Pick from this definitive list that covers all genres of movies to stream on Netflix (2024)

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Blackhat (2015)

In spite of his legions of devoted fans, it’s possible that some people still underrate Michael Mann, and that’s especially true when it comes to his most recent output.Blackhat, his 2015 cyber thriller that stars Chris Hemsworth, was a critical and commercial disaster when it was released in 2015. In the years since, though, it has gained a host of devoted followers who think that Mann knew exactly what he was doing when he made this strange, subdued action film. The plot here hardly matters, but there’s definitely plenty of hacking going on, and Hemsworth proves more believable as someone who knows CSS than you might think.

Maestro (2023)

Telling the true story of composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein’s marriage to Felicia Montealegre,Maestrois remarkable in part because of how little time it spends on Bernstein’s major accomplishments. Instead, it focuses on the complicated dynamics of his marriage and gives almost equal footing to Montealegre, who struggles to find something real in the most important relationship of her life. Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan star and they give two of the best performances in recent memory. Cooper also directed the film, and does the kind of virtuosic work that makes it hard to question his bona fides.

Athena (2022)

The opening minutes ofAthenaare some of the most visceral, astonishing filmmaking you’ll ever see. The film, which is set in France, follows three brothers who have their lives upended after their younger sibling dies. The movie is about radicalism, violence, and police brutality, and it’s about the way those who are disadvantaged often seem doomed to remain that way. It’s also a shockingly well-directed action movie filled with breathtaking sequences that only underscore just how shocking the violence on display often is.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

A sequel toKnives Out,Glass Oniontakes everything about that first movie that works and heightens it even more. Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc returns, but this time with a much bigger budget and an even more elaborate puzzle to unwind. Thanks to an all-star cast that includes Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Janelle Monae, and Dave Bautista,Glass Onionmanages to distinguish itself from its predecessor in part by satirizing a slightly different type of insanely wealthy person. The reveals are all worth the wait, as are the line deliveries from Craig and the rest of the ensemble.

All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

Netflix took a fairly big swing on this German-language remake ofAll Quiet on the Western Front, and it paid off with a truly good movie on Netflix. The movie tells the story of a group of young soldiers who enlist to fight on behalf of Germany and ultimately discover the real toll that war takes on those who have to live their lives in the trenches. It’s stunningly filmed, and one of the best entries in the long line of immersive war movies from recent years. The Oscars agreed, and nominated it for nine total awards, including Best Picture. All Quiet on the Western Frontis one of the most enduring war novels ever written, and this 2022 version reminds us how horrific war is, no matter what side you’re on.

Don't Look Up (2021)

An over-the-top satire from Adam McKay, Don’t Look Up is worth a watch simply for the insane number of A-list actors in the cast. The film focuses on two nobody astronomers who discover evidence that a giant comet is headed directly toward Earth and have to find a way to get the world to take them seriously before it’s too late. Directly aimed at the climate crisis and the politics surrounding it, the overall tone is over the top and a little obvious, but its mournful ending is undeniably effective.

Mank (2020)

With moreAcademy Award nominations in 2021 than any other film, Mank was bound to be one a good movie to watch from the moment it was first announced. Following Herman J. “Mank” Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman), the film is the story of how the script for Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane came to be. Along the way, we learn about Mank’s debilitating alcoholism and also the politics of both California and Hollywood, which had a major influence on the script Mank ultimately turned in. Filmed in a style reminiscent of the classic Welles film — which undoubtedly helped it win Oscars for best cinematography and production design — this film is one of David Fincher’s bestto date.

