Recently Netflix was the only quality streaming platform. But now the competition becomes more and more unbridled. Amazon is producing more and more interesting Prime Video TV series, and services like Disney + and Apple TV Plus could change your concept of streaming services forever. Especially considering that Netflix recently decided to raise its prices, which could be a good reason to decide not to renew the subscription, at least for now.
If you already have a Netflix membership, you will surely know that there are a lot of mediocre Netflix movies too. If you only have time to watch the best Netflix movies available, don’t waste precious minutes doing tiring searches through everything the Netflix catalog has to offer. You should rather rely directly on our guide.
To make your life easier we have divided more than 40 must-see Netflix movies into categories, which we are sure will satisfy even the most demanding. There is something for all tastes, from Italian Netflix movies to romantic Netflix movies, from comic Netflix movies to Netflix movies for kids and families, passing through Netflix horror movies, Netflix documentaries and Netflix original movies.
It’s great that Netflix keeps their movie catalog up-to-date with recent and award-winning titles. But this constant stream of great Netflix movies also means that many of us waste a lot of time scrolling through all the titles the platform offers.
Often, as you well know, what in psychology is called ‘decision fatigue’ (that is, the dilemma that is imposed on us by the need to choose among many quality contents) only ends up causing a great sense of frustration.
If you really can’t decide which movie to watch on Netflix, we’ve put together a long list of the best Netflix movies currently available for you. You got it right, you can finally say enough to the endless scrolling of the Netflix movies available and the anxiety induced by the fear of having chosen the wrong Netflix movie.
We intend to update the list with the best Netflix movies of the moment at least once a month to ensure that we are always up to date, so that you can easily find the trending content available on Netflix in real time.
Be sure to check our updates from time to time. Unlike TV series, which seem to stay available longer, movies tend to come and go faster. Good fun!
Best Netflix original movies
Here are all the Netflix movies to see among the original content offered by the platform. These are the Netflix movies you can’t miss!
Don’t Look Up
This satirical comedy by Adam McKay sparked a lot of discussion among critics. The cast includes well-respected actors, including Di Caprio, Lawrence, Streep and Blanchett. Furthermore, the subject matter (ie the approach to Earth of a comet that could annihilate humanity) can be interpreted as a rather explicit metaphor on the current historical period, plagued by the consequences of climate change and the pandemic.
The combination of comical, zany and depressing elements makes it nothing short of one of a kind, destabilizing but at the same time fun, slow in its development but not heavy to watch.
The Guilty
In this film the protagonist is a 911 operator, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, engaged in a race against time to save a kidnapped woman. It is a dramatic thriller characterized by a fair amount of tension, unexpected twists and well-researched dialogue. Recommended for all lovers of the genre.
The Chicago Trial 7
If you already know of Aaron Sorkin’s previous works (West Wing – All the President’s Men, The Social Network, Steve Jobs and Molly’s Game) you will know what to expect from this film: great dialogue, some sweetness and very dramatic moments. The Chicago 7 Trial tells the story of the Chicago Seven trial, the group of anti-Vietnam War activists wrongly accused of a conspiracy that would have caused the clash between the protesters and the National Guard on August 28, 1968 in Chicago. The moments of tension are concentrated inside the courtroom, and this film is worth seeing if only for the cast: Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Rylance and Jeremy Strong are the faces you will surely recognize.
The incredible story of the Isle of Roses
The Incredible Story of the Isola delle Rose is an Italian Netflix film that tells the incredible story of the Isola delle Rose, the artificial platform built by the idealist engineer Giorgio Rosa off the coast of Rimini that became the first micronation May 1968.
Story of a wedding
Make sure you’re in the right mood before watching Marriage Story (put simply, avoid it if you’re in the middle of a relationship crisis). This film speaks with sweetness, realism and sensitivity about the failure of a marriage, the consequences and everything in between. This is Noah Baumbach’s latest masterpiece, and the leading actors are Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, whose performance in this film is simply stellar.
