Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter
In order to secure a spot in this guide, films need to meet one of these criteria: hold a 70% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes (RT), be a huge hit on Netflix (i.e. be one of the most-streamed movies in the platform's entire history), or pass both tests. For the time being, you'll also find each entry's YouTube trailer in the copy, rather than being embedded in the article due to live page loading issues. We aim to rectify this as soon as possible.
Welcome to TechRadar's best Netflix movies article. In this guide, you'll find a collection of the 42 greatest films that are available to stream on the world's most popular streaming platform, including Netflix Originals and licensed flicks, such as the recent (and unexpected) addition of 2024 Oscar winner Godzilla Minus One.
Netflix is home to thousands of movies, so our entertainment experts have scoured the best streaming service's entire film library and handpicked the best new movies and older fare that are worth your time. You're welcome in advance.
Searching for other Netflix recommendations? Our new Netflix movies guide is also worth perusing for the freshest flick to hit the service. Bookmark that page for later, though, and read on to get the scoop on the best Netflix films around.
Best action movies on Netflix
Baby Driver
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 113 minutes
Main cast: Ansel Elgort, Lily James, and Kevin Spacey
Director: Edgar Wright
RT score: 92%
Famed British filmmaker Edgar Wright (Scott Pilgrim vs the World, Shaun of the Dead) put pedal to the metal with this barnstorming high-octane action-thriller in 2015.
Elgort plays 'Baby', a getaway driver who relies on the beat of his personal soundtrack to get hired goons out of a jam whenever he's needed. However, when he falls for Debora (James), the woman of his dreams, 'Baby' sees a way out of his crime-based life for good – well, until he's coerced into working one final job by Doc (Spacey), which threatens the freedom and clean slate he desperately craves.
A slick and stylish flick that comes packaged with Wright's signature moviemaking style, Baby Driver is a pulsating, thrills-a-minute ride that deserves more recognition.
Watch Baby Driver's YouTube trailer.
Extraction 1 and 2
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 118 minutes (Extraction 1); 123 minutes (Extraction 2)
Main cast: Chris Hemsworth and Golshifteh Farahani
Director: Sam Hargrave
RT score: 67% (Extraction 1); 79% (Extraction 2)
For anyone looking for a non-stop thrill ride with some of the best action sequences in a Netflix Original movie, the Extraction franchise is worth revisiting time and again.
Marvel star Chris Hemsworth plays Tyler Rake, a black ops mercenary with a tragic past. Each film sees Rake embark on a mission to rescue someone (or numerous individuals) from a seemingly impossible situation, all the while trying to evade thugs, gang members, and other characters looking to kill Rake and those he's liberated.
Extraction 1 was a pretty good watch – and its sequel is even better thanks to its 21-minute-long, heart-pounding, intricately assembled, and dangerous one-shot sequence. Check out our review of Extraction 2 to see why.
Watch Extraction 1's YouTube trailer.
Top Gun: Maverick
Age rating: 12
Runtime: 131 minutes
Main cast: Tom Cruise, Miles Teller, Jennifer Connolly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, and Val Kilmer
Director: Joseph Kosinski
RT score: 96%
One of 2022’s best movies, Top Gun: Maverick is a near-perfect example of how to deliver a long overdue sequel to a 1980s cult classic film. Action star Tom Cruise reprises his role as Peter ‘Maverick’ Mitchell from 1986’s Top Gun, with the experienced pilot forced to confront his past while training a new generation of aviators for a dangerous mission in enemy territory.
In our Top Gun: Maverick review, we called the dormant franchise’s latest entry a “jaw-dropping spectacle” and “bona fide blockbuster” that’s “superior to its predecessor in almost every conceivable way”. Stick it on your best Netflix movies watchlist ASAP.
Watch Top Gun: Maverick's YouTube trailer.
Best animated movies on Netflix
Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood
Age rating: 12
Runtime: 98 minutes
Main cast: Jack Black, Bill Wise, Lee Eddy, Milo Coy, Zachary Levi, and Glen Powell
Director: Richard Linklater
RT score: 91%
If you’re keen to mix up your movie-watching diet, films don't come more unconventional than Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood. Linklater's (Boyhood) 2022 animated feature, which tells the story of the 1969 moon landing from multiple perspectives, is a sweet and nostalgic visual feast for the eyes that'll hug at the heartstrings of anyone who's dreamed of heading to space.
Apollo 10 1/2 shares the visual style of Linklater’s previous animation – 2006's A Scanner Darkly – and features The Super Mario Bros. Movie's Jack Black, Shazam! Fury of the Gods' Zachary Levi, and Top Gun: Maverick star Glen Powell in various voice acting roles. Long title notwithstanding, it's a fascinating and visually bold take on one of history’s most iconic moments. More of this kind of films, please, Netflix.
