For this list, all feature films are fair game. Here there are classic dramas and comedies; powerful small-budget fare you’ve probably never heard of; kids’ movies; lots of scary horror, pulse-pounding action flicks and thrillers; illuminating documentaries—there’s a lot of sexy stuff, guilty pleasures, some foreign-language offerings, and so much more. We’ve included Netflix original films, and the movies they’ve acquired. This list is regularly updated as films come and go from Netflix’s library. These are the best movies on Netflix right now to stream and binge-watch.
Best Movies on Netflix to watch right now
1. Above the Rim (1994)
None other than Tupac Shakur starred alongside Duane Martin, Bernie Mac and Marlon Wayans in Booty Call helmer Jeff Pollack’s directorial debut, about a high-school sports star torn between thug life and a potentially bright future. Shot on location in Harlem, this is Shakur’s final theatrical film released in his lifetime, and it clearly shows his talent and promise as an actor.
2. Alex Strangelove (2018)
All at once joyous, raunchy and disarmingly poignant, this Netflix original movie stars Daniel Doheny as Alex Truelove, a deeply closeted high school senior who loves his girlfriend Claire (Madeline Weinstein), but is overwhelmed with confusion when he falls for a handsome, comfortably out boy named Elliot (Antonio Marziale).
3. Always Be My Maybe (2019)
Co-writers Ali Wong and Randall Park star in this charming rom-com about childhood friends reunited years after a disastrous fling. A loose and nimble Keanu Reeves, playing himself, can’t help but steal every scene he’s in.
4. Before I Wake (2016)
Horror master Mike Flanagan (binge the incredible Midnight Mass on Netflix if you’re a fan of the genre) directs Thomas Jane, Kate Bosworth and Jacob Tremblay in this supernatural thriller about an adopted boy with a deathly imagination.
5. Berlin Syndrome (2017)
So abundant we might as well make them their own genre, movies about kidnapped females generally go one of two ways: It’s either all about the suspense, figuring out how and if she will get out—or there’s the nastier route, the low road, when some movies focus on a woman’s torture and humiliation, turning it into a spectacle. Though Australian director Cate Shortland‘s adaptation of Melanie Joosten‘s novel, about a tourist imprisoned by a handsome teacher after a passionate one-night-stand, is a thriller (quite heart-pounding at times), and much of the woman’s mistreatment is extremely hard to watch, this highly absorbing psychological drama stands out because it’s all about the characters and what’s going on in their heads. Aussie-born Teresa Palmer of Hacksaw Ridge fame delivers a ripper of a performance as a victim suffering in stages not unlike the stages of grieving. German Max Riemelt (Sense8) keeps up every step of the way as her chilling and multifaceted captor, but this is Palmer’s film, and it gave the dynamite actress long-relegated to playing love-interest side characters a serious calling-card in Hollywood.
6. Bird Box (2018)
Sandra Bullock stars in Bird Box as expectant mother Malorie, who’s forced to become a survivalist when supernatural forces decimate the world’s population. One look at these creatures—who we never see—causes your eyes to glaze over and moisten, then you go insane and commit suicide, by whatever means is handy. After surviving a chaotic early set piece of carnage and destruction on a massive scale, Malorie and her unborn child make it to a house where several strangers who’ve also evaded the outbreak have found shelter. Bird Box broke Netflix records and remains one of the streaming giant’s biggest hits ever.
7. Blonde (2022)
Based on Joyce Carol Oates’ fictionalized account of the life of Marilyn Monroe, Andrew Dominik’s much-hyped drama stars Ana De Armas as one of classic Hollywood’s foremost icons. The biggest headlines surrounding Blonde’s release were due to the picture’s NC-17 rating; it’s the highest-profile film released with the infamous stamp in some time. Dominik’s three-hour film is occasionally riveting, alternately bloated, self-indulgent, often unpleasant, even cruel. De Armas’ performance is genuinely astonishing, deserving of major awards attention.
8. The Boys in the Band (2020)
Helmed by award-winning Broadway director Joe Mantello, Ryan Murphy’s co-produced adaptation of Mart Crowley’s iconic play stars an all-star cast of out gay actors including Jim Parsons, Matt Bomer and Zachary Quinto. It’s set on a gathering of gay friends in 1968 NYC.
9. The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019)
The feature filmmaking debut of Oscar nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor is about the inspiring true story of William Kamkwamba (based on his memoir), a Malawian who ingeniously built a windmill to save his village from famine. Official British entry for Best International Feature at the 92nd Academy Awards.
