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Best On Netflix
While there’s little doubt that we’ve been living these last few years in a Golden Age of Television, the fact of the matter is that as great as television shows are, sometimes you’re just in the mood for a nifty, self-contained story that won’t eat up days (weeks? months? YEARS?) of your life. Enter … drum roll please … THE MOVIES! Netflix has a wide assortment of some of the best movies ever produced, movies that run the gamut from high-concept action-adventure epics to low-key romantic comedies. No matter what you’re in the mood for —an insightful documentary, a pulse-pounding thriller, an uproarious comedy, a superhero origin story, or an Academy Award-winning masterpiece— Netflix has something you’re looking for.
Instead of blowing 25 minutes aimlessly flipping through Netflix’s endless rows of tiny tiles, take a look at Decider’s highly curated and constantly updated list of the 50 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now (updated for January 2025). We guarantee you’ll find something you’ll love, whether you’re watching by yourself, with some friends, your family, or with a hot date (that will hopefully end with some Netflix and Chill).
SEE ALSO: Netflix’s Top 10 Most Watched Movies, Updated Weekly
‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ (2022)
DIRECTOR: Rian Johnson
STARS: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monaé
RATING: PG-13
Benoit Blanc is back and better than before in Glass Onion, Rian Johnson’s sequel to the phenomenon of Knives Out. This whodunit is bigger and smarter than the first, building on its successes while offering something that feels different and more incisive. It may well be Netflix’s smartest investment to date from their original films.
‘Notting Hill’ (1999)
DIRECTOR: Roger Michell
STARS: Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, Rhys Ifans
RATING: PG-13
Is it possible that we’ve gotten to the point where we take Julia Roberts for granted? Few working actors still exude that old-fashioned movie star charm like she does, lighting up the screen with every smile and look. There are few better showcases of her appeal than rom-com Notting Hill, where she plays … well, a movie star who discovers the complications of her status when she falls in love with a London bookseller (Hugh Grant).
'Falling Inn Love' (2019)
DIRECTOR: Roger Kumble
CAST: Christina Milian, Adam Demos, Jeffrey Bowyer-Chapman
RATING: TV-PG
A classic entry into the B-rom-com genre Netflix has embraced over the last few years, Falling Inn Love follows city girl executive Gabriela (Milian) as she decides to leave everything behind after she enters a contest and wins a picturesque New Zealand inn. When she arrives, she realizes that the inn needs a lot more love than she expected, however, and she enlists the help of a charming contractor to flip it. You can probably guess where things go from there, but Falling Inn Love is a pleasantly surprising step above the tired drivel typical of its genre peers.
‘Inception’ (2010)
DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan
STARS: Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard
RATING: PG-13
Does the top fall, or does it keep spinning at the end of Inception? Surely another watch will help you build your case to prove your theory. Or maybe you’ll come over to my side: it doesn’t even matter. For all the grief Christopher Nolan gets as a “cold” emotional filmmaker, the ending is full of the reconciliation and catharsis that Leonardo DiCaprio’s Cobb claims we yearn for. Maybe that’s all that matters. Maybe it’s all that ever has.
'Invader ZIM: Enter The Florpus' (2019)
DIRECTOR: Hae Young Jung, Young Kyun Park, Jhonen Vasquez
CAST: Richard Steven Horvitz, Rosearik Rikki Simons, Andy Berman
RATING: TV-Y7-FV
A continuation of the beloved animated TV series that aired on Nickelodeon and Nicktoons in the early aughts, Invader ZIM: Enter the Florpus reunites us with ZIM as he discovers the Almighty leaders who left him on Earth have no plans to join him in invading the planet. With his confidence shot and his future uncertain, a defeated ZIM finally gives himself up to his arch nemesis Dib – but he quickly realizes all may not be lost after all, and hatches a plan to get his leaders to visit him.