Watch Apollo 10 1/2's YouTube trailer.
Chicken Run
Age rating: U
Runtime: 81 minutes
Main cast: Mel Gibson, Julia Sawalha, Miranda Richardson, Jane Horrocks, and Imelda Stanton
Directors: Peter Lord and Nick Park
RT score: 97%
Few UK studios are quintessentially British than Aardman Productions – and not many animated movies are as entrenched in our fantastic sense of humour or penchant for stop-motion features than Chicken Run, one of best Netflix movies (licensed ones, anyway) of the early 2000s.
A parodical on legendary World War II movie The Great Escape, Chicken Run is a crowd-pleasing family-friendly flick that everyone will enjoy. There’s daft slapstick for the kids, sneaky adult jokes for the grown-ups, wonderfully creative set-pieces, and a thrilling story that – while pretty stock on occasion – delivers fun and emotional moments aplenty.
A Netflix exclusive sequel – Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget – is also available to stream. It's not as good as the original, but its has enough about it to keep the family entertained.
Watch Chicken Run's YouTube trailer.
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio
Age rating: PG
Runtime: 121 minutes
Main cast: Gregory Mann, Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Tilda Swinton, Cate Blanchett, and Finn Holfhard
Directors: Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson
RT score: 96%
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio breathed new life into Carlo Collodi's beloved 1883 fairytale – about a wooden puppet who longs to become a real boy – when it debuted on the platform in late 2022.
Shot entirely using stop-motion (in a manner akin to Netflix series The House), del Toro’s darker adaptation is set in 1930s Italy during Mussolini’s fascist regime and features a star-studded voice cast who bring vivacity, levity, menace, and more to each of the films' distinct characters. Easily one of the best Netflix movies of recent times, animated or otherwise – and its multiple trophy wins on the 2023 awards circuit proved it.
Watch Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio's YouTube trailer.
The Mitchells vs the Machines
Age rating: U
Runtime: 114 minutes
Main cast: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Michael Rianda, and Olivia Colman
Director: Michael Rianda
RT score: 97%
In The Mitchells vs The Machines, Jacobson voices Katie Mitchell, an aspiring director who's set to leave home for college – until her dad, conscious that they're not as close as they used to be, cancels her plane ticket and decides to travel across the country with Abbi for one final family road-trip. Midway through said journey, an AI seeks retribution on its billionaire creator and the world is suddenly thrown into disarray by a robot uprising.
Plenty of Spider-Verse's visual touches are evident in this one, with 2D annotations and drawings on the already-pretty 3D visuals. A beautiful film in more ways than one and fully deserving of its spot on our best Netflix movies list.
Watch The Mitchells vs the Machines' YouTube trailer.
Nimona
Age rating: PG
Runtime: 102 minutes
Main cast: Chloe Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, Eugene Lee Yang, and Frances Conroy
Directors: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
RT score: 92%
Based on ND Stevenson's 2015 graphic novel of the same name, Nimona is a delightfully fun, action-packed, funny, and heartwarming flick that's also unapologetically queer.
Ahmed (Star Wars: Rogue One) stars as Ballister Blackheart, a knight of a futurism-inspired realm who's framed for the murder of his kingdom's queen. The only individual who can get him out of a tight spot is Nimona (The Peipheral's Chloe Grace Moretz), a shapeshifter who the realm's knights are sworn to keep their citizens safe from. Cue an extraordinarily fun buddy cop-style tale that teaches kids to accept people for who they are.
With its authentic LGBTQ+ representation, subversive storytelling, and creative animation style, among many other positives, Nimona is a worthy inclusion in our best Netflix movies guide.
Watch Nimona's YouTube trailer.
The Sea Beast
Age rating: PG
Runtime: 119 minutes
Main cast: Karl Urban, Zaris Angel-Hator, Jared Harris, and Dan Stevens
Director: Chris Williams
RT score: 95%
Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Chris Williams (Moana, Big Hero Six), The Sea Beast tells the tale of famous sea monster hunter Jacob Holland (voiced by The Boys’ Karl Urban), who unexpectedly finds a young stowaway – Maisie Brumble (Angel Hator) – on board his seafaring vessel.
Charming, action-packed, and beautifully-rendered, The Sea Beast has been a mainstay of this guide for a long time. Not only that, but it also showed that Netflix needed to think twice about scaling back its animation department upon the film's arrival. Judging by the great animated movies we've received since, it's done just that, too.
Watch The Sea Beast's YouTube trailer.