Extraction (2020)

One of the more violent movies you can stream on Netflix, Extraction is also a whole lot of fun. Thanks to its wonderful fight choreography, the film rises above more run-of-the-mill action filmmaking. When mercenary Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) is hired to save an imprisoned warlord’s son, the stakes continue to build gradually as more and more local gunrunners and traffickers learn of the situation. Veteran stunt coordinator/first-time director Sam Hargrave proved with Extraction that he had vision, which easily makes it a contender for one of the best Chris Hemsworth movies — even if you include the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond - Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton (2017)

This powerful and reality-bending Netflix documentary chroniclesthe filming and acting processes behind Man on the Moon, a movie that forced Jim Carrey to dive deep into his own psyche years after his spiritual and mental separation from the “character” of Jim Carrey and into the characters of Andy Kaufman and Tony Clifton. Throughout this film, we see detailed behind-the-scenes footage of Carrey on set where he, playing Kaufman, loses his perception of self and even experiences visceral tear-jerking moments with the real people who were close to Kaufman. This is one of the best Jim Carrey movies, but it’s also a great way to learn about him as an actor, a character, and a vessel, all of which meld together in a melancholic display of sheer talent.

Always Be My Maybe (2019)

If you’re looking for a good romantic comedy on Netflix, Always Be My Maybe might be the right place to start. The story follows Sasha (Ali Wong) and Marcus (Randall Park), two people who grew up together and eventually grew apart. Everyone assumed they would end up together, and when they reconnect after 15 years apart, they begin to think maybe they are meant to be, after all. Also, Keanu Reeves shows up playing himself.

The Social Dilemma (2020)

A Netflix documentary that feels more terrifying every day, The Social Dilemma is a look inside how and why tech giants like Facebook, Twitter, and Google operate the way they do. You get to hear from tech experts and some of the people behind these platforms as they discuss the negative impact of the attention-grabbing algorithms that they themselves created. After all of those testimonials, you might begin to appreciate exactly why everything in modern America feels so broken.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

This classic 1970s British comedy from Monty Python, considered to be one of the best comedies of all time, follows King Arthur (Graham Chapman) and his Knights of the Round Table as they embark on a low-budget and absolutely absurd search for the Holy Grail. The silly obstacles these knights encounter are numerous, but every one of the movie’s small segments has become beloved in and of itself, and they flow together beautifully.

The Power of the Dog (2021)

Netflix has yet to take home an Oscar for Best Picture, but The Power of the Dogcame pretty close, and is a truly good movie on Netflix. The movie, which tells the story of a repressed cowboy (Benedict Cumberbatch) in 1920s Montana who lashes out at his brother’s new wife (Kirsten Dunst) is immaculately made, and filled with great performances from Cumberbatch, Dunst, and the rest of its ensemble cast. Directed by veteran Jane Campion, The Power of the Dogis a singular vision of male angst, and that’s part of what makes it so endlessly compelling.

tick, tick...BOOM! (2021)

Adapting a musical of the same name, tick, tick…BOOM! tells the story of Jonathan Larson (Andrew Garfield) in the years before he wrote Rent. With sharp direction from Lin-Manuel Miranda and an incredible soundtrack of Larson originals, the movie has more than enough frenetic energy to tell its story of a struggling artist with winsome verve. Andrew Garfield’s incredible central performance is the icing on the cake of this vibrant musical.

The Irishman (2019)

One of many late-period Martin Scorsese masterpieces,The Irishmantells the story of a mid-level gangster (Robert De Niro) who befriends Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino) and ultimately plays a role in his death. In Scorsese’s hands, though, this becomes an examination of the way one man alienates everyone around him, and ultimately finds himself old, friendless, and totally alone, stuck in a nursing home trying to convince everyone that his life as a gangster is worth remembering.

The Disciple (2020)

Following the story of a dedicated musician (Aditya Modak) in India who begins to question whether he’ll ever achieve the levels of greatness that he’s long aspired to, The Discipleis a beautiful story about what it means to follow your dreams, only to realize that you may never achieve them. In its way,The Discipleis a deeply aching movie about the pursuit of great art, and it’s quietly sorrowful without becoming oppressively bleak.

Da 5 Bloods (2020)

Spike Lee has proven his enduring power with his recent string of successes, andDa 5 Bloodsis chief among them. Telling the story of four Black Vietnam veterans who return to the country decades later to uncover a treasure that they buried decades ago, Da 5 Bloodsis unafraid of its cinematic touchstones, but is also thrilling in its own right. With a wonderful central performance from Delroy Lindo, Da 5 Bloodsis the kind of provocative, thrilling, fun movie we don’t get enough of anymore.