‘Meet the Parents’ (2000)
DIRECTOR: Jay Roach
STARS: Robert DeNiro, Ben Stiller, Blythe Danner
RATING: PG-13
Sure, the great Robert DeNiro gives us the odd The Irishman here and Silver Linings Playbook there, but he’s mostly spent this millennium having fun on screen in silly roles that don’t physically or emotionally tax him. It’s always clear that he’s enjoying himself, although we can’t always say the same as audiences. Meet the Parents, though, is a laugh riot through and through as DeNiro’s ex-CIA agent Jack Byrnes puts his prospective son-in-law played by Ben Stiller through the wringer. It’s not as easy as Stiller’s male nurse Greg Focker thought to join their familial “circle of trust,” and watching him squirm is the stuff of cringe comedy gold.
'Blue Jay' (2016)
DIRECTOR: Alex Lehmann
CAST: Mark Duplass, Sarah Paulson
RATING: TV-MA
Sarah Paulson and Mark Duplass star as former high school sweethearts in Blue Jay, a haunting tale of lost love and regrets shot in beautiful black-and-white. After a chance encounter in a grocery store, the two reflect on the connection between them that still stands, all the woulda-coulda-shouldas, and one pivotal event that they can’t quite move past. A devastating, bittersweet examination of choices and their complicated aftermath, Blue Jay is a memorable drama you won’t want to miss.
'A Secret Love' (2020)
DIRECTOR: Chris Bolan
CAST: Terry Donahue, Pat Henschel
RATING: TV-14
If you don’t cry your way through A Secret Love, there’s probably something wrong with you. The Netflix documentary tells the story of two women, Terry Donahue and Pat Henschel, who dated for almost 70 years before coming out to their families in 2013. It’s impossible not to tear up as Terry and Pat recount their epic love story — which begins with a nod to the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League depicted in A League of Their Own — and by the time they finally tie the knot in an emotional, family-oriented ceremony, viewers will be full-on blubbering. — Claire Spellberg
'Mank' (2020)
DIRECTOR: David Fincher
CAST: Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Charles Dance
RATING: R
Before you watch Mank on Netflix, you should lower your expectations just a smidge. It’s not quite the grand-slam you might expect from a David Fincher-director biopic about Citizen Kane screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz that’s been nominated for 10 Oscars. That said, there are many, many reasons to stream Mank: the gorgeous cinematography, the Old Hollywood references, the pitch-perfect soundtrack from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, and an Oscar-worthy performance from Amanda Seyfried.
'Set It Up' (2018)
DIRECTOR: Claire Scanlon
CAST: Zoey Deutch, Glen Powell, Taye Diggs, Lucy Liu
RATING: TV-14
Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell cement themselves as rom-com staples right away in this instant classic. This rom-com follows two assistants who team up to play matchmaker in secret for their respective bosses (Liu and Diggs). Their planned shenanigans and attempts at filling Cupid’s shoes may not always work out for their tightly-wound bosses, but as we might expect from any great rom-com, our dynamic duo can’t help but fall for each other (and charm us!) in the process.
‘Apollo 13’ (1995)
DIRECTOR: Ron Howard
STARS: Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton
RATING: PG
Ron Howard makes dad movies, sure, but these are never bad movies. Apollo 13 is a marvel of narrative precision and technical mastery as he brings the grandeur of a failed space mission to life before our eyes. It’s every bit as thrilling watching NASA’s mission control attempt to bring the astronauts home safely as it is observing the three men troubleshooting in zero gravity.
'Fear Street Part 1: 1994' (2021)
DIRECTOR: Leigh Janiak
CAST: Kiana Madiera, Olivia Welch
RATING: R
Attention queer women horror lovers (I know there are many of you): Fear Street Part 1: 1994 on Netflix is not only a fun, gory, R-rated adaptation of the R.L. Stine book series, it’s also a super cute lesbian love story. The very charming Kiana Madeira stars as a teen girl in the ’90s named Deena, who recently broke up with her girlfriend Sam (Olivia Welch), after Sam transferred from the downtrodden Shadyside High to their affluent rivals, Sunnyvale. But soon the girls have more to worry about than drama and rivalries when a masked killer starts terrorizing their friends. It’s a nostalgic throwback for ’90s kids that will also no doubt appeal to the horror-loving subset of Gen Z. And be sure to check out Parts 2 and 3, also on Netflix.
