Although it’s now only one big player in an even bigger streaming market, Netflix still manages to crank out plenty of stuff to keep its users subscribing. That glut of good movies on Netflix is great if all you want is to never get bored, but it can make it difficult to figure out which things are actually worth your time, and which aren’t. If that’s your goal, we’ve got you covered. This list is a combination of great Netflix original movies, and good movies to watch that Netflix is currently housing on its service, and it even includes a few great Netflix action movies. What unites these movies, though, is that they are the very best Netflix movies currently available.
If you’re looking for films to watch on some of Netflix’s competitors, we’ve also found the best Amazon Prime movies, the best Hulu movies, and the best Disney Plus movies. You can also check out some new Netflix movies at the bottom of this post.
Blackhat (2015)
133m
Genre
Crime, Thriller, Action
Stars
Chris Hemsworth, Tang Wei, Leehom Wang
Directed by
Michael Mann
In spite of his legions of devoted fans, it’s possible that some people still underrate Michael Mann, and that’s especially true when it comes to his most recent output. Blackhat, his 2015 cyber thriller that stars Chris Hemsworth, was a critical and commercial disaster when it was released in 2015. In the years since, though, it has gained a host of devoted followers who think that Mann knew exactly what he was doing when he made this strange, subdued action film. The plot here hardly matters, but there’s definitely plenty of hacking going on, and Hemsworth proves more believable as someone who knows CSS than you might think.
Maestro (2023)
129m
Genre
Drama, Romance, Music
Stars
Carey Mulligan, Bradley Cooper, Matt Bomer
Directed by
Bradley Cooper
Telling the true story of composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein’s marriage to Felicia Montealegre, Maestro is remarkable in part because of how little time it spends on Bernstein’s major accomplishments. Instead, it focuses on the complicated dynamics of his marriage and gives almost equal footing to Montealegre, who struggles to find something real in the most important relationship of her life. Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan star and they give two of the best performances in recent memory. Cooper also directed the film, and does the kind of virtuosic work that makes it hard to question his bona fides.
Athena (2022)
97m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Dali Benssalah, Anthony Bajon, Alexis Manenti
Directed by
Romain Gavras
The opening minutes of Athena are some of the most visceral, astonishing filmmaking you’ll ever see. The film, which is set in France, follows three brothers who have their lives upended after their younger sibling dies. The movie is about radicalism, violence, and police brutality, and it’s about the way those who are disadvantaged often seem doomed to remain that way. It’s also a shockingly well-directed action movie filled with breathtaking sequences that only underscore just how shocking the violence on display often is.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
140m
Genre
Comedy, Crime, Mystery
Stars
Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe
Directed by
Rian Johnson
A sequel to Knives Out, Glass Onion takes everything about that first movie that works and heightens it even more. Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc returns, but this time with a much bigger budget and an even more elaborate puzzle to unwind. Thanks to an all-star cast that includes Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Janelle Monae, and Dave Bautista, Glass Onion manages to distinguish itself from its predecessor in part by satirizing a slightly different type of insanely wealthy person. The reveals are all worth the wait, as are the line deliveries from Craig and the rest of the ensemble.
All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)
147m
Genre
Action, Drama, History, War
Stars
Felix Kammerer, Albrecht Schuch, Aaron Hilmer
Directed by
Edward Berger
Netflix took a fairly big swing on this German-language remake of All Quiet on the Western Front, and it paid off with a truly good movie on Netflix. The movie tells the story of a group of young soldiers who enlist to fight on behalf of Germany and ultimately discover the real toll that war takes on those who have to live their lives in the trenches. It’s stunningly filmed, and one of the best entries in the long line of immersive war movies from recent years. The Oscars agreed, and nominated it for nine total awards, including Best Picture. All Quiet on the Western Front is one of the most enduring war novels ever written, and this 2022 version reminds us how horrific war is, no matter what side you’re on.
Don't Look Up (2021) new
138m
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi
Stars
Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence, Meryl Streep
Directed by
Adam McKay
An over-the-top satire from Adam McKay, Don’t Look Up is worth a watch simply for the insane number of A-list actors in the cast. The film focuses on two nobody astronomers who discover evidence that a giant comet is headed directly toward Earth and have to find a way to get the world to take them seriously before it’s too late. Directly aimed at the climate crisis and the politics surrounding it, the overall tone is over the top and a little obvious, but its mournful ending is undeniably effective.
