lover Robyn Crawford (Nafessa Williams) before hitting the music industry like a tidal wave. As Whitney’s fame grows, she marries Bobby Brown (Ashton Sanders) and descends into drug addiction that threatens her career and even her life. And yet it’s impossible not to root for Whitney to pull herself out of that spiral.

Shrek Forever After (2010) new
Shrek Forever After
58 %
6.3/10
93m
Genre Comedy, Adventure, Fantasy, Animation, Family
Stars Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz
Directed by Mike Mitchell

Thanks to the success of Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, fans are revisiting the final Shrek film, Shrek Forever After, on Netflix. Mike Myers once again reprises his role as Shrek, who laments that he has become a domesticated ogre after to his marriage to Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) and the arrival of their rambunctious kids.

When Rumpelstiltskin (Walt Dohrn) offers Shrek a chance to be a true ogre again, his magical powers create an alternate world where Shrek was never born and the kingdom is ruled with an iron fist by Rumpelstiltskin himself. To put things right, Shrek will have to reconnect with greatly altered versions of Fiona, Donkey (Eddie Murphy), and Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas).

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die (2023)
The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die
48 %
7.1/10
111m
Genre Action, Adventure, History, Drama, War
Stars Alexander Dreymon, Mark Rowley, Arnas Fedaravicius
Directed by Edward Bazalgette

You’ll get a lot more out of The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die if you watched the five seasons of The Last Kingdom that came before it. But it works as both a series finale and as a standalone movie. In the film, Uhtred of Bebbanburg (Alexander Dreymon) is unwillingly put into the middle of a war for the future of England.

Ingrith (Ilona Chevakova) predicts that seven kings must die before England will be united under one ruler. That means Uhtred must eventually pick a side between Aethelstan, King of the Anglo-Saxons (Harry Gilby), and his deadly rival, Anlaf, King of Dublin (Pekka Strang).

The Best Man Holiday (2013)
The Best Man Holiday
59 %
6.6/10
r 123m
Genre Comedy
Stars Terrence Howard, Harold Perrineau, Morris Chestnut
Directed by Malcolm D. Lee

The Best Man Holiday is one of the rare sequels that gets the entire cast back together after an extended period. Fifteen years after marrying Lance Sullivan (Morris Chestnut) in The Best Man, Mia (Monica Calhoun) invites their extended circle of friends for a Christmas holiday together. However, Mia’s declining health is soon apparent, as is the lingering tension between Lance and his former best friend, Harper Stewart (Taye Diggs).

In secret, Harper has already agreed to write an unauthorized biography about his famous ex-pal, Lance. And when the truth comes out, it may tear them apart for good and force their friends to take sides.

Chupa (2023)
Chupa
48 %
5.6/10
pg 95m
Genre Adventure, Fantasy, Family
Stars Demián Bichir, Evan Whitten, Christian Slater
Directed by Jonás Cuarón

If you’ve ever heard of the legend of the chupacabra, then you know that these goat-sucking fiends aren’t exactly cuddly. At least that’s what we thought before Chupa. In this charming (and family-friendly) adventure, young Alex (Evan Whitten) goes to Mexico to visit his family in the wake of his father’s death.

Soon enough, Alex finds a lost chupacabra cub that he takes in and nurtures. Meanwhile, an American scientist, Richard Quinn (Christian Slater), will stop at nothing to find the cub and its mother, and somehow, Alex must find a way to protect his new friend.

CHUPA | Official Trailer | Netflix
The Last Stand (2013)
The Last Stand
54 %
6.3/10
r 107m
Genre Action, Crime, Thriller
Stars Arnold Schwarzenegger, Johnny Knoxville, Jaimie Alexander
Directed by Kim Jee-woon

After a decade away from Hollywood, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first film after serving his two terms as California’s Governor was a small town sheriff, Ray Owens, in the action thriller, The Last Stand. Within the story, Ray is anything but a typical action hero, and he’s not really eager to engage Gabriel Cortez (Eduardo Noriega), a violent drug lord whose escape route goes directly through Ray’s town. But Cortez’s trail of destruction leaves Ray no choice but to act.