'The Old Guard' (2020)
DIRECTOR: Gina Prince-Bythewood
CAST: Charlize Theron
RATING: R
The Old Guard is one of Netflix’s most popular original films ever. Veteran director Gina Prince-Bythewood jumped from Love and Basketball and The Secret Life of Bees to a visually dynamic genre that’s superhero-adjacent, proving herself capable of bringing refreshing textures to a medium-to-large-ish-budget mainstream venture.
'Mascots' (2016)
DIRECTOR: Christopher Guest
CAST: Jane Lynch, Parker Posey, Fred Willard, Ed Begley Jr., Christopher Moynihan, Don Lake, Zach Woods, Chris O’Dowd
RATING: TV-MA
Little known secret: Christopher Guest made a new mockumentary in 2016, it’s streaming on Netflix as an original film, and it’s excellent. From the same guy who brought you Best In Show and This Is Spinal Tap, Mascots proves that Guest undeniably still got it. In what is essentially the same premise as Best In Show with sports’ team mascots, Guest brings back his longtime favorites—Jane Lynch, Parker Posey, Ed Begley Jr., Jennifer Coolidge, Don Lake, and the late, great Fred Willard—as well as a few new faces like Zach Woods, Sarah Baker, and Chris O’Dowd. The inside jokes for long-time fans are fun (including Guest reprising his role as Corky St. Clair from Waiting for Guffman), but like many of Guest’s movies, he saves the best for the very end. The final mascot competition is laugh-out-loud hysterical—a Eurovision parody four years before Will Ferrell did it. Just until you see the pencil sharpener act.
‘Schindler’s List’ (1993)
DIRECTOR: Steven Spielberg
STARS: Liam Neeson, Ben Kingsley, Ralph Fiennes
RATING: R
Everyone should be required to watch Schindler’s List at least once, not just as cinematic education but as a human education. Steven Spielberg’s epic tale of the Holocaust’s ravages on European Jews — and how one man’s reluctant heroism saved over a thousand souls from perishing — is a moving testament to humanity at its most harrowing and heroic. This is considered one of the most powerful films ever made for a reason.
'Always Be My Maybe' (2019)
DIRECTOR: Nahnatchka Khan
CAST: Ali Wong, Randall Park, Keanu Reeves, Daniel Dae Kim
RATING: PG-13
One of the best rom-coms of the last decade, Always Be My Maybe tells the story of childhood friends Marcus (Park) and Sasha (Wong), who lose touch in their teenage years after they have sex. 16 years later; Sasha, now a celebrity chef, is engaged to a successful restauranteur (Kim), and Marcus plays in a small-time band and works for his dad. After Marcus and his father are inadvertently hired to install air conditioning in Sasha’s temporary home, the two rekindle their friendship and sparks begin to fly again – but not without a few obstacles (and Keanu Reeves) that attempt to put them out in the process.
‘Love Actually’ (2003)
DIRECTOR: Richard Curtis
STARS: Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Bill Nighy
RATING: R
Sure, Love Actually’s Yuletide setting has made it a de facto Christmas classic. But there’s never a bad season to revisit this multipronged examination of love. The film shows its face in a different way depending on how you approach it; in recent years, I’ve found myself most moved by the familial love of Laura Linney’s Sarah and how she sacrifices for the care of her mentally ill sibling.
'The Mitchells Vs. The Machines' (2021)
DIRECTOR: Mike Rianda and Jeff Rowe
CAST: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Eric André, Olivia Colman, Fred Armisen, Beck Bennett, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Blake Griffin, and Conan O’Brien
RATING: PG
Netflix’s new animated movie about a dysfunctional family who saves the world from a robot uprising delivers all of the brilliant laughs you’ve come to expect from a Phil Lord and Chris Miller joint, who produced the film. The characters are rich, the themes are timely, and the animation style is too much fun. And get ready to cry—the ending knows exactly how to tug on your heartstrings. The Mitchells Vs. The Machines might just be the best Netflix animated film to date.
