Navigating Netflix’s movie catalog is no easy task. With thousands of titles to choose from, finding the perfect film to stream could take longer than actually watching it. We’ve done some extensive searching for you and found the best movies on Netflix while you’re stuck inside.
If you’re looking for films to stream on other platforms, we’ve gone ahead and found the best Amazon Prime movies and Hulu movies for July to help you expand your cinematic horizons.
Stardust (2007)
If you find yourself in need of some fantasy action and romance, Stardust delivers all that and more. The plot follows Tristan Thorn, a young man living in a small countryside bordering a magical land. After professing his love for the village beauty, he sets out on a quest into the magical kingdom to retrieve a fallen star for her. But when he finds out the fallen star isn’t just some lump of rock, things get complicated.
Director: Matthew Vaughn
Main Cast: Charlie Cox, Claire Danes, Mark Strong, Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer
Runtime: 132 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.2
V for Vendetta (2012)
While this movie takes place in a fictional dystopia, the main themes are eerily relevant to what’s happening in the world right now. In the Year 2032, the united kingdom is under the tyrannical rule of the Norsefire Party. Those who oppose the government are killed, and the “truth” has become a weapon to control the people. The film follows a shadowy freedom fighter that goes by “V” as he plots to overthrow a tyrannical regime. Don’t be fooled by the flashy action scenes, however, the true purpose of V for Vendetta is to give us a terrifying look at what can happen if a government falls under fascist rule.
Looking for more like this? We’ve also made a list of the best social justice movies.
Director: James McTeigue
Main Cast: Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, Rupert Graves
Runtime: 132 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.2
The Irishman (2019)
Based on historical events, this film follows Frank Sheeran (Robert Deniro) as he recounts his past doing jobs for crime boss Russel Bufalino (Joe Pesci). Over the years, Frank becomes close to the infamous teamster, Jimmy Hoffa by becoming his confidante and bodyguard. At over 3 hours, this is one of the longest Netflix Original films you’ll find.
Director: Craig Brewer
Main Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci
Runtime: 209 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.9
Django Unchained (2012)
A German bounty hunter seeks and purchases a slave named Django (Jamie Foxx) to help him track down some men he is after. But after taking them down, Django wishes to seek out his wife and give her the freedom he has found. The bounty hunter offers to help him, and they manage to pinpoint and infiltrate a corrupt plantation owner’s estate where she is currently enslaved. We’ve found even more of the best Quentin Tarantino movies if you’re looking for more like this.
Director: Quentin Tarantino
Main Cast: Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio
Runtime: 116 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.4
13th (2016)
A searing work from Ava DuVernay, 13th shines a Klieg light on a twisted interpretation of the Constitution’s thirteenth amendment. Turns out that the amendment that abolished slavery included a little loophole. It actually permits the practice of slavery in certain contexts, including prison confinement. Taken together with the fact that American prisons are overwhelmingly populated by African-American men, it may be a good idea to have a notepad and a rag next to you as you watch this film: one to take down choice phrases for inclusion in a strongly worded letter to your congressman, the other to chew on as the injustice gets your blood boiling. As one of the best documentaries on Netflix, this is worth your time.
Director: Ava DuVernay
Total Runtime: 100 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.2
Back to the Future (1985)
This classic time-travel movie follows 17-year old highschool student Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) as he accidentally embarks on a journey 30 years in the past. With the help of an eccentric doctor, he must find a way back to the future without causing too much damage to his own life in the past. We’ve also found other sci-fi movies on Netflix if you’re looking for more like this.
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Main Cast: Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson
Runtime: 165 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.5
Marriage Story (2019)
This Netflix Original is a beautiful look into just how complicated marriage and family can be, dissecting a husband and wife in the middle of a divorce. But Marriage Story isn’t all doom and gloom, it’s an emotional story that shows that divorce between a husband and wife doesn’t have to mean the family can’t stay together.
Director: Noah Baumbach
Main Cast: Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson
Runtime: 137 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.0
Snowpiercer (2013)
Oscar-winning director Bong Joon Ho is well-known for his most recent film, Parasite, but his body of work expands much further. Snowpiercer boasts one of the most unique premises: the entire film taking place on a train that holds the last of the world’s survivors after a failed climate-change experiment. If you’re thinking it looks like Captain America on a snow train, you aren’t terribly far off.
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Main cast: Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, Tilda Swinton
Runtime: 126 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.1
Dolemite is My Name (2019)
This comedy follows Rudy Ray Moore (Eddie Murphy), a washed-up musician who transforms himself into a cult star. Dolemite is My Name is unlike any Eddie Murphy you may have seen but his top-notch performance will still have you laughing in this dramedy.
Director: Craig Brewer
Main Cast: Eddie Murphy, Wesley Snipes, Keegan-Michael Key
Runtime: 90 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.3
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
This romantic comedy follows former teacher Pat Solitano (Bradley Cooper) as he tries to come back from a stint in a mental institution. As he struggles to reconcile with his ex-wife things get even more complicated when he meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a girl with many issues of her own.
Director: David O. Russell
Main Cast: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro
Runtime: 122 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.7
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
Based on the novel written by Chbozky, this coming of age story follows a 15-year-old boy named Charlie (Logan Lerman). He’s an endearing outsider struggling to cope with love, his best friend’s suicide, and his own mental illness when two seniors decide to welcome him into their group. Charlie is quickly introduced to the real world by his new group of older students, and he begins to realize just how naive he is.