10. Call Me By Your Name (2017)
An emotionally ripe experience for the senses, Call Me By Your Name was nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Supporting Actor for Timothée Chalamet’s star-making breakthrough. James Ivory’s Oscar-winning script makes heavy cuts from the last chunk of André Aciman’s sexy, enthralling novel. These cuts are right for the screen, though. Ivory keeps a wistful, moving monologue near the end intact, and the film’s final moments and last shot are already iconic.
11. Cam (2018)
Directed by Daniel Goldhaber, this Netflix original is about an adult webcam performer who discovers a sinister presence has taken her place on the internet. Cam has some truly frightening moments, and it examines the subject matter of sex work with appropriate care and thought. Most notably, it showcases a head-turning lead performance by The Handmaid‘s Tale‘s Madeline Brewer, often playing multiple entities on-screen at the same time. Thanks to a perceptive script by real-life former cam girl Isa Mazzei, Cam is often an examination of fractured identity, something that’s definitely not limited to the world of adult entertainment. Cam stumbles a bit at the ending, but it’s full of provocative ideas, and Brewer just floors you.
12. Casino Royale (2006)
Casino Royale was the first Bond film written after 9/11, and audiences needed the Bond movies to evolve considerably. Casino Royale rose to the occasion, hitting it out of the park farther than anyone could have anticipated. This is a stunning action picture with the weight of romantic tragedy. How often does that happen?
13-14. The Christmas Chronicles (2018) and The Christmas Chronicles 2 (2020)
In this Netflix original, Kurt Russell is an uncommonly cool, handsome and wise-talking Santa Claus, who helps a brother and sister (Judah Lewis and Darby Camp) rediscover the magic of Christmas after the loss of their father. The Christmas Chronicles was directed by Clay Kaytis (The Angry Birds Movie), and produced by Chris Columbus (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone). The big draw here is Russell’s performance, and he does not disappoint. This isn’t really like any Santa you’ve seen before. Two years later, Russell’s longtime real-life partner Goldie Hawn took a break from retirement for a turn as Mrs. Claus in the highly-rated sequel, also on Netflix.
15. Clockwork Orange (1971)
Stanley Kubrick’s adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ crime novel has lost little to none of its shock value. Philip Castle and Bill Gold are responsible for the pyramid design promoting one of the most controversial films ever (outright banned in many countries). The tagline: “Being the adventures of a young man whose principal interests are rape, ultra-violence and Beethoven.”
16. Won’t You Be My Neighbor? (2018)
From Oscar winner Morgan Neville, this is a documentary about the legacy of Fred Rogers and the Peabody Award-winning children’s program Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, which ran on public television from 1968-2001. Focus Features Won’t You Be My Neighbor? isn’t Fred Rogers’ biography; it’s a lively cinematic tribute to his work and message. This is one of the most inspiring docs in memory, a highly emotional experience worthy of its iconic subject, capturing the essence of a man whose spirit of kindness, patience and respect inspires millions to this day.
17. Collateral (2004)
Michael Mann has made multiple crime classics, arguably none better than his streamlined, character-rich masterpiece Collateral. This is also a career-high point for Tom Cruise, who plays a sociopathic hitman who entangles a mild-mannered cabbie (Jamie Foxx, Oscar-nominated for this the same year he won for Ray) in an L.A. killing spree. Co-starring Jada Pinkett Smith, Collateral is equal parts armrest-gripping excitement and meaty, uncomfortable philosophy. Soaked in neon on digital video (years before it was the norm), Collateral is also the best, most truthful movie ever made about nighttime in Los Angeles.
18. The Conjuring 2 (2016)
Before Annabelle and The Nun, there was James Wan’s hair-raising, superbly acted thriller about a witch who terrorizes a Rhode Island family in 1971. By summer 2013, horror had earned a bad rap. The torture films like Saw had dominated for a decade, and if there ever even was a point to those it had long fizzled out. The Conjuring was marketed as “based on the true case files of” Ed and Lorraine Warren, prominent paranormal investigators, played here by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. This box office behemoth brought back the classy, high-production-values terror of thrillers like The Exorcist and Poltergeist. Its success spawned the first highly successful cinematic universe outside of the MCU. The first sequel achieved a similar level of success, and a third Conjuring followed in 2021.
19. El Camino: A Breaking a Bad Movie (2019)
One of the greatest television shows in history recently got a worthy coda, when three-time Emmy winner Aaron Paul returned as interminably suffering drug kingpin Jesse Pinkman in El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. The highly anticipated follow-up to Vince Gilligan‘s crime saga Breaking Bad is a Netflix original. On one hand, there’s undeniably fan service at play here. Also, this is fan service from masters of the medium. It’s hard to imagine any Breaking Bad fans not being satisfied with this suspenseful, raw, even darkly hilarious follow-up. Paul is, of course, a million shades of riveting.
