The 25 best movies on Netflix

1917 (2019)

This Oscar-winning war film presents its story with bracing realism. In 1917, Lance Corporal William "Will" Schofield (George MacKay) is a British soldier embarking on a perilous journey through the trenches and battlefields of World War I. Will is paired with Lance Corporal Thomas "Tom" Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and tasked with personally delivering a message to a colonel to call off an offensive attack that would put British soldiers in harm's way. Director Sam Mendes and cinematographer Roger Deakins skillfully give the film the illusion of being shot seamlessly — as if in only one continuous take — which, EW's critic observes, "effectively drops the viewer into the center of the story and compels them to stay there, fully immersed in every muddy step, hunger pang, and rifle click." —Kevin Jacobsen

Where to watch 1917: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Sam Mendes

Cast: George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman, Mark Strong, Andrew Scott, Richard Madden, Colin Firth, Benedict Cumberbatch

Related content: 1917 cast and creators explain how they made the film to be one continuous shot

The Edge of Seventeen (2016)

The Edge of Seventeen embraces the wonderfully awkward growing pains of being a teenage girl. Hailee Steinfeld stars as Nadine, a disaffected 17-year-old who is left mortified upon learning her older brother Darian (Blake Jenner) is now dating her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson). Nadine soon offers an ultimatum to Krista: her or Darian. After Krista fails to make this binary choice, Nadine coldly ends their friendship, which sends herself down a darker path than before. "Seventeen gets that being young can feel like The Hunger Games without the prizes," EW's critic writes, "at least there’s always hope — and graduation — on the other side." —K.J.

Where to watch The Edge of Seventeen: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Kelly Fremon Craig

Cast: Hailee Steinfeld, Woody Harrelson, Kyra Sedgwick, Haley Lu Richardson, Blake Jenner

Related content: Edge of Seventeen: Hailee Steinfeld likens film to John Hughes teen comedies

Emily the Criminal (2022)

Aubrey Plaza gives one of her finest turns to date in this grounded thriller. She plays the titular down-on-her-luck felon who resorts to theft to make her way out from under a mountain of debt. "She may be a wanton criminal, but she's also a woman very much for these times," EW's critic writes. "Not the anti-heroine we knew we needed, maybe, but one that we deserve." It's a visceral, often unbearably anxious film that showcases Plaza's steeliest, most nuanced performance in a career full of them. —Declan Gallagher

Where to watch Emily the Criminal: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: John Patton Ford

Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Gina Gershon, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Theo Rossi, Bernardo Badillo

Related content: Aubrey Plaza on why her thriller Emily the Criminal felt like pulling off a scam

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Few films in recent memory have lived up to their title as well as Everything Everywhere All at Once. Combining science fiction, action, broad comedy, and heart-tugging drama, the film manages to cohere into an absurdist masterpiece about finding value in the life you have, without giving in to regret. Action superstar Michelle Yeoh stars as Evelyn Wang, a Chinese immigrant living in America with her loving husband Waymond (Ke Huy Quan) and daughter Joy (Stephanie Hsu), with whom she has a strained relationship. One day, while being audited by the IRS, she accepts an offer to escape her life to help prevent a powerful force from destroying the multiverse, setting in motion a dangerous — yet deeply personal — journey. Everything Everywhere All at Once resonated with both critics and audiences, winning seven Oscars including Best Picture and Best Actress for Yeoh. —K.J.

Where to watch Everything Everywhere All at Once: Netflix

EW grade: B– (read the review)

Directors: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert

Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis, James Hong

Related content: Back to the beginning: Everything Everywhere All at Once's journey to the Oscars

It Follows (2014)

David Robert Mitchell's chilling, low-fi horror opus has inspired a variety of successors, including 2022's Smile and 2023's exceptional Talk to Me. None of those films have replicated dread and unease in quite the same way as Mitchell's original, though. Maika Monroe stars as Jay, a teen who, after engaging in a one-night stand, is given an STD ("sexually transmitted demon") that she can only pass on by sleeping with someone else. If that's not bad enough, the curse also takes the form of shuffling, stalking entities that may or may not be real. —D.G.

