Best Netflix movies: the 42 best films worth watching in March 2024

Alan Grant distracts the T-Rex in 1993's Jurassic Park, one of the best Netflix movies
Jurassic Park was ahead of its time with its lifelike animatronics in 1993. (Image credit: Universal)
Best Netflix movies: March 2024 update

Tom Power, senior entertainment reporter

This month's update sees a hatful of films leave the service, including Blonde, Call Me By Your Name, Dune, Don't Worry Darling, and La La Land. In their place, we've added Everything Everywhere All at Once, Elvis, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Jurassic Park, and Enola Holmes. We've also updated every other entry in this guide with the most important information about them, as well as adding in their official trailers.

Welcome to TechRadar's best Netflix movies guide. Below, we've compiled a list of the 42 best films to stream on Netflix, with all entries categorized by the primary genre they fall under. That way, you can simply use the navigation bar on the left side of this page to jump to the type of flick you enjoy the most. You're welcome.

There are tons of movies to watch on the world's best streaming service, though, so how have our entertainment experts picked out the 40-plus films to include in this article? It's simple: we selected them based on two big criteria: their Rotten Tomatoes (RT) score and/or how popular they've been with Netflix's worldwide audience. Armed with that data, we're confident that you'll agree with our choices below.

Want even more recommendations? Our new Netflix movies is home to all of the new movies that have joined the streaming giant in recent weeks. Bookmark that page for later, however, and continue reading on to see what the best Netflix movies are today.

Best action movies on Netflix

Army of the Dead

Age rating: R
Runtime: 148 minutes
Main cast: Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera, and Matthias Schweighofer
Director: Zack Snyder
RT score: 67%

Army of the Dead was Zack Snyder’s first feature following his increasingly acrimonious split with Warner Bros, and it’s everything that his DC Extended Universe (DCEU) superhero movies weren’t: bright, colorful, action-packed, funny, and topical, even if its 45-minute introduction is a little self-indulgent.

Dave Bautista leads a strong cast as Scott Ward, a former zombie-stomping war hero who’s approached with an intriguing proposal by casino owner Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada). The assignment? Enter a zombie infested Las Vegas, break into Tanaka’s casino vault, escape with his $200 million assets, and Ward and his group will receive $50 million to split between them as a reward.

Yes, the movie is as chaotic as that plot makes it sound. And, with a sequel film and TV spin-off on the way, Army of the Dead is a must-watch for fans of gratuitous blood and gore.

Extraction 1 and 2

Age rating: R
Runtime: 118 minutes (Extraction 1); 123 minutes (Extraction 2)
Main cast: Chris Hemsworth and Golshifteh Farahani
Director: Sam Hargrave
RT score: 67% (Extraction 1); 79% (Extraction 2)

Looking for an unrelenting thrill ride that's stuffed with some of the best action sequences we've seen in a long time? Netflix Original film series Extraction is the one for you.

Marvel star Chris Hemsworth stars as Tyler Rake, a black ops merc-for-hire with a complex backstory. In each movie, Rake is hired to rescue someone (or numerous individuals) from a seemingly impossible situation. Once he's acquired the package, he tries to lead them to safety as numerous thugs, gang members, and other characters attempt to kill Rake and those he's liberated.

Extraction 1 was a pretty good watch and its sequel is, in our opinion, even better thanks to its 21-minute-long, heart-pounding, intricately assembled, and dangerous one-shot sequence. Make sure you check out our Extraction 2 review for more on why it's one of the best Netflix movies around, and then read our exclusive chats with director Sam Hargrave about why the film's one shot sequence took four grueling months to shoot and how he had Marvel to thank for that unexpected cameo.

John Wick 1, 2, and 3

Age rating: R
Runtimes: 101 minutes (John Wick 1); 122 minutes (John Wick 2); 130 minutes (John Wick 3)
Main cast: Keanu Reeves, Lance Reddick, Ian McShane, and Laurence Fishburne
Director: Chad Stahelski
RT score: 86% (John Wick 1); 89% (John Wick 2); 89% (John Wick 3)

Few action film franchises have been as successful as this Keanu Reeves-starring movie series.

A story that begins with Reeves’ titular assassin tracking down those responsible for killing his dog (a gift from his deceased wife) and his beloved Mustang, John Wick soon evolves into an engrossing, expansive universe full of intriguing hitman-based mythos, betrayals, tragedy, underappreciated humor, and some of the most spectacular fight scenes we’ve seen in a long time.

The first three films – find out how to watch the John Wick movies in order – are now on Netflix. A prequel TV spin-off titled The Continental is also available on Peacock, while the Ana de Armas-fronted Ballerina, the franchise’s first movie spin-off, is one of 18 epic movies we can’t wait for in 2024

Best animated movies on Netflix

Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood

Age rating: PG-13
Runtime: 98 minutes
Main cast: Jack Black, Bill Wise, Lee Eddy, Milo Coy, Zachary Levi, and Glen Powell Director: Richard Linklater
RT score: 91%

If you’re keen to mix up your movie-watching diet, films don't come much more unconventional than Netflix’s Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood. Boyhood director Richard Linklater returns to filmmaking duties with this animated feature, which tells the story of the 1969 moon landing from multiple perspectives. 

