The Best Movies on Netflix to Stream Now

With thousands of films available, an intended movie night can easily turn into an evening of scrolling through Netflix’s library trying to pick the perfect film. From Netflix Originals to cult classics to more modern releases, it can definitely be difficult to choose a movie before the popcorn gets cold.

Luckily, we rounded up the best movies on Netflix that you can stream right now. Whether you’re looking for a fun family movie to watch with the kids, a classic romantic comedy to enjoy with a glass of wine (and tissues!) or a spooky horror flick that will keep you up all night, we’ve got you covered.

Here are the best films on Netflix to consider for your next movie night.

Elvis

Austin Butler as the title role in Elvis, 2022.
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Taking home the Golden Globe for best actor in a motion picture – drama, Austin Butler shakes and croons (causing fans to swoon) as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll in Baz Luhrmann’s splashy musical biopic. Narrated by Elvis Presley’s manager, Col. Tom Parker (Tom Hanks), the film unfurls the musician’s journey to stardom spanning two decades, encompassing the drastic highs and lows that come hand-in-hand with claiming the throne.

Watch Elvis on Netflix

Gravity

Sandra Bullock in Gravity, 2013.

Warner Bros.

With seven Academy Awards in its orbit, including Best Director for Alfonso Cuarón, 2013’s Gravity will leave your head spinning after 91 minutes of breath-holding suspense. Embarking on her first shuttle mission, Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) joins soon-to-be retired astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) in outer space. However, when a routine space walk morphs into a cosmic calamity — stranding them without a lifeline to Earth — they must venture deeper into the abyss to return home.

Watch Gravity on Netflix

Mamma Mia!/Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried in Mamma Mia!, 2008.

Universal Pictures/Relativity Media/Littlestar/Playtone/Kobal/Shutterstock 

Do you want — or, voulez-vous — to dance, jive and have the time of your life? Visit the dreamy fictional island of Kalokairi, Greece, where ABBA’s tunes rule the roost and dance parties break out on every street corner. This 2008 jukebox musical features a star-studded cast, including Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, Julie Walters, Christine Baranski and Dominic Cooper. And don’t forget to take a chance on the 2018 sequel, which includes performances from the original troupe, Lily James, Cher and more. 

Watch the Mamma Mia! collection on Netflix

The Original Jurassic Park Trilogy

Jurassic Park, 1993.
Amblin/Universal/Kobal/Shutterstock

Back in ’93, audiences first saw a paleontologist (Sam Neill), paleobotanist (Laura Dern) and chaotician (Jeff Goldblum) stroll into John Hammond’s (Richard Attenborough) dino-packed theme park for a safety check — only to be thrust into a colossal crisis when the power goes out. After roaring into theaters with its practical animatronics and cutting-edge CGI, Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park left a huge footprint on cinema, birthing a trilogy and other additional sequels. 

Watch the original Jurassic Park trilogy on Netflix

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

The Super Mario Bros. Movie, 2023.
Universal

Alright, let’s-a go! Jump down the nearest pipe and transport yourself to the colorful world of Nintendo’s iconic video game franchise. Smashing box office records, this 2023 animated blockbuster follows two Italian American plumbers, Mario (voiced by Chris Pratt) and Luigi (voiced by Charlie Day), who become embroiled in an ongoing battle between the Mushroom Kingdom and the Koopas — and brings a lot of fan-favorite Mario characters to the silver screen, including Princess Peach (voiced by Anya Taylor-Joy), Bowser (voiced by Jack Black) and more.

Watch The Super Mario Bros. Movie on Netflix

The Batman

Zoë Kravitz and Robert Pattinson in The Batman.
Jonathan Olley/Warner Bros.

Justice has a new Caped Crusader. Watch Robert Pattinson’s moody riff on the DC Comics superhero in Matt Reeves’ The Batman. After safeguarding Gotham City for two years, Bruce Wayne (Pattinson) faces the challenge of unmasking a serial killer, deciphering cryptic clues and confronting the deep-rooted abuse of power in the area. The star-studded cast also features Zoë Kravitz, Paul Dano and Jeffrey Wright, among others.

Watch The Batman on Netflix

Shazam!

Zachary Levi as the title role in Shazam!, 2019.
Warner Bros/DC Comics/Kobal/Shutterstock

Say hello to 14-year-old foster teen Billy Batson (Asher Angel), whose superpower discovery is shockingly simple: Shout “Shazam” and transform into an adult-sized superhero (Zachary Levi). Teaming up with his foster brother Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer), Billy has to quickly master his Zeus-like powers to take down the menacing Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong) and the Seven Deadly Sins.