Brie Larson fascinated us with her incredible performance in Captain Marvel but, to show us she can do more than just fly and fight the Kree, she shot her first film. Unicorn Store is the title of Brie Larson’s debut as a director, and it’s about a painter who decides to adopt a unicorn. It is an eccentric and bizarre film and, although there are those who unfairly compare it to Captain Marvel, it is a completely different thing. A really nice movie to watch next weekend.
Bird Box
Bird Box is now on everyone’s lips, also for the multitude of dangerous challenges inspired by the film called ‘Bird Box challenge’ that have depopulated on social networks. Sandra Bullock stars in this sci-fi film that follows her and her children as they try to fight mysterious alien creatures that cause mass suicides with just eye contact.
Okja
Okja is a fantastic movie that proves how much Netflix commissions high-quality content. The film is directed by Bong Joon Ho, one of the best directors around, and follows the story of a strange girl and her best friend, a giant animal called Okja. Their friendship is threatened when the CEO of a multinational corporation (played by the superb Tilda Swinton) wants to take Okja to carry out her evil plans. The film can be seen as a manifesto of the animal rights movement, but it is a really enjoyable film that is not heavy at all. At this point, let’s hope Netflix asks for the rights to Snowpiercer, another brilliant Bong Joon Ho film that never got the following he deserves.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs
This anthology of six short films shot by the Coen brothers is set in the Old West of the 19th century, in the years following the American Civil War. Featuring James Franco, Tom Waits and Zoe Kazan, Buster Scruggs’ Ballad quickly goes from sentimentalism and pastoral scenes to more brutal violence.
Annihilation
This film is an example of what we expect to see more often in Netflix content. It is a sci-fi movie with the addition of a brilliant horror touch. Based on the hit book series called Area X Trilogy, the film is about a group of scientists traveling to Area X, a quarantined portion of Earth where very strange things are happening. Natalie Portman’s performance as the lead actress is simply superb.
Rome
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón (also director of Gravity and The Children of Men), Rome is the story of a maid named Cleo who, together with her family, stood up against the social hierarchy and political unrest of the 1970s in Mexico. The film is semi-autobiographical, in fact it is said to have been inspired by the childhood of Cuarón himself. It was widely recognized as one of the best films of 2018, in fact it won two Golden Globes for Best Director and Best Foreign Language Film.
Best Netflix Drama Movies
Are you looking for drama films? Here are all the Netflix movies to watch for lovers of the genre.
It was the hand of God
With La mano di Dio, Sorrentino makes his return to tell the semi-autobiographical story of Fabietto in Naples in the 1980s.
Between the arrival of Diego Maradona and his famous 1986 goal and an unexpected tragedy, the young protagonist finds himself having to grow faster than he would have liked. The characterization of the characters is incredible, as are the dialogues, the photography and the locations chosen for the shooting. If you liked Call me by your name by Guadagnino, this is a film that you can’t miss.
The power of the dog
Dog Power has been called by many the best film of 2021. Widely acclaimed by critics, this slow-moving psychological drama tells the story of an authoritarian breeder (Benedict Cumberbatch) who doesn’t take the arrival of his brother’s new wife very well. (Kirsten Dunst) and her son.
In this film Cumberbatch gives us what can be called one of his best performances ever. The plot is slow, this is undoubted, but it is a masterpiece.
Pieces of a Woman
Pieces of a Woman is a heartbreaking film inspired by an experience lived by the screenwriter and director, who were once married. The protagonist is played by Vanessa Kirby (who you may already know from her role in The Crown), and her grandiose performance in this film earned her a 2021 Oscar nomination for Best Actress in a Leading Role. Pieces of a Woman explores in depth the dramatic consequences a tragic home birth had on her mother. The tension grows from the crude opening scenes and spreads throughout the film, in which the emotional repercussions of the woman, isolated in an abyss of pain, are the protagonists.
But Rainey’s Black Bottom
This film is the film adaptation of August Wilson’s play: thanks to the jaw-dropping sets and period costumes and the enchanting performance by Viola Davis, this is one of the best Netflix original films of the year. The film tells the quarrels, tensions, anecdotes and stories of the members of the band of Ma Rainey, the “Mother of the Blues”. It is decidedly sad, but very profound, and it analyzes the theme of the protection and enhancement of culture.
