The 25 best movies on Netflix (2025)

1917 (2019)

This Oscar-winning war film presents its story with bracing realism. In 1917, Lance Corporal William "Will" Schofield (George MacKay) is a British soldier embarking on a perilous journey through the trenches and battlefields of World War I. Will is paired with Lance Corporal Thomas "Tom" Blake (Dean-Charles Chapman) and tasked with personally delivering a message to a colonel to call off an offensive attack that would put British soldiers in harm's way.

Barbie (2023)

Only Greta Gerwig would take what potentially could have been a soulless toy advertisement and make it a potent, colorfully entertaining commentary on women's self-worth. Margot Robbie stars in the title role, a doll who lives in pink plastic bliss in Barbie Land until she's suddenly struck by an existential crisis.

As Barbie voyages out into the real world to discover what it was she was made for, she meets her owner and comes to understand the complexity of being a woman in today's society — while also evading the buffoonish CEO of Mattel (Will Ferrell). Oh yeah, and Ken's (Ryan Gosling) along for the ride, too. EW's critic calls Barbie "a fierce, funny, and deeply feminist adventure that dares you to laughandcry, even if you're made of plastic." —K.J.

Where to watch Barbie: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Greta Gerwig

Cast: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, Will Ferrell

Carol (2015)

This period drama from auteur Todd Haynes is one of the most sumptuous films of the modern era. Therese (Rooney Mara) is a department store clerk who has a chance encounter with a glamorous older woman, Carol (Cate Blanchett), in 1950s New York. A secret affair blossoms from there, as Carol and Therese forge an intense emotional and romantic connection that complicates their lives. With deeply felt, Oscar-nominated performances from Blanchett and Mara and stunning technical craft — from the music score to the period-specific production design and costumes — Carol is a transporting experience from start to finish. —K.J.

Where to watch Carol: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Todd Haynes

Cast: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Jake Lacy, Kyle Chandler

Do the Right Thing (1989)

Spike Lee announced himself as one of the defining voices of his generation with this incendiary drama set in a Brooklyn neighborhood on a hot summer day. The blistering heat only exacerbates the racial tensions within the community, as what begins as a confrontation at an Italian pizzeria spreads into an all-out riot by day's end. What makes Lee's film so brilliant, though, is his sprinkling of well-observed slice-of-life details that ring true. "The movie paints every character in a sweltering coat of blame and challenges us to confront the absence of answers in the search to find out why we can’t all get along," writes EW's critic. —K.J.

Where to watchDo the Right Thing: Netflix

EW grade:A (read the review)

Director:Spike Lee

Cast:Spike Lee,Danny Aiello, Ossie Davis,Ruby Dee,Giancarlo Esposito,John Turturro,Rosie Perez, Bill Nunn, Richard Edson,Martin Lawrence,Samuel L. Jackson

Dune: Part Two (2024)

Following the blockbuster success of his adaptation of the first part of Frank Herbert's Dune, Denis Villeneuve delivered this satisfying interpretation of the epic novel's conclusion. Picking up directly where the 2021 film left off, Dune: Part Two follows Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), the gifted heir of a noble house, as he steps into a brave new role as savior of the Fremen people. As Paul helps the Fremen fight back against the imperialistic Harkonnen, his lover, Chani (Zendaya), grows wary of his growing influence.

With grand-scale spectacle that sometimes outdoes the first film and a memorable standout performance from Austin Butler as the villainous Feyd-Rautha, Dune: Part Two is a true feat of mythic filmmaking. —K.J.

Where to watch Dune: Part Two: Netflix

Emily the Criminal (2022)

Aubrey Plaza gives one of her finest turns to date in this grounded thriller. She plays the titular down-on-her-luck felon who resorts to theft to make her way out from under a mountain of debt. "She may be a wanton criminal, but she's also a woman very much for these times," EW's critic writes. "Not the anti-heroine we knew we needed, maybe, but one that we deserve." It's a visceral, often unbearably anxious film that showcases Plaza's steeliest, most nuanced performance in a career full of them. —Declan Gallagher

Where to watch Emily the Criminal: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: John Patton Ford

Cast: Aubrey Plaza, Gina Gershon, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Theo Rossi, Bernardo Badillo

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Films in the long-running Godzilla franchise aren't exactly known for their human characters compared to the titular giant reptilian monster, but this universally acclaimed installment is a rare exception. The film focuses on former kamikaze pilot Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki), a man with PTSD after failing to prevent Godzilla from destroying an island community during World War II. Haunted by the incident, Shikishima looks for redemption when the imposing monster returns to terrorize Japan.

