Looking for something worth watching? With thousands of TV shows and good movies on Netflix to choose from, finding the perfect film on the best streaming service can be a real pain. Luckily, we’ve gone and done some extensive research for you and found the best Netflix movies to stream right now.
If you’re looking for films to watch on other platforms, we’ve also found the best Amazon Prime movies, best Disney+ movies, and best Hulu movies for April 2021.
Mank (2020)
With more Oscar nominations in 2021 than any other film, Mank holds 10 nominations and is a film feat of historic proportions. Herman J. (Mank) Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman) is given a deadline to finish the screenplay for Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane, and must also deal with old Hollywood politics, corruption, and debilitating alcoholism. Filmed in a style reminiscent of the classic Welles films, this film goes above and beyond its goals, and is destined to be one of David Fincher’s best films to date. Nominated for best actor in a leading role, best actress in a supporting role, best directing, best original score, production design, sound, costume design, cinematography, and makeup and hairstyling, some say this film is a shoo-in for best picture, for which it was also nominated.
Director: David Fincher
Main Cast: Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins
Runtime: 131 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.0
The Dark Knight (2008)
In the second and most successful of the series and one of the best Christopher Nolan films ever, The Dark Knight is renowned as a dark tale that makes you question what side you are on, or if there even are sides. Batman, Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman), and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) have kept crime in Gotham to an all-time low with their un-tainted service of justice. This provides Bruce Wayne with the idea that retirement and a happy life with Rachel might be attainable until a new enemy bent on absolute chaos, The Joker (Heath Ledger), flips everything on its head.
Director: Christopher Nolan
Main Cast: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart
Runtime: 152 minutes
IMDb Rating: 9.0
The Departed (2006)
An Irish gang in Boston led by notorious Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson) is infiltrated by an undercover cop, William Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio), while the very same police department has a mole of its own named Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon). The two infiltrators must do what they can to remain undiscovered, all the while looking to expose their counterparts. Based on the very real Boston Winter Hill Gang, this movie loosely re-tells the tales of Irish-American crime lord Whitey Bulger and his accomplice in the FBI, John Connolly, who was instrumental in the evasion of Bulger’s arrest for many years.
Director: Martin Scorsese
Main Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson
Runtime: 151 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.5
Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Played by the charming, previous bad boy of Hollywood, Robert Downey Jr., we witness a re-imagining of the age-old character, Sherlock Holmes. In a much more modern entertainment fashion, Holmes and Watson are not the mild-mannered detectives we know them to be, instead, this Holmes predicts the events of fistfights by searching for open pressure points, blocking, jabbing, and defeating enemies using his superior and quick intellect.
Director: Guy Ritchie
Main Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams
Runtime: 128 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.6
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
One of the best war movies of all time, Saving Private Ryan begins the story on the bloody beaches of Normandy, immediately informing the audience what they are in for. When Captain John Miller (Tom Hanks) is given a mission to relieve a certain Private Ryan (whose 3 brothers had been killed in combat) from duty, he must take his soldiers behind enemy lines and brave the bulk of German forces. Loosely based on a true story, this movie takes us on multiple separate storylines that bring us into the distress experienced by the young men who served for us.
Director: Steven Spielberg
Main Cast: Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Tom Sizemore
Runtime: 169 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.6
What Happened to Monday (2017)
Jumping forward to the future: What Happened to Monday is set in a society with a strict one-child policy, which is enforced by an armed and dangerous federation army. A group of identical septuplets (Noomi Rapace) attempt to live a single life as one, all assigned to and named after a day of the week. When Monday suddenly goes missing, it’s up to the rest of the family to find her and stay alive.
Director: Tommy Wirkola
Main Cast: Noomi Rapace, Glenn Close, Willem Dafoe
Runtime: 123 minutes
IMDb Rating: 6.9
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond – Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton (2017)
This incredibly powerful and reality-bending Netflix documentary chronicles the filming and acting processes behind the film Man on the Moon, where Jim Carrey delves deeply into his own psyche years after his spiritual and mental separation from the “character” of Jim Carrey and into the characters Andy Kaufman and Tony Clifton. Throughout this film, we see hours and hours of behind-the-scenes footage on set, where Carrey (Kaufman) loses his perception of self and even experiences visceral, tear-jerking moments with the real people who were close to Kaufman. This film is one of the best Jim Carrey movies to learn about him as an actor, a character, and a vessel, all of which become ambiguously melded together in a somewhat melancholic showing of sheer talent and wavering identity.