20. Extraction (2020)
One of the most popular Netflix movies ever stars Chris Hemsworth as a notorious mercenary tasked with rescuing the kidnapped son of an international crime lord. Extraction has received mostly positive reviews, and debuted on Netflix to massive viewership.
21. Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019)
Terrific performances from Zac Efron, Lily Collins and especially Kaya Scodelario bring pathos to Joe Berlinger’s hit Netflix original about serial killer Ted Bundy. The picture proved a bona fide hit for Netflix, with mostly positive reviews to boot.
22. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
About as chilly as a Christmas movie can be, Stanley Kubrick‘s final film is an intense drama about the one-night sexually-charged odyssey of a New York doctor (Cruise) whose wife (Nicole Kidman) has confessed to fantasizing about another man. Kubrick died six days after showing his final cut to Warner Bros., and in order to avoid an NC-17 rating, the film received extensive edits (the original, far superior cut is now widely available on DVD and streaming). Though Kubrick was long-known as the master of torturously long takes and shoots, he outdid himself with Eyes Wide Shut, and at 400 days of principal photography the film holds the Guinness World Record for longest film shoot ever. Dismissed by some critics in its time, Eyes Wide Shut is now seen as essential, challenging Kubrick. It was the director’s favorite of his features.
23-25. Fear Street Trilogy (2021)
A Netflix original event based on the more gruesome, not family-friendly work of R.L. Stine, Fear Street Part 1 1994 aims to reinvent and subvert the slasher genre á la Scream. It’s now streaming on Netflix. The trilogy continued with superior Part 2 1978, and Part 3 1666 wrapped things up.
26. Gerald’s Game (2017)
A career-high performance from the always-good Carla Gugino is front-and-center in Mike Flanagan’s Netflix original, a Stephen King adaptation about a woman who ends up handcuffed to a bed in the middle of nowhere when her husband drops dead. This is pure, high-concept psychological terror, not spooky, but gripping—and the ick factor is high.
27. Get On Up (2014)
The legacy of Chadwick Boseman lives on in Tate Taylor‘s acclaimed James Brown biopic. The late actor embodies The Godfather of Soul, in one of his best-known roles. Thanks to uniformly electrifying performances (the supporting cast includes Nelsan Ellis, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer, Get On Up is head and shoulders above most biopics, transcending the standard trappings.
28. The Gift (2015)
Jason Bateman, Rebecca Hall and Joel Edgerton (who wrote, directed and co-produced the film) star in a superior, ominous thriller about a hotshot executive facing crisis when the past comes back to haunt him. The Gift was a modest box-office success, and received universal critical acclaim.
29. The Guilty (2021)
Shot during lockdown in 11 days, Antoine Fuqua’s remake of the acclaimed 2018 thriller of the same name stars Jake Gyllenhaal as a 911 dispatcher faced with a distressing call. Co-starring Riley Keough, Ethan Hawke, Paul Dano, Peter Sarsgaard and Bill Burr.
30. The Hateful Eight (2015)
There was something undeniably transporting and nostalgic about the limited-engagement 70mm Roadshow presentation of The Hateful Eight over the 2015 holidays. Not many people saw that, though; The Hateful Eight was overshadowed by Star Wars: The Force Awakens at the box office, and was box-office disappointment, if not an outright flop. Handsomely crafted, impressively acted but emotionally hollow, The Hateful Eight is ultimately a nihilistic chamber drama about a handful of uniformly awful people in a 19th-century Wyoming cabin gradually double-crossing and killing each other. That’s about it. The best part: The atmospheric, often downright catchy score earned legendary film composer Ennio Morricone his first Academy Award. At the time, he was the oldest-ever recipient of a competitive Oscar. Also airing exclusively on Netflix is a special serialized extended edition of the film.
31. The Harder They Fall (2021)
Jeymes Samuel’s revisionist Western takes cues from real-life outlaws and marshals, with an all-Black principal cast including Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Zazie Beetz, Regina King, Delroy Lindo, Lakeith Stanfield, RJ Cyler, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi and Deon Cole. Now streaming on Netflix, it’s a violent thriller that honors and subverts well-worn tropes. The cast is top-notch all around.
32. Home (2015)
Based on 2007 children’s book The True Meaning of Smekday, Dreamworks and Fox’s animated feature is a space-set adventure starring the voice talents of Rihanna, Steve Martin, Jim Parsons and Jennifer Lopez. Directed by Tim Johnson (Antz).