The movie shares the visual style of Linklater’s previous animation, 2006's A Scanner Darkly, and features the voice talents of The Super Mario Bros. Movie's Jack Black, Shazam! Fury of the Gods' Zachary Levi, and Top Gun: Maverick star Glen Powell. Despite its needlessly lengthy title, Apollo 10 1/2 is a genuinely unique take on one of history’s most iconic moments, and serves as yet more proof of Netflix's willingness to invest in boundary-pushing storytelling. 

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

Age rating: PG
Runtime: 121 minutes
Main cast: Gregory Mann, Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Tilda Swinton, Cate Blanchett, and Finn Holfhard
Directors: Guillermo del Toro and Mark Gustafson
RT score: 96%

Who says Netflix has lost its taste for originality? With Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, the streamer breathes new life into Carlo Collodi's beloved 1883 fairytale about a wooden puppet who longs to become a real boy. 

Shot entirely using stop-motion (in a manner akin to Netflix series The House), del Toro’s darker adaptation is set in 1930s Italy during Mussolini’s fascist regime and features a star-studded voice cast that includes Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Tilda Swinton, Christoph Waltz and Cate Blanchett. Indisputably one of the best Netflix movies in years.

The Mitchells vs The Machines

Age rating: PG
Runtime: 114 minutes
Main cast: Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Michael Rianda, and Olivia Colman
Director: Michael Rianda
RT score: 97%

Originally intended for a theatrical release, Netflix bought this animated movie from Sony and producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller – best known as the minds behind The Lego Movie and 21 Jump Street, and also part of the team behind the Spider-Verse movies. It's exactly as charming and funny as those movies, too. 

Katie Mitchell (Abbi Jacobson) is an aspiring filmmaker who's about to head to college – until her dad, conscious that they've been drifting apart, cancels her plane ticket and insists on a family road trip. Halfway through this fraught journey, an AI takes revenge on its billionaire creator and the world is suddenly under duress from smart robots. 

A lot of Spider-Verse's visual touches cross over into this film, with 2D annotations and drawings on the already-pretty 3D visuals. Most of all, it's nice to see Netflix backing a family movie that's not just full of talking dogs and other hackneyed nonsense so often seen in CG kids' fare. 

Nimona

Age rating: PG
Runtime: 102 minutes
Main cast: Chloe Grace Moretz, Riz Ahmed, Eugene Lee Yang, and Frances Conroy Directors: Nick Bruno and Troy Quane
RT score: 92%

Based on ND Stevenson's 2015 graphic novel of the same name, Nimona is a delightfully fun, action-packed, funny, and heartfelt flick that's also unapologetically queer.

Star Wars alumnus Riz Ahmed voices Ballister Blackheart, a futuristic knight who's framed for a crime he didn't commit. The only witness who can save him from a lengthy jail term is Nimona (The Peipheral's Chloe Grace Moretz), a shapeshifter who Blackheart is sworn to seek out and destroy. Cue a wild buddy cop-style adventure that teaches kids to have an open mind about people who are different to them in more ways than one.

Nimona has been lauded for its LGBTQ+ representation, subversive storytelling, and gorgeous visuals among many other positives. A truly worth entry in our best Netflix movies guide.

Paddington

Age rating: PG
Runtime: 95 minutes
Main cast: Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Madeleine Harris, and Samuel Joslin
Director: Paul King
RT score: 97%

We're just going to say it: Paddington is one of the best family movies of all time.

Don't argue with us. At first glance, everyone's favorite, marmalade sandwich-eating Peruvian bear didn't seem like he'd be the star of a truly terrific family-friendly film. As it turns out, though, Paddington (voiced with a deftness, warmth, and stacks of humor by Ben Whishaw) is a bonafide movie star – and his first CGI-cum-live-action movie proves it.

You'll laugh yourself silly at its slapstick moments, you'll cry at its heart-wrenching (and heart-warming!) scenes, and shout "I didn't know they were in it!" at every big-name actor who appears. In short: go and watch it immediately.

Puss In Boots: The Last Wish

Age rating: PG
Runtime: 102 minutes
Main cast: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Harvey Guillen, Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, Samson Kayo, Wagner Moura, and John Mulaney
Director: Joel Crawford
RT score: 95%

The second of Puss In Boots' spin-off movies is, frankly, an absolute delight. Indeed, The Last Wish is a gorgeous-looking film, whose painterly visuals belie an existential tale with meaningful subject matter and making the most of the life (or lives, in Puss' case) that you have.