Where to watch It Follows: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: David Robert Mitchell

Cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Jake Weary, Lili Sepe, Olivia Luccardi

Related reading: It Follows is getting a sequel titled They Follow, with director and star returning

The Killer (2023)

David Fincher's latest thriller is a white-knuckle, pared-down genre exercise that calls back to '70s exploitation films but also owes quite a bit to Anton Corbijn's The American (2010). Michael Fassbender stars as the nameless assassin who, after a hit goes wrong and his family is targeted, chases after a shadow enforcer (Tilda Swinton) for revenge. EW's critic observes, "With a reptilian coldness, Fassbender infuses the 'Killer' with an eerie stillness that underscores the character's lack of empathy and warmth." —D.G.

Where to watch The Killer: Netflix

EW grade: C+ (read the review)

Director: David Fincher

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, Arliss Howard, Charles Parnell, Sala Baker

Related reading: The Killer and Seven director David Fincher and screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker dissect their lethal partnership

La La Land (2016)

Few modern musicals have shined so brightly as Damien Chazelle's vibrant comedy-drama about an actress and a jazz musician who fall in love against the backdrop of Los Angeles. Played with exuberance by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling, the pair attempt to achieve their dreams while maintaining their relationship, even if this balancing act proves difficult. Packed with musical sequences both dazzling and wistful, La La Land's strength lies in its embracing of old-school entertainment without being necessarily old-fashioned. Stone won the Best Actress Oscar for her performance, while the film famously almost won Best Picture. —K.J.

Where to watch La La Land: Netflix

EW grade: A (read the review)

Director: Damien Chazelle

Cast: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling, John Legend, J.K. Simmons, Rosemarie DeWitt, Finn Wittrock

Related content: Ryan Gosling reunites with La La Land star Emma Stone to remind everyone how they 'saved jazz'

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On (2022)

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On adapts the beloved video series of the same name from the early-2010s. The live-action/stop-motion animated hybrid film centers on the titular Marcel (Jenny Slate), a talking seashell who cares for his nana, Connie (Isabella Rossellini). A documentary filmmaker follows Marcel's activities and posts them online, making him a viral sensation and prompting him to make efforts to reunite with the rest of his family. The tender-hearted film blends humor with genuine pathos as it explores themes of family ties and the value of simple kindness. —K.J.

Where to watch Marcel the Shell With Shoes On: Netflix

Director: Dean Fleischer Camp

Cast: Jenny Slate, Isabella Rossellini, Rosa Salazar, Thomas Mann, Dean Fleischer Camp, Lesley Stahl, Jesse Cilio

Related reading: How Lesley Stahl wound up interviewing her tiniest subject in Marcel the Shell With Shoes On

The Matrix (1999)

The Matrix is one of the defining movies released at the turn of the century, tapping into existential crises and technological anxieties of the time. Computer programmer Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves), a.k.a. Neo, sees his entire perspective shaken upon learning that the world in which he lives is a simulated reality called the Matrix, designed by hyper-intelligent machines who secretly use human bodies as an energy source. Neo joins a team of rebels fighting back against the machines to free humanity. Wildly ambitious and endlessly thought-provoking, The Matrix is a one-of-a-kind sci-fi masterpiece, still resonant decades later. —K.J.

Where to watch The Matrix: Netflix

Directors: The Wachowskis

Cast: Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, Hugo Weaving, Joe Pantoliano

Related content: Hugo Weaving blasts alt-right for exploiting The Matrix: 'I am befuddled by it'

Molly's Game (2017)

Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin made his directorial debut with this engrossing biographical drama about entrepreneur Molly Bloom and her tumultuous experience in the world of high-stakes poker. Jessica Chastain plays the title role, following her journey from aspiring Olympian to bottle service waitress to running an underground poker empire. Her success is soon threatened when multiple mafias get involved in her games leading to an FBI investigation and her indictment. The film soars on the strength of Chastain's charismatic performance, a perfect match for Sorkin's signature clever dialogue. As EW's critic writes, Molly's Game is "a cool, crackling, confident film that appeals to your intelligence instead of insulting it." —K.J.

