50 best movies to watch on Netflix right now

But as we wait for all those films, the streamer is continuing to add some of the best movies from recent years to its library. One such new addition is Sean Durkin's 2023 devastating true story drama The Iron Claw, about wrestling's Von Erich family – which was largely overlooked by awards bodies despite some very strong reviews. It's well worth a watch if you're prepared to shed a few tears.

It's just one of many releases from the last couple of years to have recently landed, joining the likes of thriller The Lesson, true story comedy BlackBerry and Christopher Nolan's epic, Oscar-winning historical drama Oppenheimer in the well-stocked library.

Meanwhile, if you're looking for horror, then you can find chilling options like Talk to Me, from the directors of recent cinema release Bring Her Back, as well as Zach Cregger's Barbarian – now that the latter's much talked-about Weapons has arrived in UK cinemas.

And of course, there are some all-time classics as well – with Steven Spielberg films such as Jaws and ET: The Extra Terrestrial among the iconic movies you can stream on the platform.

Read on for our latest picks of the best films on the streaming service right now below – updated weekly – or head over to our guides to the best series on Netflix and best comedies on Netflix.

Alternatively, check out our helpful list of Netflix secret codes, which can help you unlock hidden movies and TV shows.

Updated:21st August 2025

Best movies to watch on Netflix right now

ET: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)

Choosing the best Steven Spielberg film is a nearly impossible task – but it's hard to have the conversation without giving some serious consideration to this beloved family sci-fi film.

Released in 1982, just one year after his equally exemplary Raiders of the Lost Ark, the emotional tale of an alien left behind on Earth was the highest-grossing film of all time for 11 years until it was eventually surpassed by another Spielberg classic, Jurassic Park, in 1993.

The film follows 10-year-old Elliot (Henry Thomas), a young boy who takes in and befriends the titular creature, with the pair forming a special bond that helps both stave off loneliness. A magical adventure filled with warmth and heart – but not without its moments of genuine fear – it's hard to think of a better film on the subject of childhood.

Meanwhile, Spielberg's legendary directing skills are utilised to great effect – the film is a technical marvel as well as an emotional one.

The Iron Claw (2023)

Without a doubt one of the most emotional films of recent years, this true story drama from writer/director Sean Durkin told the tragic tale of the Von Erich family, who dominated the world of pro wrestling in the 1980s before a series of devastating deaths ripped the family apart – and led some to believe a curse had been placed on them.

Durkin called on a tremendous all-star cast to bring the story to life, with Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson and Stanley Simons playing the four brothers. In real life, the story had actually been even more tragic – with one of the brothers left out of the film as Durkin believed that his death was "one more tragedy that the film couldn't withstand".

The film is tremendously acted throughout, with a first act that shows the brothers in happier times before everything goes wrong, while the wrestling scenes are also brought together with great verve. But it's the powerful way in which Durkin explores the family's losses that will make this film truly stay with you.

BlackBerry (2023)

In recent years, there have been a fair few films about the origins of specific corporate brands and companies, from Air and Tetris to The Beanie Bubble and Flamin' Hot. But this 2023 effort about the rise and fall of the BlackBerry smart phone is a cut above nearly all of its competitors – a frequently funny film anchored by a great performance by It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Glenn Howerton.

Written and directed by Matt Johnson – who also stars – the film explores the circumstances of how a couple of nerdy tech-whizz pals came to team up with formidable business executive Jim Balsillie (Howerton) to launch their product, before its eventual downfall.

The film is as much a comedy as a drama, satirising the corrupting influence of money, and makes for a very entertaining film that also serves as a cautionary tale.

Jaws (1975)

There are some films that don't need much of an introduction, and it's safe to say that Steven Spielberg's iconic Jaws fits squarely into that category. Not only did the film practically invent the modern blockbuster – and somewhat unfairly alter public perception of sharks – but it remains no less effective a thriller today.

The film recently celebrated it's landmark 50th anniversary with a brief cinematic re-release and has now been re-added to Netflix, so now you're able to rewatch – or even watch for the first time if you've somehow never seen it – in the comfort of your own home.

Of course, the film features superb turns from Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw as three very different men tasked with hunting and killing the shark that has been terrorising beachgoers on Amity Island. John Williams's legendary score, Spielberg's superbly suspenseful direction and some truly terrific character moments between that trio all combine to make this one of cinema's finest ever productions.

The Lesson (2023)

This 2023 psychological thriller comes from director Alice Troughton, known for her TV work, including on Doctor Who. It stars Daryl McCormack as Liam, an aspiring writer who gets a job tutoring the son of his idol, JM Sinclair, played by Richard E Grant.

The film also stars Julie Delpy, Stephen McMillan and Crispin Letts, but that's the totality of its small cast, with a keen focus on the core characters and devising a sense of claustrophobia around the Sinclair estate.