Directors: Chris Smith
Main Cast: Jim Carrey, Danny DeVito, Milos Forman
Runtime: 94 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.7
Superbad (2007)
A crude and endlessly classic comedy, Superbad is probably the most popular work of comedy produced by writers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg in their prime. Two sexually obsessed high school students Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) and their strange friend Fogel (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), are not the coolest in school, but when they get a chance to supply a party with alcohol, every inconvenience imaginable will stand in their way. Written at a very young age (and refined at a later date) about their own personal high school experience, this is a fine story describing how and where Rogen and Goldberg undoubtedly developed their sense of humor as the not-so-cool kids.
Directors: Greg Mottola
Main Cast: Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
Runtime: 113 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.6
Dances with Wolves (1990)
Dramatic, intense, and long-winded, Dances with Wolves is a western-style civil war epic that is definitely worth the watch. When a civil war lieutenant, John Dunbar (Kevin Costner) sees the tragedies of war and the destruction that his people cause, and he chooses to live out his life with a tribe of Lakota Native Americans.
Director: Kevin Costner
Main Cast: Kevin Costner, Mary McDonnell, Graham Greene
Runtime: 181 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.0
Uncut Gems (2019)
Another Safdie brothers treasure, Uncut Gems is an emotional and gritty thriller starring the unlikely Adam Sandler, who shines in a new genre of torrential anxiety. With a legendary score designed to keep the audience’s rapt attention, we follow a crafty, talkative jeweler through the streets of New York as he attempts to win big, or else lose it all.
Director: Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie
Main Cast: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Idina Menzel
Runtime: 135 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.4
The Irishman (2019)
This story follows Frank “The Irishman” Sheeran (Robert De Niro), a former labor union official and hitman as he recalls his past. With an emphasis on the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino), this biographical crime drama is worth a watch.
Director: Martin Scorsese
Main Cast: Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci
Runtime: 210 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.9
Platoon (1986)
In one of the more bleak films on this list, Platoon is a proper adaptation of the many things that can go wrong in the human mind when pushed to the limit. A young man (Charlie Sheen) with a longing for glory enlists in the Vietnam war but quickly realizes the many costs, as his cohort begins to turn on each other for how they respectively treat the locals. As this film progresses, it reveals itself as more of a psychological thriller than a war movie, blurring the lines between good and bad in a scarring way.
Director: Oliver Stone
Main Cast: Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe
Runtime: 120 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.1
Marriage Story (2019)
This Netflix Original movie 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 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
Lawless (2012)
Based on a true story and chock-full of familiarly talented faces, Lawless is an action drama with such powerful performances, you really won’t want to miss it. The three Bondurant brothers who run an underground bootlegging operation are the masters of law and order in Franklin County, Virginia, until a downright wicked lawman (Guy Pearce) shows up and draws first blood, beginning a violent opposition with seemingly no end.
Director: John Hillcoat
Main Cast: Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, Guy Pearce
Runtime: 116 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.3
Hardcore Henry (2015)
Hardcore Henry is one of the most intense and unique action movies on Netflix you’ll ever experience. The plot is fairly straightforward, Henry is resurrected with no memory and he must save his wife from a telekinetic warlord. The movie is shot entirely in the first person, however. Meaning you get to see from the viewpoint of Henry throughout the film.
Director: Ilya Naishuller
Main Cast: Sharlto Copley, Tim Roth, Haley Bennett
Runtime: 96 minutes
IMDb Rating: 6.7
17 Again (2009)
Unlike your standard coming of age story, this film follows the story of a middle-aged man that gets a second chance at his coming of age story. Mike O’Donnell (Matthew Perry) is in the process of feeling ungrateful for his life when he suddenly wakes up to find he’s the 17-year old version of himself (Zac Efron). Naturally, he goes back to high school. This is a feel-good classic and one of the best comedies on Netflix right now.