EW's critic ranks Godzilla Minus One — which won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects — as the fourth-best film in the franchise, writing, "This sweeping blend of character-driven drama, maritime adventure, and kaiju mayhem is popcorn entertainment at its best." —K.J.

Where to watch Godzilla Minus One: Netflix

Director: Takashi Yamazaki

Cast: Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, Kuranosuke Sasaki

Miss Juneteenth (2020)

This underseen independent drama finally gives Nicole Beharie the role she deserves, and she makes the most of the opportunity, delivering one of the most nuanced performances in recent years. Beharie plays Turquoise, a single mother whose glory days as the winner of the Miss Juneteenth pageant are behind her. Now working multiple jobs to support her 15-year-old daughter, Turquoise hopes she will follow in her footsteps by entering the pageant herself, though her daughter is less than enthused. Tackling themes of family legacy, broken dreams, and unexpected victories, Miss Juneteenth is a lovingly realistic examination of mothers and daughters. —K.J.

Where to watch Miss Juneteenth: Netflix

Director: Channing Godfrey Peoples

Cast: Nicole Beharie, Kendrick Sampson, Alexis Chikaeze

Nyad (2023)

Annette Bening gives an astonishing, Oscar-nominated performance as real-life marathon swimmer Diana Nyad, who at 64 trained to become the first person to swim to Cuba. Equally riveting as Nyad's trainer is Jodie Foster (also Oscar-nominated), reminding viewers that in terms of steely confidence, someone rarely does it better than her. "The two women also share an effortless chemistry that breathes vitality into their onscreen bond and wholeheartedly sells their decades-long connection," EW's critic writes. —D.G.

Where to watch Nyad: Netflix

EW grade: B– (read the review)

Directors: Jimmy Chin and Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

Cast: Annette Bening, Jodie Foster, Rhys Ifans, Luke Cosgrove, Karly Rothenberg

Ocean's Eleven (2001)

This beloved franchise-starter finds some of the hottest stars of the 2000s bouncing off each other with infectious glee. George Clooney is at his debonair best as Danny Ocean, a criminal mastermind who assembles a team to pull off a massive casino heist in Las Vegas. And, for an added twist, the owner of the casino happens to be his ex-wife's current boyfriend. Steven Soderbergh's direction is crisp and lively, with the precision of a Swiss watch. EW's critic praises the comic crime film for being "made with so much wit and brains and dazzle and virtuosity that the sheer speed and cleverness of the caper hits you like a shot of pure oxygen." —K.J.

Where to watch Ocean's Eleven: Netflix

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Steven Soderbergh

Cast: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy García, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Elliott Gould, Bernie Mac, Carl Reiner

Parasite (2019)

Who is the real parasite in Parasite? Is it the low-income, working Kim family that gradually worms their way into the lives of the wealthy Park family? Or is it the Parks benefiting from the hard work of those they deem below them? Bong Joon Ho's darkly comedic thriller is brilliant and propulsive in many ways, entertaining the audience with its twists and turns while also providing trenchant social commentary about class and capitalism. EW's critic calls Parasite a "serrating, brilliantly stylized portrait of class and fate and family" as well as "a filmgoing experience that refuses to fit into any box." —K.J.

Where to watch Parasite: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Bong Joon Ho

Cast: Song Kang-ho, Lee Sun-kyun, Cho Yeo-jeong, Choi Woo-shik, Park So-dam, Jang Hye-jin

Past Lives (2023)

All of us have wondered what would've happened if we chose a different path earlier in our lives. This auspicious feature debut from writer-director Celine Song poignantly tackles this idea, telling the story of Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), childhood friends (with the potential for something more) who grew apart after the former left South Korea. Now in their 30s, they decide to reconnect in New York City, though their relationship is complicated by the fact that Nora is now married. EW's critic calls Past Lives "at once heartbreaking and life-affirming" in its approach to "confronting questions about who we are, who we were, and who we could’ve been." —K.J.

Where to watch Past Lives: Netflix

Director: Celine Song

Cast: Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro

The Power of the Dog (2021)

Jane Campion's adaptation of the Thomas Savage novel is a spellbinding Western drama about power and control. Set in 1920s Montana, the film centers on Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch) a cruel rancher who psychologically torments his brother (Jesse Plemons), sister-in-law (Kirsten Dunst), and her soft-spoken son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) on the ranch they share. After Peter discovers a buried secret about Phil, he methodically plots his revenge on his uncle. Campion deservedly won an Oscar for Best Director for the film; as EW's critic praises, "being submerged in her ineffable world feels not just like two hours in the dark, but high art." —K.J.