The performances are, as you'd expect from this cast, outstanding, and the narrative keeps you on your toes and guessing throughout. It may not quite stick the landing in the most satisfying manner, but the journey to get there is still well worth it, with the film providing gorgeous visuals, some fantastically knotty plotting and an incredibly tense atmosphere.

Snowpiercer (2013)

This dystopian film from director Bong Joon Ho takes place aboard a train, one which contains the last remnants of humanity and is circling a frozen Earth, created due to a failed climate engineering experiment.

The train is split into different sections, with the first class passengers at the front and the lower class citizens at the back. Chris Evans plays Curtis, a man who takes responsibility for leading the lower class passengers in a revolt.

It's a movie which is hugely propulsive, given that it is both literally and figuratively constantly moving forward. It's also got a unique sense of style, and the deep social examination that Bong has become known for across his career. It's therefore both action-packed and crowd-pleasing, while also providing plenty of thought-provoking questions for the audience to chew on.

Oppenheimer (2023)

It's been two years ago since Oppenheimer and Barbie were released on the same day, in what proved to be one of the most savvy programming moves in recent memory. While Barbie unsurprisingly had the higher gross of the two, Christopher Nolan's film still managed to amass hugely impressive box office sales, raking in almost a billion dollars. Not bad for a talky, three-hour biographical epic of the father of the nuclear bomb!

Of course, aside from it's commercial success, Oppenheimer also proved to be something of a critical darling, met with a glut of rave reviews and going on to win seven Oscars including Best Picture, Best Director for Nolan and Best Actor for star Cillian Murphy.

It's easy to see why it was on the receiving end of so much praise: the film is a consistently captivating character study stuffed to the brim with memorable performances from famous faces, with Nolan applying a typically non-linear approach that worked a treat. And two years on, the film's devastating final act hasn't lost any of its power.

Talk to Me (2023)

You know you're always in for an interesting ride with an A24 horror film, but 2023's Talk To Me proved to be a real unexpected thrill ride. The supernatural horror comes from YouTubers turned directors Danny and Michael Philippou, and follows Mia, a young woman who gets involved with a group of friends who have found a mystical ceramic hand, which can grant spirits access to your body.

It's an already chilling premise which is only heightened by extremely successful execution. Some of the sequences are so terror inducing and stressful that you'll need a long lie down afterwards, but for those looking for some properly thrilling horror then look no further.

Sophie Wilde is hugely impressive in the central role, while the supporting cast all do stellar work. The film's thematic storytelling also hits home come the end, as it explores topics around grief and addiction more successfully than many a drama.

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (2024)

After first airing on BBC One on Christmas Day, the latest Wallace & Gromit adventure, a full-length film, is now available to watch on Netflix.

The film, which for the first time stars Ben Whitehead as the voice of Wallace following the death of Peter Sallis, also features the return of fan-favourite villain Feathers McGraw, as he takes control of Wallace's latest invention, Norbot, an automated robot gnome.

The jokes come just as thick and fast as usual, with the franchise keeping up its astounding hit rate. While this outing may not have quite the same impact or staying power as the absolute best (particularly The Wrong Trousers), it is still a phenomenally fun watch for the whole family, with a surprising dose of emotional moments baked in.

Prisoners (2013)

With fans highly anticipating Denis Villeneuve's third Dune film – and now also his take on the Bond franchise – now could be the perfect time to revisit the director's first English-language film, Prisoners.

A dark, gritty and taut thriller, Prisoners stars Hugh Jackman as the father of an abducted girl who becomes convinced that Alex Jones, a man with diminished IQ played by Paul Dano, is behind it. Meanwhile, Jack Gyllenhaal plays Detective Loki, the officer heading up the police investigation.

All three lead performers are on top form here, in a film which is at times hard to watch, but always rewarding. At a time where you might believe you have seen every formulation of a crime thriller, Prisoners takes a different approach, while also demonstrating the technical skill that Villeneuve and his frequent collaborator, cinematographer Roger Deakins, have now repeatedly shown.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

The idea of a sequel to Blade Runner always seemed like a risky one. The 1982 film hadn't been a smash hit upon its release, but it had gained a great deal of critical appreciation is subsequent years and amassed a cult following. Thankfully, Blade Runner 2049, released in 2017, didn't disappoint - in fact, it could actually be argued that it exceeded the original.

Arguably one of director Denis Villeneuve's finest films, 2049 is a visually gorgeous sci-fi, with compelling themes, a slow yet purposeful and thoughtful pace and excellent world-building. It's all helped along by stellar performances from Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas and a returning Harrison Ford, as well as a clear dedication behind the scenes to tell a new story in this world, rather than simply rehashing the original - a trap far too many legacy sequels have fallen into.

