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OK. Deep breath. Let’s do this.
After months of scouring Netflix for the best thrillers, best action flicks, best romantic comedies, best horror movies, best family picks, and more, it’s finally come time for us to narrow down our streaming suggestions to the best of the best. That’s right — it’s superhero sagas vs. biopics vs. war dramas vs. musicals vs. comedies and so much more. This is the ultimate film list for when you have no idea what you want to watch outside of the general concept of an excellent movie.
Without further ado and ranked in no particular order, here are the 22 best movies on Netflix right now.
Netflix has a number of Quentin Tarantino movies at its disposal, but Inglourious Basterds is always our first Tarantino choice. Starring Brad Pitt, Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, Eli Roth, and more, this experiment in revisionist history checks every box on an action movie lover’s list. It’s exciting, hilarious, occasionally overwhelming, and surprisingly prescient. “Oooh, that’s a bingo!”
How to watch: Inglourious Basterds is now streaming on Netflix.
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We are Sex Bob-Omb: 1-2-3-4! Based on Bryan Lee O’Malley’s beloved graphic novel series, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is the favorite we keep coming back to. It’s got great actors: Chris Evans! Anna Kendrick! Brie Larson! Kieran Culkin! Plus, a killer soundtrack, wonderful visual effects, more references than you can count, and some of the best lines ever written. We’re in lesbians.
How to watch: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is now streaming on Netflix.
Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Taxi Driver has become the stick by which all neo-noir thrillers are measured. Set in New York City’s late ’70s decline, the story of Travis Bickle and his fluctuating connection to reality remain a legendary triumph in cinema — not to mention an unnerving, nail-biting meditation on tension just as stressful today as it was upon release.
How to watch: Taxi Driver is now streaming on Netflix.
There’s nothing like Raiders of the Lost Ark. The first installment in the action adventures of Indiana Jones, this Steven Spielberg-directed movie classic chronicles the iconic archaeologist’s exploration into unfriendly territory as he searches for the Ark of the Covenant.
How to watch: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark is now streaming on Netflix.
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The directorial debut of Annihilation‘s Alex Garland, Ex Machina is a sci-fi mystery movie that dodges viewer expectations with remarkable skill. Domhnall Gleeson plays a computer programmer hired by a famous CEO (Oscar Isaac) to evaluate his latest creation: an artificially intelligent robot with strikingly human features (Alicia Vikander).
How to watch: Ex Machina is now streaming on Netflix.
Yes, interpretations of Noah Baumbach’s Academy Award-winning film have varied substantially among audiences. But for the most part, critics agree that the character-driven divorce film saga represents a resonant and important viewpoint in modern relationships. Career-best performances from Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver will turn you into a sobbing puddle so Baumbach’s artful narrative-building can slowly make you whole again.
How to watch: Marriage Story is now streaming on Netflix.
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The first foreign-language film to win an Oscar for Best Director, Alfonso Cuarón’s Roma greets viewers at the intersection of personal reflection and cinematic excellence. The black-and-white film follows indigenous live-in housekeeper Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) as she works for an affluent family in Mexico City, finding a point of humanity that is uniquely memorable.
How to watch: Roma is now streaming on Netflix.
In this Ryan Gosling film staple, a stuntman-turned-getaway driver becomes entangled in a criminal plot that puts the woman he loves (Carey Mulligan) and her husband (Oscar Isaac) at risk. Supporting performances by Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, and Albert Brooks make this an excellent film for lovers of good acting, great driving, and excellent silk jackets.
How to watch: Drive is now streaming on Netflix.
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Also known as The Witch: A New England Folktale, this slow-burn nightmare remains one of the best horror movies in A24 history. Starring a spell-binding Anya-Taylor Joy and one surprisingly sexy goat, The Witch is an intricate tapestry of terror and paranoia worth watching again — and if you haven’t seen it before? God have mercy on your soul.
How to watch: The Witch is now streaming on Netflix.
There are tons of great Monty Python films to pick from (including Life of Brian, which is also streaming on Netflix), but The Holy Grail holds a special place in our hearts. It’s endlessly quotable, stupidly funny, and captures everything that made this comedy team spectacular. Not to mention, it forever changed how we see coconuts, swallows, hamsters, and elderberries.
How to watch: Monty Python and the Holy Grail is now streaming on Netflix.
