Which are the best Netflix movies to be watching right now?
We know how you feel! When you really want to watch a great movie but have absolutely no idea what to pick!
Wouldn’t a list of 50 awesome films come in really handy right about now?
Well, that’s exactly what we’ve put together for you… a list of the 50 best movies on Netflix right now, so all you have to do is choose a film, whack on the TV and sit back and relax.
Enjoy!
The 50 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now
The films and figures mentioned below have been compiled from various sources around the web, such as Ranker.com & IMDB.
These are the 50 best movies on Netflix right now:
50. The 40-Year-Old Virgin
Released in 2005, directed by Judd Apatow and grossing over $177 million dollars worldwide, this hilarious “sexual” comedy is about exactly what it says on the tin! Andy Stitzer, played by Steve Carell, is a 40-year old virgin working at his local electronics store.
Some of his close friends, played by Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd, try to relieve him of his 40-year burden by giving him some contradictory advice and setting him up on a series of awkward dates.
It’s comical gold and worth a watch!
49. About A Boy
Another great romantic comedy-drama, starring Hugh Grant, Nicholas Hoult, Toni Collette, and Rachel Weisz. Released in 2002 by Universal Pictures.
About a Boy follows the story of Marcus Brewer, a 12-year-old boy with a troubled life, and Will Freeman, a single thirty-eight-year-old bachelor who’s never worked a day in his life, living comfortably instead off the royalties from a song written by his deceased father.
They go on to form a friendship and find relatable similarities between their lives.
48. Amy
If you like Amy Winehouse then this is the film for you. Amy, released in 2015 and directed by Asif Kapadia, is a British documentary film about Amy Winehouse, that portrays her happy and tragic life throughout her career.
It documents what her teen years were like and her struggle with substance abuse, both during and after her career rocketed.
The film went on to become the highest-grossing British documentary of all time.
47. Hellboy
Loosely based on Dark Horse Comics graphic novel Hellboy: Seed of Destruction, the 2004 box office superhero film follows the journey of a semi-demonic creature, Hellboy, on his quest to use his powers to protect the world from paranormal threats and evil psychopaths.
Trevor Brutternholm, Liz Sherman & John Myers were amongst the cast, and the film went on to gross a cumulative worldwide figure of $99.4 million dollars.
46. Incredibles 2
By far one of the best family fun movies on Netflix, Incredibles 2, the sequel to 2004’s, Incredibles; is a computer-animated superhero film that follows a “superhuman” family that tries to restore the public’s trust in superheroes.
The cast includes Samuel L. Jackson (Lucious Best, Frozone), Craig T. Nelson (Mr. Incredible), Holly Hunter (Elastigirl) & many more. It was produced by Pixar Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Pictures.
45. Pretty In Pink
An 80’s classic, Pretty In Pink, released in 1986 and revived again in 2017, is an American romantic comedy telling the story of a young, not-so-popular girl, finding herself in the position of having to choose between her childhood sweetheart or the new rich guy.
Directed by Howard Deutch, produced by Lauren Shuler Donner, and written by John Hughes, the film received great reviews by critics and the soundtrack was rated as one of the best in modern cinema.
44. The Silence of the Lambs
A cannibalistic serial killer, Hanibal Lector, is hired by the FBI to help solve and apprehend a new serial killer, known as “Buffalo Bill”, who skins his victim’s corpses.
The film was released in 1991 and stars Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn and Ted Levine. With a $19 million dollar budget, the film surpassed expectations, grossing $272 million dollars and winning multiple academy awards in all the top five categories.
This is an absolute “must” watch if you ask us!
43. Pulp Fiction
Tarantino fan? If so, you’re going to love this one.
Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino, this 90’s classic American crime film stars actors John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis and actress Uma Thurman. Pulp Fiction tells numerous stores of crime in Los Angeles and is filled with tales of violence.
From hitmen to gangsters, to bandits and redemption, this film rightfully deserves its place in our top 50!
42. Zodiac
Directed by David Fincher and starring actors like Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Robert Downey Jr; Zodiac tells the story of the Zodiac Killer.