No Country For Old Men (2007)

In recent years, the Coen brothers have been making films separately – but none of their individual output has matched the highs the siblings reached when they were working together. The duo crafted many of the finest films of the last few decades, and this adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel ranks among the very best of their work, winning four Oscars including Best Picture and Best Director.

Set in Texas in 1980, it follows Vietnam War veteran Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) after he stumbles across a desert drug deal gone wrong and escapes with a suitcase containing $2 million.

A game of cat and mouse ensues, as Moss is pursued by a ruthless assassin armed with a cattle stun gun (Javier Bardem), various Mexican drug dealers, and an ageing police sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones), whose despairing take on the state of America provides the movie's moral heart.

As a crime thriller, it's consistently riveting, while it also has plenty to say on the topics of fate, greed and societal decay, and there's still plenty of the Coens' trademark strain of black comedy to go round. Of the performances, it's Bardem's chilling turn as Anton Chigurh which is the standout – winning him both an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor and a permanent place in the pantheon of great big-screen villains.

Barbarian (2022)

Director Zach Cregger's new film Weapons will shortly be in cinemas, meaning now could be the perfect time to catch up with or rewatch his solo directorial debut, Barbarian.

A truly original piece of work, Barbarian shakes off an expectations the audience may have time and time again, providing an experience which is wholly unpredictable. It stars Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård and Justin Long, and follows a woman who books an Air BnB, only to find there is another man already staying there.

To reveal anymore would be to spoil the film's many surprises, but it's fair to say that it's an eerie, tense, often gnarly watch, with some phenomenal central performances and a real sense of style.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

The comedy murder-mystery has been enjoying something of a moment in recent years – thanks to everything from British flick See How They Run to hit TV series Only Murders in the Building. But arguably no one has done it better than Rian Johnson, whose two star-studded Knives Out mysteries have both been huge hits, with a third confirmed to follow.

The second film is streaming on Netflix and sees Daniel Craig’s heavily accented sleuth Benoit Blanc attempt to unravel another mysterious case – this time a puzzling death on a private island owned by tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton). Craig is on terrific form throughout, and the film is as humorous as it is exciting, packed with intriguing twists that keep the audience guessing until the end.

Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)

Guillermo Del Toro’s first foray into stop-motion animation – alongside co-director Mark Gustafson – is one of many new takes on the tale of the wooden boy to have been released in recent years. It also happens to be, by some margin, the best of the bunch, ingeniously transposing Carlo Collodi’s classic tale to Benito Mussolini’s Italy.

Many of the story beats are, of course, familiar: Geppetto makes a puppet that comes to life, with the pair then getting tangled up in adventures alongside a talking cricket. But, this new version also laces its narrative with profound meditations on grief, death, religion, and authoritarianism, adding up to a truly beautiful and visually sumptuous piece of work.

The Truman Show (1998)

Jim Carrey had worked almost exclusively in comedies when he took on the role of Truman Burbank in Peter Weir’s satirical drama – but his terrific and somewhat restrained central performance proved himself a dramatic force to be reckoned with.

The premise is now the stuff of legend: Truman is an insurance salesman who thinks he’s been living an ordinary life, totally unaware that he’s actually the subject of a successful TV show and everyone in his life is merely an actor. Thought-provoking and often very funny, it’s a film that has only become more relevant with time, deftly satirising celebrity culture, commercialism, and the role of the media in our lives.

Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

The first four Indiana Jones films – the original trilogy and 2008's oft-maligned entry Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – have all recently been added to Netflix, and it's hard to argue against the fact that the very first movie remains the strongest of the lot. The film introduced audiences to Harrison Ford's intrepid archeologist as Indy attempts to seize the Ark of the Covenant before a gang of Nazis get their hands on it.

Inspired by classic serials Steven Spielberg had watched as a youngster, the filmmaker's terrific direction is on show throughout the runtime, never more so than in the thrilling chase scene through the desert, while Ford is perfection as the action hero – helping make this arguably the definitive action-adventure film.

The Karate Kid (1984)

If you're a Cobra Kai fan itching to get your hands on the three-part final season, consider going back to where the martial arts saga began with this bona fide classic of the 1980s – now streaming on Netflix.

A young Ralph Macchio and William Zabka, currently starring in the streaming revival, are the stars of the show, playing teen rivals Daniel LaRusso and Johnny Lawrence respectively. Meanwhile, Pat Morita earned an Academy Award nomination as the former's mentor, Mr Miyagi, a war veteran who teaches him karate to ward off bullies and compete in a high-profile tournament.

The film remains popular decades on from its release, telling a classic underdog story in an earnest and heartwarming way. It's hardly unpredictable viewing – particularly if you've seen Cobra Kai – but there's still lots of fun to be had from this family flick.