The Wonder (2022)

Anytime Florence Pugh signs onto anything it’s probably worth checking out, and that’s definitely true ofThe Wonder.The movie, which follows an English nurse who is called to Ireland to investigate the case of a young girl who claims she hasn’t eaten in four months, is the kind of slow burn that leaves you immensely satisfied in the end. The mystery at the movie’s center is compelling enough, but The Wonder becomes irresistible when you add a performer like Pugh into the mix.

His House (2020)

Because of their relatively low budgets, great horror movies to watch can seem to sometimes come out of nowhere. In the case of His House, the movie came from first-time feature Remi Weekes, who chose to tell a story about a pair of South Sudanese refugees who are attempting to resettle in the U.K. The house they move into seems to be haunted, but that’s not the only thing keeping them up at night. WhatHis Houseis really about is the horrors of the refugee experience and the trauma that these refugees carry with them long after they’ve been resettled.

Roma (2018)

A delicate portrait of a family, and specifically of that family’s housekeeper,Romais one of the best autobiographical stories a filmmaker has ever told. That’s in part because Alfonso Cuaron is such a master of framing and shot composition, and in part because the script so delicately weaves together political and personal elements. Every performance inRomais note-perfect, and although the movie is in Spanish, any English-speaking viewer who takes the time to watch it will undoubtedly be swept away by its sweeping visions of one family’s life in Mexico City in the 1970s.

Mudbound (2017)

One of the great Southern epics in recent history,Mudboundtells the story of two families whose lives intertwine in the segregated South ahead of World War I. One of the families is white, and the other is Black. While that may sound like a recipe for carefully calibrated, neutral political stances,Mudboundis anything but, and is all the better for its honest, brutal depiction of what segregation was like in the deep South. Featuring outstanding performances from Carey Mulligan, Mary J. Blige, and the rest of its ensemble cast, Mudboundis a tough sit, but one that is well worth your time.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)

Featuring two volcanic performances fromChadwick Boseman and Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottomis adapted from a stage play of the same name. The play follows the titular singer and her lead trumpeter as they attempt to record together in 1927. Although the movie is ostensibly about music, it’s really about the persistent problems of race that infuse every fraught interaction between the film’s characters. The direction here is a feat of adaptation, but it knows when to get out of the way so that Boseman and Davis can cook. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottomwas one of Boseman’s final on-screen performances prior to his death, and it’s a reminder of how fiercely talented he was.

The Killer (2023)

Every David Fincher movie is worth watching, and that’s especially true when he’s operating in the world of crime.The Killer, which is adapted from a graphic novel of the same name, follows a highly competent assassin in the aftermath of a job that he botches. The movie’s conceit, which is that this highly principled assassin fails to follow any of his own rules, makes for a movie that is at turns hilarious and utterly thrilling. The action here is some of the best in Fincher’s entire career, and Michael Fassbender is the ideal partner for this silly, strange thriller that will entertain you from beginning to end.

Dark Waters (2019)

An unsettling true story from a master director,Dark Watersremains one of the great underseen movies of the last 10 years. The movie tells the story of a relentless attorney who finds himself investigating a string of interconnected deaths that are all linked to a major corporation. While movies like Erin Brockovichhave offered a slightly more triumphant spin on a similar story,Dark Watersis a much darker look at the ways corporations can poison people and find themselves essentially unaccountable for their actions. It’s a thrilling movie about a hugely frustrating topic.

Bone Tomahawk (2015)

A brutal revisionist Western,Bone Tomahawktells the story of a group of men who venture out into the wilderness after one of their wives is kidnapped by a group of cannibals. Thanks to some sharp dialogue and stellar central performances, the movie is hugely compelling even when its central quartet is just walking through the wilderness. When they come face to face with the cannibals, though, things take a turn for the grisly, so be prepared for some gore in the final third.

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