Ray and his deputies are so severely outgunned that he’s forced to recruit a local weapons enthusiast, Lewis Dinkum (Johnny Knoxville). Unfortunately for Ray, Cortez is bringing a small army of his own.

The Last Stand (2013) - Official Trailer #1
Inception (2010)
Inception
74 %
8.8/10
r 148m
Genre Action, Science Fiction, Adventure
Stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe
Directed by Christopher Nolan

One of the best sci-fi movies of the 2010s on Netflix, Inception was the film that firmly established Christopher Nolan’s movies as events. It’s also a masterfully well-made story about Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), a man who literally makes his living invading the dreams of other people and stealing their secrets. Dom’s job is complicated by the fact that his subconscious mind is also haunted by a very literal version of his late wife, Mal Cobb (Marion Cotillard).

After years in exile away from his children, Dom is given the chance to return home by the enigmatic Mr. Saito (Ken Watanabe). The catch is that Dom and his new team have to invade the mind of businessman Robert Michael Fischer (Cillian Murphy) and convince him to break up his father’s empire. However, each layer of Robert’s mind brings new dangers to Mal and his team. Once they go in, they may not come out.

Inception
Psycho (1960)
Psycho
97 %
8.5/10
r 109m
Genre Horror, Drama, Thriller
Stars Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock
It is not an exaggeration to call Psycho one of the greatest movies ever made. Director Alfred Hitchcock was in peak form when crafting the tale of poor Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) and her unfortunate encounter with Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) and his mother. In the wake of Marion’s disappearance, her sister, Lila Crane (Vera Miles), and her lover, Sam Loomis (John Gavin), team up to find answers. But if they aren’t careful, what they’ll find is a knife in the back.
Psycho (1960) Theatrical Trailer - Alfred Hitchcock Movie
Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)
Minions: The Rise of Gru
56 %
6.5/10
pg 87m
Genre Animation, Comedy, Family
Stars Pierre Coffin, Steve Carell, Russell Brand
Directed by Kyle Balda

Minions: The Rise of Gru is a film that Peacock should probably have kept to itself, since it was one of the few animated hits of 2022. But Peacock’s loss is Netflix’s gain as the delightfully silly Despicable Me origin story of Gru (Steve Carell) unfolds with the child supervillain and his Minions (all voiced by Pierre Coffin) attempting to impress Gru’s idols, the Vicious 6, which includes Belle Bottom (Taraji P. Henson), Jean-Clawed (Jean-Claude Van Damme), Svengeance (Dolph Lundgren), Stronghold (Danny Trejo), and Nin-chuck (Lucy Lawless).

Unfortunately for Gru, his efforts only alienate the Vicious 6 and turn them into his enemies. But with the help of the Vicious 6’s former leader, Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin), Gru and the Minions have a fighting chance.

Minions: The Rise of Gru | Official Trailer
I See You (2019)
I See You
65 %
6.8/10
r 98m
Genre Thriller, Mystery, Horror, Crime
Stars Helen Hunt, Jon Tenney, Owen Teague
Directed by Adam Randall

There’s a lot going on in I See You, and you’ll miss the clues if you aren’t watching closely. Equal parts mystery and horror, the film starts out like a thriller as Detective Greg Harper (Jon Tenney) and his partner, Detective Spitzky (Gregory Alan Williams), are assigned to an apparent copycat serial abduction based on a killer that Greg put away years ago.

At the same time, Greg’s home life has been shattered as his wife, Jackie Harper (Helen Hunt), is having an affair that is threatening to tear their marriage apart. There’s also an unseen presence in Greg and Jackie’s house that haunts them with seemingly harmless pranks before escalating into violence and murder. That’s just the beginning of a twisted tale that eventually draws everyone together.

I See You Trailer (2019) - Helen Hunt
Pitch Black (2000)
Pitch Black
49 %
7.1/10
r 108m
Genre Thriller, Science Fiction, Action
Stars Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser
Directed by David Twohy

All three Riddick films are now back on Netflix, but Pitch Black remains the best of the trilogy. That’s because it plays out like a sci-fi thriller rather than a standard Vin Diesel action flick. This was Diesel’s first turn as Richard B. Riddick, a killer whose eyes can see in the dark. In a distant part of space, Riddick is captured by bounty hunter William J. Johns (Cole Hauser), and both men have the misfortune of being on a starship that crashes on a remote planet.