Y tu mamá también (2001)

Long before he became known to the world as Cassian Andor, Diego Luna starred alongside his fellow Mexcian actor Gael García Bernal in this terrific coming-of-age road trip movie from director Alfonso Cuaron – who would go on to direct Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men and Gravity.

Luna and Bernal star as best friends Julio and Tenoch, who have recently graduated high school and boast to the glamorous wife of the latter's older cousin that they intend to embark on a long trek to a fictional beach known as Heaven's Mouth. When she unexpectedly takes them up on their invite to accompany them, they are forced to hurriedly plan a route.

What follows is a colourful, occasionally outrageous journey – by turns hedonistic and tender – which slowly morphs into something more profound as the best pals gain new perspectives on friendship, sex and life. It's beautifully performed and expertly directed, with numerous memorable scenes along the route.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning (2023)

There are very few action franchises which have proven as consistently entertaining as Mission: Impossible. No, scratch that - there are very few franchises full stop that have managed that feat.

With its seventh film here, and the newly released eighth, the film series continues to deliver thrills a-plenty, as Ethan Hunt and his team deal with the threat of a rogue AI. With sequences taking place all over the world once more, and Tom Cruise enacting some more incredible stunts, it's a long film which never feels it, as the breakneck pace keeps up throughout.

The action is so well staged as to make most other movies look flat in comparison, the characters and likeable and engaging, and the story is riveting and timely (even if it is ridiculous in parts). It will be a sad day when Cruise decides to pack in his action roles, as right now he's still operating at the peak of his powers, with Dead Reckoning rivalling films such as Fallout, Rogue Nation and Ghost Protocol to rank as the Mission: Impossible franchise's finest hour.

Asteroid City (2023)

Wes Anderson's upcoming film – The Phoenician Scheme – is arriving in UK cinemas later in May, and so now is the perfect time to revisit his most recent effort Asteroid City, which has just arrived on Netflix. The film is packed full of all the director's usual quirky trademarks, from the gorgeously meticulous pastel-hued set design and a meta approach to narrative, to the incredibly stacked A-list cast delivering his witty dialogue in deadpan style.

But there's also plenty that's new to the director, such as sci-fi elements – most notably including the appearance of an alien – some major first-time acting collaborators in the shape of Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks and Margot Robbie, and several original musical numbers such as the earworm Dear Alien (Who Art in Heaven).

But as well as being superbly stylish, Asteroid City also completely sidesteps the accusations that are often unfairly thrown at Anderson's work – that he favours style over emotional substance. The film is a hugely affecting portrait of dealing with grief, following Jason Schwartzmann's character and his children after the recent death of his wife, while also making some humorous observations about how different groups respond to a lockdown situation.

Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

Justine Triet’s Oscar-nominated courtroom mystery was hailed as one of the best films of 2023 upon its release, winning the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival and earning its star Sandra Hüller an Oscar nod for Best Actress.

The film serves as forensic examination of both the fall that kills Sandra Voyter’s husband Samuel and the personal fall from grace the lead character suffers when she is accused of his murder – and Hüller is mesmerising at the centre of it all, equal parts vulnerable and inscrutable, both in control and spiralling.

Young actor Milo Machado Graner, who plays the son caught up in the fallout, also excels with a brilliantly mature performance, while it's worth an honourable mention for Messi the dog – the Daniel Day-Lewis of canine performers.

Pride and Prejudice (2005)

With Netflix having recently announced the cast for its upcoming miniseries adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel – including Emma Corrin, Jack Lowden and Olivia Colman – now is a good time to revisit Joe Wright 2005 film version starring Kiera Knightly and Matthew Macfadyen, especially as it is preparing to celebration its 20th anniversary.

Of course, the story needs no introduction: we're in the 18th century, and Mrs Bennet is hoping to marry off her five daughters to wealthy suitors. When the strong-willed Elizabeth encounters the arrogant Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy at a local ball, she is not immediately enamoured, but slowly falls for him after their initial round of bickering.

Knightley in particular is excellent in this beautifully made and wittily told adaptation, while there are also memorable supporting turns from Brenda Blethyn and Donald Sutherland as the Bennett parents.

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Casey Affleck won a deserved Best Actor Oscar for his superb central turn in this intimate, occasionally funny and frequently emotionally devastating drama written and directed by playwright and acclaimed indie filmmaker Kenneth Lonergan.

He plays Lee, a janitor living alone in a Boston suburb whose life is unexpectedly transformed after his brother suffers a heart attack and he finds himself caring for his teenage nephew, excellently played by Lucas Hedges. What starts as a somewhat spiky, frosty dynamic slowly but surely becomes tender as the pair spend more time together.

Meanwhile we also peel back the layers on Lee's past life before he became the withdrawn shell of a man we first meet in the film, leading up to an extraordinary encounter with his ex-wife, heartbreakingly played by Michelle Williams.