33. The Hunt for Red October (1990)
The first Tom Clancy adaptation to hit the big screen is still the best. This is the big-screen debut of Jack Ryan, and Sean Connery plays a rogue Soviet submarine captain who abandons orders and defects to the United States. It’s up to Ryan to bridge communications on the high seas to prevent an all-out nuclear war. A patient, highly technical thriller that’s never less than gripping, The Hunt for Red October is easily the picture that best represents Clancy’s strengths and appeal as a creator.
34. When Harry Met Sally (1989)
We’ll have what she’s having. Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan star in this modern classic about friends who test their theory that friends can’t have sex with each other, over several years. Written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner, When Harry Met Sally was named the 23rd best American comedy ever by the American Film Institute; it’s the most loved romantic movie of its era. It all ends with an oft-quoted declaration of love moments before the clock strikes twelve.
35. Hush (2016)
A Netflix original film, Hush is a surprisingly suspenseful and effective slasher about a deaf author (Kate Siegel) who is terrorized by a masked home intruder (John Gallagher Jr.). Hush owes a great deal to John Carpenter‘s Halloween–so many of the best horror films these days do–and maybe even more to the 1967 Audrey Hepburn-starrer Wait Until Dark, but Mike Flanagan‘s taut direction and knack for suspense are enough to make Hush stand on its own. It’s a nail-biting thriller that really delivers what you’re hoping for in a movie like this. Following well-received mirror-themed horror flick Oculus and the way-better-than-anyone-expected Ouija: Origin of Evil, Flanagan gained attention as a force in popular horror.
36. Hustle (2022)
Adam Sandler has once again struck gold for Netflix—in fact, this is his best Netflix movie ever. In We the Animals director Jeremiah Zagar’s sports film, Sandler plays NBA talent scout Stan Sugerman, who’s risking his reputation and career for a Spanish recruit (real-life Utah Jazz player Juancho Hernangómez) he believes in. With a quiet determination and subtle, deeper humor than you might expect, Sandler plays maybe his most sympathetic character ever, a 180 from his (lamentably Oscar-snubbed) titanic turn as the angel of death in Uncut Gems. Sandler really is in top form here, and though he’s MVP of this instant sports classic, the supporting cast including Queen Latifah, Ben Foster, Robert Duvall and countless real-life sports stars, is uniformly excellent. Hustle doesn’t exactly transcend the inspiring sports pic genre, but it delivers everything you want from it with a crackling urgency. This is indeed a crowd-pleasing slam dunk for Netflix and one of the streamer’s biggest stars.
37. The Irishman (2019)
Martin Scorsese‘s long-gestating crime epic, centered on Jimmy Hoffa, is an extraordinary achievement in rich, slow-burn character development. It’s on Netflix, but the best way to see it is one sitting, on the biggest screen possible. Front-and-center are titanic turns by Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and (stepping out of retirement for a moment) Joe Pesci. Also front-and-center are the picture’s much-discussed de-aging visual effects. At times they’re pretty seamless. Also, they’re often distracting, even off-putting. Make no mistake: we’re still in the Uncanny Valley.
38. I Am Jonas (2018)
Some stunning eye candy (those cheekbones on star Félix Maritaud!) punctuates this powerful, acclaimed coming-of-age drama. Young gay love is part of the plot, so is devastating tragedy. Like the bodies on display, this plot is a beauty, told in non-linear fashion with some suspense and surprise. To ruin it would be a disservice. Just stream it already.
39. The Ice Road (2021)
Released late in the boom of Liam Neeson’s formidable, leggy career comeback post-Taken, thoroughly implausible but fun The Ice Road stars the action favorite as an ice driver spearheading a rescue mission over frozen water. This Netflix hit is a modernized take on The Wages of Fear (famously adapted as Sorcerer in 1977).
40. It Follows (2015)
A cold-blooded nightmare that could inspire an adult to sleep with a nightlight, David Robert Mitchell‘s supernatural thriller about a shapeshifting killer passed around like a pcurse exudes a blistering, downright oppressive atmosphere of menace. Mitchell throws you off balance from the very beginning in ways you might not even notice: this film is set in no discernible time period, or even a particular season, and certain details in the production design and in character’s actions just don’t make any sense. This is not unlike the method Stanley Kubrick used to make us uneasy throughout The Shining. There is a quietness, a stillness in It Follows that you won’t find anywhere in contemporary horror hits like Annabelle or It, which rely heavily on loud banging noises and jump scares to shake an audience. As artful as it is frightening, It Follows is patient, rewarding perceptive viewers with a uniquely, richly disturbing experience. Right now, we are living in a golden age of horror. It Follows is an essential part of that discussion.