'The Irishman' (2019)
DIRECTOR: Martin Scorsese
CAST: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci
RATING: R
Martin Scorsese’s latest film is a quiet masterpiece, worthy of being ranked with such classics as Goodfellas and Casino. The 3 and-a-half hour crime drama reunites the auteur with frequent collaborators Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci and Harvey Keitel and marks the first time Scorsese has worked with Al Pacino. Based on Charles Brandt’s book I Heard You Paint Houses, the mob epic chronicles the life of Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran, who went from war veteran to truck driver/hit man for Russell Bufalino and the Philadelphia crime family to one of Jimmy Hoffa’s most trusted friends. Expansive, violent, gripping, and poignant, The Irishman proves that the worst fate that can befall a gangster is to live to be an old man.—Karen Kemmerle
'Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé' (2019)
DIRECTOR: Beyoncé, Ed Burke
CAST: Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Blue Ivy Carter, Solange
RATING: TV-MA
This career-defining film from Beyoncé Knowles-Carter may be defined as a “concert film”, but it is much, much more than that. Seamlessly blending beautifully-edited footage from her Coachella performances with behind-the-scenes segments that offer a glimpse into why Beyoncé is the legend she is, Homecoming stands alone. It’s simultaneously awe-inspiring, exciting, moving, tense, and personal, and indicative of the work ethic that has made her a household name around the world.
‘Barbie’ (2023)
DIRECTOR: Greta Gerwig
STARS: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera
RATING: PG-13
Even apart from the “Barbenheimer” hype, Barbie still hits. It’s an intelligent, entertaining blockbuster that provides a sugar rush of nostalgia followed by a hearty helping of vegetables in the form of incisive cultural commentary. Filmmaker Greta Gerwig once again flips familiar narratives and figures on their head to explore what they say about our society — and, by extension, us. Margot Robbie’s “Stereotypical Barbie” and Ryan Gosling’s (just) Ken are ingenious vehicles to explore the traps of pre-set gender roles and the necessity of claiming one’s own identity and humanity.
‘The Lost City’ (2022)
DIRECTORS: Aaron and Adam Nee
STARS: Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum, Daniel Radcliffe
RATING: PG-13
Is The Lost City basically just doing Romancing the Stone – romance novelist and rugged suitor meet-cute in the jungle – for a new generation? Sure. But if you don’t need novelty and just want to see the sparks fly between a type A Sandra Bullock heroine and a lovable Channing Tatum himbo, then this is a guaranteed great night in. The Lost City delivers on romance and comedy, with a number of cunning belly laughs that far outshine the familiarity of the script.
‘Spider-Man’ (2002)
DIRECTOR: Sam Raimi
STARS: Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst, Willem Dafoe
RATING: PG-13
The first comic-book movie to break box office records still holds up two decades later. All movies in Spider-Man’s wake have tried to recreate their own version of Uncle Ben’s sage salvo: “With great power comes great responsibility.” This origin story for the scrappy superhero delivers on character development and action alike. Major credit to Sam Raimi for finding a balance of witty fun and somber seriousness that could guide the way for the franchise entertainment that arose in its stead.
'Crip Camp' (2020)
DIRECTOR: Nicole Newnham and James LeBrecht
RATING: R
If you, like me, are ignorant on the history of the disability rights movement in the United States, the new Netflix documentary Crip Camp is a must-watch. Produced by Barack and Michelle Obama via their Higher Ground production company, Crip Camp tells the story of how a little hippie camp in upstate New York called Camp Jened played a crucial role in bringing together a community of disabled teens who grew up to be the very same activists instrumental to changing policies and American attitudes toward disabled people. Co-directed by Jim LeBrecth, a Camp Jened alum, and Nicole Newnham, the incredible archival footage from the camp will transport you back to the 1970s while teaching you a vital history lesson.—Anna Menta
‘The Squid and the Whale’ (2005)
DIRECTOR: Noah Baumbach
STARS: Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Jesse Eisenberg
RATING: R
Familial strife has rarely felt so real or so raw than it has in Noah Baumbach’s The Squid and the Whale, an acerbic comedy based on the divorce of his own parents. In spite of the tough subject matter, the laughs are both pithy and plentiful. The film is brutally yet hilariously honest about the way parents imprint themselves on their children.
