The best movies on Netflix (June 2023): the best Netflix films
The best Netflix movies right now - fantastic movies to stream.

Watching Netflix movies can feel a lot safer than watching Netflix TV shows. Where TV series seem to get cancelled left, right and centre these days, often ending on a cliffhanger, a movie not getting a sequel is rarely a tragedy in film land.
The Netflix approach is reportedly changing, with films like Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery given much more of a marketing push than they might have had back in the early golden years of streaming. However, don't make do with what Netflix spoon-feeds you.
UPDATE: Over the last month we saw a big push on two legacy movie franchises on Netflix. They may not necessarily be worth a spot on our big Netflix recommendations list, but fans should take note. The Harry Potter movies are streaming on Netflix right now, as are the main line Resident Evil flicks. Fancy staying in for an evening of trashy entertainment? Those zombies are here to help.
Below you'll find 48 of the top reasons to stay subscribed to Netflix.
We have tried to offer a mix of genres and styles — we're here for a good time as well as some Oscar-bait. However, if you think we've missed out something that definitely deserves a spot on the best Netflix movies hall of fame, drop us a suggestion at the bottom of this article.
Additional reporting: Becca Caddy
NOTE: The following Netflix movies are available in the UK. We have added other regions where we can.
The best movies on Netflix right now


1. Nightcrawler
Watch now on NetflixJake Gyllenhaal shines in the lead role of Nightcrawler as Louis Bloom, a man who records violent scenes and car crashes late at night around Los Angeles before selling the footage to a local TV station. It's a hard-hitting thriller that raises important questions about journalism and the public's desire to be the first to see horrific scenes on their TV. It received widespread critical acclaim when it was released in 2014 and was nominated for an Academy Award.
More ways to watch: DVD | Blu-ray | HD Digital download
UK/US


2. Monty Python’s Life of Brian
Watch now on NetflixYou can take your pick of Python movies as both The Holy Grail and The Meaning of Life are also on Netflix but, for us, The Life of Brian is Monty Python’s absurdist masterpiece. The movie caused controversy when first released but that doesn’t really come through now, given the likes of the South Park crew pushing this even further. But what remains is a fantastically funny movie that shows Python in its prime. Lovely stuff.
UK/US


3. 12 Years A Slave
Watch now on NetflixSome movies aren't meant to be enjoyed, but experienced. This is one of these movies. Whatever brutality besets those on the screen, just remember that these events happened in real life. 12 Years A Slave is an astonishing piece of work by director Steve McQueen. It holds a mirror up to a part of US (and British) history that should not be forgotten - watch this movie and we assure you that you won't forget it anytime soon.
More ways to watch: DVD | Blu-ray | HD Digital download
UK only


4. Prisoners
Stream now on NetflixBefore he ventured into Blade Runner territory, director Denis Villeneuve made this superb, dark thriller about a missing girl and her friend. Hugh Jackman stars as the father who takes matters into his own hands when the police leads lead to nothing. Things get very dark indeed, but this is a brilliant edge-of-you-seat rollercoaster.
More ways to watch:HD Digital download
UK only


5. Spirited Away
Watch now on NetflixPerhaps the greatest animation ever made (it's certainly the best thing by Studio Ghibli), Spirited Away is a masterclass of emotions. Filled with the supernatural and the wonderful you have some to expect from anime, the movie focuses on Chihiro, a 10-year-old girl who is unhappy about moving house. It turns out, though, her new home is near something called The Land of Spirits. Beautiful stuff.
More ways to watch: DVD | Blu-ray
UK only


6. The Trial of the Chicago 7
Stream now (Netflix)The Trial of the Chicago 7 is Aaron Sorkin on top form. He writes and directs this true story about the uprising at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. There’s an all-star cast that bolsters the movie but the real star is the dialogue.
UK/US


7. The Dig
Stream now (Netflix)The Dig is fantastic old-school filmmaking. Based on a true story, it tells the tale of one of the most important archeological finds in the UK of all time and the person person whose land in Sutton Hoo is at the centre of it all Edith May Pretty. Carey Mulligan is superb as Pretty (although it does mean that her age is somewhat skewed as a result) and Ralph Fiennes is great as the archeologist hired for the dig.
UK/US