Paddington in Peru (2024)

Although the general consensus was that this third entry in the Paddington franchise was a slight downgrade on the previous two outings – and especially from the superlative Paddington 2 – this was nonetheless another delightful adventure for the nation's favourite bear.

This time around, he and the Brown clan headed back to his homeland of deepest, darkest Peru after getting word that his beloved Aunt Lucy had vanished from the Home for Retired Bears, setting in motion a bold, colourful journey featuring plenty of charm, whimsy and copious quantities of marmalade – as well as scenery-chewing turns from Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas.

The extra good news is that both previous films are also still streaming on Netflix, so if you're after an especially wholesome triple bill to make you feel warm and fuzzy, there's no better place to look!

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

Tarantino's most recent film Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood was notable for teaming up two of the world's biggest movie stars, Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, while also starring Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate, and telling an alternate history version of what, in real life, were the film star's final days.

The writer-director's love for the period exudes from the screen and is truly infectious – while there's little in the way of plot here, it's a joy simply to hang out in this world with these characters. Meanwhile, the finale is one of the goriest, but also funniest and most cathartic climaxes Tarantino has ever put on screen.

Us

Once famous for comedy, ever since his stellar solo directorial debut Get Out was released in 2017 Jordan Peele has become best known as a master of the horror/thriller genre. With a new, no doubt nightmare-inducing film on the way from him in 2026, following his last release Nope in 2022, now could be the perfect time to return to this gem from 2019.

Us stars Lupita Nyong'o in what should have been an Oscar-nominated performance, alongside Winston Duke, Shahadi Wright Joseph and Evan Alex. The quartet play a family who, while on holiday, find themselves under attack from nightmare versions of themselves, bearing scissors as weapons. While it may have some clunky logic at times, and isn't the scariest horror film you'll ever see, it does get your heart racing, is gripping throughout and is thematically resonant. It also shows Peele off as a master of creating horror iconography and visuals, while the dual performances really are something to behold.

Okja (2017)

This South Korean/Hollywood co-production comes from acclaimed director Bong Joon-ho, and follows the story of a young South Korean girl who has raised and become best friends with a genetically modified super pig called Okja. When Okja is kidnapped and taken to be used by a meat industry corporation in the US, she tries to track her down and save her.

Featuring a winning central performance from young actor Ahn Seo-hyun, along with some heightened turns from the likes of Tilda Swinton and Jake Gyllenhaal, it's a consistently engaging film, even if it can be tonally bumpy at times.

However, the best sequences come at the start of the movie, in the smaller-scale set-up, and the end, when the emotional heft of the film really hits home. It would be hard for anyone to watch the final sequences of Okja and not feel moved, as the series turns its attention to the mistreatment and slaughter of animals, as well as the meat industry, not in a particularly subtle way, but in a manner which is effective just the same.

The Outrun (2024)

This quiet and meditative yet stirring drama only arrived in cinemas in 2024, but already it is available to stream on Netflix - and is well worth your time.

Saoirse Ronan gives a powerhouse performance as Rona, a woman who returns home to the Orkney Islands after struggling with alcoholism while living in London. There, she reconnects with her family, including her religious mother and father who suffers from bipolar disorder. She also grapples with loneliness and her own demons, while reconnecting with the land and nature.

It's a beautifully shot film, which gives a remarkable sense of the islands and their landscape, while also providing an incredible character study, driven by a magnificent, textured and complex performance from Ronan.

Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)

There have been so many big-screen Spider-Man adaptations now it can be hard to keep track, but this 2018 animated version is arguably the finest of them all.

Coming from producers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the film explores the origin story of a different Spider-Man than the one most fans know, Peter Parker, instead focusing on Miles Morales. However, that's not to say Peter is left out in the cold – in fact, the film explores multiversal storytelling before it became the norm for superhero films, and does so with the greatest effect of any so far.

The heartfelt, funny storytelling is matched by the beautiful, unique animation style, which managed to break through the standard Disney-style template which had ruled in Hollywood for so long. It was followed up by another strong entry in the franchise, 2023's Across the Spider-Verse, which is also available to stream on Netflix now, but this remains the height of cinematic web-slinger content.

Pig (2021)

Although the idea of Nicolas Cage going after the mystery assailants who stole his beloved truffle pig might sound like the basis of a crazed action flick or an absurdist comic romp, this film from 2021 is actually something a little different. Written and directed by Michael Sarnoski – who would go on to make A Quiet Place: Day One –Pig is a rather sombre piece of work that deals fairly profoundly with loss, grief and meaning.

Cage's performance is far more still, considered and restrained than some of his iconic madcap turns, rarely indulging in the kind of showboating with which he’s often associated, and yet still delivering a very memorable performance.