Banderas, who voiced the titular sword-wielding tabby cat in the Shrek films, returns to play Puss again once more. This time around, however, due to the life-threatening escapades he's gotten himself into, Puss is on his final life. To reinstate all nine lives, he'll need to find and then wish on a fallen star, all the while being pursued by a terrifying wolf (Moura) who's the personification of Death itself. A funny, moving, beautiful, and occasionally ominous movie.

The Sea Beast

Age rating: PG
Runtime: 119 minutes
Main cast: Karl Urban, Zaris Angel-Hator, Jared Harris, and Dan Stevens
Director: Chris Williams
RT score: 94%

The Sea Beast proved Disney doesn’t have a monopoly on layered, child-friendly storytelling upon its arrival in July 2022.

Directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Chris Williams (Moana, Big Hero Six), the movie follows Jacob Holland (voiced by The Boys’ Karl Urban), a celebrated sea monster hunter whose life is upended when a young girl, Maisie Brumble (newcomer Zaris-Angel Hator), stows away on his ship. 

Charming, action-packed, and beautifully-rendered, The Sea Beast was praised by audiences and critics alike upon release, and serves as further proof that Netflix should think twice about scaling back its animation department. If it still is, that is. 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

Age rating: PG
Runtime: 92 minutes
Main cast: Chris Pratt, Anya-Taylor Joy, Jack Black, Charlie Day, Seth Rogen, and Keegan-Michael Key
Directors: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic
RT score: 59%

2023’s second-highest grossing movie, The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s success was fueled by nostalgia for Nintendo’s legendary video game series and its money-spinning ticket sales, rather than its overall quality.

But there’s more to the animated movie’s unprecedented box office performance than that. In our view, it’s funnier than some suggest, it's wonderful to look at, is packed with Easter eggs and other Mario references, and it gave us one of last year’s best earworms with Bowser’s humor-laced ‘Peaches’ love ballad.

Sure, its narrative is oft-times generic, its runtime is a little on the light side, and Chris Pratt’s Italian accent needed more refining. As a kid-friendly film that hits all the right notes where Nintendo’s passionate fanbase is concerned, though, this is one Mario movie we’ll enjoy for years to come. Read our review of The Super Mario Bros. Movie to learn more. 

Best comedy movies on Netflix

Hustle

Age rating: 15
Runtime: 118 minutes
Main cast: Adam Sandler, Juancho Hernangomez, Queen Latifah, and Robert Duvall Director: Jeremiah Zagar
RT score: 93%

If you were a fan of 2019's Uncut Gems, listen up: Hustle, a surprisingly entertaining basketball drama, delivers more Adam Sandler-sized surprises. 

After discovering a once-in-a-lifetime player with a rocky past abroad, Stanley Sugerman (Sandler), a down-on-his-luck Philadelphia 76ers scout, takes it upon himself to bring the young phenom to the States without his team's approval. Against the odds, the pair must work to prove that they both deserve to make it big in the NBA. 

That synopsis might sound like standard sports drama fare, but Hustle earned unexpectedly glowing reviews ahead of its muted release. Trust us: this is no Jack and Jill.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Age rating: PG
Runtime: 92 minutes
Main cast: John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, and Michael Palin
Directors: Terry Jones and Terry Gilliam
RT score: 96%

Monty Python and the Holy Grail did more for the satire and parody subgenres than many other comedies have done in the last 50 years.

A witty and biting take on the legend of King Arthur, Monty Python and the Holy Grail stars the titular and legendary British comedy outfit as King Arthur and the Knights of the Roundtable, who embark on a hilarity-infested quest to seek the Holy Grail.

If you're a fan of Monty Python, you'll likely have seen this one countless times over. First-time viewers, though, will cackle and guffaw their way through the film's rivetingly silly scenarios. The Black Knight scene, Knights of the Roundtable dance number, deadly Rabbit of Caerbannog sequence, and Knights Who Say "Ni!" moment are just four instantaneously classic moments waiting to be viewed. Just don't blame us if you end up endlessly quoting this flick long after the credits have rolled.

(NB: Monty Python's Life of Brian and Monty Python's Flying Circus are also available to stream).

The Nice Guys

Age rating: R
Runtime: 115 minutes
Main cast: Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe, Angourie Rice, and Margaret Qualley
Director: Shane Black
RT score: 91%

Buddy comedies don't come much better than The Nice Guys. Director Shane Black's underappreciated action comedy stars Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe as a private eye and a tough enforcer, who team up to determine the whereabouts of a girl-in-hiding (Margaret Qualley) in 1970s Los Angeles. 

Reminiscent of Paul Thomas Anderson's Boogie Nights in both its setting and black humor, the movie is fast-paced, suitably adult, and a perfect example of how to elicit chemistry between two big-time leads. Gosling, in particular, is hilarious. 