Where to watch Molly's Game: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Aaron Sorkin

Cast: Jessica Chastain, Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Jeremy Strong, Chris O'Dowd, Bill Camp

Related content: Jessica Chastain shows her cards on Molly's Game, poker, and Idris Elba

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)

With the new TV remake with Donald Glover and Maya Erskine now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, there's no better time to revisit the 2005 film of the same name. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie star as John and Jane Smith, a couple whose marriage is on shaky ground. They also happen to both be skilled assassins, though neither is aware of each other's occupation. This all changes when they're both assigned to kill the same target, which complicates everything to the point that they're soon tasked with killing each other. Hijinks ensue, and the film is propelled by the undeniable chemistry between Pitt and Jolie, who EW's critic writes have a "chemical zing." Thus, Brangelina was born. —K.J.

Where to watch Mr. & Mrs. Smith: Netflix

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Doug Liman

Cast: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Adam Brody, Kerry Washington

Related content: The new Mr. & Mrs. Smith cast: See the actors from the series vs. the movie

No Hard Feelings (2023)

This raunchy comedy represented both a strong comeback for Jennifer Lawrence after a few low-key years and a return to form for the genre, which has seen lean times as of late. It stars Lawrence as a down-on-her-luck thirtysomething who, in order to repair her car, must deflower a nerdy young man (Andrew Barth Feldman) before he goes off to college. No Hard Feelings isn't a perfect movie, but it is often laugh-out-loud funny and subversive in all the right ways without ever insisting upon itself. EW's critic calls the film "a welcome addition to a dwindling genre — and a reminder that Lawrence is one [of] Hollywood's best (and funniest) leads." —D.G.

Where to watch No Hard Feelings: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Gene Stupnitsky

Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Barth Feldman, Matthew Broderick, Laura Benanti, Natalie Morales

Related reading: How a Craigslist ad inspired Jennifer Lawrence's No Hard Feelings: 'I died laughing'

Nyad (2023)

Annette Bening gives an astonishing, Oscar-nominated performance as real-life marathon swimmer Diana Nyad, who at 64 trained to become the first person to swim to Cuba. Equally riveting as Nyad's trainer is Jodie Foster (also Oscar-nominated), reminding viewers that in terms of steely confidence, someone rarely does it better than her. "The two women also share an effortless chemistry that breathes vitality into their onscreen bond and wholeheartedly sells their decades-long connection," EW's critic writes. —D.G.

Where to watch Nyad: Netflix

EW grade: B– (read the review)

Directors: Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

Cast: Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, Rhys Ifans, Luke Cosgrove, Karly Rothenberg

Related reading: How Nyad star Annette Bening and the filmmakers weathered a storm for inspiring long-distance swim

Phantom Thread (2017)

Paul Thomas Anderson's 1950s-set costume drama is a transfixing exploration of power dynamics within a relationship, and how love can be sickening — literally. Daniel Day-Lewis, in his self-proclaimed final film role, stars as Reynolds Woodcock, a renowned fashion designer who enters a tumultuous romance with Alma (Vicky Krieps), a waitress whom he soon makes his muse. But Alma is much cleverer than she appears, while Reynolds is more difficult to live with than she had hoped, leading to dysfunction. Adorned with dry humor and sumptuous visuals, Phantom Thread is a masterwork from one of modern cinema's best craftsmen. —K.J.

Where to watch Phantom Thread: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Paul Thomas Anderson

Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Vicky Krieps, Lesley Manville

Related content: Phantom Thread star Vicky Krieps talks holding her own with Daniel Day-Lewis

The Power of the Dog (2021)

Jane Campion's adaptation of the Thomas Savage novel is a spellbinding Western drama about power and control. Set in 1920s Montana, the film centers on Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch) a cruel rancher who psychologically torments his brother (Jesse Plemons), sister-in-law (Kirsten Dunst), and her soft-spoken son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) on the ranch they share. After Peter discovers a buried secret about Phil, he methodically plots his revenge on his uncle. Campion deservedly won an Oscar for Best Director for the film; as EW's critic praises, "being submerged in her ineffable world feels not just like two hours in the dark, but high art." —K.J.