Mank (2020)
132m
Genre
Drama, History
Stars
Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins
Directed by
David Fincher
With more Academy Award nominations in 2021 than any other film, Mank was bound to be one a good movie to watch from the moment it was first announced. Following Herman J. “Mank” Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman), the film is the story of how the script for Orson Welles’ Citizen Kane came to be. Along the way, we learn about Mank’s debilitating alcoholism, and also the politics of both California and Hollywood, which had a major influence on the script Mank ultimately turned in. Filmed in a style reminiscent of the classic Welles film — which undoubtedly helped it win Oscars for best cinematography and production design — this film is one of David Fincher’s best to date.
Extraction (2020)
116m
Genre
Drama, Action, Thriller
Stars
Chris Hemsworth, Rudhraksh Jaiswal, Randeep Hooda
Directed by
Sam Hargrave
One of the more violent movies you can stream on Netflix, Extraction is also a whole lot of fun. Thanks to its wonderful fight choreography, the film rises above more run-of-the-mill action filmmaking. When mercenary Tyler Rake (Chris Hemsworth) is hired to save an imprisoned warlord’s son, the stakes continue to build gradually as more and more local gunrunners and traffickers learn of the situation. Veteran stunt coordinator/first-time director Sam Hargrave proved with Extraction that he had vision, which easily makes it a contender for one of the best Chris Hemsworth movies — even if you include the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond - Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton (2017)
Genre
Documentary, Comedy
Cast
Jim Carrey, Danny DeVito, Miloš Forman
This powerful and reality-bending Netflix documentary chronicles the filming and acting processes behind Man on the Moon, a movie that forced Jim Carrey to dive deep into his own psyche years after his spiritual and mental separation from the “character” of Jim Carrey and into the characters of Andy Kaufman and Tony Clifton. Throughout this film, we see detailed behind-the-scenes footage of Carrey on set where he, playing Kaufman, loses his perception of self and even experiences visceral tear-jerking moments with the real people who were close to Kaufman. This is one of the best Jim Carrey movies, but it’s also a great way to learn about him as an actor, a character, and a vessel, all of which meld together in a melancholic display of sheer talent.
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
101m
Genre
Romance, Comedy
Stars
Ali Wong, Randall Park, Keanu Reeves
Directed by
Nahnatchka Khan
If you’re looking for a good romantic comedy on Netflix, Always Be My Maybe might be the right place to start. The story follows Sasha (Ali Wong) and Marcus (Randall Park), two people who grew up together and eventually grew apart. Everyone assumed they would end up together, and when they reconnect after 15 years apart, they begin to think maybe they are meant to be, after all. Also, Keanu Reeves shows up playing himself.
The Social Dilemma (2020)
94m
Genre
Documentary, Drama
Stars
Skyler Gisondo, Kara Hayward, Vincent Kartheiser
Directed by
Jeff Orlowski
A Netflix documentary that feels more terrifying every day, The Social Dilemma is a look inside how and why tech giants like Facebook, Twitter, and Google operate the way they do. You get to hear from tech experts and some of the people behind these platforms as they discuss the negative impact of the attention-grabbing algorithms that they themselves created. After all of those testimonials, you might begin to appreciate exactly why everything in modern America feels so broken.
Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)
91m
Genre
Adventure, Comedy, Fantasy
Stars
Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle
Directed by
Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
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. The silly obstacles these knights encounter are numerous, but every one of the movie’s small segments has become beloved in and of itself, and they flow together beautifully.
The Power of the Dog (2021)
127m
Genre
Drama, Western
Stars
Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons
Directed by
Jane Campion
Netflix has yet to take home an Oscar for Best Picture, but The Power of the Dog came pretty close, and is a truly good movie on Netflix. The movie, which tells the story of a repressed cowboy (Benedict Cumberbatch) in 1920s Montana who lashes out at his brother’s new wife (Kirsten Dunst) is immaculately made, and filled with great performances from Cumberbatch, Dunst, and the rest of its ensemble cast. Directed by veteran Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog is a singular vision of male angst, and that’s part of what makes it so endlessly compelling.
tick, tick...BOOM! (2021)
120m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Robin de Jesús
Directed by
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Adapting a musical of the same name, tick, tick…BOOM! tells the story of Jonathan Larson (Andrew Garfield) in the years before he wrote Rent. With sharp direction from Lin-Manuel Miranda and an incredible soundtrack of Larson originals, the movie has more than enough frenetic energy to tell its story of a struggling artist with winsome verve. Andrew Garfield’s incredible central performance is the icing on the cake of this vibrant musical.