Best crime movies on Netflix

Bullet Train

Age rating: R
Runtime: 126 minutes
Main cast: Brad Pitt, Sandra Bullock, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Joey King, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Bryan Tyree Henry
Director: David Leitch
RT score: 54%

An action-comedy crime caper that certainly drew inspiration from John Wick (more on this film series shortly), Bullet Train is a fast-paced, thrills-a-minute joyride that makes full use of its claustrophobic setting.

Brad Pitt plays Ladybug, an anxious assassin who’s tasked with retrieving a suitcase filled with cash for a shady organization from the titular high-speed passenger vehicle. In order to do so, however, he’ll have to fend off the advances of similarly skilled agents, with the likes of Aaron-Taylor Jonhson, Brian Tyree Henry, Joey King, Hiroyuki Sanada, and Michael Shannon playing some of those extremely well-trained foes.

Bullet Train wasn’t a big hit with critics upon initial release, but it’s found a new lease of life on Netflix. If you prefer your movies to be action-packed, occasionally gory, and humorous affairs, look no further. 

The Irishman

Age rating: R
Runtime: 209 minutes
Main cast: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Al Pacino, and Anna Paquin
Director: Martin Scorsese
RT score: 95%

This threateningly long Martin Scorsese pic attracted attention for the extensive effects work used to de-age its old stars, and it's a creative decision that's sometimes distracting. But there's no denying the appeal of seeing Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino in the same movie together for likely the last time, and this life-spanning, mostly rewarding crime epic is a suitable tribute to their collective talents. 

The Irishman follows Frank Sheeran (De Niro) as he recounts his long association with the Bufalino crime family and infamous union leader Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino). It's a languid film – and not a patch on Goodfellas – but absolutely among the best Netflix movies the streaming service has financed to date. Find out where we ranked it in our best Martin Scorsese movies piece.

Best drama movies on Netflix

The Hand of God

Age rating: R
Runtime: 130 minutes
Main cast: Filippo Scotti, Tony Servillo, Teresa Sapoangelo, and Marlon Joubert Director: Paolo Sorrentino
RT score: 83%

The Hand of God marks the movie-making return of beloved Italian director Paolo Sorrentino, and tells the semi-autobiographical tale of a young man (Filippo Scotti, standing in for a teenage Sorrentino) grappling with the pressures of growing up in 1980s Naples. 

As well as referring to the infamous goal scored by Argentine footballer (and Napoli legend) Diego Maradona at the 1986 World Cup, the film's title alludes to a tragic and life-affirming event that forces its protagonist to grow up quicker than he'd otherwise like. To say more risks spoiling The Hand of God's most tender moments, though the movie's beautiful locations, hypnotic camerawork, and larger-than-life characters ensure it ranks among Sorrentino's best work. If you're a fan of Call Me by Your Name, add this one to your watchlist. 

Phantom Thread

Age rating: R
Runtime: 130 minutes
Main cast: Daniel Day Lewis, Vicky Krieps, Lesley Manville, and Camilla Rutherford
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
RT score: 91%

Shortly after Licorice Pizza – director Paul Thomas Anderson's most recent flick – hit 2023's awards circuit, Netflix added his previous film Phantom Thread to its library. This one tells the story of a dressmaker (Daniel Day-Lewis) in 1950s London who falls for a young waitress (Vicky Krieps). 

That might sound like a potentially boring narrative, but Phantom Thread is actually masterfully-shot. It's also a poignant exploration of what it means to be an artist, combining Oscar-winning costume design with a stunning soundtrack (from Radiohead and frequent Anderson collaborator Johnny Greenwood) to rank among its director's finest work. One of the best Netflix movies, this certainly is.

Roma

Age rating: R
Runtime: 134 minutes
Main cast: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Marco Graf, Fernando Grediaga, and Daniela Demesa
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
RT score: 96%

An astonishing ode to motherhood in all forms, Roma is the most personal film to date from visionary director Alfonso Cuarón (Children of Men, Gravity).

On paper, it's is not the easiest sell – a subtitled black and white film about a live-in housekeeper spoken almost entirely in Spanish and the indigenous Mixtec language. But Cuarón's 2018 critical hit is nonetheless riveting from a cinematic standpoint. More a series of vignettes than a traditional three-act story, it examines the life of a Mexico City family in the early 1970s during a time of great social upheaval.

Rush

Age rating: R
Runtime: 122 minutes
Main cast: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Bruhl, and Olivia Wilde
Director: Ron Howard
RT score: 88%

Rush is a biographical sports movie about the heated rivalry between Formula 1 drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda. The pair are played here brilliantly by Chris Hemsworth and Daniel Brühl respectively in one of Ron Howard's best movies in recent memory. 

The film portrays their rivalry as lucky playboy vs hotheaded strategist, and while it might exaggerate real-life events somewhat, it's a riveting movie. Along with documentary Senna and dad-friendly flick Ford Vs Ferrari, Rush is one of the best Netflix movies about racing. 