After Riddick escapes, the survivors, including Carolyn Fry (Radha Mitchell), Jack (Rhiana Griffith), and Abu al-Walid (Keith David) realize that the planet is overrun by fearsome creatures whenever it gets dark. In order to survive this planet of monsters, they have to rely on their own monster: Riddick.

Pitch Black Official Trailer #1 - Vin Diesel Movie (2000) HD
The Magician's Elephant (2023)
The Magician's Elephant
9.7/10
pg 99m
Genre Adventure, Animation, Family, Fantasy
Stars Noah Jupe, Mandy Patinkin, Natasia Demetriou
Directed by Wendy Rogers

Netflix just took home the Oscar for Best Animated feature for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, and it’s already got another strong animated flick out this week. The Magician’s Elephant adapts Kate DiCamillo’s novel of the same name, and it tells the story of a young orphan named Peter (Noah Jupe). Peter’s only wish in life is to find his missing sister, Adele (Pixie Davies), Through a fortune teller, Peter is told that he has to find a Magician (Benedict Wong) who will summon an elephant.

Incredibly, the prophecy comes true. But before the elephant can lead Peter to his sister, he is forced to perform three impossible tasks. And the attempt will change Peter’s life forever.

The Magician’s Elephant | Official Trailer | Netflix
Luther: The Fallen Sun (2023)
Luther: The Fallen Sun
53 %
7.0/10
r 129m
Genre Crime, Drama
Stars Idris Elba, Dermot Crowley, Cynthia Erivo
Directed by Jamie Payne

Idris Elba’s John Luther returns in the Netflix original film Luther: The Fallen Sun. And right off the bat, Luther is tossed in jail for everything illegal he did in the Luther TV series. Luther’s incarceration was engineered by his current adversary, David Robey (Andy Serkis), and it demonstrates just how much Robey fears the disgraced detective.

However, Luther eventually escapes from prison to go after Robey and bring him down for good. Unfortunately for Luther, his former colleagues on the police force are also hunting for him.