Where to watchThe Power of the Dog: Netflix

EW grade:A– (read the review)

Director:Jane Campion

Cast:Benedict Cumberbatch, Jesse Plemons, Kirsten Dunst, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Thomasin McKenzie, Genevieve Lemon,Keith Carradine,Frances Conroy

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

Adaptations of Jane Austen's enduring novels are nearly as commonplace as films based on Shakespeare, but this 2005 interpretation of Pride and Prejudice is near the top of the heap. Keira Knightley (in a luminous, Oscar-nominated performance) steps into the shoes of Elizabeth Bennet, the outspoken second daughter of five, who goes on a tumultuous enemies-to-lovers journey with the snobbish Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen). What could have been a creaky or stuffy period costume drama is instead swirling with emotions that feel gloriously alive in director Joe Wright's hands. —K.J.

Where to watch Pride & Prejudice: Netflix

EW grade: A (read the review)

Director: Joe Wright

Cast: Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Brenda Blethyn, Donald Sutherland, Tom Hollander, Rosamund Pike, Jena Malone, Judi Dench

RRR (2022)

This Indian action epic rightfully broke out as an international success in 2022. Set during the British Raj in the 1920s, the film centers on Komaram Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao Jr.) and his plan to reunite a kidnapped girl with her mother; meanwhile, a determined officer, Alluri Sitarama Raju (Ram Charan), is hot on his trail. Their lives intersect when they rescue a boy in a train accident and they form a bond, ironically unaware of each other's identities. Packed with rousing sequences (particularly the performance of the Oscar-winning song "Naatu Naatu"), RRR is an entertaining thrill ride that puts Hollywood blockbusters to shame. —K.J.

Where to watch RRR: Netflix

Director: S.S. Rajamouli

Cast: N.T. Rama Rao Jr., Ram Charan, Ajay Devgn, Alia Bhatt, Shriya Saran, Samuthirakani, Ray Stevenson, Alison Doody, Olivia Morris

Saturday Night (2024)

Saturday Night Live has become a true institution in the television landscape...which would surprise most people involved in the making of the late-night sketch show in 1975. This propulsive dramedy from writer-director Jason Reitman gives us a near-minute-by-minute dramatization of the nail-biting 90 minutes leading up to the show's Oct. 11, 1975 premiere. EW's critic praises Saturday Night as "a wildly entertaining love letter to a night of television that marked a cultural watershed." —K.J.

Where to watch Saturday Night: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Jason Reitman

Cast: Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith, Ella Hunt, Dylan O'Brien, Emily Fairn, Matt Wood, Lamorne Morris, Kim Matula, Finn Wolfhard, Nicholas Braun, Cooper Hoffman, Andrew Barth Feldman, Kaia Gerber, Tommy Dewey, Willem Dafoe, Matthew Rhys, J.K. Simmons

Shiva Baby (2021)

Don't be fooled by the slight, 78-minute runtime or the silliness of the poster: This is one of the most anxiety-inducing films of the decade — intentionally so. In her breakout role, Rachel Sennott plays Danielle, an aimless college student attending a shiva with her parents. While there, she grapples (often hilariously) with a series of awkward interactions, particularly when she spots her sugar daddy and finds out he's married. EW's critic praises Shiva Baby as "blithely ruthless," calling it "a sort of endless festivus of cringe so visceral it borders on body horror." —K.J.

Where to watch Shiva Baby: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: Emma Seligman

Cast: Rachel Sennott, Molly Gordon, Polly Draper, Danny Deferrari, Fred Melamed, Dianna Agron

Spencer (2021)

Spencer is far from the Princess Diana biopic you would expect. Beginning with a title card that reads "A fable from a true tragedy," this psychological drama from Pablo Larraín envisions an emotionally taxing Christmas holiday that Princess Diana spent with the British royal family in 1991. While the holiday took place in real life, the film imagines how Diana may have felt as the pressures of her situation cause her to unravel. Kristen Stewart's Oscar-nominated portrayal of Diana is a genius bit of casting, as she plays into the discomfort of the beloved princess with shocking vulnerability. —K.J.

Where to watch Spencer: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Pablo Larraín

Cast: Kristen Stewart, Timothy Spall, Jack Farthing, Sean Harris, Sally Hawkins

The Squid and the Whale (2005)

This understated domestic dramedy follows a Brooklyn family rocked by an impending divorce. After struggling novelist Frank (Jeff Daniels) and his more successful wife, Joan (Laura Linney), reveal their separation to their kids (Jesse Eisenberg and Owen Kline), everything becomes a battle as the brothers choose sides and the parents try to find a way forward. Writer-director Noah Baumbach excavates his own childhood to tell a story of family strife in all its (sometimes hilarious) messiness. EW's critic calls the film a "caustically funny, awfully sad, pitilessly autobiographical coming-of-age story." —K.J.