Society of the Snow

Age rating: R
Runtime: 145 minutes
Main cast: Enzo Vogrincic, Augustin Padella, Esteban Bigliardi, and Simon Hempe Director: J.A. Bayona
RT score: 90%

J.A. Bayona’s latest flick – based on real-life events – is a harrowing portrayal of human endurance and how our primal survival instincts assume dominance over our humanity.

Society of the Snow tells the tragic story of the 1972 Andes Air Disaster, which saw a Uruguayan rugby team crash-land in the freezing South American mountain range en route to a Chile-based tournament. Trapped in one of the most inhospitable places on Earth, the 16 survivors are forced to take extreme measures in order to stay alive.

Netflix’s first movie hit of 2024 is a heart-breaking and grim tale of human morality, but one that equally shines an earnest, powerful light on surviving against all odds. One of the best Netflix movies, from a foreign language perspective, you’ll see all year. 

The Wonder

Age rating: R
Runtime: 109 minutes
Main cast: Florence Pugh, Tom Burke, Niamh Algar, and Elaine Cassidy
Director: Sebastien Lelio
RT score: 89%

Florence Pugh (Black Widow, A Good Person) proved her generational talent yet again in Netflix's unsettling drama-cum-horror The Wonder.  

Set in the Irish Midlands in 1862, the movie stars Pugh as an English nurse called to observe a young girl (Kíla Lord Cassidy) who remains miraculously alive and well despite not having eaten for four months. Ciarán Hinds, Niamh Algar, and Toby Jones also star in Sebastián Lelio’s period mystery.

As period dramas go, The Wonder is an absorbing and fantastic flick that confirms Pugh's ability to embody every role she plays.

Best fantasy movies on Netflix

Everything Everywhere All At Once

Age rating: R
Runtime: 132 minutes
Main cast: Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis, and Stephanie Hsu
Directors: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
RT score: 94%

Thanks largely to Marvel's cinematic juggernaut, multiverse films have exploded in popularity (among studios, not necessarily audiences) in recent years. This absurdist multi-genre flick, which garnered universal acclaim and a seemingly infinite number of trophies on the 2023 awards circuit, though, is one of the best we've ever seen.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (EEAAO) stars Yeoh (The Witcher: Blood Origin, The Brothers Sun) as Evelyn Wang, a Chinese-American immigrant who learns that she must connect with alternate reality versions of herself in order to stop a supremely powerful being from destroying the multiverse. Quan (Loki season 2, The Goonies) plays Evelyn's husband Waymond and Hsu (Joy Ride) is Evelyn's daughter Joy.

An epic assault on the senses with tons of heart, spectacular visuals, and an mind-boggling appreciation for philosophical themes like existentialism, nihilism, generational trauma, and racial identity, EEAAO is a masterpiece that deserves every gong in its stuffed awards cabinet.

Okja

Age rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 121 minutes
Main cast: Ahn Seo-hyun, Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Giancarlo Espostio Director: Bong Joon-ho
RT score: 86%

If you've enjoyed Bong Joon Ho's Oscar Best Picture winner Parasite, you might want to check out his previous movie, Okja, which is still one of the best Netflix movies on the platform.

It tells the bizarre tale of a young girl Mija and her best pal, an enormous creature called Okja, whose friendship comes under threat when a nasty CEO (Tilda Swinton) has evil plans for the titular animal. It's a refreshing movie with a nice angle of animal activism – a very different proposition to Parasite, for sure, but one that also demonstrates the director's ability to blend genres. 

Best history movies on Netflix

The King

Age rating: R
Runtime: 140 minutes
Main cast: Timothee Chalamet, Robert Pattinson, Joel Edgerton, and Sean Harris Director: David Michod
RT score: 71%

Another Netflix Original, The King stars Timothée Chalamet as Henry V, a young man forced to navigate the worlds of politics, war and treachery after unexpectedly becoming king of England in the 15th century. 

This one contains all the fanfare you'd expect from a modern medieval movie, and boasts an excellent cast including Robert Pattinson, Joel Edgerton and Sean Harris. For a reported budget of just $20 million (although you wouldn't know it), director David Michôd managed to produce one of the most engaging and visually stunning historical dramas around. Stick it on your watch list.

The Woman King

Age rating: PG-13
Runtime: 135 minutes
Main cast: Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch, Thuso Mbedu, Sheila Atim, and John Boyega
Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
RT score: 94%

Set in the 1820s, this Viola Davis-fronted historical epic tells the tale of General Nanisca (Davis) and the wider Adojie tribe, the all-female warrior unit that protected the West African kingdom of Dahomey across a 200-year period.

Starring a number of other terrific Black actors including Lashana Lynch, John Boyega, Thuso Mbedu, and Sheila Stim, The Woman King is a weighty, crowd-pleasing spectacle that many have likened to Braveheart in its action, tonality, and themes surrounding defiance in the face of invading forces. A splashy popcorn flick, sure, but one filled with substance, as well as deeper societal and historical subject matter.