Watch Shazam! on Netflix

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, 2023.

Sony Pictures Entertainment

In the 2023 follow-up to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018), Miles Morales (voiced by Shameik Moore) joins forces with Gwen Stacey (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) to rescue various Spider-People from a formidable new villain. As they traverse through the multiverse, they encounter the Spider-Society, a group of Spider-People led by Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac).

Watch Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on Netflix

No Hard Feelings

Jennifer Lawrence and Andrew Barth Feldman in No Hard Feelings, 2023.

Macall Polay/Sony Pictures Entertainment

After losing her car to repossession, 32-year-old Uber driver Maddie Barker (Jennifer Lawrence) — who is on the brink of bankruptcy — responds to a Craiglist ad posted by a wealthy couple (Laura Benanti, Matthew Broderick) seeking someone to “date” their socially awkward son (Andrew Barth Feldman) before he heads off to college. In exchange, she’ll receive a Buick Regal to resume her ride-share gig so she can try and make enough money to keep her house. 

Watch No Hard Feelings on Netflix

Lady Bird

Saoirse Ronan and Lucas Hedges in Lady Bird, 2017.

Merie Wallace, Courtesy of A24

With Greta Gerwig’s groundbreaking achievement as the first female director of a billion-dollar-grossing film, it’s the perfect time to revisit her first solo directing endeavor. A five-time Oscar nominee and two-time Golden Globe winner, this 2017 coming-of-age dramedy stars Saoirse Ronan as a creative and rebellious teenager navigating a complicated relationship with her mother (Laurie Metcalf).

Watch Lady Bird on Netflix

Downton Abbey: The Motion Picture

Elizabeth McGovern, Harry Hadden-Paton, Laura Carmichael, Hugh Bonneville and Michael C. Fox in Downton Abbey: The Motion Picture, 2019.

Jaap Buitendijk/Focus/Kobal/Shutterstock 

Picking up a few years after where the Emmy-winning PBS series left off, this 2019 historical drama set in the early 20th century follows the Crawley family and their servants as they prepare their Yorkshire estate for a royal visit from the King and Queen. The film features an ensemble reprising their beloved roles, including Hugh Bonneville, Laura Carmichael, Michelle Dockery, Joanne Froggatt, Matthew Goode, Allen Leech, Elizabeth McGovern and Maggie Smith.

Watch Downton Abbey: The Motion Picture on Netflix

Don’t Worry Darling

Florence Pugh in Don’t Worry Darling.

Warner Bros/Moviestore/Shutterstock 

In Olivia Wilde’s 2022 psychological thriller, Florence Pugh and Harry Styles star as a cookie-cutter couple residing in the idyllic town of Victory, where every aspect of life is painstakingly orchestrated by their leader, Frank (Chris Pine). Amidst its off-screen drama that could’ve easily overshadowed any production, Don’t Worry Darling drowns out all of that noise with its feminist storytelling, unsettling ’50s atmosphere and a star-studded ensemble.

Watch Don’t Worry Darling on Netflix

Love Again

Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Sam Heughan in Love Again, 2023.

Sony Pictures Entertainment/Courtesy Everett 

Grieving the loss of her fiancé, Mira Ray (Priyanka Chopra Jonas) sends a series of heartfelt texts to his old cell phone, now in the possession of journalist Rob Burns (Sam Heughan). Assigned to write a profile piece about Céline Dion, Rob enlists the iconic singer’s aid in staging a meeting with his unexpected digital pen pal.

Watch Love Again on Netflix

Love at First Sight

Ben Hardy and Haley Lu Richardson in Love at First Sight, 2023.

Rob Baker Ashton/Netflix

Based on Jennifer E. Smith’s 2013 book, The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight, this 2023 romance takes off with two strangers — played by The White Lotus‘ Haley Lu Richardson and Bohemian Rhapsody‘s Ben Hardy — who form a romantic connection on a lengthy plane ride. Though they part ways upon arrival, the idea of finding each other again isn’t as implausible as it seems, reminding us that destiny often works its own magic. 

Watch Love at First Sight on Netflix

Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food

Netflix

Ever wonder about the hidden ingredients that sneak into your body? Netflix’s startling documentary uncovers the unsettling presence of hazardous substances in the U.S. food supply. Featuring in-depth investigations and expert interviews, Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Your Food exposes the historical issues within America’s food system, raising awareness about the potential health risks and environmental impacts related to our everyday meals.