Meanwhile, the confrontation scenes that regularly punctuate the action rarely play out as you’d expect them, serving as chances for the characters to have discussions about topics deeper than just the location of the missing animal. It all adds up to a very touching, but undoubtedly rather gloomy film, that certainly makes for a very rewarding watch.

His Three Daughters (2024)

One of the best new films released as a Netflix original in 2024, this low-key drama originally premiered at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival before being acquired by the streamer. It stars a terrific trio of Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen and Natasha Lyonne, all of whom are in fine form as they play bickering sisters reunited in their family home in New York to care for their terminally ill father.

It's a beautiful, painstakingly performed portrait of a family in crisis, as the three sisters struggle to process their grief and hold their tempers while questioning what their connection will be once their father is gone.

Writer/director Azazel Jacobs has created something plausible and insightful, taking an approach to confrontation and confessions reminiscent of the work of John Cassavetes – before a late flight of fancy takes the film in a slightly different but no less rewarding direction.

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Stanley Kubrick's final film, which starred then-A-list couple Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, features much of the director's creepiness and grandeur, telling a hypnotic story of a marriage falling apart.

Cruise plays a New York doctor, Bill Harford, who's shaken to the core when his wife, Alice (Kidman), reveals that she was once tempted to have an affair, sending him out in search of sexual revenge.

Eyes Wide Shut has an eerie mood that is purely Kubrickian, with his smooth, neon-lit world and its unhappy residents compelling and even addictive. It's hard to look away from.

Femme (2023)

A criminally overlooked independent film that dropped on Netflix earlier this year, following a limited theatrical run. Femme stars Nathan Stewart-Jarrett (Misfits) as Jules, a drag queen who is brutally beaten by a gang of men one night – just around the corner from the club where he's performing. The hate crime leaves him a shell of himself, but Jules finds purpose once more when he encounters the instigator of the attack, Preston (1917's George MacKay), at a gay sauna and begins plotting revenge.

Although the inciting incident is distressing to witness, it's worth enduring if you can for the unpredictable erotic thriller that follows. Femme revolves around the twisted relationship that unexpectedly blooms between Jules and Preston, as the former attempts to keep his true identity and intentions under wraps. But as he's dragged further and further into his target's world, the waters become muddy and things spiral increasingly out of control.

Femme is a truly nail-biting watch from start to finish, with electric chemistry between Stewart-Jarrett and MacKay, who took home the prize for Best Joint Lead Performance at last year's British Independent Film Awards.

The Boy and the Heron (2023)

For the last few years, Netflix has been home to the vast majority of the Studio Ghibli catalogue, and now the latest film from the hugely acclaimed and widely beloved Japanese animation studio has been added to the library.

The Boy and the Heron saw the legendary Hayao Miyazaki come out of retirement, and went on to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature after having praise heaped upon it by critics.

The film opens in Tokyo during the Second World War, and follows a boy named Mahito (voiced by Soma Santoki) who loses his mother in a fire and subsequently moves with his father to the countryside. There, a creepy talking heron (Masaki Suda) lures the grieving boy into a surreal underworld where he embarks on a bizarre adventure and meets a variety of unusual creatures.

Miyazaki's gorgeous hand-painted animation is present and correct, alongside the requisite fearless little girls and cute sprites, while there is also plenty of Princess Mononoke-style blood and guts, plus parakeet soldiers, murderous pelicans and musings on the nature of reality. It's not one to be missed!

Rebel Ridge (2024)

This crime thriller from Blue Ruin and Green Room writer/director Jeremy Saulnier is one of the best Netflix originals of the year – attracting both impressive viewership numbers and near universally positive reviews from critics. Starring Aaron Pierre as a former Marine who discovers a major cop corruption operation while attempting to post bail for his cousin, it delivers some excellent action choreography and a pointed commentary on policing.

Slow-burning but rife with tension, it's a riveting watch that works in large part due to Pierre's excellent presence in the lead role, as his character Terry works firmly but calmly to retrieve his money – using both the skills and philosophy he learned as a close combat expert. There are plenty of impressive supporting turns, too, with Don Johnson excelling as a slimy police chief. It all adds up to an intriguing thriller that carefully builds up to a well-crafted, high-octane finale.

Beetlejuice (1988)

With Tim Burton's new sequel now out in cinemas, there's never been a better time than to revisit the original Beetlejuice from 1988 – and luckily it's on Netflix. The anarchic fantasy comedy follows events in the town of Winter River after the Deetz family move in to a house whose previous occupants the Maitlands had died in a tragic car accident – only for teenager Lydia (Winona Ryder) to learn that they are still there in ghostly form and only she can see them.