Best horror movies on Netflix

The Fear Street movie trilogy

Age rating: R
Runtimes: 107 minutes (Fear Street 1); 110 minutes (Fear Street 2); 114 minutes (Fear Street 3)
Main cast: Kiana Madeira, Olivia Welch, Gillian Jacobs, Sadie Sink, Benjamin Flores Jr, Emily Rudd, and Ryan Simpkins
Director: Leigh Janiak
RT score: 84% (Fear Street 1); 87% (Fear Street 2); 88% (Fear Street 3)

Launched in July 2021 as part of a new Netflix horror movie binge watch experiment, the Fear Street movie trilogy looked to recapture the bold and innovative multi-film storytelling formula that other popular horror franchises had seemingly perfected.

And, in short, it did. Set across three flicks, the Fear Street series – itself based on R.L. Stine's books of the same name – told the story of a group of 90s-era teens as they attempt to break a curse that's loomed over their town for over 300 years. With lashings of the supernatural and witchcraft, R-rated slasher violence, an intriguing narrative, and more than a few notable faces – Stranger Things' Sadie Sink and Maya Hawke are among its cast – the Fear Street movies are well worth watching.

His House

Age rating: TV-14
Runtime: 93 minutes
Main cast: Wunmi Mosaku and Sope Dirisu
Director: Remi Weekes
RT score: 100%

This Weekes-directed movie stars Mosaku (Loki) and Dirisu (Gangs of London) as Rial and Bol, a refugee couple from South Sudan who struggle to adjust to their new life in the UK. The overriding issue? The duo believe there's an evil supernatural force haunting their council home and the surrounding area.

His House might not sound all that thrilling, but you'll want to give it a chance, trust us. Mosaku and Dirisu deliver powerhouse performances in this occasionally terrifying movie that, like Get Out, has plenty of important things to say about cultural and sociopolitical divides. There's a reason why it holds a perfect 100% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes – and, overall, it's because it's a darn good film.

It Follows

Age rating: R
Runtime: 100 minutes
Main cast: Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto, Jake Weary, and Olivia Luccardi
Director: David Robert Mitchell
RT score: 95%

This Mitchell-directed film shouldn't be slept on – which, in some ways, is ironic, given the lengths its lead character Jay goes to in order to stay awake.

Why? Because, in It Follows, the titular character is pursued by a supernatural entity after it's passed onto her through a sexual encounter with her at-the-time boyfriend Hugh. The entity in question will constantly (albeit) slowly track the currently infected individual until it catches them, upon which time it'll kill them – and then work its way back up the chain to murder every other person who was infected.

It's a bit on the nose with its thematic exploration of sexually transmitted diseases, but It Follows is an otherwise terrifically terrifying and seriously underrated film that deserves more acclaim. A long overdue sequel is in the works, too, so best catch this one while you can.

Best musical movies on Netflix

Elvis

Age rating: PG-13
Runtime: 159 minutes
Main cast: Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, Olivia DeJonge, and Helen Thomson
Director: Bahz Luhrmann
RT score: 77%

Austin Butler's breakout role came in this 2022 biopic about the world-famous rock 'n' roll star whose life was as eventful as they come.

Seen through the eyes of Hanks' slimy agent Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis charts the rise and fall of the Mississippi-born singer-actor who went on to become one of the most recognizable musicians of all-time. Packed with dazzling energy and animated style, and led by a stunning performance from its leading man in Butler, Elvis shook up the biographical film genre with its heady mix of melodrama and swashbuckling score.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Age rating: R
Runtime: 94 minutes
Main cast: Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Glynn Turman, and Colman Domingo
Director: George C. Wolfe
RT score: 97%

Based on the play by August Wilson – and despite the gorgeous period set dressing and costume design, it definitely feels very stage-y – Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is a fantastic watch.

Viola Davis stars as legendary 'Mother of Blues' Ma Rainey, with the film focusing on one fraught recording session with Ma and her band, and the tension between the musician and her white producers and management. 

The late Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther) stars as Levee, an innovative trumpet player who struggles to find his place in the music scene, amid bandmates who don't always take him seriously. It's a sad but insightful movie that explores how culture is worth protecting and valuing, in a world where it's easily taken and monetized, and the film truly comes to life in its amazing musical sequences.

Best mystery movies on Netflix

Enola Holmes

Age rating: PG-13
Runtime: 124 minutes
Main cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin, and Helen Bonham Carter
Director: Harry Bradbeer
RT score: 91%

Stranger Things' Millie Bobby Brown started to expand her acting career with this period-set comedy-mystery flick that's both an adaptation of Nancy Springer's Enola Holmes Mysteries book series and a spin-off of the Sherlock Holmes legend.