Luther: The Fallen Sun | Official Trailer | Netflix
World War Z (2013)
World War Z
63 %
7.0/10
pg-13 116m
Genre Action, Drama, Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller
Stars Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Daniella Kertesz
Directed by Marc Forster
In case you hadn’t guessed, the “Z” in World War Z stands for zombie. And unfortunately for Brad Pitt’s Gerry Lane, he finds himself thrust into the middle of an unfolding zombie apocalypse. For the sake of his wife, Karin Lane (Mireille Enos), and their two daughters, Gerry reluctantly agrees to help U.N. researchers discover the source of the zombie virus in the hopes of finding a vaccine before the entire planet is overrun. It’s a race against time, and Gerry’s efforts may already be too late.
World War Z Official Trailer #1 (2013) - Brad Pitt Movie HD
If Anything Happens I Love You (2020)
If Anything Happens I Love You
7.8/10
12m
Genre Drama, Animation
Directed by Will McCormack, Michael Govier
From writer/director duo Michael Govier and Will McCormack, If Anything Happens explores a world of profound grief with the beautifully illustrated, meditative tale of a family’s tragic loss resulting from a school shooting. Navigating the incident’s emotional aftermath, the short animated film begins in a dark and near-unforgiving place, but through the power of love and the will to move forward, the film progresses into a place of love, forgiveness, and hope. It’s certainly not the easiest film to watch in this roundup, but it’s worthy of attention for its emotional bravery and stellar composition.
Easy A (2010)
Easy A
93m
Genre Comedy
Stars Emma Stone, Cam Gigandet, Amanda Bynes
Directed by Will Gluck
A seemingly harmless lie turns into something far more complicated in this 2010 high-school comedy that delivers a modern spin on The Scarlet Letter. After student Olive Penderghast (Emma Stone) gets out of a camping trip with her best friend Rhiannon (Aly Michalka) by telling a lie involving a mysterious date, it kicks off a salacious, schoolwide rumor. Instead of fighting it, Olive decides to embrace the stigma of being the “school tramp” and even finds a way to profit off it by pretending to sleep with classmates being bullied about their sexuality in exchange for gift cards and other rewards.
We Have a Ghost (2023)
We Have a Ghost
127m
Genre Adventure, Fantasy, Family, Comedy
Stars David Harbour, Jahi Di'Allo Winston, Anthony Mackie
Directed by Christopher Landon
David Harbour plays a lonely ghost in this supernatural comedy with an all-star cast. After Kevin (Jahi Di’Allo Winston) and his family move into a rundown house, they soon discover it’s not entirely empty. The house’s other occupant, Ernest the ghost (Harbour), quickly becomes an internet sensation and sends Kevin on a wild journey to investigate his new, ghostly pal’s death. Anthony Mackie, Jennifer Coolidge, and Tig Notaro fill out the cast, with Freaky filmmaker Christopher Landon behind the camera as writer and director.
The Summit of the Gods (2021)
The Summit of the Gods
78 %
7.5/10
95m
Genre Animation, Adventure, Mystery
Stars Éric Herson-Macarel, Damien Boisseau, Elisabeth Ventura
Directed by Patrick Imbert
This gorgeously animated French-language film from director Patrick Imbert chronicles a Japanese photojournalist’s quest for the truth regarding a mysterious mountain climber and his connection to one of the first teams to attempt to climb Mount Everest. A Cannes Film Festival darling praised for its beautiful visual achievement and compelling story, The Summit of the Gods is the rare adaptation of a Japanese manga series that does right by its source material — which was itself based on a 1998 novel by Baku Yumemakura. Fascinating and emotional, the film makes it tough not to be pulled along on the characters’ epic journey.
Penguin Bloom (2021)
Penguin Bloom
95m
Genre Drama
Stars Naomi Watts, Andrew Lincoln, Griffin Murray-Johnston
Directed by Glendyn Ivin
Naomi Watts stars in this emotional rollercoaster of a film about a woman struggling to recover from a catastrophic injury she suffered during a family vacation. After her children bring home an injured bird, her character’s efforts to rehabilitate the magpie — nicknamed “Penguin” — unfold in parallel with her own healing journey. Andrew Lincoln plays a supporting role in the film, which earned acclaim from critics on the festival circuit before arriving on Netflix.

Munich: The Edge of War (2022)
Munich: The Edge of War
53 %
6.8/10
129m
Genre Drama, History
Stars George MacKay, Jannis Niewöhner, Jeremy Irons
Directed by Christian Schwochow
Two college friends find themselves on opposite sides of a brewing war in this film based on Robert Harris’ 2017 novel Munich, which is set against the backdrop of the tense, 1938 meeting in Munich of the European nations that would eventually find themselves embroiled in the second World War. Jeremy Irons portrays U.K. Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, while George MacKay and Jannis Niewöhner play the former Oxford University classmates who become reluctant spies.[/dt_media]

Your Place or Mine (2023)
Your Place or Mine
109m
Genre Comedy, Romance
Stars Reese Witherspoon, Ashton Kutcher, Jesse Williams
Directed by Aline Brosh McKenna
Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher star in this sweetly simple romantic comedy about two friends whose decision to switch homes for a week has some unintended consequences. The film is written and directed by Crazy Ex-Girlfriend series writer (and occasional director) Aline Brosh McKenna, and delivers a well-timed dose of rom-com laughs to coincide with Valentine’s Day.
Day Shift (2022)
Day Shift
113m
Genre Action, Fantasy, Horror
Stars Jamie Foxx, Dave Franco, Natasha Liu Bordizzo
Directed by J.J. Perry
Jamie Foxx is a pool cleaner who moonlights as a vampire hunter in this action-horror film that also features Dave Franco and Snoop Dogg in supporting roles. The film is directed J.J. Perry, the award-winning stunt coordinator on recent installments of the Fast & Furious films, and that pedigree is apparent in the movie’s impressive fight sequences. Fast-paced and explosive with plenty of humor, the film is a fun popcorn flick that doesn’t ask you to think too much — just to sit back and enjoy the action.
JUNG_E (2023)
JUNG_E
98m
Genre Science Fiction, Action, Adventure
Stars Kang Soo-youn, Kim Hyun-joo, Ryu Kyung-soo
Directed by Yeon Sang-ho