41. The King (2019)
Timothée Chalamet and Robert Pattinson star in David Michôd’s epic historical war drama based on Shakespeare’s Henriad. It failed to leave a mark during awards season, but fans of brutal period epics should be diverted enough.
42. Legend (2015)
Tom Hardy stars alongside Tom Hardy in the true story of the Kray twins. Taron Egerton plays a small supporting role (this is just before his star exploded and he became one of the most popular actors on the planet).
43. Les Misérables (2012)
Seven years before the infamy of Cats, Tom Hooper (fresh off the Oscar-sweeping success of The King’s Speech) helmed this star-studded big-screen take on one of the longest-running musicals in history. Anne Hathaway won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar, and performed the signature number “I Dreamed a Dream” in one take.
44. A Little Princess (1995)
Two-time Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuarón’s first English language film is based on Frances Hodgson Burnett’s novel about Sara Crewe, a young girl who imagines she’s a princess to get through hard times in the custody of a boarding school’s cruel headmistress. A visually resplendent, emotionally ripe masterpiece, A Little Princess was nominated for two Oscars and stands tall as one of the best live-action family films ever.
45. The Lost Daughter (2021)
Maggie Gyllenhaal‘s debut as writer/director is a top-shelf psychological drama based on Elena Ferrante‘s novel. Olivia Colman is—as always—dynamite, playing a woman who becomes obsessed with another woman and her daughter while on holiday. Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson and Peter Sarsgaard round out a stellar cast.
46. Love & Basketball (2000)
The reputation of Gina Prince Bythewood’s brilliant romance has only grown over time. Love & Basketball explores complex themes with humor and passion in a story about childhood friends fall in love while aspiring to be professional athletes. Starring Omar Epps, Sanaa Lathan, Dennis Haysbert and Alfre Woodard.
47. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)
The most electrifying, fully realized cinematic take on an August Wilson play to date, George C. Wolfe‘s 1927 Chicago-set drama depicts a fateful recording session of the “Mother of Blues” and her band. The powerhouse performances from Viola Davis and the late Chadwick Boseman are among the year’s very best, making the picture’s fleeting stagey limitations mostly go unnoticed. The incomparable actors drive home Wilson’s enduring themes of race, religion, exploitation and the reality of the American Dream. Boseman is Oscar’s frontrunner for Best Actor. As ambitious, haunted trumpeter Levee, his work here has the weight of nothing less than great tragedy.
48. Marriage Story (2019)
Noah Baumbach‘s emotional juggernaut showcases career-best work from Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. The rare kind of picture that can make you guffaw hysterically and ugly-cry within the same scene, this epic divorce saga is an instant classic. Laura Dern won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her portrayal of an L.A. power-lawyer who wears pants so tight you can see bone, then fake-apologizes for looking like a slob. Perfect. Brilliant. Nailed it. Netflix
49. Miss Americana (2020)
Lana Wilson’s Taylor Swift documentary is an undeniably illuminating and highly entertaining look at—let’s face it—the biggest name in the music industry right now. Miss Americana covers Swift’s formative years, early successes, the notable rough patch pre-Reputation, and her staggering comeback. Even if you’re not a Swiftie already, this is a captivating, somewhat candid music doc with some downright thrilling bits of the artist freestyling in the studio.
50. Monster (2003)
A completely unrecognizable Charlize Theron won an Academy Award for playing serial killer Aileen Wuornos in Wonder Woman helmer Patty Jenkins’ bruising, brilliant biopic. Christina Ricci stars in the film Roger Ebert named the very best picture of 2003.
51. A Monster Calls (2016)
Based on the atmospheric children’s book of the same name, J.A. Bayona’s visually breathtaking, highly emotional low fantasy centers on a boy facing the unthinkable: the inevitable death of his terminally ill mother (Felicity Jones). Sigourney Weaver co-stars in an inventive, highly emotional picture that made Bayona one of the most sought-after directors in Hollywood.
52. Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979)
Classic comedy troupe Monty Python‘s crowning achievement, this edgy and ambitious British satire has lost none of its bite 40 years later. In many circles, it’s considered a strong contender for best British comedy movie of all time. The religious subject matter has made Life of Brian hugely controversial since it was released, with many markets (including several in the United Kingdom) outright banning it back in the day. The UK’s Channel Four named this the greatest of all comedy films from around the world in a 2006 poll.
53. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
Another high-water mark for Monty Python is this endlessly quotable, micro-budgeted lampooning of King Arthur’s quest for the Holy Grail. In 2011, Tom Bergeron and Cynthia McFadden hosted Best in Film: The Greatest Movies of Our Time. This was a collaboration between People and ABC News to give film fans a chance to vote for their all-time favorites. Monty Python and the Holy Grail was named the second-best comedy ever, behind Airplane!. Note: Netflix is currently streaming several Monty Python specials, and episodes of Flying Circus. These are full of iconic zany moments, and they’ve held up really well.