The Irishman (2019)
209m
Genre
Crime, Drama, History
Stars
Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Joe Pesci
Directed by
Martin Scorsese
One of many late-period Martin Scorsese masterpieces, The Irishman tells the story of a mid-level gangster (Robert De Niro) who befriends Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino) and ultimately plays a role in his death. In Scorsese’s hands, though, this becomes an examination of the way one man alienates everyone around him, and ultimately finds himself old, friendless, and totally alone, stuck in a nursing home trying to convince everyone that his life as a gangster is worth remembering.
The Disciple (2020)
128m
Genre
Drama, Music
Stars
Aditya Modak, Arun Dravid, Sumitra Bhave
Directed by
Chaitanya Tamhane
Following the story of a dedicated musician (Aditya Modak) in India who begins to question whether he’ll ever achieve the levels of greatness that he’s long aspired to, The Disciple is a beautiful story about what it means to follow your dreams, only to realize that you may never achieve them. In its way, The Disciple is a deeply aching movie about the pursuit of great art, and it’s quietly sorrowful without becoming oppressively bleak.
Da 5 Bloods (2020)
156m
Genre
War, Drama
Stars
Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters
Directed by
Spike Lee
Spike Lee has proven his enduring power with his recent string of successes, and Da 5 Bloods is chief among them. Telling the story of four Black Vietnam veterans who return to the country decades later to uncover a treasure that they buried decades ago, Da 5 Bloods is unafraid of its cinematic touchstones, but is also thrilling in its own right. With a wonderful central performance from Delroy Lindo, Da 5 Bloods is the kind of provocative, thrilling, fun movie we don’t get enough of anymore.
The Wonder (2022)
109m
Genre
Mystery, Thriller, Drama
Stars
Florence Pugh, Kíla Lord Cassidy, Tom Burke
Directed by
Sebastián Lelio
Anytime Florence Pugh signs onto anything it’s probably worth checking out, and that’s definitely true of The Wonder. The movie, which follows an English nurse who is called to Ireland to investigate the case of a young girl who claims she hasn’t eaten in four months, is the kind of slow burn that leaves you immensely satisfied in the end. The mystery at the movie’s center is compelling enough, but The Wonder becomes irresistible when you add a performer like Pugh into the mix.
His House (2020)
93m
Genre
Drama, Horror, Thriller
Stars
Sope Dirisu, Wunmi Mosaku, Matt Smith
Directed by
Remi Weekes
Because of their relatively low budgets, great horror movies to watch can seem to sometimes come out of nowhere. In the case of His House, the movie came from first-time feature Remi Weekes, who chose to tell a story about a pair of South Sudanese refugees who are attempting to resettle in the U.K. The house they move into seems to be haunted, but that’s not the only thing keeping them up at night. What His House is really about is the horrors of the refugee experience and the trauma that these refugees carry with them long after they’ve been resettled.
Roma (2018)
135m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira, Diego Cortina Autrey
Directed by
Alfonso Cuarón
A delicate portrait of a family, and specifically of that family’s housekeeper, Roma is one of the best autobiographical stories a filmmaker has ever told. That’s in part because Alfonso Cuaron is such a master of framing and shot composition, and in part because the script so delicately weaves together political and personal elements. Every performance in Roma is note-perfect, and although the movie is in Spanish, any English-speaking viewer who takes the time to watch it will undoubtedly be swept away by its sweeping visions of one family’s life in Mexico City in the 1970s.
Mudbound (2017)
135m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Jason Mitchell
Directed by
Dee Rees
One of the great Southern epics in recent history, Mudbound tells the story of two families whose lives intertwine in the segregated South ahead of World War I. One of the families is white, and the other is Black. While that may sound like a recipe for carefully calibrated, neutral political stances, Mudbound is anything but, and is all the better for its honest, brutal depiction of what segregation was like in the deep South. Featuring outstanding performances from Carey Mulligan, Mary J. Blige, and the rest of its ensemble cast, Mudbound is a tough sit, but one that is well worth your time.