Brown plays the titular character (and younger sister of Cavill's Sherlock), who travels to London to locate her missing mother. Unsurprisingly, she gets side-tracked, and finds herself teaming up with a runaway lord to get to the bottom of a particularly thrilling case that threatens the UK.

A breezy but fun-filled adventure flick, Enola Holmes bubbles away nicely with its more than entertaining narrative, which is ably led by Brown's effervescent Holmes. Its sequel is also available to stream on Netflix.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

Age rating: PG-13
Runtime: 141 minutes
Main cast: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monae, Kathryn Hahn, Dave Bautista, Kate Hudson, and Leslie Odom Jr
Director: Rian Johnson
RT score: 92%

Knives Out wowed fans and critics alike in 2019, so sequels were inevitable. 

The first of those – Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery – is another elaborate and highly entertaining whodunnit from director Rian Johnson. Buoyed by its excellent ensemble cast and a confidence carried over from its predecessor’s success, Glass Onion is even showier and bolder than Knives Out – though the film proved exceptionally divisive among fans of Benoit Blanc's debut outing upon release.

Best sci-fi movies on Netflix

Jurassic Park

Age rating: PG-13
Runtime: 126 minutes
Main cast: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Samuel L Jackson, Ariana Richards, and Joe Mazzello
Director: Steven Spielberg
RT score: 92%

Spielberg's iconic take on Michael Crichton's novel about an idyllic dinosaur park that goes awry is the kind of classic sci-fi movie that Hollywood simply doesn't make anymore.

Set on the fictional Isla Nublar, Neill, Dern, and Goldblum play scientists Alan Grant, Ellie Satler, and Ian Malcolm, who are invited to tour industrialist John Hammond's new dinosaur research and genetics HQ, which is well on its way to bringing back the ancient beasts from the dead. When slimy computer programmer Dennis Nedry throws a spanner in the works, though, the quartet – along with Hammond's grandchildren and the park's employees – are forced to fight for their lives amid attacks from a T-Rex and velociraptors to name just two.

One of the best Netflix movies (licensed ones, anyway) and a legendary, highly entertaining film overall, Jurassic Park is cinema at its absolute best. See if you can work out where it ranks in our best Jurassic movies list before seeing if you guessed correctly.

(NB: Jurassic Park: The Lost World and Jurassic Park III are also available to stream on Netflix).

They Cloned Tyrone

Age rating: R
Runtime: 119 minutes
Main cast: John Boyega, Jamie Foxx, and Teyonah Parris
Director: Juel Taylor
RT score: 95%

This genre-bending sci-fi flick launched on the same day as the cultural phenomenon known as Barbenheimer, so its viewing figures weren't all that impressive in the first couple of weeks post-release.

However, given time, people have realized They Cloned Tyrone is an absolutely brilliant movie. To discuss its plot at length is to spoil its biggest surprises, but here's a brief synopsis to give you a flavor of what to expect: "A series of eerie events thrusts an unlikely trio (Jamie Foxx, John Boyega, and Teyonah Parris) onto the trail of a nefarious government conspiracy in this pulpy mystery caper." 

We thoroughly enjoyed what it has to offer on multiple levels and our exclusive chat with John Boyega is well worth reading for a peak behind the curtain on its production. Once you're watched it, be sure to read our ending explainer on They Cloned Tyrone for Boyega's thoughts on its surprising ending.

Best superhero movies on Netflix

The Batman

Age rating: PG-13
Runtime: 176 minutes
Main cast: Robert Pattinson, Jeffrey Wright, Zoe Kravitz, Paul Dano, and Colin Farrell
Director: Matt Reeves
RT score: 85%

The Christopher Nolan-directed Batman trilogy isn't available on Netflix anymore, but there is another top-tier Dark Knight film that's made its way onto the service in the form of The Batman.

Robert Pattinson stuns in his first turn as the Caped Crusader, with the Matt Reeves-helmed Bat-Flick proving to be even more dingy and gritty than many of its forebears. That it leans more heavily into the superhero's detective-based skills than what's come before – walking that fine line of being gruesome but not gratuitously violent – too, makes it an even more fascinating, crime-based Batman film than we've been used to.

With a stupendous supporting vast including Paul Dano, Zoe Kravitz, Jeffrey Wright, Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis, and John Tuturro, The Batman needs to be seen to be fully appreciated. See where it placed in our best Batman movies guide.

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Age rating: PG
Runtime: 140 minutes
Main cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Oscar Isaac, Jake Johnson, Luna Lauren Velez, Bryan Tyree Henry, Issa Rae, Daniel Kaluuya, Mahershala Ali, and Jason Schwartzman
Directors: Kemp Powers, Joaquin Dos Santos, and Justin K. Thompson
RT score: 95%

We were delighted to see Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse make its unexpected Netflix debut in October 2023. As a spectacularly assembled animated superhero film, there are few better than it in the genre space right now – both from animation and storytelling perspectives.