Where to watch The Squid and the Whale: Netflix

EW grade: N/A (read the review)

Director: Noah Baumbach

Cast: Jeff Daniels, Laura Linney, Jesse Eisenberg, Owen Kline, William Baldwin, Anna Paquin

The Teachers' Lounge (2023)

After this tense Oscar-nominated German film gets going, it refuses to let up. Carla Nowak (Leonie Benesch) is the bright-eyed new teacher at a school where her fellow educators are trying to uncover the culprit behind multiple thefts from the teachers' lounge. She soon finds herself embroiled in the case when she spots a colleague stealing money, only for that colleague to deflect onto her. The Teachers' Lounge moves with the energy of a thriller, with viewers' anxiety rising the further Carla grapples with mounting pressure. —K.J.

Where to watch The Teachers' Lounge: Netflix

Director: Ilker Çatak

Cast: Leonie Benesch, Michael Klammer, Rafael Stachowiak, Anne-Kathrin Gummich, Eva Löbau

Tick, Tick... BOOM! (2021)

Jonathan Larson was a celebrated composer and playwright most famous for penning the Broadway musical Rent. He also wrote a semi-autobiographical musical based on his life called Tick, Tick...Boom!, which Lin-Manuel Miranda adapted to this well-received musical drama. Andrew Garfield, in an Oscar-nominated turn, stars as Larson, following his struggle to mount a musical while dealing with a tumultuous personal life. "Tick, Tick… Boom!is a totem for the thrills and trials of making art, with all the sacrifices and empathy it requires," EW's critic writes. —K.J.

Where to watch Tick, Tick... BOOM!: Netflix

EW grade: A– (read the review)

Director: Lin-Manuel Miranda

Cast: Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Robin de Jesús, Joshua Henry, Judith Light, Vanessa Hudgens

Triple Frontier (2019)

J.C. Chandor's masculine action riff, about a group of special ops planning a heist in South America, is a stark contrast to his earlier, more patient efforts in 2011's Margin Call, 2013's All Is Lost, or 2014's A Most Violent Year (his masterpiece). While not as thematically strong as those films, Triple Frontier offers a dose of adrenaline that, much like The Strangers, harkens back to a forgotten era of mid-'70s B pictures. "There may be no honor among thieves," EW's critic writes, "butTriple Frontier certainly makes watching them pretty entertaining."—D.G.

Where to watch Triple Frontier: Netflix

EW grade: B (read the review)

Director: J.C. Chandor

Cast: Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam, Pedro Pascal, Garrett Hedlund

Will & Harper (2024)

Will Ferrell and Harper Steele have been close friends since joining Saturday Night Live in the mid-'90s. After Steele came out as a trans woman in 2022, she and Ferrell embarked on a road trip across America so he could get to know her authentic truth and for her own personal journey of self-acceptance. This documentary — hilarious and moving in equal measure — chronicles the trip as Ferrell learns how to be an ally and wield his privilege for good and Steele opens up about her demons and finds catharsis. "Come for the laughs, cameos, and raw emotions," writes EW's critic, "stay for the pitch-perfect theme song co-written and performed byKristen Wiig." —K.J.

Where to watch Will & Harper: Netflix

EW grade: B+ (read the review)

Director: Josh Greenbaum

Cast: Will Ferrell, Harper Steele

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More (2024)

This whimsical anthology film finds auteur director Wes Anderson bringing the stories of Roald Dahl to life. Originally released as four short films in 2023, Netflix has now assembled them all into one collection. The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, which won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short, centers on the titular character's years-long training process to be able to see without his eyes — all so he can cheat at gambling.

Other shorts are The Swan (about the struggles of a bullied boy), The Rat Catcher (about, well, an exterminator of rats), and Poison (about a man who finds a snake in his bed). Anderson's flair for carefully crafted aesthetics is a throughline, as is his love of the art of storytelling. —K.J.

Where to watch The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar and Three More: Netflix

Director: Wes Anderson

Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, Richard Ayoade, Rupert Friend

The Wrong Missy (2020)

On paper, The Wrong Missy is nothing new: David Spade goes on a bad date with Lauren Lapkus, whose name is Missy, and then means to invite a cute girl (Molly Sims), hilariously also named Missy, with him on a company retreat to Hawaii. (No points for guessing which Missy ends up on the trip.) The film coasts by on a general likability, but if not for Lapkus' performance, the story would be lost at sea. She glues the entire enterprise together with a mixture of well-played raunch and genuine pathos, selling the moment and keeping the plot bouncing along to the next joke. —D.G.

Where to watch The Wrong Missy: Netflix

Director: Tyler Spindel

Cast: Lauren Lapkus, David Spade, Molly Sims, Jackie Sandler, Rob Schneider