Directors: Burr Steers
Main cast: Zac Effron, Matthew Perry, Leslie Mann
Runtime: 102 minutes
IMDb Rating: 6.3
Mystery Men (1999)
A ridiculously goofy and spoofy comedy, Mystery Men is perfect for shutting your brain off and maybe having a few laughs. When Champion City’s greatest superhero is captured by a supervillain, a group of idyllic, rag-tag heroes forms to attempt to save him. Full of simple jokes and situational comedy, probably the best part about this movie is the surprising amount of familiar faces that come together to parody a now super-saturated superhero ensemble genre.
Director: Kinka Usher
Main Cast: Ben Stiller, Janeane Garofalo, William H. Macy
Runtime: 121 minutes
IMDb Rating: 6.1
Mr. Right (2015)
Happening upon this underrated movie after a penchant for action and comedy movies collides serendipitously with a love for rom-com. 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: Sam Rockwell, Anna Kendrick, Tim Roth
Runtime: 95 minutes
IMDb Rating: 6.3
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
If you’re looking for a good romantic comedy on Netflix, Always Be My Maybe is a great place to start. The story follows Sasha (Ali Wong) and Marcus (Randall Park), two people who everyone assumed would end up together. After reconnecting after 15 years apart, they begin to think maybe they are meant to be.
Director: Nahnatchka Khan
Main Cast: Ali Wong, Randall Park, James Saito
Runtime: 101 minutes
IMDb Rating: 6.8
The Social Dilemma (2020)
What are the effects of social networks on the human psyche? This Netflix documentary is a terrifying look inside how and why tech giants like Facebook, Twitter, and Google operate in the way they do. You get to hear from tech experts in different fields discussing the negative impact and polarizing nature of these attention-grabbing algorithms they created. You can find more content like this from our list of the best documentaries on Netflix.
Director: Jeff Orlowski
Main cast: Tristan Harris, Jeff Seibert, Bailey Richardson
Runtime: 94 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.9
Batman: The Killing Joke (2016)
If you’re a fan of good animation and voice acting, then this is a solid choice any day of the week. The story follows Batman as he hunts for the escaped Joker, and like a lot of the DC universe, it’s darker than you’d expect. If you’re more interested in TV shows, we’ve also found the best animated series on Netflix right now.
Director: Sam Liu
Main Cast: Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Tara Strong
Runtime: 116 minutes
IMDb Rating: 6.4
Dolemite is My Name (2019)
This comedy follows the true-life story of 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
Total Recall (1990)
If you’re looking to watch more of the classics, this early ’90s film is a great place to start. The story follows Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger), who has been having a recurring dream in which he journeys to Mars. To find out more about this dream, he purchases a holiday at a corporation that deals with memory implants. Naturally, Quaid remembers that he is actually a secret agent and must take down the evil Mars administration. You can also take a look at our list of the best Arnold Schwarzenegger movies for more like this.
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Main Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone, Michael Ironside
Runtime: 113 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.5
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 (Charlie Cox), 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
Django Unchained (2012)
A German bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) 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
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 Sci-Fi movie 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
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
This classic 1970s British comedy from Monty Python, considered to be one of the best comedies of all time, follows King Arthur (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 their quest for greatness.
Directors: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
Main cast: Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle
Runtime: 92 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.2
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, then dive into the world of Scott Pilgrim.
Director: Edgar Wright
Main Cast: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin
Runtime:112 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.5
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Characteristic of Kubrick’s films, this is one that you may only want to watch once. Shocking and visceral, A Clockwork Orange details the happenings of a gang in the future led by a sociopathic madman. When the leader Alex (Malcolm McDowell) gets imprisoned for one of his many terrible acts, he goes through with experimental therapy to accelerate his release, What he doesn’t realize is how this method will affect him after the fact.
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Main Cast: Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Michael Bates
Runtime: 136 minutes
IMDb Rating: 8.3
Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
Stranger Than Fiction is one of Will Ferrell‘s more serious roles, but it still works as a comedy. The story follows IRS auditor Harold Crick as he goes about his life, only to be suddenly afflicted by narration just he can hear. Life only gets worse for him as the narration begins to affect his work, love life, and potential death.
Director: Marc Foster
Main Cast: Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman
Runtime: 113 minutes
IMDb Rating: 7.5
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