Django Unchained
Django Unchained is probably the best of Tarantino’s “revised and corrected” historical films (without detracting from Inglourious Basterds and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood). Django Unchained is set in the wild west of the 1800s: Django (Jamie Foxx) is a freed slave who works with Doctor King Schultz, a bounty hunter played by Christoph Waltz. Django’s goal is to save his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), held by landowner Calvin J. Candie (played by a simply amazing DiCaprio).
The Irishman
Non lasciatevi spaventare dalla lunghezza dell’ultimo film di Scorsese. Il film è finito sotto i riflettori anche grazie alla tecnologia all’avanguardia impiegata per il ringiovanimento degli attori, che ha reso possibile per alcuni membri del cast di sembrare più giovani di 30 anni in alcune scene.
Il fatto di vedere De Niro, Pesci e Pacino insieme nello stesso film forse per l’ultima volta dovrebbe essere abbastanza per convincervi a guardare questo epico giallo. Non è all’altezza di capolavori come Quei bravi ragazzi, ma è senz’altro uno dei migliori film attualmente presenti su Netflix.
Based on the book The Irishman: I Killed Jimmy Hoffa by Charles Brandt, the film follows the adventures of WWII veteran Frank Sheeran (played by Robert De Niro) and a hitman who is said to be embroiled in the disappearance of union boss Jimmy Hoffa (played by Al Pacino), a case that still remains unsolved today.
Gone Girl – Liar love
The film is an adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s novel of the same name, and is a suspenseful thriller that will leave you in suspense until the very end. The plot is full of upheavals, and apparently it is about a man in crisis with his wife who one day returns home and discovers that his wife is missing.
Taxi Driver
Martin Scorsese’s smash hit follows a lone veteran (played by Robert DeNiro) who lives in New York and becomes a taxi driver who slowly declines into madness, witnessing the corruption and depravity surrounding him. It is not a light film, but it is a great classic, considered one of the best films of all time.
Best romantic Netflix movies
What movie to watch on Netflix for those looking for one of the best romantic Netflix movies? Here are the best Netflix movies to watch.
Malcolm & Marie
This can perhaps be defined as the best film that was shot during the lockdown: a single location was chosen for all the shots, but this does not affect the final result in any way.
Malcolm (John David Washington) is a successful actor who has just made his directorial debut. Marie (Zendaya) is his partner, and the film’s plot centers on the never-ending quarrel the couple wages upon returning home from the premiere.
During the night the two eviscerate their deepest feelings, unmasking what are the difficulties, frustrations and discomforts of a long-standing relationship that doesn’t work out as well as it might seem at first glance.
Pride and Prejudice
Dear John
This tearful film is based on a Nicholas Sparks novel. It is a romantic war drama, in which Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried play him as a licensed soldier, and she as a college student. When he leaves, it is the letters they exchange that keep their love alive. Swedish director Lasse Hallstrom once again managed to move the audience, this time using the theme of love divided by war.
Best Netflix Comic Movies
Hangover 2
The usual group of friends go to Thailand for Stu’s wedding and wreak havoc. The film begins with the guys waking up in a hangover in a seedy hotel with no idea how they got there. We have to piece together the pieces of what happened overnight before they do and it’s a lot more fun and chilling than you think.
The Wolf of Wall Street
This masterpiece by Martin Scorsese tells the story of broker Jordan Belfort (played by an incredible Leonardo DiCaprio). Opinions on this film are conflicting for the simple fact that according to many it glorifies the shameful behavior of the protagonist when he is at the peak of his career. We advise you to watch it because it objectively leaves you glued to the screen, and it is perhaps the funniest film ever produced by Scorsese.
Best Netflix action movies
From 5 Bloods – Like Brothers
Spike Lee’s debut in the canon of Vietnam War films is unprecedented.
The plot follows the story from the perspective of African Americans, and is about a group of soldiers returning to Vietnam decades after the war ends to find the remains of their squad captain (played in flashbacks by Chadwick Boseman). Along the way they try to find gold buried years and years ago, but they are not alone in this adventure.