Spirited Away
Age rating: PG
Runtime: 125 minutes
Main cast: Daveigh Chase, Suzanne Pleshette, Jason Marsden, and Susan Egan
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
RT score: 96%
Legendary filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki and his award-winning animation company Studio Ghibli are pretty much unmatched when it comes to gorgeous, 2D-style kid-friendly flicks. They're all beautifully animated and most are deeply moving, with plenty of rich, deep themes and subject matter than you'd expect from movies aimed squarely at your children.
Nearly all of Ghibli's films are available on Netflix, but it's Spirited Away that's arguably the studio's most famous and popular work of art (sorry, My Neighbor Totoro fans). Without giving too much away: it's about a girl named Chihiro whose parents are turned into pigs (yes, really) who then goes to work in a mystical bathhouse.
Watch Spirited Away's YouTube trailer.
Best kids movies on Netflix
Matilda: The Musical
Age rating: PG
Runtime: 122 minutes
Main cast: Emma Thompson, Alisha Weir, Lashana Lynch, and Stephen Graham
Director: Matthew Warchus
RT score: 93%
Heavily inspired by the successful stage musical of the same name – which itself is influenced by Roald Dahl's classic novel – Matilda the Musical is a delightful sing-a-long comedy-drama that's fun for the whole family.
Weir portrays the titular character who, as a response to her horrendous upbringing, develops telekinetic abilities. Armed with powers that can help people (and michieviously get back at those who have wronged her), Matilda puts her abilities to good and humorous use, such as taking on the wicked Crunchem Hall School headmaster Miss Trunchbull (Thompson). A superb reimagining of a beloved story whose soundtrack will live in your head for days.
Watch Matilda The Musical's YouTube trailer.
Paddington 1 and 2
Age rating: PG
Runtime: 95 minutes (Paddington 1); 103 minutes (Paddington 2)
Main cast: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Madeleine Harris, and Samuel Joslin
Director: Paul King
RT score: 97% (Paddington 1); 99% (Paddington 2)
Not that it needed saying, but Paddington and its sequel – Paddington 2 – are some of the best family movies ever made. And no, we won't be explaining why, because it's pretty much self-explanatory.
On the surface, the world-renowned marmalade sandwich-eating Peruvian bear didn't seem like the kind of character to lead a universally adored duology. As it happens, however, Paddington (voiced with a deftness, warmth, and stacks of humor by Whishaw) is an unassuming but fantastic movie star, with his two big-screen adventures proving as much.
You'll cry laughing at their slapstick moments, cry some more at its heart-wrenching (and heart-warming!) scenes, and do your best Leonardo Di Caprio pointing meme impersonation whenever a big-name star shows up. Stream two of the best Netflix movies immediately.
Watch Paddington 1's YouTube trailer.
Best comedy movies on Netflix
Hustle
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 118 minutes
Main cast: Adam Sandler, Juancho Hernangomez, Queen Latifah, and Robert Duvall
Director: Jeremiah Zagar
RT score: 93%
If you were a fan of 2019's Uncut Gems (also on this list), then listen up: Hustle, a surprisingly entertaining basketball drama, aims to deliver more Adam Sandler-sized surprises.
After discovering a once-in-a-lifetime player with a rocky past abroad, Stanley Sugerman (Sandler), a down-on-his-luck Philadelphia 76ers scout, takes it upon himself to bring the young phenom to the States without his team's approval. Against the odds, the pair must work to prove that they both deserve to make it big in the NBA.
That synopsis might sound like standard sports drama fare, but Hustle earned unexpectedly glowing reviews ahead of its muted release. Trust us: this is no Jack and Jill.
Watch Hustle's YouTube trailer.
Best crime movies on Netflix
The Irishman
Age rating:15
Runtime: 209 minutes
Main cast: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Al Pacino, and Anna Paquin
Director: Martin Scorsese
RT score: 95%
This threateningly long Scorsese pic attracted attention for the extensive effects work used to de-age its old stars, and it's a creative decision that's sometimes distracting. But there's no denying the appeal of seeing Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino in the same movie together for likely the last time, and this life-spanning, mostly rewarding crime epic is a suitable tribute to their collective talents.
The Irishman follows Frank Sheeran (De Niro) as he recounts his long association with the Bufalino crime family and infamous union leader Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino). It's a languid film – and not a patch on Goodfellas – but absolutely among the best Netflix movies the streaming service has financed to date.
Watch The Irishman's YouTube trailer.
Pulp Fiction
Age rating: 18
Runtime: 155 minutes
Main cast: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, and Bruce Willis
Director: Quentin Tarantino
RT score: 92%
A nonlinear crime thriller that follows three interrelated narratives, Pulp Fiction is arguably Tarantino's finest film (Kill Bill aficionados may argue otherwise). Hitmen Vincent (John Travolta) and Jules (Samuel L Jackson) arrive at an apartment to retrieve a briefcase for their boss, only for events to quickly spiral out of control in ultraviolent fashion. Hey, it's a Tarantino movie, what did you expect?