This sci-fi film from the writer and director of Train to Busan is part explosive action spectacle, part exploration of big business and technology run amok. The film follows a scientist working on the next generation of lethal, combat-oriented artificial intelligence, developed from the brain patterns of one of the world’s most celebrated mercenaries, who was left comatose after a failed mission. The catch here is that the mercenary is actually the mother of the scientist, who has spent decades grappling with both her mother’s legacy and the company’s ownership of what remains of her mother.

The Pez Outlaw (2022)
The Pez Outlaw
85m
Genre Documentary
Stars Steve Glew, Kathy Glew, Ridoyanul Hoq
Directed by Bryan Storkel, Amy Bandlien Storkel
This documentary explores the strange saga of Steve Glew, a desperate factory worker in rural Michigan who found himself at the center of an international trade controversy, battling some of the candy industry’s most powerful figures, after he he saw a moneymaking opportunity in Pez candy dispensers. His journey would take him to remote regions of Eastern Europe just after the fall of the Berlin Wall, making million-dollar deals involving the small, plastic candy dispensers, all while dodging corporate spies and shady characters both inside and outside the U.S. You wouldn’t expect the world of Pez to hold this much drama, but the story of Steve “Pez Outlaw” Glew is a fascinating one filled with real-world characters as colorful as the candy dispensers at the heart of it.
The Sea Beast (2022)
The Sea Beast
115m
Genre Animation, Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Stars Karl Urban, Zaris-Angel Hator, Jared Harris
Directed by Chris Williams
Chris Williams, the co-director of Disney’s Big Hero 6 and Moana, takes the helm on the animated high-seas adventure The Sea Beast about a young girl who stows away on a famous monster-hunting ship, only to discover that everything she thought she knew about monsters and hunters might be wrong. Zaris-Angel Hator portrays aspiring monster-hunter (and stowaway) Maisie, while Karl Urban voices legendary hunter Jacob Holland in this all-ages feature that’s exciting, funny, and much deeper than its premise suggests.
Enola Holmes (2020)
Enola Holmes
68 %
6.6/10
123m
Genre Action, Adventure, Mystery, Comedy, Crime
Stars Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin
Directed by Harry Bradbeer
Millie Bobby Brown shines as the title character in this action-packed, fun-filled twist on the classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stories. When her mother turns up mysteriously missing, teenage Enola Holmes hits the trail to find her — something her more famous brother, Sherlock Holmes, is simply too preoccupied to do. As she sniffs out clues, Enola discovers she might just have as much as, or even more of, a knack for this sleuthing thing than her brother, slowly uncovering a dangerous conspiracy that threatens to rattle the English aristocracy.
Metal Lords (2022)
Metal Lords
97m
Genre Comedy, Drama, Music
Stars Jaeden Martell, Isis Hainsworth, Adrian Greensmith
Directed by Peter Sollett
Jaeden Martell and Adrian Greensmith play a pair of teenage friends who decide to form a heavy metal band and enter their high school’s Battle of the Bands competition. What they don’t expect, however, is to have their friendship tested and to learn about a lot more than music when they recruit a shy cellist to join them. Along with being a fun, funny coming-of-age film, Metal Lords features one of the most intense soundtracks of any recent film, thanks to the involvement of Rage Against The Machine’s Tom Morello as music supervisor. As if that wasn’t enough to make this one stand out, the script was penned by Game of Thrones co-creator D.B. Weiss and is one of his first Netflix-exclusive projects.
The Pale Blue Eye (2022)
The Pale Blue Eye
130m
Genre Mystery, Thriller
Stars Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Gillian Anderson
Directed by Scott Cooper
Christian Bale portrays a detective investigating a series of murders at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in 1830 in the thriller The Pale Blue Eye from Crazy Heart filmmaker Scott Cooper. While that premise is intriguing on its own, the story has him working with an eccentric young cadet at the school named Edgar Allen Poe. Expect the macabre and you won’t be disappointed.
Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical (2022)
Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical
117m
Genre Family, Comedy, Fantasy