American Sniper
The film was awarded an Oscar and was directed by Clint Eastwood. The protagonist, played by Bradley Cooper, is a sharpshooter named Chris Kyle who is in Iraq. The film tells of his life in war and the problematic dynamics of his family, making it not only an action film, but also a dramatic and very emotional one.
Inglourious Basterds
Another great Tarantino classic, with exceptional actors such as Brad Pitt and Christoph Waltz. It is a truly must-see film, in which a Jewish girl living in Nazi-occupied Paris is forced to host the premiere of a Nazi film in her cinema. The stories of the Second World War and the Resistance in France are divided like chapters of a novel and told in a way that is both parodic and poignant. We do not reveal anything else, but trust us and watch it. With Tarantino you are always on the safe side.
Best science fiction Netflix movies
The Adam Project
The Adam Project is one of the most anticipated Netflix movies of the year: in this mix of comedy, action and science fiction, a fighter pilot (Ryan Reynolds) travels through time and reunites with his past self and deceased father to make peace with your past and save the future. Are you confused? Welcome to the club!
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
It is an interactive adventure that gives the viewer full control of the most important decisions to be made during the film, with the possibility to choose between different aspects of the plot. Bandersnatch is the natural evolution of the paranoid representations of technology typical of Black Mirror episodes and of Netflix’s ever-growing interest in interactive content (as evidenced by the release of Minecraft: Story Mode).
The style is the same that distinguishes the other episodes of the Black Mirror series, and nothing is left to chance with the creation of the website of the company Tuckersoft, the company that appears in the episode. However, we do not recommend going to see the site unless you have already seen the film, in order to avoid spoilers.
Interstellar
Interstellar is a true masterpiece, not to be missed even for those who are not fond of the genre. In a dystopian future where the Earth is dying, a man may embark on an intergalactic mission to find a solution … but the cost is his family.
Many of the scientific elements are accurate, and the scenes are realistic and quite believable. In this film, however, there is much more than science fiction. Thanks to the excellent work of director Christopher Nolan and the soundtrack by Hans Zimmer, Interstellar reinterprets the genre by placing at the center of the plot the human aspect, moving and romantic, but also dramatic and brutal.
Best Netflix horror movies
The shadow of fear
Often Netflix surprises us, for example with the acquisition of the rights to this film shortly after the release of the Blu-ray, and we are really happy Netflix immediately added it to the catalog. It is a fantastic horror set in Tehran in the 80s, centered on the vicissitudes of a mother and daughter apparently terrified by strange presences in their apartment. The horror of the film slowly rises but always remains palpable, making it a truly terrifying sight.
It
It is the adaptation of Stephen King’s famous horror novel of the same name. When children start disappearing in Derry, a handful of marginalized kids try to get to the bottom of the matter. Facing their greatest fears, they will find themselves facing It, a shape-shifting being who lives in the sewers and feeds on humans, preferring children, who attracts the likeness of the Pennywise clown. This is the version of It of 2017, moreover on Netflix there is also It – Chapter two of 2019.
The Terror of Silence
It’s a really brilliant horror, directed by Mike Flanagan. It’s about a masked killer who shows up at the home of a girl who lives alone. Said thus, the plot seems to be something seen and reviewed, the novelty is that the girl who is targeted by the killer is deaf. We know the house breaking theme has gotten a little boring, but The Terror of Silence is by no means a conventional film.
Best Netflix documentaries
The Tinder scammer
The Tinder Scammer is one of the most popular feature films on the platform (as well as the luckiest documentary ever to hit Netflix). You probably already know what it’s about: this investigative film is based on the investigations, which lasted months, by the Norwegian newspaper Verdens Gang (Opens in a new tab), brings to the small screen the incredible story of the man who pretended to be a wealthy tycoon of diamonds to lure women to Tinder and rob them of millions of dollars.
Seaspiracy – Does sustainable fishing exist?