To elaborate further would spoil Pulp Fiction's fantastically twisty-turny story. But, with outstanding performances from its core cast – plus Tarantino's flair of filmmaking and penchant for black comedy – it’s a classic that deserves multiple rewatches, and a place on our best Netflix movies list. Read our best Quentin Tarantino movies piece to see where it placed among its siblings.
Watch Pulp Fiction's YouTube trailer.
Uncut Gems
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 135 minutes
Main cast: Adam Sandler, LaKeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, and Kevin Garnett
Directors: Benny and Josh Safdie
RT score: 91%
This sweaty-palmed thriller tells the frenetic tale of Howard Ratner (Sandler), a jeweller and gambler who plans a gem sale that'll solve all his problems. Instead, Howard makes more and more ill-advised bets, and the walls begin to close in.
Uncut Gems is a stressful but enthralling film with a really impressive performance from Sandler, not to mention a fantastic ensemble cast. It's a fascinating character study, as you watch Ratner begin to suffocate under the weight of his terrible decisions and inability to put anyone but himself first. A seriously underrated film.
Watch Uncut Gems' YouTube trailer.
Best drama movies on Netflix
The Hand of God
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 130 minutes
Main cast: Filippo Scotti, Tony Servillo, Teresa Sapoangelo, and Marlon Joubert
Director: Paolo Sorrentino
RT score: 83%
The Hand of God marks the movie-making return of beloved Italian director Paolo Sorrentino, and tells the semi-autobiographical tale of a young man (Filippo Scotti, standing in for a teenage Sorrentino) grappling with the pressures of growing up in 1980s Naples.
As well as referring to the infamous goal scored by Argentine footballer (and Napoli legend) Diego Maradona at the 1986 World Cup, the film's title alludes to a tragic and life-affirming event that forces its protagonist to grow up quicker than he'd otherwise like. To say more risks spoiling The Hand of God's most tender moments, though the movie's beautiful locations, hypnotic camerawork, and larger-than-life characters ensure it ranks among Sorrentino's best work.
Watch The Hand of God's YouTube trailer.
Little Women (2019)
Age rating: U
Runtime: 135 minutes
Main cast: Florence Pugh, Timothee Chalamet, Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan, and Eliza Scanlen
Director: Greta Gerwig
RT score: 95%
Little Women chronicles the domestic lives of the March sisters – Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Meg (Emma Watson), Amy (Pugh), and Beth (Eliza Scanlan) – as they navigate romance, family tragedy, and the pressures of adulthood in 19th century Massachusetts.
Greta Gerwig directs this (seventh) film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's revered coming-of-age novel, which manages to stand out from its lesser-celebrated siblings thanks to a star-studded cast (Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, and Meryl Streep all feature), some poignant storytelling, and an exceptional score from Alexandre Desplat. You'll laugh, cry, and maybe even pick up reading again.
Watch Little Women's YouTube trailer.
Roma
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 134 minutes
Main cast: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Marco Graf, Fernando Grediaga, and Daniela Demesa
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
RT score: 96%
An astonishing ode to motherhood in all forms, Roma is the most personal film to date from visionary director Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men, Gravity).
On paper, it's is not the easiest sell – a subtitled black and white film about a live-in housekeeper spoken almost entirely in Spanish and the indigenous Mixtec language. But Cuarón's 2018 critical hit is nonetheless riveting from a cinematic standpoint. More a series of vignettes than a traditional three-act story, it examines the life of a Mexico City family in the early 1970s during a time of great social upheaval.
Society of the Snow
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 145 minutes
Main cast: Enzo Vogrincic, Augustin Padella, Esteban Bigliardi, and Simon Hempe
Director: J.A. Bayona
RT score: 90%
J.A. Bayona’s latest flick – based on real-life events – is a harrowing portrayal of human endurance and how our primal survival instincts assume dominance over our humanity.
Society of the Snow tells the tragic story of the 1972 Andes Air Disaster, which saw a Uruguayan rugby team crash-land in the freezing South American mountain range en route to a Chile-based tournament. Trapped in one of the most inhospitable places on Earth, the 16 survivors are forced to take extreme measures in order to stay alive. A heart-breaking and grim tale of human morality, but one that equally shines an earnest, powerful light on surviving against all odds. One of the best Netflix movies, from a foreign language perspective, you’ll see.
Watch Society of the Snow's YouTube trailer.