54. Mudbound (2017)
Based on the novel by Hillary Jordan, Mudbound stars Jason Mitchell and Garrett Hedlund as World War II veterans who return to their families in rural Mississippi and struggle with civilian life. Powerful depictions of racism and PTSD transcend the period setting; Mudbound is a movie for now. One of the year’s finest ensemble casts includes Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke and an astonishing turn by an unrecognizable Mary J. Blige. Dee Rees‘ sprawling, masterful drama deserved a wider theatrical release and benefits from a big screen (Rachel Morrison became the first Oscar-nominated female cinematographer for capturing the harsh beauty of the region), but the good news is you can watch Mudbound right now on Netflix.
55. Murder Mystery (2019)
It would be remiss not to mention the undisputed king of Netflix comedies. Sandler’s movies are often panned by critics (save for the occasional outlier like Uncut Gems and Hustle), but given the string of recent hits, it looks like his star is shining brighter than ever. Co-starring Jennifer Aniston, Sandler’s Netflix venture, Murder Mystery, reportedly had the then-biggest opening weekend in Netflix’s history, surpassing previous record holder Bird Box.
56. Nocturnal Animals (2016)
As brutal as it is sad—and it’s both—Tom Ford‘s second feature twists the blade in the corpse of a toxic, failed relationship. Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Golden Globe winner for his work here) and Michael Shannon (Oscar nominee for his work here) are uniformly sensational in dark, sumptuously realized parallel storylines (about half of the film is a fictional book within the narrative). Gobsmacking visually and disturbing thematically, Nocturnal Animals is something like a masterpiece.
57. The Old Guard (2020)
Greg Rucka adapted his own comic book for the screen, and Gina Prince-Bythewood directed this well-reviewed shoot-em-up. The ever-impressive and screen-commanding Charlize Theron stars alongside KiKi Layne, Matthias Schoenaerts and Chiwetel Ejiofor as an immortal mercenary out for vengeance.
58. Paddington (2014)
Paul King’s live-action family comedy based on the beloved Michael Bond character was a huge critical and commercial success. Ben Whishaw voices the anthropomorphic bear who migrates to London, where he is adopted by the Brown family. Co-starring Nicole Kidman, Sally Hawkins, Hugh Bonneville, Jim Broadbent and Julie Walters, Paddington spawned a sequel, and was nominated for Best British Film at the BAFTAs.
59. Phantom Thread (2017)
Workaholism is an anomaly among addictions. Because work is associated with so many good things and rewards, it’s an addiction that commonly gets a pass. But workaholism is not the same thing as working hard. The bottom line: it’s an all-consuming, unhealthy coping mechanism that can ruin lives. Paul Thomas Anderson’s Oscar winning period piece Phantom Thread is, unequivocally, the best, richest movie about workaholism of all time. This is a bizarre, brilliant film whose triumphs are layered. That’s one of them. Daniel Day-Lewis stars as a grief-stricken, toxic fashion designer who meets his match in a beautiful waitress (Vicky Krieps).
60. Pieces of a Woman (2020)
Previously best known as an action star, Vanessa Kirby received rapturous reviews, Venice’s Volpi Cup and an Oscar nod for an astonishingly physical portrayal of a woman reeling with grief in KornélMundruczó‘s harrowing drama. The film peters out at some point, but the masterful opening stretches sear the mind; it’s certainly worth the [uncomfortable] watch.
61. The Power of the Dog (2021)
Jane Campion’s brutal Western starring Benedict Cumberbatch as a sadistic rancher who instigates a war of intimidation on his brother’s new wife and young son. C0-starring Jesse Plemons, Kirsten Dunst and Kodi Smit-McPhee.
62. The Prom (2020)
Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, James Corden, Keegan-Michael Key, Andrew Rannells, Kerry Washington and Jo Ellen Pellman star in Ryan Murphy’s splashy adaptation of Matthew Sklar’s 2018. The story follows four former Broadway stars who travel to the small conservative town of Edgewater to assist a lesbian teen banned from bringing her girlfriend to the prom. Corden’s performance has received considerable backlash, but most audiences and critics agree this is frothy fun that will put a smile on your face.