A serial killer who operated in the San Francisco Bay area in the late 1960’s early 1970’s. This is based on a true story, which is still unsolved to this day!
The film received positive reviews, grossed over $84 million dollars and was nominated for several awards. In 2016 it was voted 12th out of 100 films considered to be the best of the 21st century, by 117 global film critics.
41. Jaws
Based on Peter Benchley’s 1974 novel, directed by Steven Spielberg and released in 1975, the American thriller film went on to become one of the worlds most iconic films.
A tale of man vs beast, when a killer great white shark decides to unleash carnage on unsuspecting beachgoers, a marine biologist is forced to take matters into his own hands. Considered one of the greatest films ever, Jaws was the highest grossing film of all time until Star Wars was released.
40. District 9
District 9, written by Terri Tatchell and Blomkamp and produced by Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, is a science fiction action film starring Sharlto Copley, Jason Cope, and David James.
Originally an adaptation of Blomkamp’s 2006 short film, Alive in Johannesburg, District 9 tells a story of a battle between the human race, aliens and corrupt governments.
A great action movie if we do say so ourselves!
39. Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie and Clyde is a 1967 American biographical crime film starring Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway. The couple fall in love and together start committing acts of violent crime across the country. Their crime spree continues to get bigger and better, becoming more violent each time. Fate plays a key part in the dramatic ending!
The film went on to receive Academy Awards for the best-supporting-actress and best cinematography.
38. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Imagine being in a long relationship, erasing each other’s memory and starting over again! Well, that’s exactly what happens in this film.
Released in 2004, the American romantic science fiction comedy-drama, starring Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Mark Ruffalo, Elijah Wood, Kirsten Dunst, and Tom Wilkinson, grossed over $70 million dollars worldwide and won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
37. Boyhood
In this 2014 American drama, you’ll witness what it’s like to grow up as a boy from the age of six to eighteen. Filmed over 12 years, Mason (Ellar Coltrane) shows the audience what life is like from early childhood to arriving at college. Boyhood was written and directed by Richard Linklater, and starring Patricia Arquette, Lorelei Linklater, and Ethan Hawke.
It was nominated for 5 Golden Globe Awards and won Best Motion Picture – Drama, Best Director, and Best Supporting Actress.
36. Hot Fuzz
Like Shaun of the Dead? Hot Fuzz was written by Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg and stars the third leg of the comedic tripod, Nick Frost. Pegg and Frost play police officers that are trying to solve a series of murders in a small town with a dark secret.
In only nine weeks, the film earned almost twice the amount that ‘Shaun of the Dead’ made in the US, grossing $80.5 million dollars worldwide.
A great film for a lazy afternoon!
35. Ex Machina
With a $15 million dollar budget and grossing over $36 million dollars worldwide; this 2014 science fiction psychological thriller won an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and several other BAFTA awards.
A young programmer is selected to participate in a revolutionary experiment in synthetic intelligence and the evaluation of a highly advanced humanoid robot.
Ex Machina was written and directed by Alex Garland and stars Alicia Vikander, Domhnall Gleeson and Oscar Isaac.
34. Miami Vice
Based on the 1980’s TV action/drama, Miami Vice stars Jamie Foxx as Tubbs and Colin Farrell as Crockett, two Miami detectives that go undercover and end up getting themselves involved with a notorious arms dealer and drug trafficker.
The film was released in 2006 and was named the 95th best action film of all time in a 2014 Time Out Poll of film critics, directors, actors and stunt actors.
33. She’s Gotta Have It
Written, edited and directed by Spike Lee, She’s Gotta Have It is an American black and white comedy-drama that received great praise by critics and audiences upon its release.
$7.1 million dollars later, it’s still an enjoyable and engaging film to watch. Starring Tracy Camilla Johns, Tommy Redmond Hicks and John Canada Terrell, the story tells of a young woman juggling her three lovers whilst refusing to commit to any of them.
32. No Country for Old Men
Following a Texas welder and a Vietnam War Veteran in the 1980 desert landscape of West Texas, violence and carnage become a reality after Llewelyn Moss comes across a drug deal gone wrong and over $2 million dollars in cash.