Where to watch The Power of the Dog: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Jane Campion

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Jesse Plemons, Kirsten Dunst, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Thomasin McKenzie, Genevieve Lemon, Keith Carradine, Frances Conroy

Related content: The Power of the Dog director Jane Campion on her personal journey into the year's most Oscar-nominated movie

RRR (2022)

This Indian action epic rightfully broke out as an international success in 2022. Set during the British Raj in the 1920s, the film centers on Komaram Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao Jr.) and his plan to reunite a kidnapped girl with her mother; meanwhile, a determined officer, Alluri Sitarama Raju (Ram Charan), is hot on his trail. Their lives intersect when they rescue a boy in a train accident and they form a bond, ironically unaware of each other's identities. Packed with rousing sequences (particularly the performance of the Oscar-winning song "Naatu Naatu"), RRR is an entertaining thrill ride that puts Hollywood blockbusters to shame. —K.J.

Where to watch RRR: Netflix

Director: S.S. Rajamouli

Cast: N.T. Rama Rao Jr., Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Shriya Saran, Samuthirakani, Ray Stevenson, Alison Doody, Olivia Morris

Related content: Russo brothers and RRR director S.S. Rajamouli on the 'universal language' of blowing stuff up

Shrek (2001)

The world of animation was fundamentally shaken by the arrival of a swamp-dweller named Shrek (Mike Myers). Offering a more sarcastic, ironic spin than the earnest Disney fare that dominated culture in the previous decade, DreamWorks' Shrek follows the titular ogre as his comfortable routine is disrupted when exiled fairy tale characters invade his swamp. He goes on a quest with a wise-cracked donkey (Eddie Murphy) to demand that the evil Lord Farquaad (John Lithgow) move the meddlesome creatures somewhere else — and unexpectedly finds love along the way. Sarcastic yet sweet, Shrek is all about not judging a book by its cover, or, as EW's critic writes, "a good-natured embrace of the inner ogre in everyone." —K.J.

Where to watch Shrek: Netflix

EW grade: A (read the review)

Directors: Andrew Adamson and Vicky Jenson

Cast: Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy, Cameron Diaz, John Lithgow, Vincent Cassel, Conrad Vernon

Related content: Eddie Murphy would bring back Donkey for potential Shrek 5: 'I'd do it in 2 seconds'

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

This sugar-rush sequel took all of the best things about Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and magnified them. It continues the tale of Miles Morales as he struggles with his newfound powers to find his place in a multi-verse of Spider-Men. If only all family-oriented animated films were this invigorating, or indeed, risk-taking. As EW's critic writes, "Across the Spider-Verse mines greater emotional depth by exploring the familial relationships of Gwen and Miles from the perspectives of both parents and children." —D.G.

Where to watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Directors: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson

Cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson, Oscar Isaac

Related reading: How Hobie Brown/Spider-Punk became the coolest character in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Tangerine (2015)

There is much to praise with this independent film from writer-director Sean Baker: it was shot entirely by iPhones and has great style; it casts two transgender actresses as leads, each giving strong performances. But it's also a good old-fashioned screwball comedy, following a day in the lives of transgender sex worker friends Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) and Alexandra (Mya Taylor), After Alexandra informs Sin-Dee that the latter's boyfriend has been cheating on her, the pair go on a journey through the streets of Hollywood to confront him. EW's critic raves, "Tangerine is touching for its non-condescending stance toward working girls and the spirit of the sidewalk." —K.J.

Where to watch Tangerine: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Sean Baker

Cast: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, Karren Karagulian, Mickey O'Hagan, Alla Tumanian, James Ransone

Related content: Forget Die Hard: Why Tangerine is the best Christmas movie that's not really about Christmas

Tick, Tick...Boom! (2021)

Jonathan Larson was a celebrated composer and playwright most famous for penning the Broadway musical Rent. He also wrote a semi-autobiographical musical based on his life called Tick, Tick...Boom!, which Lin-Manuel Miranda adapted to this well-received musical drama. Andrew Garfield, in an Oscar-nominated turn, stars as Larson, following his struggle to mount a musical while dealing with a tumultuous personal life. "Tick, Tick… Boom! is a totem for the thrills and trials of making art, with all the sacrifices and empathy it requires," EW's critic writes. —K.J.