8. The Irishman
Watch now on Netflix."I hear you paint houses?" That line sets the scene for The Irishman, an epic 3.5 hour movie that is everything you want from a Martin Scorsese / Robert DeNiro link-up. This is a film about Frank Sheeran, a hitman and his ties to the mob. It spans decades and while the de-aging doesn't always work, this is a movie that demands to be watched on the biggest screen possible - slightly ironic, given many of you will be giving it a spin on your smartphones first.
UK/US


9. My Neighbour Totoro
Watch now on NetflixStudio Ghibli classic My Neighbour Totoro is now on Netflix - and will be one of the first of many new Ghibli movies coming to the streaming platform soon. This 1988 animated movie written and directed by Hayao Miyazaki tells the story of two girls (Satsuki and Mei) who befriend wood spirits.
More ways to watch: DVD | Blu-ray
UK only


10. Uncut Gems
Stream on Netflix nowOne of the most stressful movies you will ever watch, Uncut Gems should come with an anxiety warning. But it is worth it as this is one of the best movies of the year, and some of the best work Adam Sandler has done. The plot is slight: a jeweller tries to pull off something that will make him a whole lot of money - unless it goes wrong and then everything is at stake.
UK/US


11. Sicario
Watch now on NetflixThis tense thriller about border agents and their battle with drug lords is a fantastic watch, with electrifying performances from Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro. This isn't an easy watch but it is uttery compelling throughout.


12. Dolemite Is My Name
Watch on NetflixIt's great to see Eddie Murphy back to his best in this biopic of Rudy Ray Moore, a comedian in the 70s who hits the big time with his rude, crude alter ego - a pimp named Dolemite. Moore made a big-screen version of Dolemite, dipping his toes into the blacksploitation movement at the time but he's also seen as one of the forefathers of rap. This movie brilliantly shows off all of this and more.
UK/US


13. Don't Look Up
Stream now (Netflix)Adam Mckay's satire on environmentalism doesn't hit as hard as it should - boy, we would have loved to have seen someone like Armando Iannucci tackle this one - but there is a lot to like about Don't Look Up. A team of scientists have found that a comet is hurtling to earth and will almost definitely hit the planet. The problem is that the government doesn't want to believe the facts, the general public don't want to believe the facts and everyone is told (literally) 'don't look up'. The all-star cast, including Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence, are ace and well worth the watch.
UK/US


14. Marriage Story
Watch now on NetflixMarriage Story is a devastating but poignant look at a marriage slowly breaking up and the effects it can have when there is a child in the picture. This is Noah Baumbach’s latest, and best, drama and is loosely based on the filmmaker’s own divorce experience. It stars Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson and is a must watch (but bring some tissues).
UK/US


15. The Mitchells Vs The Machines
Watch now (Netflix)From the geniuses behind Gravity Falls, The Mitchells Vs The Machines is a fun, frantic look at what technology is doing to the world and how if you stick together as a family things might well be okay. A great mix of animation and some stellar voice acting makes this one a must watch.
UK/US


16. News of the World
Stream now (Netflix)No, it isn't about the rise and fall of the British newspaper but News of the Worldis swooping drama focused on a civil war vet that goes from town to town reading the news to people. Along the way he picks up an abandoned girl and tries to get her back to her relatives. Both Tom Hanks and newcomer Helena Zengel are superb, as is director Paul Greengrass' adept eye.
UK only


17. Midsommar
Watch now (Netflix)A frankly terrifying look at the Swedish tradition, Midsommar is a high-art horror movie that will get under your skin. Packed with grizzly deaths, bizarre rituals and Florence Pugh in the biggest flower garland you will ever see - this is a brutal, brilliant movie.


18. The Adam Project
Watch now on NetflixNot all Netflix original movies work but we have a soft spot for The Adam Project, an old-school family sci-fi movie that gives its own unique twist to time travel. Ryan Reynolds is a fighter pilot who travels back in time to help save the world with his 12 year old self and late father.


19. Akira
Stream now (Netflix)One of the greatest depictions of a future dystopia ever committed to film and perhaps the most famous anime ever, Akira is a beautiful and brutal post apocalyptic cyberpunk tale that showcases the events after a future World War (well, in 2019). It’s hard to believe the movie is now over 30 years old as it looks like it could have been made today.