Stars Alisha Weir, Emma Thompson, Lashana Lynch
Directed by Matthew Warchus
Roald Dahl’s beloved tale comes back to the screen in this live-action adaptation that casts Alisha Weir as the titular, precocious young girl whose intelligence and strange abilities are put to good use while trying to forge her own path and survive in a world of self-absorbed, naive, and downright evil adults. Lashana Lynch, Stephen Graham, and Emma Thompson play supporting roles in the film, helmed by director Matthew Warchus.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
79 %
7.3/10
132m
Genre Western, Comedy, Drama
Stars Tim Blake Nelson, James Franco, Zoe Kazan
Directed by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
What’s better than one Western from the Coen brothers? How about six? The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a sextet of short films, all set in the Wild West. They follow different characters through wild plots that explore the themes of human depravity and cosmic justice (or injustice) that recur so often in the Coens’ works. The eponymous chapter in the collection follows Buster Scruggs (Tim Blake Nelson), a sharpshooting, guitar-slinging cowboy roaming the West and singing of his adventures. In another, a lonely prospector (Tom Waits) digs for his fortune.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
139m
Genre Comedy, Crime, Mystery
Stars Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe
Directed by Rian Johnson
Director Rian Johnson returns for another mystery with intrepid detective Benoit Blanc in this sequel to surprise hit Knives Out, Glass Onion. This time around, Blanc heads to Greece to solve a mystery involving an eccentric tech billionaire and the circle of friends — and potential enemies — he gathers for a dinner on a remote island. The recipient of a long list of award nominations, Glass Onion features an ensemble cast that includes Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Dave Bautista, Kate Hudson, and Kathryn Hahn, among others.
Bubble (2022)
Bubble
56 %
6.4/10
101m
Genre Animation, Adventure, Science Fiction
Stars Jun Shison, Riria, Alice Hirose
Directed by Tetsuro Araki
This animated feature from Attack on Titan director Tetsuro Araki is set in a postapocalyptic Tokyo where a mysterious event has affected the laws of gravity, leaving strange bubbles and urban debris floating throughout the city. Skilled racers compete in parkour-like competitions for food and supplies, and when one gifted young man encounters a strange girl while exploring the epicenter of the gravity-twisting “bubble event,” their relationship changes the lives of everyone around them. A gorgeous spectacle of sights and sounds, Bubble begs to be seen on a high-end entertainment system, as it delivers remarkably detailed scenes of the characters traversing the city and a powerful score that accentuates its most thrilling — and quietest — moments.
Finding ʻOhana (2021)
Finding ʻOhana
69 %
6.1/10
123m
Genre Action, Adventure, Comedy, Family
Stars Kea Peahu, Alex Aiono, Lindsay Watson
Directed by Jude Weng
Uprooted from her Brooklyn life, Pilialoha “Pili” Kawena (Kea Peahu) and her family travel to Oahu to care for her ailing grandfather. Initially disappointed by the lack of big-city buzz and activity, they discover a pirate journal that alludes to an ancient treasure buried somewhere on the island. As Pili and her older brother begin their quest for the trove, their journey takes them on a Hawaiian odyssey that connects them with their ancient island heritage. A loving family drama, Finding ‘Ohana is like The Goonies set amid the breathtaking beauty of Hawaii.
Untold: Crimes & Penalties (2021)
Untold: Crimes & Penalties
85m
Genre Documentary, Crime
Directed by Chapman Way, Maclain Way
What happens when a waste-removal tycoon with mob ties decides to buy a minor league hockey team and make his teenage son the general manager and president? That question was answered when Jimmy Galante brought the Danbury Trashers to his Connecticut hometown in 2004 and had his 17-year-old son, A.J., run the UHL expansion team for two wild, brawl-filled seasons — a run that eventually led to a massive FBI bust that sent the elder Galante to prison and forced the team to disband. Part Slap Shot, part The Sopranos (Galante was rumored to be the real-world inspiration for Tony Soprano, after all), the outrageous story of the Trashers is almost too crazy to believe, but the documentary is packed with interviews and archival footage — including ESPN broadcasts from the Trashers’ brief run — that hammers home how real this crazy sports saga was. And when you’re done with this story, make sure to check out more of the documentaries in the Untold series.