Watch Poisoned: The Dirty Truth About Our Food on Netflix

Heart of Stone

Robert Viglasky/Netflix

From the executive producers of Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One (2023) comes an adrenaline-fueled spy thriller about global intelligence agent Rachel Stone (Gal Gadot), who’s sent on a high-stakes mission to stop a hacker’s plot to steal her organization’s most powerful weapon. Jamie Dornan, Alia Bhatt and Matthias Schweighöfer also star.

Watch Heart of Stone on Netflix

You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah

Courtesy of Netflix

In this Adam Sandler-produced comedy, Stacey Friedman’s (Sunny Sandler) dream of hosting an unforgettable bat mitzvah takes a hilarious turn when middle school antics get in the way, including a feud with her best friend Lydia (Samantha Lorraine) over the school’s heartthrob (Dylan Hoffman). Based on Fiona Rosenbloom’s eponymous 2007 novel, this family flick also features performances from Sandler, Idina Menzel, Jackie Sandler, Jackie Hoffman and Luis Guzmán.

Watch You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah on Netflix

Run Rabbit Run

Netflix

This Australian psychological horror film will either have you glued to your seat or running far away from it. Premiering at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, Run Rabbit Run stars Succession‘s Sarah Snook as a fertility doctor and single mother who notices her daughter’s chilling shift in behavior, as the little girl claims to remember an ominous past life.

Watch Run Rabbit Run on Netflix

Wham!

Courtesy of Netflix

Jitterbug! This heartfelt documentary dives into the music career led by the English pop duo Wham!, using ’70s and ’80s archival footage and interviews of band members George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley.

Watch Wham! on Netflix

The Out-Laws

Scott Yamano/Netflix 

After proposing to his girlfriend Parker (Nina Dobrev), bank manager Owen Browning (Adam DeVine) is finally meeting his fiancée’s parents (Pierce Brosnan and Ellen Barkin). But when his place of work is robbed by notorious thieves, known as the “Ghost Bandits,” Owen learns he’s marrying into a family of lawbreakers. This 2023 crime comedy also stars Poorna Jagannathan, Richard Kind, Lil Rel Howery and more.

Watch The Out-Laws on Netflix

They Cloned Tyrone

Parrish Lewis/Netflix

This sci-fi mystery comedy finds three neighbors — played by Teyonah Parris, John Boyega and Jamie Foxx (who also produced the film) — forming a far-fetched liaison as they try to expose a government cloning conspiracy. They Cloned Tyrone is helmed by Juel Taylor (a first-time director), who also wrote the film, as well as the screenplays for Creed II (2018) and Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021).

Watch They Cloned Tyrone on Netflix

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

Universal Pictures/Courtesy Everett

After living multiple lives filled with action-packed adventures, the eponymous feline (Antonio Banderas) discovers he has lost eight out of nine lives, so he joins forces with his ex-fiancée (Salma Hayek) and a friendly chihuahua (Harvey Guillén) to find the magical Last Wish to reverse his imminent mortality. This critically acclaimed 2022 sequel to the 2011 Shrek spin-off, Puss in Boots, also features the recognizable voices of Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone and John Mulaney.

Watch Puss in Boots: The Last Wish on Netflix

Extraction 2

Jasin Boland/Netflix 

After the success of the first Extraction film in 2020, Chris Hemsworth’s Tyler Rake has returned with a more insatiable hunger for violence. Produced by the Russo brothers, this 2023 sequel finds Tyler — an unauthorized mercenary who resembles the likes of Keanu Reeves’ John Wick — given the do-or-die task of extricating a jailed family of a brutal gangster.

Watch Extraction 2 on Netflix

The Perfect Find

Alyssa Longchamp/Netflix

Based on Tia Williams’ eponymous novel, The Perfect Find stars Gabrielle Union as Jenna Jones, a professional who resurrects her career as a fashion editor working for her frenemy, Darcy (Gina Torres). However, her job gets a little heated when she finds romance with the company’s young videographer — her boss’s son (Keith Powers).

Watch The Perfect Find on Netflix

The Mother

Doane Gregory/Netflix

From the director of 2020’s live-action remake of Mulan, this 2023 action thriller finds Jennifer Lopez as a former assassin in hiding to preserve her daughter’s safety. Once lethal assailants find the young girl’s location, the Mother has to break cover and slip back to old ways to protect her child.