The Two Popes
Age rating: 12
Runtime: 125 minutes
Main cast: Jonathan Pryce, Anthony Hopkins, and Sidney Cole
Director: Fernando Meirelles
RT score: 89%
As soon as Pope Francis was elected head of the Catholic Church in 2013, people started asking when Jonathan Pryce – who shares a remarkable likeness with the Pontiff – might play him on screen. Netflix eventually made it come to pass, as City of God and The Constant Gardener director Fernando Meirelles took a peek through the keyholes of the Vatican.
We’ll never know how accurate the portrayal of Francis's meetings with Benedict XVI – his more conservative predecessor (played by Anthony Hopkins) – really are, but The Two Popes is a brilliant odd couple drama, especially when the duo let their hair down to watch their teams face off in the 2014 World Cup final.
Watch The Two Popes' YouTube trailer.
The Wonder
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 109 minutes
Main cast: Florence Pugh, Tom Burke, Niamh Algar, and Elaine Cassidy
Director: Sebastien Lelio
RT score: 85%
Pugh (Black Widow, Dune Part 2) proved her generational talent yet again in Netflix's unsettling drama-cum-horror The Wonder. Set in the Irish Midlands in 1862, the movie stars Pugh as an English nurse called to observe a young girl (Kíla Lord Cassidy) who remains miraculously alive and well despite not having eaten for four months. Ciarán Hinds, Niamh Algar, and Toby Jones also star in Sebastián Lelio’s period mystery.
As period dramas go, The Wonder is an absorbing and fantastic flick that confirms Pugh's ability to embody every role she plays.
Watch The Wonder's YouTube trailer.
Best fantasy movies on Netflix
The Harry Potter collection
Age ratings: PG and 12
Runtimes: Between 138 minutes and 160 minutes
Main cast: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Alan Rickman, and Richard Harris
Directors: Chris Columbus, Mike Newell, Alfonso Cuaron, and David Yates
RT scores: Between 77% and 96%
The incredibly popular Harry Potter films don't really need a formal introduction. For anyone who's been living in a cave for the last 15 years, though: they're based on J.K. Rowling's hugely successful fantasy book series, and tell the magical story of Harry Potter, a young wizard who attends Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Oh, and his increasingly dramatic and perilous conflict with Lord Voldemort, a dark wizard who wants to subjugate wizards and muggles (that's non-magic wielders) alike.
Given the franchise's worldwide fanbase, the Harry Potter films were extraordinarily successful during their theatrical run between 2001 and 2011. Cumulatively, the octet raked in $7.7 billion globally, made overnight stars of its young cast, and cemented Harry Potter as the cultural phenomenon of our times.
A TV series remake is currently in the works for Max, but we're unconvinced it'll capture the imagination, allure, and majesty of the films. Find out how to watch the Harry Potter movies in order or read our Harry Potter movies ranked piece while you're here.
Watch Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone's YouTube trailer.
Okja
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 121 minutes
Main cast: Ahn Seo-hyun, Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Giancarlo Espostio
Director: Bong Joon-ho
RT score: 86%
If you've enjoyed Bong Joon-ho's Oscar Best Picture winner Parasite, you might want to check out his previous movie, Okja, which is still one of the best Netflix movies on the platform.
It tells the bizarre tale of a young girl Mija and her best pal, an enormous creature called Okja, whose friendship comes under threat when a nasty CEO (Tilda Swinton) has evil plans for the titular animal. It's a refreshing movie with a nice angle of animal activism – a very different proposition to Parasite, for sure, but one that also demonstrates the director's ability to blend genres.
Best history movies on Netflix
Gladiator
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 155 minutes
Main cast: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, and Oliver Reed
Director: Ridley Scott
RT score: 80%
Epics don't come much more epic than Gladiator. Ridley Scott's brutal tale of a Roman general-turned-gladiator scooped five Oscars at the 2001 Academy Awards (including Best Picture and Best Actor for its star Russell Crowe) and, once you've sat through the journey that is its 155-minute runtime, it's easy to see why.
We placed Gladiator at a towering number four in our best Ridley Scott movies guide and, quite frankly, it's necessary viewing for any serious cinema lover and easily one of the best Netflix movies (albeit a licensed one). Altogether now: are you not entertained?!
Watch Gladiator's YouTube trailer.
The King
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 140 minutes
Main cast: Timothee Chalamet, Robert Pattinson, Joel Edgerton, and Sean Harris
Director: David Michod
RT score: 71%
The King stars Timothée Chalamet as Henry V, a young man forced to navigate politics, war, and treachery after unexpectedly becoming king of England in the 15th century.
This one contains all the fanfare you'd expect from a modern medieval movie, and boasts an excellent cast including Robert Pattinson, Joel Edgerton, and Sean Harris. For a reported budget of just $20 million (although you wouldn't know it), director David Michôd managed to produce one of the most engaging and visually stunning historical dramas around. Stick it on your watch list.