All sorts of chaotic hijinks ensue – including a legendary scene scored by Day-O (The Banana Boat Song) – especially when the mischievous bio-exorcist Betelgeuse is hired by the Maitlands to scare the Deetzes away. A huge breakthrough hit for Burton, it established many of the trademarks that would go onto feature in many of his films and has maintained a strong cult following over the years, meaning the sequel has a lot to live up to.

Superbad (2007)

A film which is wholly representative of an era of American comedy, Superbad still manages to stand out from the crowd as a terrifically well-structured, warm-hearted film with some sequences which have gone down in history and become utterly iconic.

The film, from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, stars Michael Cera and Jonah Hill as two teenagers hoping to lose their virginities before moving on from high school and going to college.

While the hijinks, crude humour and gross-out sequences are significant, the film really lives in the friendship between the two central characters – and in the hilarious subplot featuring their friend Fogell, AKA McLovin, and two hugely irresponsible cops.

Hit Man (2024)

The latest film from acclaimed director Richard Linklater, Hit Man is loosely based on the incredible true story of a man named Gary Johnson– a Houston-native who, over a 10 year spell, was hired to kill more than 60 people while posing as a hitman. Little did his prospective clients know, he was working undercover for the police, and their arrests were secured soon after they had handed over cash.

A version of Johnson is played by Glen Powell – who also co-wrote the script with Linklater – with the film using the real tale as a jumping off point to tell a fictional love story that ponders what might have happened if he had become romantically involved with one of the clients. The result is a romcom that sees Gary continue to adopt the fake hitman guise he had used on his first encounter with love interest Maddy (Adria Arjona) – which, unsurprisingly, leads to a couple of issues later down the line.

Equal parts farcical screwball comedy and philosophical musing on the nature of identity, the film asks fascinating questions about the capacity of a person to change while never being anything less than brilliantly entertaining. The chemistry between Powell and Arjona is palpable and there are some superbly executed set pieces, leading up to an enjoyably twisted conclusion.

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

If the increasingly silly tone of Hollywood's monster franchise isn't your cup of tea, then consider trying out this distinct and unrelated Japanese version, which earned acclaim upon release last year. Far from the Saturday morning cartoon-style fisticuffs of Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, this feature is an altogether more sombre affair.

Taking place after the end of the Second World War, when Japan was still in a state of shock and grief from the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the country is dealt another devastating blow when Godzilla emerges just off the coast. The story unfolds primarily from the perspective of deserter pilot Kōichi (Ryunosuke Kamiki), who is grappling with PTSD and a desperate desire for redemption.

Not an easy, popcorn-munching watch by any means, but if you like your sci-fi with a philosophical and emotional edge, Godzilla Minus One is for you. The film also looks utterly dazzling, which is why it took home the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects at the 2024 ceremony.

Maestro (2023)

Bradley Cooper announced himself as a major new directorial voice with his Oscar-nominated remake of A Star Is Born five years ago, and his second feature Maestro proves that was no fluke. Focusing on one of the most iconic American musicians of the 20th century in Leonard Bernstein (played by Cooper himself), the film shines a light on his sometimes volatile relationship with wife Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan).

Filmed in both black and white and colour, it is a consistently gorgeous film to look at and also includes a brilliant soundtrack full of some of Bernstein's finest work. Meanwhile, the performances are superb – with both Cooper and Mulligan correctly emerging as possible frontrunners for major awards attention.

The film runs the full gamut of emotions and there are several standout scenes: from a joyous dance sequence during a rehearsal for On the Town and a breathtaking six-minute scene of Bernstein conducting Gustav Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony, to a blistering argument between Bernstein and Montealegre at their New York apartment and several heartbreaking moments when the latter falls ill. It's well worth a watch.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget (2023)

More than twenty years after the first film became an instant claymation classic, Ginger, Rocky and the rest of the flock return in this joyous sequel, where we find them on a utopian island paradise following their audacious escape from the evil Mrs Tweedy.

But when Ginger (voiced by Thandiwe Newton) and Rocky (Zachary Levi) discover that their intrepid daughter Molly (Bella Ramsey) has set off on her own adventure, old enemies rear their heads and only an expertly orchestrated heist can avert a calamity.

The increased scale compared to the original offers director Sam Fell plenty of opportunities to showcase a number of highly innovative and intricately designed set pieces. And, as ever with Aardman, there's also a terrific assortment of verbal and visual gags to delight audiences, while the film crucially retains the handcrafted, eccentric charm that has become synonymous with the studio.

Parasite (2019)

When Parasite was announced as the first non-English-language Best Picture winner at the 2020 Oscars, few film fans had any complaints. Bong Joon-ho's masterpiece functions equally well as a suspenseful Hitchcockian thriller, a pitch-perfect black comedy and a biting class satire – complete with some extraordinary performances from its cast.