Watch The Mother on Netflix

Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me

Courtesy of Netflix

This 2023 documentary about the late Anna Nicole Smith — who died of an accidental overdose at age 39 on Feb. 8, 2007 — uses personal videos, archival footage and exclusive interviews to take a closer, unexplored look at her legacy. Director Ursula Macfarlane told PEOPLE, “The more I dug into [Smith’s] story, the more I discovered that a lot of what I watched and read over the years provided a one-dimensional look at Anna Nicole. It’s been 16 years since she has died and it was time to dig beneath the surface.”

Watch Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me on Netflix

Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody

Sony Pictures Entertainment/Moviestore/Shutterstock

Fans of Whitney Houston are getting answers about the American pop legend and how she came to be. Starring Naomi Ackie, this 2022 biographical musical drama follows the powerhouse singer’s journey to international fame after being discovered by record executive Clive Davis (Stanley Tucci).

Watch Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody on Netflix

Soft & Quiet

Momentum Pictures/Courtesy Everett

Don’t be fooled by this film’s title! Executive produced by Jason Blum, the mind that brought you blockbusters like 2017’s Get Out, 2020’s The Invisible Man and 2023’s M3GAN, this 2022 indie horror flick follows an elementary school teacher (Stefanie Estes) who gathers a group of white supremacist women, and their meeting takes a volatile and horrifying turn.

Watch Soft & Quiet on Netflix

Chupa

Netflix

Directed by the co-writer of 2013’s Gravity (Jonás Cuarón) and produced by the director of 2001’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Chris Columbus), this 2023 fantasy adventure follows a boy (Evan Whitten) visiting family in Mexico who discovers a chupacabra — the Latin American mythical creature — in his grandfather’s shed. Demián Bichir and Christian Slater also star.

Watch Chupa on Netflix

The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die

Courtesy of Netflix

Following the events of the popular BBC series The Last Kingdom, this 2023 British historical drama serves as a cinematic conclusion. As attackers try to take over King Edward’s (Timothy Innes) throne after his death, Uhtred of Bebbanburg (Alexander Dreymon) must gather his soldiers to fight for unity in England.

Watch The Last Kingdom: Seven Kings Must Die on Netflix

A Tourist’s Guide to Love

Sasidis Sasisakulporn/Netflix

After her boyfriend unexpectedly dumps her and moves to another state, travel executive Amanda (Rachael Leigh Cook) gets sent to Vietnam on an assignment. Arriving in accordance with the Vietnamese Lunar New Year, Amanda discovers new things about herself while romance blossoms between her and her handsome tour guide (Scott Ly).

Watch A Tourist’s Guide to Love on Netflix

Faraway

Courtesy of Netflix

In this 2023 multilingual romantic drama in English and German, grief-stricken Zeynep (Naomi Krauss) inherits her late mother’s house in Croatia and travels there to escape her hapless life at home. Finding out that the previous owner (Goran Bogdan) still occupies her new home, she learns to open herself up to him and fall in love with life again.

Watch Faraway on Netflix

Carol

Wilson Webb/Killer/The Weinstein Company/Kobal/Shutterstock

Set in 1950s London, this 2015 romantic drama centers on the sapphic relationship between an ambitious twentysomething photographer (Rooney Mara) and an older woman (Cate Blanchett) amid a divorce with her husband (Kyle Chandler). This critically acclaimed film also stars Sarah Paulson, Jake Lacy and Cory Michael Smith, among others.

Watch Carol on Netflix

The Woman King

Tristar Pictures/Moviestore/Shutterstock

She fears no one, and she fears no pain. In Gina Prince-Bythewood’s 2022 warrior thriller, Viola Davis commands the screen as a merciless leader of the legendary Agojie, an all-women fighting force in West Africa. When European colonization begins to infiltrate the kingdom of Dahomey, General Nanisca (Davis) drills a new generation of recruits to take up arms and protect their home.

Watch The Woman King on Netflix

Luther: The Fallen Sun

John Wilson/Netflix

In the cinematic extension of the BBC crime thriller series, Idris Elba returns to his Golden Globe-winning role of John Luther. When the titular detective chief inspector escapes prison, he makes it his mission to catch a wealthy serial killer (played by The Lord of the Rings‘ Andy Serkis) who’s terrorizing London with state-of-the-art technology. This film also stars Cynthia Erivo and Dermot Crowley.