Director: Stephen Chbozky
Main Cast: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd
Runtime: 103 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.0
Ex Machina (2014)
This mind-bending sci-fi movie brings an up-and-coming computer programmer (Domhall Gleeson) to the remote home of his boss (Oscar Isaac) to assist in a ground-breaking A.I. (artificial intelligence) experiment: Observing a synthetic humanoid (Alicia Vikander) perform a series of evaluations to test just how human she is.
Director: Alex Garland
Main Cast: Alicia Vikander, Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac
Runtime: 108 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.7
Inglourious Basterds (2009)
Like any Quentin Tarantino film, Inglourious Basterds is just as bloody and violent as you’d expect. Taking place in German-occupied France during World War II, the story follows a group of Jewish U.S. soldiers led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) as they execute their plan to assassinate Nazi leaders. Inglourious Basterds is also one of our top picks for the best action movies on Netflix.
Director/Writer: Quentin Tarantino
Main Cast: Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Diane Krueger, Michael Fassbender
Runtime: 153 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.3
Mountain (2017)
This Australian documentary film explores some of the highest peaks around the world and our relationship with them as humans. Overall, it is very visually thrilling and offers a look at man’s relationship with natural wonders like you’ve never seen before. Out of the many travel shows on Netflix, this one especially will help give you that feeling of being outside again.
Director: Jenifer Peedom
Narrator: Willem Dafoe
Runtime: 74 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.2
The Evil Dead (1981)
The Evil Dead is one of those classic horror films that has helped shape the entire genre. The story follows 5 college students heading out to a peaceful and remote cabin for a little rest and relaxation. But when an audio tape is discovered, an evil power gets released and begins to take them out one by one. If you’re looking for more movies like this, we’ve also made a list of the best ‘8os action movies to help you out.
Director: Sam Raimi
Main Cast: Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard Demanincor
Runtime: 85 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.5
A Silent Voice (2016)
This anime drama follows a young man who becomes the outcast of his class after bullying a deaf girl until she moved away. After years of regret and being bullied himself, he decides to set off on an epic journey of redemption.
Director: Naoko Yamada
Main Cast: Miyu Irino, Saori Hayami, Aoi Yûki
Runtime: 130 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.2
Looking for more like this? We’ve also found the best anime series on Netflix right now.
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
This classic movie set in 1936 follows archaeologist and adventurer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) after he has been hired to find a precious artifact: The Ark of the Covenant. He is faced with a series of unexpected trials on his way as he races to reach the Ark before Nazis can obtain its awesome powers.
Director: Steven Spielberg
Main Cast: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman
Runtime: 115 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.4
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
This classic British comedy from Monty Python follows King Arther (Graham Chapman) and his Knights of the Round Table as they embark on a low-budget and absolutely absurd search for the holy grail. Comedy ensues as this medieval group of soldiers encounters a plethora of silly obstacles in there quest for greatness.
Directors: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
Main cast: The cast of the Monty Python show
Runtime: 92 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.2
Mr. Right (2015)
Mr. Right is fun throughout the entire film, and Sam Rockwell is an absolute treasure. The story follows a woman (Anna Kendrick) who is just coming out of a bad break-up. She meets a man who appears to be perfect for her in every way, but as it turns out, he’s a former hitman. This action movie is one of the best on Netflix if you don’t mind some ridiculousness.
Director: Paco Cabezas
Main Cast: Anna Kendrick, Sam Rockwell, Tim Roth
Runtime: 95 minutes
IMDb Rating: 6.3
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
This action-comedy is unlike any other. Faced with the prospect of new love, Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) must face his new girlfriend’s seven evil exes in battle in an effort to win her heart. If you like witty comedies with a dash of action and comedy, then dive into the world of Scott Pilgrim.
Director: Edgar Wright
Main Cast: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Ward, Kieran Culkin
Runtime:112 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.5
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
As far as animated Marvel movies go, Spider-Verse is at the top of every list. In a string of parallel universes, teenager Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) finds himself becoming Spider-Man. Aided by the Spider-Men — and woman — from other timelines, he must learn to be more like Peter Parker.
Directors: Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey
Main cast: Shameik Moore, Jake Johnson, Hailee Steinfeld
Runtime: 116 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.4
Drive (2011)
This action drama follows a mysterious man (Ryan Gosling) who has had a slew of odd jobs as a garage mechanic, Hollywood stuntman, and getaway driver. Though he seems to be running from his past, he ends up falling for his neighbor (Carey Mulligan) and getting tangled up in a race supported by gangland money.
Director: Nicholas Winding Refn
Main Cast: Ryan Gosling, Carrey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston
Runtime: 95 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.8
9 (2009)
9 was one of those underrated Netflix movies I’d never heard of until someone told me how underrated it was. And after watching it, I wondered how it was possible I never knew it existed. In a world destroyed in a war between man and machine, a hand-stitched doll with the number 9 written on it comes back to life. As the doll tries to decipher the world around him, he finds that he may be one of the last hopes for man’s salvation.
Director: Shane Acker
Main Cast: Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, Crispin Glover
Runtime: 79 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.1
Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018)
The second installment in the Ant-Man series takes place in the aftermath of Captain America: Civil War. As he struggles to bring balance back to his life, Scott Lang must put the suit back on once again to fight side by side with The Wasp.
Director: Peyton Reed
Main Cast: Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Peña
Runtime: 125 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.1
Sin City (2005)
Based on Frank Miller’s popular comics, this film follows four tales of crime. A muscular brute looking for the person responsible for the death of his gal, a man who decides to take law enforcement into his own hands, a cop who risks his life to protect a girl, and a hitman looking for cash. The black and white atmosphere provides that nice noir feel, but the rest is all action.
Directors: Frank Miller, Robert Rodriguez
Main Cast: Mickey Rourke, Clive Owen, Bruce Willis
Runtime: 147 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.0
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