The film follows events after four members of a working-class family sneakily take it in turns to find work at the plush home of a more well-to-do family, before their elaborate ploy eventually leads to a nail-biting showdown in the latter stages. Tense, intelligent and extremely entertaining, it's unquestionably one of the finest films of the 21st century.

Nimona (2023)

This animated adventure started its life at Blue Sky Studios only to be shelved following Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox in 2021, eventually being picked up by Netflix for release in 2023. And it's a good job it was rescued: it's a rollicking, inventive, and amusing fairytale that deftly touches on LGBTQ+ themes, with some impressive voice performances from the likes of Chloë Grace Moretz and Riz Ahmed.

The film tells the story of Knight Ballister Boldheart (Ahmed) who has to turn to the titular shape-shifting teen (Moretz) for help when he is falsely accused of murdering the Queen. Nimona is the only person willing to help him prove his innocence, but things are somewhat confused by the fact she is also the monster he has sworn to kill. Cue an enjoyable adventure that features all sorts of havoc and makes for top-tier entertainment for the whole family.

RRR (2022)

The latest work from legendary Telegu filmmaker S. S. Rajamouli, RRR became a major international hit upon its release – enrapturing viewers all around the globe. It’s not difficult to see why it resonated so much – across its epic three-hour running time the film packs in all manner of superbly executed action scenes (sometimes involving CGI animals) and splendidly choreographed dance scenes, including one to Oscar-winning song Naatu Naatu.

Set against the backdrop of the brutal British Raj, RRR is a thrilling tale of revenge. The film chronicles a charming fictional friendship between real-life revolutionaries Komaram Bheem (NT Rama Rao Jr) and Alluri Sitarama Raju (Ram Charan) as they seek to rid the nation of British rule.

Marriage Story (2019)

Writer/director Noah Baumbach has teamed up with Adam Driver on a number of occasions, but this divorce drama is arguably the peak of their collaboration. The film earned six nominations at the 92nd Academy Awards – winning one – and proved every bit as popular with audiences as it did with critics.

Based in part on Baumbach’s own divorce, Driver and Scarlett Johansson star as a director and actor couple whose marriage has reached its end, but things only get more bitter when lawyers are called in to begin divorce proceedings. By turns funny and tear-jerking, this film is a real winner – worth it for a scene that sees Driver singing Stephen Sondheim’s Being Alive alone.

The Irishman (2019)

There was a time a few years ago when Netflix was gladly giving a number of acclaimed big-name auteurs big budgets and free rein to make their passion projects, and the greatest result of that era was Martin Scorsese’s superb gangster epic.

Of course, the great director has famously dabbled in the gangster genre many times before, but what marks The Irishman out from the likes of Goodfellas and Casino is the more sombre, elegiac tone. The film follows Frank "The Irishman" Sheeran (Robert De Niro), as he recalls his involvement in the disappearance of his longtime friend Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino), whilst also reflecting on a number of relationships, including that with his daughter, Peggy (Anna Paquin).

13th (2016)

The title of Ava DuVernay’s searing documentary refers to the 13th Amendment in the US Constitution, which declares: “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States.”

The film goes on to draw parallels between slavery and the major flaws in America’s modern-day criminal judgment system, examining the prison-industrial complex and the ways in which the system disproportionately affects Black Americans and other minority communities. The film won huge acclaim on release and secured Netflix its first BAFTA – while it found an audience again following the murder of George Floyd in 2020.

Uncut Gems (2020)

Most of the Adam Sandler films you’ll find on Netflix are of rather dubious quality, but every so often the actor picks a project that shows just how good he can be – and there’s never been a better example of that than Uncut Gems. This unbearably tense, blackly comic offering from the Safdie Brothers was a huge critical hit when it debuted in 2020, with many feeling that Sandler was unfortunate not to nab an Oscar nomination.

He stars as a New York City jeweller with a gambling problem, who must risk everything to banish his debts and escape the collectors after him – whilst also balancing his role as a father, a crumbling marriage with his soon-to-be-ex-wife (Idina Menzel) and an affair with an employee (Julia Fox).

My Neighbour Totoro (1988)

Pretty much the whole Studio Ghibli oeuvre is available to stream on Netflix, giving subscribers a huge range of wonderful animated flicks to enjoy including Spirited Away, Kiki’s Delivery Service and Whisper of the Heart. And there can be no doubt that this delightfully charming little film – just their third feature – is one of the greatest.

It follows two girls who move with their father to the countryside while their mother is ill, where they find themselves having a number of magical encounters with the titular friendly monster and other surreal beings. The story itself is fairly minimalist, but the gorgeous animation and the way the film captures a youthful sense of wonderment make it a must-watch.

Looking for something else to watch? Check out our best series on Netflix, best Netflix comedies and best Netflix horror movies.

Want to see what's on the other streaming sites? Take a look at our best Disney Plus shows guide or best Disney Plus movies.

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