20. Hustle
Stream on NetflixAdam Sandler you infuriate us. One minute you are releasing some comedy crap where he has clearly phoned it in. The next minute he is making low-key masterpieces like Hustle. This tale of a down-and-out basketball scout who thinks he has found the next NBA sensation is just brilliant filmmaking - and Sandler is superb in the role.


21. Knives Out
Watch now on NetflixWhen searching through Netflix, it can seem there are fun movies and smart movies. And after a day of work, fun often wins. Knives Out combines the two, forming a riotous whodunnit that should not be missed. There’s also a sequel on Netflix, Glass Onion, but the original is the high point of the series so far. The highlight has to be Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc, whose comical southern drawl is irresistible.


22. The Gray Man
Stream now on NetflixThis one needs no introduction. The Gray Man is the most expensive Netflix movie ever made and stars Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans as warring hitmen who are trying to outdo each other after secrets from the CIA are unleashed. It's bombastic and pretty brainless in places but this one is far more fun than the critics make it out to be.


23. Roma
Stream now (Netflix)Alfonso Cuarón directed and wrote this fantastic fable about a housekeeper of a middle class family in Columbia. The movie, shot in stark black and white won Cuarón another Oscar, which is utterly impressive given the non actors who appear in the film. The movie is a semi autobiographical and has more heart in its two hour run time than most of the movies you can watch on Netflix right now.
UK/US


24. All Quiet on the Western Front
Watch now on NetflixThe latest adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s anti-war novel from 1928 is both a technical spectacle and a substantive and serious examination of war — which seems not less prescient now than when it was written. It’s a harrowing indictment of nationalism. All Quiet on the Western Front was directed by Edward Berger, largely known for his work in TV, including episodes of the first series of The Terror (2018).


25. Tick...Tick...Boom!
Stream now (Netflix)An emotional rollercoaster, Tick...Tick...Boom! is the true story of Rent creator Jonathan Larson and his struggle to get a play made that audiences love, all while trying to figure out his own life. It's beautifully told by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Andrew Garfield is utterly mesmerising in the main role. There won't be a dry eye in the house after this one ends.


26. RRR
Stream now on NetflixRRR is a 3-hour fantasy that is like nothing you have seen before. Packed with very impressive CGI, it's an exhaustive look at 1920's India and two revolutionaries who fight against the British Empire. With fight scenes as epic as any Marvel movie (with an inventiveness that goes beyond), RRR is a jaw-dropping spectacle that needs to be seen. It's worth noting that Netflix has the Hindi version of the movie, which was originally shot in Telugu.


27. The White Tiger
Stream now (Netflix)This adaptation of the exceptional novel by Aravind Adiga which won the Man Booker Prize in 2008. The White Tiger centres on Balram Halwai, a village boy who rises from his caste but hides some pretty dark secrets while he does it. As book adaptations go, this is faithful to the text and is a great watch.
UK/US


28. The Lost Daughter
Stream now (Netflix)You could watch The Lost Daughter with 10 people and all of you will come out with a different interpretation of what happened - as is the brilliance of the movie. Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal (her debut), it focuses on Olivia Coleman, a college professor who goes on holiday and starts to see similarities in her relationship with her daughter (in the past) with what is happening with another woman in the present. The film isn't afraid to show that unequivocal love doesn't always happen between parents and their children.


29. The Power Of The Dog
Watch now on NetflixA masterful movie that has been given a lot of Oscar love, and for good reason. Jane Campion has created a western that's all about identity, both physical and sexual. This is a taut psychological thriller that will stand the test of time - and if there is a better performance by Benedict Cumberbatch, then we are yet to see it.


30. Army of the Dead
Watch now (Netflix)God it's brainless, man it's an hour too long, but Army of the Dead is also a fun movie that see Zak Snyder creating an amazing world where the dead have taken over Las Vegas and a group of mercs are flown in to raid a vault of all of its money. Even if you just watch the credit sequence on this one, it's well worth your time.
UK/US


31. Pieces of a Woman
Stream now (Netflix)Pieces of a Woman has a central performance by Vanessa Kirby that's nothing short of Oscar worthy. But, be warned, it's not for the faint hearted as she goes through a traumatic pregnancy that's show in a heart-wrenching 23-minute sequence. The rest of the film shows the aftermath of what happens and is a devastating but compelling watch.
UK/US


32. Nobody
Watch now on NetflixWho needs John Wick when you have Nobody? This brutal action film stars Bob Odenkirk as an unlikely badass, who seeks revenge after his house is burgled. It's one of those action movies in which you can really feel the impact of each punch. And at a fraction over 90 minutes, it has a discipline that's pretty rare these days.