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
94m
Genre
Drama, Music
Stars
Chadwick Boseman, Viola Davis, Glynn Turman
Directed by
George C. Wolfe
Featuring two volcanic performances from Chadwick Boseman and Viola Davis, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is adapted from a stage play of the same name. The play follows the titular singer and her lead trumpeter as they attempt to record together in 1927. Although the movie is ostensibly about music, it’s really about the persistent problems of race that infuse every fraught interaction between the film’s characters. The direction here is a feat of adaptation, but it knows when to get out of the way so that Boseman and Davis can cook. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom was one of Boseman’s final on-screen performances prior to his death, and it’s a reminder of how fiercely talented he was.
The Killer (2023)
118m
Genre
Crime, Thriller
Stars
Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, Charles Parnell
Directed by
David Fincher
Every David Fincher movie is worth watching, and that’s especially true when he’s operating in the world of crime. The Killer, which is adapted from a graphic novel of the same name, follows a highly competent assassin in the aftermath of a job that he botches. The movie’s conceit, which is that this highly principled assassin fails to follow any of his own rules, makes for a movie that is at turns hilarious and utterly thrilling. The action here is some of the best in Fincher’s entire career, and Michael Fassbender is the ideal partner for this silly, strange thriller that will entertain you from beginning to end.
X (2022)
106m
Genre
Horror, Thriller
Stars
Mia Goth, Martin Henderson, Kid Cudi
Directed by
Ti West
A delightful throwback to the slashers of the 1970s, X tells the story of a group of young people who travel to a remote, rural farmhouse to film a low-budget adult movie. While everything runs smoothly initially, things eventually get pretty grisly when the old couple living there decide to pick them off one by one. X is artfully shot, filled with great performers, and did so well at the box office that it’s already got a prequel and is set to get a sequel as well. It’s definitely one of the best horror movies on Netflix.
Whiplash (2014)
107m
Genre
Drama, Music
Stars
Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser
Directed by
Damien Chazelle
Featuring an Oscar-winning performance from JK Simmons, Whiplash follows a drummer at an elite music school who is pushed past his breaking point by an abusive teacher. In addition to being a great movie about art, Whiplash is written and directed with incredible precision, and Damien Chazelle has proven that the promise he showed here was no accident. Whiplash‘s final moments remain some of the most electric things that have been put on screen since the turn of the century, in part because of the unsettling message they convey to the audience about what has to be sacrificed if you want to be truly great.
What movies are leaving Netflix in May?
May 1
- 13 Going on 30 (2004)
- 27 Dresses (2008)
- 30 Days of Night (2007)
- Above Suspicion (2019)
- Anger Management (2003)
- Annabelle (2014)
- Antz (1998)
- Apollo 13 (1995)
- Beethoven (1992)
- Bird on a Wire (1990)
- Cowboys & Aliens (2011)
- Desperado (1995)
- Down with the King (2021)
- Dumb and Dumber (1994)
- Elvis (2022)
- Erin Brockovich (2000)
- Fletch (1985)
- Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
- How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
- Igor (2008)
- Joker (2019)
- Jurassic Park (1993)
- Jurassic Park III (2001)
- Kindergarten Cop (1990)
- King Kong (2005)
- Legion (2010)
- Love & Basketball (2000)
- Mamma Mia! (2008)
- Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again! (2018)
- Margot at the Wedding (2007)
- Munafik 2 (2018) – Netflix Original removal
- Parenthood (1989)
- Play Misty for Me (1971)
- Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
- Silverado (1985)
- Sincerely Yours, Dhaka (2018)
- Sixteen Candles (1984)
- Soul Surfer (2011)
- Step Brothers (2008)
- Sun Cry Moon (2019)
- Sur Sapata (2019)
- Tammy (2014)
- The ‘Burbs (1989)
- The Change-Up (2011)
- The First Purge (2018)
- The Flintstones (1994)
- The Florida Project (2017)
- The Four Seasons (1981)
- The Glass Castle (2017)
- The Good Shepherd (2006)