'Da 5 Bloods' (2020)
DIRECTOR: Spike Lee
CAST: Delroy Lindo, Clarke Peters, Norm Lewis, and Isiah Whitlock Jr.
RATING: R
Few war movies have ever achieved what Spike Lee has done with Da 5 Bloods. With artistic flair, gorgeous cinematography, and a career-defining performance from Delroy Lindo, Lee has created a war movie that examines the way racism, trauma, imperialism, and violence are tragically, inextricably intertwined. —Anna Menta
'Springsteen on Broadway' (2018)
DIRECTOR: Thom Zimny
CAST: Bruce Springsteen
RATING: TV-MA
This recording of the Broadway stint that sent ticket prices even higher than the cost of Hamilton‘s admission is one of the best specials that Netflix has to offer. The Boss is at his best over the course of these 2-and-a-half hours, looking back on his life and career and what has made him the American icon he is today. While he shares tales many may never have heard before, his raw renditions of his beloved songs tell even more of his story, eliciting more than a few feelings in lifelong fans and newcomers alike.
'Klaus' (2019)
DIRECTOR: Sergio Pablos, Carlos Martínez López
CAST: Jason Schwartzman, J.K. Simmons, Rashida Jones
RATING: PG
This delightful animated flick tells an alternate origin story of Santa Claus and features a slew of celebrity voices. Set in the 19th century, Klaus follows Jesper Johansson (Schwartzman), the spoiled, bratty son of a rich Postmaster General who decides to make Jesper work as a postman in an attempt to improve his character. When Jesper discovers he’ll be cut off from his family fortune unless he gets a distant town to post 6,000 letters in a year, he inadvertently encounters a reclusive toymaker named Klaus (Simmons) who teaches him the joy of giving and helps him change his life.
'The Trial of the Chicago 7' (2020)
DIRECTOR: Aaron Sorkin
CAST: Sacha Baron Cohen, Eddie Redmayne, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, John Carroll Lynch, Mark Rylance, Jeremy Strong
RATING: R
Aaron Sorkin can officially crown himself the king of the courtroom drama with the Golden Globe-nominated The Trial of Chicago 7. He assembled an all-star cast to tell the true story of the Chicago Seven, a group of anti-Vietnam War protestors who were charged with conspiracy in 1969. It’s a complicated historical event with a large cast of characters, but Sorkin has always excelled at mining a great story from dense material. With flashbacks and legal testimonies, he masterfully builds suspense; revealing how the protests, intended as peaceful, turned violent at the drop of a hat.
'John Mulaney: Kid Gorgeous' (2018)
DIRECTOR: Alex Timbers
CAST: John Mulaney
RATING: TV-MA
Following his uproarious Oh, Hello On Broadway and a slew of other successful standup specials, SNL writers’ room vet and all-around funny guy John Mulaney returns to Netflix with Kid Gorgeous, a standup special that sees him recount childhood stories involving ghosts and stranger danger, the so-called value of college, his time at Saturday Night Live, aging, and one of the best Trump jokes in recent memory. With his boyish charm and top-notch sense of self-deprecation, Mulaney once again proves himself in Kid Gorgeous as one of our best working stand-ups.
'Dick Johnson Is Dead' (2020)
DIRECTOR: Kirsten Johnson
CAST: Kirsten Johnson, Dick Johnson
RATING: PG-13
Kirsten Johnson kills her own father half a dozen times in Netflix’s Dick Johnson Is Dead. But she always brings him back to life. This odd and heartwarming documentary comes four years after Johnson’s critically acclaimed film Cameraperson, a collage of her experiences behind the camera over the course of her life. This time, Johnson focuses on one aspect of her life: Her 86-year-old father’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis. Rather than accept her father’s fate, Johnson decided to try to prevent the thing she feared most—her dad’s death—by turning it into movie magic. –Anna Menta
'El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie' (2019)
DIRECTOR: Vince Gilligan
CAST: Aaron Paul, Jonathan Banks, Jesse Plemons
RATING: TV-MA
For Breaking Bad fans who have been haunted by the fate of Jesse Pinkman (Paul) since the show’s conclusion, El Camino may be able to offer you some much-needed closure. Racing against the clock and the law enforcement pursuing him, Jesse desperately tries to get enough money so he can have a chance at starting over with a new identity, free from his torturous past. Whether you’re excited to see familiar faces from Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul or have never seen either series, El Camino is more than a satisfying dramatic experience.