33. Cop Land
Stream (Netflix)Director James Mangold - who is helming the upcoming Indiana Jones movie - made his debut with Cop Land, a beautifully nuanced movie about a small town sheriff who starts to uncover mob corruption in his small town. Sylvester Stallone's acting has never been better in this one, he outshines the likes of Robert DeNiro and Harvey Keitel and Ray Liotta, which is no easy thing to do!


34. A Quiet Place Part II
Watch now on NetflixThe second part of A Quiet Place gave director John Krasinski ample opportunity to muck up and prove the brilliance of the original was a fluke. But he didn't, and Part II feels just like what it is, a continuation of the story of a desperate family amid a late-stage alien invasion. Cillian Murphy enters as a male lead, slotting comfortably in and bringing back memories of his work in the brilliant 28 Days Later.


35. The Sea Beast
Stream now on NetflixProving that Netflix can match Disney for animation, The Sea Beast is an epic fantasy based on a time when sea monsters were the norm and brave sea-faring folk would go to war with them. Directed by Chris Williams who has brought us some brilliant Disney movies, including Big Hero 6, this is a family adventure movie that everyone will love


36. Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio
Watch now on NetflixDon’t mistake this for Robert Zemeckis’s Pinocchio, also released in 2022. This one is from the mind behind The Shape of Water and Pan’s Labyrinth, Guillermo Del Toro. Stop-motion master director Mark Gustafson co-directs, bringing the actual Pinocchio puppet to life with charm and physicality. War looms over this take on the old tale more than in most Pinocchio adaptations, and it may not be for the youngest of kids. But it’s still a true family hit.
UK/US


37. I’m Thinking of Ending Things
Stream now (Netflix)Charlie Kaufman movies are always unconventional and brilliant and I’m Thinking of Ending Things is of no exception. The movie is conventional enough in its plot - a woman (Jessie Buckley) spends time with her boyfriend’s family after the weather turns bad. But what ensues is an exploration of the mind and all the complications that come with this.
UK/US


38. The Souvenir
Watch now on NetflixJoanna Hog used her own experiences at film school to create this story of a young women who embarks on a career as an artist, but her relationships with her mother and new love are costing her. The sequel to this movie is out now, so it's well worth catching up on this brilliant first film.


39. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom
Stream now (Netflix)Sadly this is the final film of Chadwick Boseman, who died of cancer in 2020. But what a film it is, based on the play of the same name by August Wilson. Based on the life of Ma Rainey (Viola Davis), an under-appreciated but hugely influential blues singer. The movie is set, mostly. in the confines of a recording studio but its themes of race and racism echo what was happening in 20s America at the time.
UK/US


40. Mank
Watch now (Netflix)A thrill ride through 30s Hollywood, Mank is David Fincher at his finest, offering up a love letter to the movies and using every inventive trick to make you think that you are in that period. At its heart, the movie is about a bed-ridden, rather obstinate, Herman Mankiewicz, the writer of Citizen Kane. Throughout we see the Hollywood system at work, shot with a deft eye that homages the 30s brilliantly. Fincher here is actually directing his late father's script. He doesn't just do it justice, but has created a classic in the process.
UK/US


41. Da 5 Bloods
Watch now on NetflixSpike Lee's latest joint is one of his best movies. Delroy Lindo heads up a fantastic cast, in a film which sees four black army veterans return to Vietnam to find the remains of their squad leader (played by Chadwick Boseman). Shot in differing aspect ratios, with numerous flashbacks, the movie tackles black discontent, both in the Vietnam war and now. Given what's happening in the world at the moment, there is no better time to watch this movie.
UK/US
Need more of a Netflix fix? Then these guides are for you:
- Best Netflix Hidden Gems
- Best documentaries on Netflix
- Best crime dramas on Netflix
- Best Netflix Shows
- Best Netflix Originals
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