Seaspiracy quickly became one of the most popular Netflix documentaries. Director Ali Tabrizi raises audience awareness of the enormous damage caused by the fishing industry, explaining how commercial fishing is the main cause of the destruction of marine ecosystems. The documentary is sometimes difficult to watch, but we recommend it to anyone who wants to become more aware of the purchase and consumption of fish.
Fyre: The biggest party ever
It was supposed to be an exclusive music event on a private island, relentlessly sponsored by social media influencers, but it turned into a real disaster, accompanied by a multitude of legal actions against the organizers. The documentary is all about the things that went wrong, and it’s really well done.
Jim and Andy
Jim Carrey has always been an ‘extreme’ actor, whether it was facial expressions or physical comedy. But nothing has ever matched his performance in Man On The Moon, Andy Kaufman’s biography directed by Milos Foreman. This offbeat documentary features a mix of exclusive interviews and Carey backstory that the production companies didn’t want to release, and talks about what actors need to do to make people laugh.
What Happened, Miss Simone?
This is exclusive Netflix Original content that heartbreakingly represents the life of one of the best singers ever. The highlights are undoubtedly the live performances of Nina Simone, but there are also many unpublished archive footage. The revealing truths about her troubled life are what strikes the most.
This music documentary filmed by Chris Moukarbel follows the private and working life of the famous pop star Lady Gaga during the production of the Joanne album, the promotional tour and her incredible Superbowl show. The documentary is produced by Netflix and Lady Gaga herself, and shows us her intimate side of her, her frailties, her family and the recording of her songs. A documentary that will certainly not leave indifferent even those who are not a big fan of Lady Gaga.
XIII Amendment
Netflix won its first Bafta thanks to this incredible documentary, which talks about racial problems and the American criminal justice system, showing the many injustices that African Americans have suffered. The documentary was shot by Ava DuVernay, the same director of the superb film Selma.
Best Netflix animated movies
Klaus – The secrets of Christmas
In addition to winning BAFTAs, this Christmas film earned Netflix its first Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature. We are not surprised: the story that tells us about the origin of Santa Claus is set in a cold and gloomy Scandinavian city, where a self-centered postman makes an unlikely friendship with a lonely toymaker. We could define this film as a great Christmas classic revisited in a modern and somewhat unexpected, sweet and moving key (without giving up the comic key). The plus? 2D animations are a masterpiece.
The Enchanted City (and other Studio Ghibli films)
Studio Ghibli’s repertoire of animated films for children (but also for adults) is unbeatable, and you can find almost all of them on Netflix. The enchanted city is the one that won the Oscar for the best animated film in 2003, but it is only one of the titles that we recommend you to watch.
Howl’s Moving Castle, My Neighbor Totoro, Porco Rosso and Princess Mononoke are delicate Japanese animation masterpieces, romantic and moving, perfect for adults and children of all ages. If you don’t know what to watch on a family night out, choosing one of the Studio Ghibli films will be sure to hit you!
Shrek
Three Shrek movies are available on Netflix, but it was the first of these (released twenty years ago) to break the hearts of both children and adults thanks to the mature and biting humor and the plot that goes against the grain of the classic stories. Disney of princes and princesses he was once used to.
SpongeBob – Out of the Water
Starring Tom Kenny, Antonio Banderas and Clancy Brown, this film also brings to Netflix all the charm and surreal humor typical of the TV series of the same name. It’s a wacky movie, exactly as you might expect, full of brilliant jokes that make it suitable for an adult audience as well.
The little Prince
It is a truly fascinating French film, a real feast for the eyes. The stop-motion animations are enchanting and the story, based on the much-loved 1943 book written by Antoine de Saint-Exupèry, is truly moving.
Graduated in Foreign Languages ​​and Literatures at the Ca ‘Foscari University of Venice, she is a great lover of cinema, books, cooking and dog lovers.
She has always considered writing the most effective tool for communicating, and writing to provide information, every day, is a source of great satisfaction for her.
It covers a wide variety of topics, from smartphones to technological gadgets for the home, managing the publication of editorial content and coordinating the activities of the editorial staff.
With a somewhat ambivalent personality, he loves traveling as much as spending free time in the tranquility of his home, in the company of his dog and a good book.