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
117m
Genre Animation, Fantasy, Drama, Music
Stars Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Gregory Mann
Directed by Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson
One of Hollywood most visionary filmmakers turns his attention to one of the most beloved tales in children’s literature in this stop-motion animated adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s 1883 novel The Adventures of Pinocchio. Featuring the voices of Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, and Gregory Mann, as Jiminy Cricket, Gepetto, and Pinocchio, respectively, the film chronicles the marionette Pinocchio’s quest to become a living boy — a journey that brings him through one adventure after another. The star-filled voice cast also includes John Turturro, Ron Perlman, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, Tim Blake Nelson, Christoph Waltz, and Tilda Swinton, among others. Some reviewers have named it one of the year’s best films, animated or otherwise.
Bullet Train (2022)
Bullet Train
127m
Genre Action, Comedy, Thriller
Stars Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Directed by David Leitch
Deadpool 2 and Atomic Blonde director David Leitch helms the fast-paced, action-comedy adventure Bullet Train that casts Brad Pitt as a tired assassin who would like nothing more than to retire from the murder game. Unfortunately, his latest mission has him taking on an entire train full of hired killers as it speeds through Japan. Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Michael Shannon, Bad Bunny, and Sandra Bullock round out the film’s ensemble cast.
Misha and the Wolves (2021)
Misha and the Wolves
63 %
6.7/10
pg-13 90m
Genre Documentary
Stars Misha Defonseca
Directed by Sam Hobkinson
Move over, Tiger King. Netflix has another wild documentary you need to see to believe. The film chronicles the far-reaching investigation that took place after the publication of Misha Defonseca’s widely circulated 1997 memoir, Misha: A Mémoire of the Holocaust Years, in which the author describes her experiences as a young Holocaust survivor who was raised by wolves while searching Europe for her parents. It’s best not knowing any of the twists and turns the story takes ahead of time, so just sit back and let this true, stranger-than-fiction story unfold. You won’t be disappointed.
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
Always Be My Maybe
64 %
6.8/10
pg-13 102m
Genre Comedy, Romance
Stars Ali Wong, Randall Park, Keanu Reeves
Directed by Nahnatchka Khan
Childhood friends Sasha (Ali Wong) and Marcus (Randall Park) cross paths as adults, years after a teenage fling, and soon find themselves navigating life and love while maintaining two very different career paths and social circles. She’s a celebrity chef who hangs out with Keanu Reeves and he installs air conditioners. Can they ever find common ground? You probably know the answer to that already, but watching how they get there is where the fun lies — particularly when it comes to Reeves’ memorable performance.
Always Be My Maybe | Trailer | Netflix
Da 5 Bloods (2020)
Da 5 Bloods
82 %
6.5/10
r 156m
Genre War, Drama
Stars Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters
Directed by Spike Lee
This 2020 war drama marked a celebrated return to form for director, producer, and co-writer Spike Lee, and earned a long list of honors and awards for both Lee and the magnificent performances of the film’s talented cast. The story follows a group of Vietnam War veterans who return to the jungle hoping to find the remains of their dead squad leader and a hidden treasure they left behind during the war. Delroy Lindo leads a cast that also includes Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Jean Reno, and the late, great Chadwick Boseman.
Da 5 Bloods | Official Trailer | Netflix
tick, tick...BOOM! (2021)
tick, tick...BOOM!
74 %
7.5/10
pg-13 121m
Genre Drama, Music
Stars Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Robin de Jesús
Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Andrew Garfield stars as Rent playwright Jonathon Larson in this semi-autobiographical film directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The musical drama chronicles Larson’s struggles to bring the rock musical he’s been working on for years to the stage while navigating love, friendships, and both personal and professional pressure in New York City.