'The Meyerowitz Stories' (2017)
DIRECTOR: Noah Baumbach
CAST: Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman, Elizabeth Marvel, Grace Van Patten
RATING: PG-13
On paper, this 2017 Noah Baumbach movie is about three siblings dealing with their artist father, Harold, as he fades into obscurity and convalesces from a head injury. But to me, The Meyerowitz Stories is all about Adam Sandler’s tear-sparkled, sad eyes. His character’s siblings, Matthew and Jean, get eighth-inning monologues that are obvious attempts to make their characters slightly more interesting. But Sandler’s performance dooms them to be two-dimensional by comparison. They can’t keep up with the steady sheepishness, lost-boy sensibility, and surprising ire that Sandler brings to his role. Watch this movie if you want to witness Adam Sandler flex his versatility. –Maddie Shepherd
'The Two Popes' (2019)
DIRECTOR: Fernando Meirelles
CAST: Anthony Hopkins, Jonathan Pryce
RATING: PG-13
There are no explosions, no teary monologues, and certainly no romance in Netflix The Two Popes. There is pretty much just a single conversation between Pope Benedict XVI (played yb Anthony Hopkins) and the soon-to-be Pope Francis (Jonathan Pryce). From director Fernando Meirelles and writer Anthony McCarten—who speculated what might have been said when Pope Benedict XVI made the historic, unprecedented decision to retire—it is a surprisingly compelling conversation. It helps that Hopkins and Pryce are perfectly cast, and so very, very good. Shout-out to editor Fernando Stutz, as well. That sound mixing!
‘Interstellar’ (2014)
DIRECTOR: Christopher Nolan
STARS: Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain
RATING: PG-13
Christopher Nolan is not exactly well-known for his emotionalism, and some bristled at the sentimental streak running through his galactic drama Interstellar. Whether you think love can cut across dimensions or not, you can surely appreciate the methodical craftsmanship of this sci-fi story about a mission to the edges of space to save earth from extinction. Matthew McConaughey’s crying scene might have its own Know Your Meme page, but within the context of the movie, it works given the personal and global stakes underlining the moment.
'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs' (2018)
DIRECTOR: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
CAST: Tim Blake Nelson, Liam Neeson, James Franco, Tyne Daly, Zoe Kazan
RATING: R
Originally conceived as a TV series for Netflix, the Coen brothers’ The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is an anthology movie set in the brutal Old West. From a sociopathic singing gunslinger to a scheming showman to the actual grim reaper, each of the six segments focuses on the theme of death coming in different and shocking ways. While some may say the stand-out tale is “All Gold Canyon” starring Tom Waits as a old prospector determined to strike it rich, the real gem is “The Gal Who Got Rattled,” which features a stunning confrontation involving a band of Comanches, the leader of a wagon train (played by a scene-stealing Grainger Hines), and a tragic lady named Alice (a heartbreaking Zoe Kazan). Also starring Tim Blake Nelson, Liam Neeson, James Franco, and Tyne Daly, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs feels so authentic that you can actually feel trail grit in your teeth and smell death in the air.—Karen Kemmerle
'Dolemite Is My Name' (2019)
DIRECTOR: Craig Brewer
CAST: Eddie Murphy, Wesley Snipes, Keegan-Michael Key, Devine Joy
RATING: R
Comedian Eddie Murphy stars as Rudy Ray Moore, a comedian and blaxploitation star best known for his on-screen persona, the rhyming pimp named Dolemite. This biopic is not nearly as outlandish as Moore’s act, but it is the best Murphy’s been in years—and possibly ever. Dolemite Is My Name is the perfect combo of boisterous fun and genuine heart. Keep your eye on Empire‘s Da’Vine Joy Randolph, who is irresistibly charming as Moore’s “protégé,” Lady Reed. As a bonus, this movie contains a scene where a man expresses vulnerability about exposing his body on screen. We love to see it!