Set 14 months after Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, viewers are reunited with Miles Morales, Gwen Stacey, and Peter B Parker as they embark on a new multiverse-spanning journey that, unlike its forebear, won't be such an easy one to navigate.

In our Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse review, we said it "fulfils its ambitious promise to deliver an amazing follow-up to its 2018 predecessor". Once you've watched it, read our Across the Spider-Verse ending explained article to see how it sets up its Beyond the Spider-Verse sequel. Then, see where it ranks in our best Spider-Man movies guide, or find out how to watch the Spider-Man movies in order.

Best thriller movies on Netflix

The Good Nurse

Age rating: R
Runtime: 123 minutes
Main cast: Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne
Director: Tobias Lindholm
RT score: 74%

Netflix puts its penchant for true-crime storytelling to good use with The Good Nurse, which follows the murderous exploits of real-life serial killer Charlie Cullen (Eddie Redmayne). Jessica Chastain plays Cullen's co-worker, Amy Loughren, who would ultimately go on to expose the sadistic behaviour that led to the deaths of dozens of patients over a period of sixteen years. 

On the broad spectrum of Netflix movies, The Good Nurse is a lower-key affair than, say, Don't Look Up. However, its shocking story of gross criminal negligence is far more impactful than the big-budget drama of the streamer's recent blockbusters. Sure, it's far from an easy watch – but it'll stay with you long after its credits roll.

Best war movies on Netflix

All Quiet on the Western Front

Age rating: R
Runtime: 148 minutes
Main cast: Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Aaron Hilmer, and Moritz Klaus Director: Edward Berger
RT score: 90%

It’s been a good few years since Dunkirk and 1917 reminded audiences of the horrors of war, but Netflix assumed that responsibility with shocking but beautifully-made WWI epic, All Quiet on the Western Front

Based on Erich Maria Remarque’s landmark novel of the same name (which was first adapted into a feature film in 1930), this award-winning German-language movie tells the story of a young German soldier (Felix Kammerer) whose naive expectations of fighting for his country are shattered by war’s harrowing reality. As you'd expect, All Quiet on the Western Front is brutal, vivid and poignant – just don’t expect to reach its credits feeling particularly joyous.

Beasts of No Nation

Age rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 137 minutes
Main cast: Idris Elba, Abraham Atta, and Kurt Egyiawan
Director: Cary Fukunaga
RT score: 91%

We won't beat about the bush – Beasts of No Nation is a tough watch. No Time to Die's Cary Fukunaga directs this harrowing feature, which follows the journey of a young orphan (Abraham Attah) forced into becoming a child soldier by a fierce warlord (Idris Elba) during an unnamed African civil war. 

An adaptation of Uzodinma Iweala's novel of the same name, Beasts of No Nation is a masterfully-shot story documenting the human cost of conflict, and places the uncomfortable realities of war front and centre. This isn't one to watch with the kids, but sitting through its two-hour narrative is an enlightening, dare-we-say necessary movie experience.  

Best western movies on Netflix

The Harder They Fall

Age rating: R
Runtime: 139 minutes
Main cast: Idris Elba, Jonathan Majors, Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, and LaKeith Stanfield
Director: Jeymes Samuel
RT score: 88% 

Jeymes Samuel's feature film directorial debut wasn't expected to be this good. But The Harder They Fall, which stars the likes of Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, and Regina King, is a superb Western that deserves your attention.

Jonathan Majors, who was recently found guilty of domestic abuse and whose career is effectively over as a result, plays Nat Love, an outlaw who discover his mortal enemy Rufus Black (Elba) is being released from prison. Unsurprisingly, Love takes the law into his own hands and assembles his crack team of gunslingers to stop that from happening. 

A stylized, gun-toting action flick that's somewhat predictable in its makeup, The Harder They Fall will have you whooping and hollering at the screen regularly.

The Power of the Dog

Age rating: R
Runtime: 128 minutes
Main cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kristen Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Kodi Smit-McPhee
Director: Jane Campion
RT score: 94%

It’s safe to say that Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog was the critical hit – and one of the best Netflix movies – of 2021. Widely praised for its slow-burning psychological drama, it follows the story of a menacing rancher (Benedict Cumberbatch) who doesn’t take kindly to the arrival of his brother’s new wife (Kirsten Dunst) and her son (Kodi Smit-McPhee).

Cumberbatch arguably gives a career-best performance as the volatile Phil Burbank here, which undoubtedly made interesting prep for Doctor Strange 2. It's a slow-burner, but The Power of the Dog is a masterful piece of filmmaking.


For more Netflix coverage, read our best Netflix documentaries guide. Yet to subscribe to the streaming giant? Read our guide on how to sign up to Netflix, too, or whether you should cancel Netflix.

Senior Entertainment Reporter

As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.


An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as this Moon Knight TV spot.


Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across.

Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.

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