63. Raw (2017)
Julia Ducournau‘s cannibal drama and is so graphic and intense it made grown men faint at the TIFF, requiring an ambulance. Horror can always be read as metaphor, and this wickedly clever allegory uses bloody violence and shocking imagery to punctuate a story about a young veterinary student (Garance Marillier) becoming her own person, denying the patriarchy and giving in to her innermost desires. You will likely either love or hate Raw; it’s virtually impossible to have a mixed reaction to a film this confrontational. Ducournau exhibits a mastery over her craft– running a mere 98 minutes, Raw is at once punchy and lean, robust and muscular. Though it may not be to everyone’s taste (pun intended), Raw is the work of a visionary, one of 2017’s most unshakeable and singular cinematic efforts.
64. Red Notice (2021)
Netflix’s biggest movie ever received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, but continues to direct massive traffic for the streamer. Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot star in the comic actioner about an Interpol agent pursuing the world’s most wanted art thief. Netflix
65. Roma (2018)
Alfonso Cuarón‘s most personal film to date, a sprawling autobiographical saga set in 1970s Mexico City, is in many ways the year’s most stunning technical achievement. Yalitza Aparicio is stunning as domestic worker Cleo, but none of the other characters in the film are nearly as compelling as she is. Though it isn’t as deeply moving as some of 2018’s very best dramas, the ingenuity and skill on display in Roma make it a must-see for anyone who loves this medium.
66. RRR (2022)
The Rs stand for rise, roar, revolt—and international audiences have certainly risen and roared in response to this crossover hit of South Indian cinema, now streaming on Netflix. An epic buddy action musical that’s sort-of about real-life Indian revolutionaries and their struggle with the Raj, RRR is funny, bloody, and kinetic, with a touching bromance between stars N.T. Rama Roa Jr. and Ram Charan. The VFX are outlandish but remarkably detailed and eye-popping. The film is genuinely spectacular for 187 minutes.
67. The Shack (2017)
Sam Worthington and Octavia Spencer star in a faith-based drama based on the 2007 novel about a grief-stricken man’s encounter with the divine. The Shack received mixed-to-negative critical notices, but was a substantial box-office success. Co-written by Destin Cretton, who went on to direct Shang-Chi.
68. Skyfall (2012)
This is not how it’s supposed to work. Conventional wisdom tells us a movie franchise surely won’t be better–much less more intimate—than ever, a full half-century into its run. But that’s what happened with Bond in Skyfall. In 2012, James Bond steps into our modern world, where enemies aren’t as easy to see, and the fight is in the shadows. Skyfall is frightening, fun, deeply funny at times, and touching. This is an entertainment that’s confident, sophisticated and wise enough to know that hearing Judi Dench recite Tennyson in a courtroom can be just as stirring as watching James rip open a train car with a Caterpillar digger. Sam Mendes’s direction is crystalline; he knows he has us in the palm of his hand every step of the way.
69. The Sleepover (2020)
Malin Akerman and Joe Manganiello star in this family-friendly Netflix original, about tween siblings who discover their seemingly normal mom is actually a badass in the witness protection program. The action-comedy was directed by Trish She, screenplay by Sarah Rothschild. The Sleepover was a bona fide hit for Netflix, one of the top programs on the service since its release.
70. Spider-Man (2002)
Sam Raimi’s original blockbuster is more than just wonderful entertainment with great characters and inspired, spirited storytelling; it’s just the movie we needed in the spring of 2002. Following the devastation of 9/11, America was in need of bold optimism and a cinematic hero to look up to. Prior to the release of Spider-Man, no film in history had ever come close to a $100 million North American opening weekend. When Raimi’s film opened to $114.8 million, it sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry and executives scrambled to green-light as many superhero films as they could. Sony Pictures Spider-Man holds up quite well two decades later, thanks to great performances and a character-driven script by David Koepp (Jurassic Park). One of the biggest reasons for this trilogy’s record-setting box office success is the romance between Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) and Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst). You’d be hard-pressed to find a sweeter, more relatable love story in most Oscar-winning dramas. If anything, the film works best when Spidey is out of costume.
71. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
Most great films start with a great screenplay. Alvin Sargent, the two-time Academy Award-winning screenwriter of World War II drama Julia (1977) and Robert Redford’s Ordinary People (1980) might have seemed an unusual choice at the time to pen a Spidey screenplay, but the result is a focused, self-contained and downright exhilarating narrative. At its heart, Spider-Man 2 is all about identity and making the tough choices in life. The Oscar-winning special effects still look great today, and in an age when you can do virtually anything with CGI, these visuals have distinction and can fill you with wonder. The sinister, slithering and possessive tentacles of Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina) have more personality than any character in the DC Extended Universe before things started looking up with Wonder Woman. Sony Superhero films frequently end with a prolonged battle sequence of some kind; it’s pretty much just something we expect at this point. The climax of Spider-Man 2 is actually something of a subdued affair, and it’s a stronger film for that. It’s all about these people and the decisions they make. Don’t let the spandex fool you; this is high drama. If the 2002 Raimi film was the point when Hollywood realized this genre could be a box office goldmine, Spider-Man 2 is when we officially had proof that a superhero movie could be a work of art.