‘Bo Burnham: Inside’ (2021)
DIRECTOR: Bo Burnham
STARS: Bo Burnham
RATING: TV-MA
Is it a stand-up special? A one-man show? A movie? Something else entirely? Whatever Bo Burnham made with Inside, it’s a singular experience that perfectly encapsulates the pandemic experience. Perhaps no one else but Burnham, whose star was made by the same Internet that now holds him captive, could reckon so forcefully and funnily with the digital forces that govern our lives.
‘13 Going on 30’ (2004)
DIRECTOR: Gary Winick
STARS: Jennifer Garner, Mark Ruffalo, Judy Greer
RATING: PG-13
What if Big but with a girl? As simple as it sounds, this is basically the premise of 13 Going on 30 — which is not a knock! It’s a witty, winning coming-of-age comedy even if the setup feels familiar. So much of the film’s charms come courtesy of star Jennifer Garner, who masterfully channels the angst and innocence of an adolescent into an adult body.
'Tallulah' (2016)
DIRECTOR: Sian Heder
CAST: Elliot Page, Allison Janney, Tammy Blanchard
RATING: TV-MA
Get in on the ground floor of filmmaker Sian Heder—whose film CODA was the breakout hit of the 2021 Sundance Film Festival—with her excellent feature debut on Netflix, Tallulah. Starring Elliot Page as a homeless teenager who kinda, sorta kidnaps a baby, and Allison Janney as the upper-middle-class woman who kinda, sorta harbors a fugitive, this is a hilarious and poignant film on the many messy and human aspects of womanhood.
'Okja' (2017)
DIRECTOR: Bong Joon-ho
CAST: Tilda Swinton, Paul Dano, Jake Gyllenhaal, Ahn Seo-hyun
RATING: TV-MA
Another hit from Bong Joon-ho, Netflix original Okja tells the story of Mija (Seo-hyun), a young girl willing to do anything to save her best friend – a genetically modified super pig – from the hands of an international corporation that plans on shipping Okja off to the slaughterhouse with the rest of her kind. A genre-blurring adventure featuring truly unhinged and wonderful performances from actors like Tilda Swinton and Jake Gyllenhaal, Okja is another testament to Bong Joon-ho’s one-of-a-kind storytelling.
‘The Lost Daughter’ (2021)
DIRECTOR: Maggie Gyllenhaal
STARS: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson
RATING: R
What’s making Olivia Colman’s Leda tick? Just getting to the core of the inscrutable character’s psychology as she defies all logical expectations for behavior on a seaside getaway adds a level of tension to The Lost Daughter that most out-and-out thrillers can’t match. Maggie Gyllenhaal’s masterful adaptation of Elena Ferrante’s novel is a gripping character study but also has something to say about women at large. You won’t find a soapbox here for Gyllenhaal to preach about the limitations our culture imposes on mothers, just keen observations incisively woven into a larger tapestry of unexpected human interactions.
'13th' (2016)
DIRECTOR: Ava DuVernay
CAST: Angela Davis, Van Jones, Cory Booker
RATING: TV-MA
From Ava DuVernay comes this stunning, utterly necessary documentary, a deep dive into the history of racial inequality in the United States and its massive and enduring role in the prison system. Employing both archival footage and testimony from prominent activists, scholars, politicians, and formerly incarcerated individuals, this Academy Award-nominated film tells the story of the perpetual disproportionate incarceration and generational trauma of Black people in the United States in an unforgettable and affecting manner.