Directed by Sydney Pollack, this 1982 classic film remains one of the best Dustin Hoffman films ever created. Hoffman stars as Michael Dorsey — a down-on-his-luck actor who transforms himself into the fictitious Dorothy Michaels to land a part on a medical soap opera. With supporting performances by Bill Murray, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, and Geena Davis, Tootsie holds way up.
How to watch: Tootsie is now streaming on Netflix.
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Based on Jenny Han’s novel of the same name, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a defining romantic comedy for the streaming generation. Bask in the chemistry of leads Lana Donor and Noah Centineo. Delight in the drinkable yogurt representation. Consider why you never dressed this well in school. Then, send out your letters and watch the sequel!
How to watch: To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is now streaming on Netflix.
Sergio Leone’s iconic spaghetti western may not be the most action-packed selection on this list, but it’s easily the most timeless film. Starring Clint Eastwood, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly delivers some of the most spectacular shootouts in cinematic history with the sound design to match.
How to watch: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly is now streaming on Netflix.
There are dozens of incredible intergalactic action movies out there — but Neill Blomkamp’s District 9 left an impression we’ll never be able to shake. Sharlto Copley leads as an in-over-his-head bureaucrat who must confront the horrors humans have inflicted on a group of aliens who’ve crash landed on Earth. It’s riveting, exciting, and surprisingly emotional.
How to watch: District 9 is now streaming on Netflix.
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Aaron Sorkin’s moody study of Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg may need some serious updating, but as a matter of viewing, The Social Network is as strong as ever. Taking home Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Score at the 83rd Academy Awards, this movie remains a quintessentially immersive and entertaining experience.
How to watch: The Social Network is now streaming on Netflix.
Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, Train to Busan takes all the worst things about mass transit and mass murder then shoves it into one, action-packed, zombie-ridden journey from hell. As claustrophobic as it is emotional, this tale of survival will haunt you long after the credits roll.
How to watch: Train to Busan is now streaming on Netflix.
Based on Emma Donoghue’s novel of the same name, Room imagines the struggle of a young woman kidnapped as a teenager and then held captive for seven years. Brie Larson’s lead performance earned her an Oscar for Best Actress, while Jacob Tremblay’s supporting role launched his career. Undeniably beautiful, Room is a movie that reflects on motherhood, identity, trauma, survival, and new beginning with indelible grace.
How to watch: Room is now streaming on Netflix.
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There’s crying at movies, and then there’s crying at Moonlight. Written and directed by Barry Jenkins, this low-budget Academy Award Best Picture winner uses the beats of a traditional coming-of-age story to frame a wrenching reflection on identity and abuse that has rightly been called some of the most important in filmmaking history.
How to watch: Moonlight is now streaming on Netflix.
Leave it to the Safdie brothers to create what is easily the most panic-inducing selection on this list. Adam Sandler stars in Uncut Gems as a jeweler and gambling addict who must navigate increasingly slippery circumstances to pay off his debts and save his business from ruin. A breakneck ride that never stops, this is over two hours and seat-grabbing agony that pays off.
How to watch: Uncut Gems is now streaming on Netflix.
Sure, Robert Zemeckis’s time-travel classic has a messy metaphysical philosophy with plot holes that trouble us to this day. But also, it’s freakin’ Back to the Future. Join Doc (Christopher Lloyd) and Marty (Michael J. Fox) for another ride in the iconic DeLorean if you want to relive the magic.
How to watch: Back to the Future is now streaming on Netflix.
Written by Spike Jonze, Her offers a touching exploration of what it means to find love. Starring Joaquin Phoenix as a man who falls for his artificially intelligence virtual assistant (voiced by Scarlett Johansson), this movie hits somewhere between a sci-fi short story and a romantic comedy for the ages. Supporting performances by Amy Adams, Chris Pratt, and more.
How to watch: Her is now streaming on Netflix.
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It may never be possible to fully determine who the “best” Spider-Man is — seriously, we tried — but it’s safe to say Miles Morales exists in a universe all his own. Written by Phil Lord and Rodney Rothman, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is a one-of-a-kind visual and narrative experience that weaves a technicolor web of power and possibility. Plus, ya gotta love Spider-Ham.
How to watch: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is now streaming on Netflix.
Need even more streaming recommendations? Mashable Streaming Guides can help. There you can find:
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