Watch The King's YouTube trailer.
Best horror movies on Netflix
Halloween (1978)
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 91 minutes
Main cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Nancy Kyes, Donald Pleasance, and P.J. Soles
Director: John Carpenter
RT score: 96%
Few horror movies have stood the test of time better than 1978's Halloween. The John Carpenter-directed slasher film, which introduced us to the frighteningly iconic villain called Michael Myers, has become a staple of many people's spooky season binge watches – and with good reason. It's suspense-filled, viscerally thrilling, pretty restrained as far as on-screen violence goes (the squeamish among you will be pleased to hear that), and laid the foundations for numerous brilliant slashers that have followed since.
A highly influential horror movie series – some sequels are much better than others – that deserves its spot on the US National Film Registry for its cultural and historical impact on the film industry, as well as a place on our best horror movies list.
Watch Halloween's YouTube trailer.
Jaws
Age rating: 12
Runtime: 123 minutes
Main cast: Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw, and Murray Hamitlon
Director: Steven Spielberg
RT score: 97%
It's hard to believe that it's been nearly 50 years since Jaws horrified audiences worldwide. Steven Spielberg's classic horror thriller, which sees a giant great white shark terrorize a summer resort town, may be a tad on the outdated side these days (well, from an animatronic perspective, anyway). But there's no denying that one of the multi award-winning director's seminal films has inspired countless horror films since, not least those set in the unsettling depths of the world's oceans.
From its tension-riddled plot, relatable characters, extraordinary technical achievement (again, for its time), masterful cinematography, and that iconic theme tune – all of which helped it to land numerous awards – Jaws is a must-see movie. Find out where it ranks on our best Steven Spielberg movies list.
Talk to Me
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 94 minutes
Main cast: Sophia Wilde, Miranda Otto, Otis Dhanji, Alexandra Jensen, and Joe Bird
Directors: Danny and Michael Philippou
RT score: 95%
Talk to Me follows a group of teenagers who discover they can talk to spirits using a mysterious severed and embalmed hand. Unsurprisingly, things go very, very wrong as they group mess with forces they can't control.
Talk to Me is a terrifically devised, creepy, and gripping flick that *ahem* doesn't hold your hand throughout. Its cast is fantastic, its twists and turns horrifying, and its occasional jump scares are actually that – scary. Imbued with a violent energy that never crosses the line into cruelness or gratuitousness for the sake of it, this is a frighteningly good movie you'll want to watch more than once. A worthy inclusion in our best Netflix movies article.
Watch Talk to Me's YouTube trailer.
Best mystery movies on Netflix
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Age rating: 12
Runtime: 141 minutes
Main cast: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monae, Kathryn Hahn, Dave Bautista, Kate Hudson, and Leslie Odom Jr
Director: Rian Johnson
RT score: 91%
Knives Out wowed fans and critics alike in 2019, so sequels were understandably inevitable.
The first of those – Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery – is another elaborate and highly entertaining whodunnit from director Rian Johnson. Buoyed by its excellent ensemble cast and a confidence carried over from its predecessor’s success, Glass Onion is even showier and bolder than Knives Out – though the film proved exceptionally divisive among fans of Benoit Blanc's debut outing upon release. Still, fans of the murder mystery genre, Daniel Craig, and Johnson will be silly to miss out watching one of the best Netflix movies.
Watch Glass Onion's YouTube trailer.
Memento
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 113 minutes
Main cast: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Joe Pantoliano
Director: Christopher Nolan
RT score: 94%
Nolan's second-ever feature film was a neo-noir brainteaser that left many film fans captivated by its mysterious story and brilliantly assembled non-linear narrative. Memento stars Guy Pearce as Leonard Shelby, a former insurance investigator who suffers from anterograde amnesia, which results in short-term memory loss and the inability to build new memories.
Saying anything else would spoil Memento's thrillingly complex but highly satisfying plot. Trust us, go into this one blind (if you haven't had it spoiled for you in the 22 years since its release) and enjoy the ride. When you're done, see where it sits in our best Christopher Nolan movies article.
Watch Memento's YouTube trailer.
Best sci-fi movies on Netflix
Annihilation
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 115 minutes
Main cast: Natalie Portman, Gina Rodriguez, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson, and Oscar Isaac
Director: Alex Garland
RT score: 88%
Ex Machina director Alex Garland helms this hypnotic adaptation of Jeff VanderMeer's novel of the same name, which follows a group of explorers – led by Natalie Portman's Lena – who enter 'The Shimmer', a mysterious, quarantined zone of mutating plants and animals.