'To All The Boys I've Loved Before' (2018)
DIRECTOR: Susan Johnson
CAST: Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, John Corbett
RATING: TV-14
Netflix’s endearing adaptation of the hit YA novel is full of all the highs and lows of teen love that make coming-of-age romcoms great. Starting Lana Condor and Noah Centineo, the infinitely watchable teen comedy chronicles a teen girl’s life as each of her most significant crushes receive love letters from her they were never intended to read. Sweet, genuinely funny, and rife with chemistry between its two leads, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before is a truly wonderful adaptation, but also stands tall all on its own.
‘Logan Lucky’ (2017)
DIRECTOR: Steven Soderbergh
STARS: Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, Daniel Craig, Riley Keough
RATING: PG-13
Steven Soderbergh’s Logan Lucky has often been referred to as Oceans’ 7-11, and it should wear that joking nickname as a badge of pride. This blue-collar heist of Charlotte Motor Speedway is every bit as thrilling as any of the Vegas heists the director staged in his famed crime trilogy. What’s even better, he manages to pack in an enviable amount of laughs too – and not at the caricatured expense of his working-class characters, either.
'Roma' (2018)
DIRECTOR: Alfonso Cuarón
CAST: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira
RATING: R
1970, Mexico City. Cleo Gutiérrez (Aparicio) is one of two indigenous live-in maids for an affluent family, speaking her native Mixtec with the other maid Adela, but speaking Spanish in the family’s presence. Things get complicated when Cleo becomes pregnant by her boyfriend and he leaves her, and the family deals with its own interpersonal drama. Over the span of a year, things change dramatically for both Cleo and the family, but one thing remains the same: the way life keeps moving. A beautiful, award-winning portrait of a year in the life for one woman, Roma is a career-triumph for Cuaron and his incredible cast.
'The Power of the Dog' (2021)
DIRECTOR: Jane Campion
CAST: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons
RATING: R
Though it failed to win Best Picture, this Jane Campion western is still a masterpiece. Benedict Cumberbatch and Jesse Plemons star as Phil and George Burbank, brothers who own a ranch together in the year 1925. Their lives take a turn when George marries a widowed inn-owner (Kirsten Dunst) and moves in with their teenage son (Kodi Smit-McPhee). A tense family drama—underscored by excellent acting and an unforgettable score—unfolds. Then, in the last 15 minutes, this exquisite, quiet character study becomes a dark, twisted thriller. Don’t miss it.
‘Erin Brockovich’ (2000)
DIRECTOR: Steven Soderbergh
STARS: Julia Roberts, Albert Finney, Aaron Eckhart
RATING: R
Like the titular character, I’ll ask: which number do you want? 131: the number of minutes in Steven Soderbergh’s Erin Brockovich, none of which are wasted exploring the origin story of how an unemployed single mom scrappily became one of our most important consumer advocates. 12: a rough estimation of the amount of zingers by Julia Roberts that prompt an audible cheer from me each time I put this movie on. Infinity: the number of times I could watch Erin Brockovich without getting bored.
'Marriage Story' (2019)
DIRECTOR: Noah Baumbach
CAST: Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Alan Alda
RATING: R
Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story is such an honest portrait of divorce that, at times, it’s excruciating. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson are Charlie and Nicole Barber—a snobby New York theater director and actress dreaming of Hollywood, respectively—and they love each other more than they hate each other. But, as they soon learn via Nicole’s ruthless lawyer (Laura Dern at her absolute best), the legal process brings out the worst in everyone. Marriage Story is lovely, devastating, and beautiful—a Kramer vs. Kramer that affords equal empathy to both sides. –Anna Menta
‘Whiplash’ (2014)
DIRECTOR: Damien Chazelle
STARS: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons
RATING: R
Whiplash was quite the feature debut for Damien Chazelle—NOT MY TEMPO!!! WERE YOU RUSHING OR WERE YOU DRAGGING!? Sorry, couldn’t help but channel a little bit of J.K. Simmons’ pugnacious Professor Fletcher from the film and interject when it seems like everything was calm! While limited in scale and budget, Chazelle demonstrated such a mastery of his technical craft that a simple story of an aspiring professional drummer butting heads with a teacher of questionable methods can feel nothing short of earth-shattering. Though it might be about the arts, the intensity of artistry and narrative imbue it with the energy of a sports movie.