72. Steve Jobs (2015)
Flawed but a huge improvement over 2013’s Jobs, Danny Boyle’s drama stars Oscar-nominated Michael Fassbender as the Apple giant. Kate Winslet is riveting as ever in a supporting role.
73-75. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018) and sequels
Based on Jenny Han‘s 2014 novel of the same name, Susan Johnson‘s teen romance, a Netflix original, captivated home audiences and critics alike. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before boasts a 94 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Lana Condor, Noah Centineo and John Corbett star. The follow-ups To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You and To All the Boys: Always and Forever are now streaming, too.
76. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
Oscar-winning The Social Network and West Wing scribe Aaron Sorkin wrote and directed this uncommonly entertaining legal drama, drawing parallels between 1968 and today. Strong performances from an ensemble cast including Yahya Abdul Mateen II, Michael Keaton, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and more benefit a film that earned serious Oscar attention.
77. The Two Popes (2019)
Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins received boundless praise for their turns in a dramedy based on the real-life friendship of Pope Benedict XVI and future Pope Francis.
78. Uncharted (2022)
Where to begin with Uncharted? Why on the continental surface of Earth were critics so harsh to it? Based on the long-running, critically acclaimed adventure game series about strong-willed everyman explorer Nathan Drake, the box-office hit boasts magnetic, funny and physical performances from Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg, who are in a league of their own when it comes to this kind of thing. There is only one Harrison Ford, and it’s unlikely any adventure film will ever measure up to prime Indy. Uncharted is content to be a slick, silly and self-aware homage, and its pleasurable escapism connected with audiences. As was the case with Spider-Man: No Way Home (released within weeks of Uncharted, cementing Holland as maybe the biggest box-office name in the world right now), Holland’s face is more compelling than any visual effect. This is a true star.
79. Under the Shadow (2016)
An exquisitely crafted and thoroughly unnerving chiller, writer/director Babak Anvari‘s feature debut blurs the line between supernatural terror and the horrors of the real world like few films you’ll ever see. Set in 1980s Tehran during The War of the Cities—the backdrop of Anvari’s own fear-ridden childhood—the firm stars Narges Rashidi as medical student Shideh who is barred from her studies because of her involvement in revolutionary politics. When her husband departs for the front, Shideh is tasked with protecting their young daughter Dorsa (Avin Manshadi) as the fighting and bombings escalate around them. It doesn’t look like things can get any bleaker, and that’s when Shideh and Dorsa are haunted by an evil genie. The performances are powerful, and the filmmaking here is impeccable, evoking a war-torn Iran that is almost suffocating to watch. Anvari grew up in a culture where VCR’s and VHS tapes were illegal, and his debut is made with the kind of passion for film that you can’t put a price tag on. The supernatural scares really work, but they’re never quite as frightening as Shideh’s reality, which seems to be Anvari’s point. Esteemed British film critic Mark Kermode named this small-scale powerhouse the best film of 2016, and it is not to be missed.
80. We Can Be Heroes (2020)
Spy Kids helmer Robert Rodriguez wrote and directed this Netflix original family-friendly superhero movie, a follow-up to The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3D. The picture received a mostly warm reception from critics, and broke all kinds of viewership records for Netflix. A sequel has been announced.
81. White Christmas (1954)
Legendary director Michael Curtiz helmed several of the most noteworthy films of Hollywood’s Golden Age, including The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), Casablanca (1942), Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942), Mildred Pierce (1945) and this essential Christmas musical, the highest-grossing film of 1954. A successful stage adaptation premiered in San Fransisco in 2004 and has been touring internationally ever since. Filmed in vivid Technicolor, White Christmas was the first movie ever released in VistaVision, a widescreen process using twice the surface area of standard 35mm film.
82. Yes Day (2021)
Always-luminous Jennifer Garner elevates Miguel Arteta’s family comedy about parents who give their kids 24 hours to make the house rules. A sequel is on the way. Netflix
83. Zathura (2005)
Jon Favreau directs Kristen Stewart in a family-friendly sci-fi tale set in the Jumanji universe, about a board game that transports young brothers into outer space. Zathura wasn’t a box-office hit in 2005 despite positive reviews; it’s since gathered a following and been reappraised. Next: The Best TV Series on Netflix