Sci-fi fans will find plenty of aliens to enjoy here, but Annihilation is also an ambitious psychological thriller that will leave you questioning the events of its final moments. Oscar Isaac also stars alongside Portman, which should be reason enough to give this one a go (that being said, the squeamish should look elsewhere). Stick this on your best Netflix movies watchlist ASAP.
Watch Annihilation's YouTube trailer.
Dune
Age rating: 12
Runtime: 155 minutes
Main cast: Timothee Chalamen, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Jason Momoa, Zendaya, Dave Bautista, Stellan Skarsgard, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin
Director: Denis Villeneuve
RT score: 83%
2021’s Dune, a sci-fi epic directed by Denis Villeneuve that focuses on the first half of Frank Herbert's seminal novel of the same name, has arrived on Netflix UK. And, but for one issue, Dune's Netflix debut is oh-so-nearly perfect.
It's tough to distil Dune's expansive story down into a few lines, so you should read our Dune review to find out more about its plot. It has one of the best ensemble casts we've seen in a long time, too, as well as some absolutely stunning visuals and cinematography, a pulsating, thrills-a-minute melodrama and expansive set-pieces, and a story that's as prescient today as it was when Herbert first penned it.
Godzilla Minus One
Age rating: 12
Runtime: 125 minutes
Main cast: Ryûnosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, and Yuki Yamada
Director: Takashi Yamazaki
RT score: 98%
Few movies have spawned as many “where can I stream it?” questions as Godzilla Minus One in recent times. Finally, though, months after the unexpectedly successful film’s theatrical release, Netflix has not only secured its UK streaming rights, but it also surprisingly dropped the sci-fi horror epic on its platform on June 1.
A new Japanese entry in Godzilla’s packed back catalogue, Minus One returns to the iconic kaiju’s roots with a destruction-filled and trauma-inducing tale set in postwar Japan. In it, the island nation desperately wrestles with the titanic monster’s emergence from the deep and subsequently terrifying rampage across the Asian country.
Easily one of 2023’s best movies, Godzilla Minus One is a thematically rich, harrowing, and occasionally jaw-dropping spectacle. Read our Godzilla Minus One review to learn more about the first-ever Godzilla flick to win an Oscar.
Watch Godzilla Minus One's YouTube trailer.
They Cloned Tyrone
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 119 minutes
Main cast: John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, and Teyonah Parris
Director: Juel Taylor
RT score: 95%
They Cloned Tyrone is an absolutely brilliant movie. To discuss its plot at length is to spoil its biggest surprises, but here's a brief synopsis to give you a flavor of what to expect: "A series of eerie events thrusts an unlikely trio (Jamie Foxx, John Boyega, and Teyonah Parris) onto the trail of a nefarious government conspiracy in this pulpy mystery caper."
We thoroughly enjoyed what it has to offer on multiple levels and our exclusive chat with John Boyega is well worth reading for a peak behind the curtain on its production. Once you're watched it, be sure to read our ending explainer on They Cloned Tyrone for Boyega's thoughts on its surprising ending.
Watch They Cloned Tyrone's YouTube trailer.
Best superhero movies on Netflix
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Age rating: PG
Runtime: 116 minutes
Main cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson, Nic Cage, Mahershala Ali, Bryan Tyree Henry, Luna Lauren Velez, John Mulaney, and Kimiko Glenn
Directors: Bob Perischetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman
RT score: 97%
Spider-Man has had a number of great (and not so great) movie adaptations since 2002's Spider-Man, but few can hold a candle to this offering that changed the superhero and animation genres forever.
Into the Spider-Verse sees beloved superhero Miles Morales take a turn in the theatrical spotlight. In it, Miles is – yep, you guessed it – bitten by a radioactive spider, acquiring superhuman abilities in the process. Those will come in handy, too, as he looks to stop Kingpin from turning on his super collider machine and potentially destroying the multiverse as we know it.
A huge hit in late 2018, its Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse sequel drew even greater praise when it arrived in mid-2023. Both movies are funny, incredibly moving, gorgeous to look at, and tell a fascinating, original tale about the power of responsibility. Find out where they rank in our best Spider-Man movies list before reading up on how to watch the Spider-Man movies in order.
Watch Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse's YouTube trailer.
Spider-Man: Homecoming and Spider-Man: Far From Home
Age rating: 12
Runtimes: Between 129 and 148 minutes
Main cast: Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Marisa Tomei, and Jon Favreau
Director: Jon Watts
RT score: Between 91% and 93%
Not content with bringing one Spidey-centric flick to UK viewers, Netflix is home to two of the MCU's Tom Holland-starring films (Spider-Man: No Way Home was removed earlier this year).