tick, tick...BOOM! | Official Trailer | Netflix
Passing (2021)
Passing
85 %
6.7/10
98m
Genre Drama
Stars Tessa Thompson, Ruth Negga, André Holland
Directed by Rebecca Hall
The title of this black-and-white drama, based on Nella Larsen’s celebrated 1929 novel of the same name, is a reference to the ability of some light-skinned African Americans to be perceived as white. The critically acclaimed film follows a pair of former childhood friends — portrayed by Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga — whose unexpected reunion brings tension into both of their lives as they navigate the segregated environment of 1920s New York City. André Holland and Alexander Skarsgård play supporting roles in the film, which is beautifully shot and surprisingly subtle given its powerful themes.
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
If Beale Street Could Talk
87 %
7.1/10
120m
Genre Romance, Drama
Stars KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King
Directed by Barry Jenkins
Filmmaker Barry Jenkins’ follow-up to his Oscar-winning feature MoonlightIf Beale Street Could Talk casts KiKi Layne as a young woman desperately attempting to clear the name of her wrongly imprisoned partner before their child is born. Stephan James co-stars with Layne in the film, which earned Regina King an Academy Award for her supporting performance, as well as a long list of other accolades for the feature.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
Hunt for the Wilderpeople
81 %
7.8/10
101m
Genre Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Stars Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rima Te Wiata
Directed by Taika Waititi
Based on Barry Crump’s novel Wild Pork and Watercress, Taika Waititi’s Hunt for the Wilderpeople stars Sam Neill and Julian Dennison as an unlikely foster father/foster child duo. After his adoption by the Faulkner family, Ricky (Dennison) attempts to settle into his new family, but tragic events scare the boy into the dense New Zealand wilderness. Hec (Neill), Ricky’s foster parent, tracks the boy down but suffers a debilitating injury in the process. Bonding over their pasts and hoping for a freer future, the pair decide to hide away in the brush together. But with a national manhunt underway to find the man and boy, how long can their odyssey truly last? Hunt for the Wilderpeople lives and breathes through Neill and Dennison’s onscreen chemistry, an acting partnership only deepened by Waititi’s rich and emotive script.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
The Trial of the Chicago 7
76 %
7.8/10
r 130m
Genre Drama, History
Stars Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baren Cohen, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Directed by Aaron Sorkin
Hollywood stalwart Aaron Sorkin rises to the occasion once more with his blistering interpretation of the 1969 Democratic National Convention trials, where seven Vietnam protestors were charged with crimes well beyond their intent. As peaceful demonstrations turn caustic, prejudice bleeds into testimony and eyewitness accounts of what took place the day of the riots. Featuring performances from Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baren Cohen, Alex Sharp, and John Caroll Lynch, Sorkin’s big-budget historical drama takes liberties here and there, but the result is a spellbinding examination of American history.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 | Official Trailer | Netflix Film
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
91 %
8.2/10
91m
Genre Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Stars Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle
Directed by Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
Widely regarded as one of the funniest movies ever made, this parody of Arthurian legend was written and performed by the famous Monty Python comedy troupe and directed by troupe members Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones. The film chronicles various elements of King Arthur’s quest to find the Holy Grail and those of his fellow Knights of the Round Table as they encounter one ridiculous scenario after another in pursuit of the relic. If you’ve ever wondered about the airspeed of a swallow, the best ways to determine whether someone is a witch, or how a fuzzy bunny could be the most terrifying creature in the world, well … you might not get all the answers in this film, but you’ll definitely find plenty of laughs.
RRR (2022)
RRR
83 %
8/10
187m
Genre Action, Drama
Stars N.T. Rama Rao Jr., Ram Charan, Alia Bhatt
Directed by S. S. Rajamouli
The most expensive Indian film ever made at the time of its release, this three-hour, action-filled epic offers a fictional account of two real-life revolutionaries’ adventures in the time before they became famous freedom fighters. Packed with gorgeous set pieces, stunning action, excellent performances, and yes, even some fantastic music and dance sequences, RRR is one of the most successful films to come out of India in recent years and has quickly become one of the most talked-about films on Netflix.

Editors' Recommendations

Movie images and data from:
Blair Marnell
Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek…
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