Where to watch tick, tick...BOOM!: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Lin-Manuel Miranda

Cast: Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Robin de Jesús, Joshua Henry, Judith Light, Vanessa Hudgens

Related content: How Tick, Tick... Boom! pulled off that Broadway star-studded diner scene

Triple Frontier (2019)

J.C. Chandor's masculine action riff, about a group of special ops planning a heist in South America, is a stark contrast to his earlier, more patient efforts in 2011's Margin Call, 2013's All Is Lost, or 2014's A Most Violent Year (his masterpiece). While not as thematically strong as those films, Triple Frontier offers a dose of adrenaline that, much like The Strangers, harkens back to a forgotten era of mid-'70s B pictures. "There may be no honor among thieves," EW's critic writes, "but Triple Frontier certainly makes watching them pretty entertaining." —D.G.

Where to watch Triple Frontier: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: J.C. Chandor

Cast: Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Pedro Pascal, Garrett Hedlund

Related reading: The 15 best Pedro Pascal movies and TV shows, ranked

The Wailing (2016)

This brilliant South Korean thriller from director Na Hong-jin turns frenzied after a new villager arrives in a tight-knit community, bringing a wave of serial murders along with him. To elaborate any further would give away some of the film's best-kept twists, of which there are many. Suffice it to say, The Wailing is one of the most over-the-top, gratuitous, and devilishly fun horror pictures of the last decade. As EW's critic praised, "The Wailing never bores as Na slathers his tale with generous supplies of atmosphere and awfulness." —D.G.

Where to watch The Wailing: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Na Hong-jin

Cast: Hwang Jung-Min, Kwak Do-won, Kim Hwan-hee, Kim Do-yoon

Related reading: The 20 best exorcism-themed movies

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More (2024)

This whimsical anthology film finds auteur director Wes Anderson bringing the stories of Roald Dahl to life. Originally released as four short films in 2023, Netflix has now assembled them all into one collection. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, which won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short, centers on the titular character's years-long training process to be able to see without his eyes — all so he can cheat at gambling. Other shorts are The Swan (about the struggles of a bullied boy), The Rat Catcher (about, well, an exterminator of rats), and Poison (about a man who finds a snake in his bed). Anderson's flair for carefully crafted aesthetics is a throughline, as is his love of the art of storytelling. —K.J.

Where to watch The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More: Netflix

Director: Wes Anderson

Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, Richard Ayoade, Rupert Friend

Related content: Wes Anderson criticizes editing of Roald Dahl books to remove 'offensive' language: 'What's done is done'

The Woman King (2022)

This entertaining action drama tells the story of the Agojie, a powerful real-life regiment of women who protected their African kingdom in the 1820s. Viola Davis stars as General Nanisca, the group's leader who mentors a spirited new arrival, Nawi (Thuso Mbedu). With their kingdom threatened by a rival tribe, General Nanisca and her crew use their well-trained skills to protect their home. Featuring a physically impressive turn from Davis as you've never seen her before, The Woman King is a rousing testament to women as warriors, with EW's critic calling it a "spirited and often thrilling action epic." —K.J.

Where to watch The Woman King: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood

Cast: Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, John Boyega

Related content: The woman who would be king: Viola Davis on embracing her warrior spirit for The Woman King

The Wrong Missy (2020)

On paper, The Wrong Missy is nothing new: David Spade goes on a bad date with Lauren Lapkus, whose name is Missy, and then means to invite a cute girl (Molly Sims), hilariously also named Missy, with him on a company retreat to Hawaii. (No points for guessing which Missy ends up on the trip.) The film coasts by on a general likability, but if not for Lapkus' performance, the story would be lost at sea. She glues the entire enterprise together with a mixture of well-played raunch and genuine pathos, selling the moment and keeping the plot bouncing along to the next joke. —D.G.

Where to watch The Wrong Missy: Netflix

Director: Tyler Spindel

Cast: Lauren Lapkus, David Spade, Molly Sims, Jackie Sandler, Rob Schneider

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