The Sony Pictures-developed Marvel films have been on and off the streaming titan in recent years, so it'll please fans of the wallcrawler that they're back on the platform on British shores. Led by the charismatic Holland, and with a stellar supporting cast including Zendaya, Marisa Tomei, and Jacob Batalon, these three MCU-set flicks are as enjoyable and entertaining as they are dramatic and at-times tonally dark.
Watch Spider-Man: Homecoming's YouTube trailer.
Best thriller movies on Netflix
Fight Club
Age rating: 18
Runtime: 138 minutes
Main cast: Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, and Helen Bonham Carter
Director: David Fincher
RT score: 80%
David Fincher's seminal movie, which is based on Chuck Palahniuk's 1996 novel of the same name, is a feature that deserves a much higher RT rating than it has. Norton plays the film's unnamed protagonist, who is fed up with his white-collar job (and who narrates the movie for us). Disenchanted with life and suffering from insomnia, he founds the titular fight club alongside Pitt's Tyler Durden and soon finds himself falling head over heels for a beguiling woman named Marla (Bonham Carter).
To say anything else about Fight Club would spoil its biggest plot twists and difficult to watch moments. Suffice it to say, there's a reason why it's one of the best David Fincher movies in the auteur's back catalogue and has certainly earned its spot on our best Netflix movies list.
Watch Fight Club's YouTube trailer.
The Good Nurse
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 123 minutes
Main cast: Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne
Director: Tobias Lindholm
RT score: 74%
Netflix put its penchant for true-crime storytelling to good use with The Good Nurse, which follows the murderous exploits of real-life serial killer Charlie Cullen (Eddie Redmayne). Jessica Chastain plays Cullen's co-worker, Amy Loughren, who would ultimately go on to expose the sadistic behaviour that led to the deaths of dozens of patients over a period of sixteen years.
On the broad spectrum of Netflix movies, The Good Nurse is a lower-key affair than, say, Don't Look Up. However, its shocking story of gross criminal negligence is far more impactful than the big-budget drama of the streamer's recent blockbusters. Sure, it's far from an easy watch – but it'll stay with you long after its credits roll.
Watch The Good Nurse's YouTube trailer.
Parasite
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 131 minutes
Main cast: Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Jo Yeo-jeong, and Choi Woo-sik
Director: Bong Joon-ho
RT score: 99%
Joon-ho's 2020 Best Picture Oscar winner is now on Netflix – and, given it's one of the best films ever made (based on Rotten Tomatoes, anyway), it needs to be seen ASAP if you missed it during its original theatrical run.
A black comedy-thriller, Parasite tells the story of an impoverished South Korean family who infiltrate a wealthy family's home and start living the life of luxury. Okay, that story synopsis doesn't sound all that appealing, but it belies Parasite's stunning exploration of socioeconomic hardship, class divide, wealth disparity, and late stage captialism. A monumental filmmaking achievement that'll be a mainstay of this best Netflix movies guide for a long time.
Watch Parasite's YouTube trailer.
Best war movies on Netflix
All Quiet on the Western Front
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 148 minutes
Main cast: Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Aaron Hilmer, and Moritz Klaus
Director: Edward Berger
RT score: 90%
It’s been a good few years since Dunkirk and 1917 reminded audiences of the horrors of war, but Netflix assumed that responsibility with shocking but beautifully-made WWI epic All Quiet on the Western Front.
Based on Erich Maria Remarque’s landmark novel of the same name (which was first adapted into a feature film in 1930), this German-language movie tells the story of a young German soldier (Felix Kammerer) whose naive expectations of fighting for his country are shattered by war’s harrowing reality. As you'd expect, All Quiet on the Western Front is brutal, vivid, and poignant – just don’t expect to reach its credits feeling particularly joyous.
Watch All Quiet on the Western Front's YouTube trailer.
Beasts of No Nation
Age rating: 15
Runtime: 137 minutes
Main cast: Idris Elba, Abraham Atta, and Kurt Egyiawan
Director: Cary Fukunaga
RT score: 91%
We won't beat about the bush – Beasts of No Nation is a tough watch. No Time to Die's Cary Fukunaga directs this harrowing feature, which follows the journey of a young orphan (Abraham Attah) forced into becoming a child soldier by a fierce warlord (Idris Elba) during an unnamed African civil war.
An adaptation of Uzodinma Iweala's novel of the same name, Beasts of No Nation is a masterfully-shot story documenting the human cost of conflict, and places the uncomfortable realities of war front and centre. This isn't one to watch with the kids, but sitting through its two-hour narrative is an enlightening, dare-we-say necessary movie experience.
Watch Beasts of No Nation's YouTube trailer.
For more Netflix coverage, read our best Netflix documentaries and best Netflix shows guides. Yet to subscribe to the streaming giant? Read our guide on how to sign up to Netflix, too, or whether you should cancel Netflix.