Watch Luther: The Fallen Sun on Netflix

Murder Mystery 2

Scott Yamano/Netflix

Years after they solved their first murder as husband and wife, this 2023 sequel finds Nick and Audrey Spitz (Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston) as working detectives running their private agency with little to no credit. When attending the Maharajah’s (Adeel Akhtar) private island wedding, they get an opportunity to kickstart their careers when their friend is abducted for ransom and they have to crack the case.

Watch Murder Mystery 2 on Netflix

Your Place or Mine

Erin Simkin/Netflix

Rom-com veterans Ashton Kutcher and Reese Witherspoon are still helping audiences believe in love. This 2023 Netflix Original follows two best friends who swap homes for a week, stumbling upon previously unexplored insights into their own lives and possible new feelings about each other.

Watch Your Place or Mine on Netflix

La La Land

Dale Robin/Lionsgate

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone put their singing abilities on display in this Oscar-winning musical. Watch the 2016 film, which tells the story of two aspiring artists who fall in love while following their dreams in Los Angeles, before it’s adapted for the Broadway stage.

Watch La La Land on Netflix

Do Revenge

Do Revenge (2022).
Kim Simms/Netflix

This Gen-Z comedy took a seat and learned from its teen film predecessors while also giving the genre a modern, pastel-infused spin. In this 2022 Netflix Original, Riverdale star Camila Mendes plays Drea, a recently-outcasted student who teams up with new girl Eleanor — played by Stranger Things‘ Maya Hawke — to take down the people who’ve wronged them.

Watch Do Revenge on Netflix

Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile

Sarah Shatz/Sony Pictures Entertainment/Courtesy Everett

There’s nothing holding Shawn Mendes back from playing a singing crocodile. Based on the beloved children’s book series, this 2022 musical comedy follows a young boy (Winslow Fegley) who meets a talking crocodile, Lyle (Mendes), in his attic. Family-friendly adventures set to Pasek and Paul songs (La La Land, The Greatest Showman) ensue.

Watch Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile on Netflix

Bullet Train

Sony Pictures Entertainment

David Leitch’s action-comedy follows Ladybug (Brad Pitt), an assassin who is returning to his high-stakes job. He and competing assassins end up fighting to the death on the world’s fastest train. Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Sandra Bullock are also featured.

Watch Bullet Train on Netflix

Where the Crawdads Sing

Michele K Short/Columbia Pictures

This 2022 film is an adaptation of Delia Owens’ bestselling 2018 novel. The story follows Kya, played by Daisy Edgar-Jones, who is abandoned by her family as a young girl and is later suspected of murder.

Watch Where the Crawdads Sing on Netflix

White Noise

Wilson Webb/Netflix

When a nearby chemical leak causes “The Airborne Toxic Event,” a family needs to evacuate their Ohio town. Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig play a 1980s suburban couple in this dark comedy from Noah Baumbach.

Watch White Noise on Netflix

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

John Wilson/Netflix

This sequel to 2019’s Knives Out follows detective Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig, who works to solve a murder after a group of frenemies meet on a private Greek island. Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Janelle Monáe and Kathryn Hahn also star in this whodunit.

Watch Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery on Netflix

Enola Holmes

Millie Bobby Brown in Enola Holmes.
Netflix

Millie Bobbie Brown plays Sherlock Holmes’ teenage sister, Enola, in this 2020 Netflix Original film. Enola heads to London in search of her missing mother but winds up helping a runaway lord and outsmarting her older brother. Henry Cavill and Helena Bonham Carter also star.

Watch Enola Holmes on Netflix

Enola Holmes 2

Netflix

Sherlock Holmes’ teen sister Enola is back in Netflix’s second installment of the series. This time, the spunky detective must solve the mystery of a girl who’s gone missing. The 2022 film also stars Henry Cavill, David Thewlis, Louis Partridge and Helena Bonham Carter.

Watch Enola Holmes 2 on Netflix

Hustle

Netflix

This 2022 Netflix Original follows a struggling basketball talent scout (Adam Sandler) and a promising young baller (real-life pro Juancho Hernangómez) as they team up to prove themselves in the NBA. This sports film also stars Queen Latifah.

Watch Hustle on Netflix

Don’t Look Up

Netflix

This Netflix Original made waves when it was released in 2021. This apocalyptic comedy stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence and Meryl Streep and follows two astronomers (DiCaprio and Lawrence) trying to warn an unconcerned world about a planet-destroying comet.

Watch Don’t Look Up on Netflix

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education