- The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997)
- The Other Side of the Mountain (1975)
- The Purge: Election Year (2016)
- The Sting (1973)
- The Yeti Adventures (2018)
- Tom and Jerry (2021)
- Twins (1988)
- Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Too? (2010)
- Underworld: Evolution (2006)
- Vanquish (2021)
- Warrior (2011)
- Whiplash (2014)
- Why Did I Get Married? (2007)
- Zack and Miri Make a Porno (2008)
- Zoom: Academy for Superheroes (2006)
May 2
- Bennett’s War (2019)
- Lady Driver (2019)
- Magic Mike’s Last Dance (2023)
- Roped (2020)
- The Stand at Paxton County (2020)
May 3
- Boys Over Flowers (2009)
- Chris Distefano: Speshy Weshy (2022) – Netflix Original removal
- Iris (2009)
- Survive the Night (2020)
May 4
- Arctic Dogs (2019)
May 6
- In Our Mothers’ Garden (2020)
May 7
- City of God: 10 Years Later (2013)
May 8
- Have You Ever Seen Fireflies? – Theatre Play (1999)
May 9
- Uncut Gems (2019)
May 10
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
May 11
- Illegal Woman (2020)
- St. Vincent (2014)
May 12
- Where The Crawdads Sing (2022)
May 14
- Ahaan (2019)
- Mere Pyare Prime Minister (2019)
- Rencor tatuado (2018)
May 15
- Fifty Shades of Black (2016)
May 16
- I Hear You (2019)
- Long Live the Bonus Family (2022)
- Sleepless Society: Two Pillows & A Lost Soul (2020)
- Sleight (2016)
May 17
- Born in Gaza (2014)
- Born in Syria (2016)
- Dying to Tell (2018) – Netflix Original removal
- Mokalik (2019)
- October 1 (2014)
- Phone Swap (2012)
- The Bridge (2017)
- The CEO (2016)
- The Figurine (2009)
May 18
- Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir (2021)
May 19
- Laerte-se (2017) – Netflix Original removal
- Well-Intended Love (2020)
May 20
- Hating Peter Tatchell (2020)
May 21
- 678 (2009)
- Asmaa (2011)
- Until Midnight (2019)
May 22
- Sam Smith: Love Goes – Live at Abbey Road Studios (2020)
May 23
- Minari (2021)
- The Boxtrolls (2014)
What will the new movies on Netflix be in May?
May 1
- Airport (1970)
- Airport 1975 (1974)
- Airport ’77 (1977)
- Blended (2014)
- Blue Mountain State: The Rise of Thadland (2016)
- Dark Waters (2019)
- Deaw Special: Super Soft Power (2024)
- Down the Rabbit Hole (2024)
- Eat Pray Love (2010)
- Girls Trip (2017)
- Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar (2024)
- Hellboy (2019)
- Hulk (2003)
- Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind (2022)
- Jumanji (1995)
- Liar Liar (1997)
- Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (2008)
- Mortal Kombat (2021)
- Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
- One More Shot (2024)
- Patriots Day (2016)
- Public Enemies (2009)
- Rather (2023)
- Ride Along (2014)
- Shrek (2001)
- Shrek Forever After (2010)
- Starship Troopers (1997)
- The Best Man Holiday (2013)
- The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
- The Equalizer (2014)
- The Gentlemen (2019)
- The Great Wall (2019)
- The Matrix: Resurrections (2021)
- The Nutty Professor (1996)
- The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps (2000)
- The Wedding Planner (2001)
- The Young Victoria (2009)
- Traffic (2000)
- White House Down (2013)
- Woody Woodpecker (2018)
May 2
- Beautiful Rebel (2024)
- Lola (2024)
- Shadow in the Cloud (2020)
May 3
- 2 Hearts (2020)
- Unfrosted (2024)
May 5
- Larva in Mars (2024)
- The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)
May 8
- The Final: Attack on Wembley (2024)
- War Dogs (2016)
May 9
- Mother of the Bride (2024)
- Sing Street (2016)
- The Guardian of the Monarchs (2024)
May 10
- Living with Leopards (2024)
- The Courier (2024)
May 11
- Mark Twain Prize Award: Kevin Hart (2024)
May 15
- Ashley Madison: Sex, Lies & Scandal (2024)
- The Clovehitch Killer (2018)
May 16
- Dumb and Dumber To (2014)
- Upgrade (2018)
May 17
- Open Heart (2023)
- Power (2024)
- Thelma the Unicorn (2024)
May 19
- A Simple Favor (2018)
- Golden Kamuy (2024)
May 23
- El vendedor de ilusiones: El caso Generación Zoe (2024)
- In Good Hands 2 (2024) Netflix Original – Turkish movie sequel
May 24
- Atlas (2024)
- My Oni Girl (2024)
May 25
- Franco Escamilla: Ladies’ Man (2024)
May 28
- Burnt (2015)
May 29
- Bionic (2024)
- Colors of Evil: Red (2024)
- Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult (2024)
May 31
- A Part of You (2024)
- Tòkunbọ̀ (2024)
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