Starring Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, and Josh Brolin, the 2007 American western crime thriller has won over 76 awards from 109 nominations and was voted the 10th best film of the 21st century in 2016.
31. The Invitation
Directed by Karyn Kusama and written by Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi, The Invitation stars Logan Marshall-Green (Will), Tammy Blanchard (Eden), Emayatzy Corinealdi (Kira) and is an American horror thriller telling a tale of a once loving couple tragically losing their son and separating as a result.
Fast forward a couple of years, they’ve reunited again but on different terms, as one of them has a terrifying agenda!
Released in 2015, the film has amassed an impressive 87% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
30. Street Fight
This film documents Cory bookers campaign against Sharpe James for Mayor of Newark, New Jersey. It follows his journey from door knocking in his early career days to a dramatic and climatical ending, all in the pursuit of his goal to become Mayor.
Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and winner of an Audience Award at the Tribeca Film Festival, Steet Fight is well worth its place in our top 50!
29. Milk
Milk follows the first openly gay person to be elected to public office in California, as a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Harvey Milk, played by actor Sean Penn.
It follows his journey as a gay rights activist and politician and chronicles his personal life and romantic affairs. In its opening weekend, the film made $1.4 million dollars and was featured in the top 10 box office list.
28. Lincoln
Directed and produced by Stephen Spielberg, Lincoln is an American historical drama about the late US president Abraham Lincolns fight to forever ban slavery from the United States. However, time plays a big factor as he must pass the amendment quickly or face objecting states stopping it becoming law.
For his performance as President, Daniel Day-Lewis won an Academy Award for Best Actor.
27. The Aviator
Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, this 2014 American biographical drama, follows billionaire Howard Hughes’s career from the late 1920s to mid-1940s as he worked in the film industry, became a successful producer and began to design and promote aircraft, lead him to become one of the worlds most successful aviation magnates.
The film grossed $214 million dollars at the box office and was nominated for eleven Academy Awards.
26. Annie Hall
Just as good now as it was back then, Annie Hall is a 1977 American romantic comedy starring Diane Keaton and directed by Woody Allen. A forty-year-old twice-divorced Jewish stand-up comic reflects on the downfall of his most recent relationship, with Annie Hall, and reviews the many reasons as to why he dated her in the first place.
Annie received an Academy Award for Best Picture, grossed more than $38 million dollars and is widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all-time.
A must watch!
25. Mustang
Set in a remote Turkish village, Mustang depicts the lives of five young orphan girls that are forced into arranged marriages and a life of immorality; just because of a simple harmless event at the beginning of the film. The five sisters share common values and find ways of getting around the rules opposed on them.
Released in 2015, it’s seen great success, been nominated for countless awards and has a Rotten Tomato rating of 98% out of 98 reviews.
24. Private Life
Following the lives of Richard and Rachel, two middle-aged American writers who desperately want to have a child together; we see the couple’s relationship gradually come under fire as time goes on. Plagued by infertility, the couple tries to maintain their marriage whilst on the never-ending path of assisted reproduction and adoption.
Hilarious and heartwarming at times, the 2018 American comedy-drama is well worth a couple of hours of your time.
23. The Truman Show
The Truman Show is a 1998 American comedy science fiction film written by Andrew Niccol and directed by Peter Weir. The leading role, Truman Burbank is played by Jim Carrey, who’s an insurance salesman that discovers his whole life is actually a reality TV show and decides to try and escape.
Out of 125 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, The Truman Show received 94%.
22. West Side Story
Another award-winning classic, West Side Story is an adaptation of the 1957 Broadway musical and follows the story of two rival New York City gang members that fall in love under difficult circumstances. However, their relationship is tested and their friends disapprove, so the film has a very climactic and heartbreaking ending.
It stars Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno, and George Chakiris and grossed $44.1 million dollars worldwide.
21. The Hurt Locker
What a film! A highly trained bomb disposal team is tasked with disarming bombs in the heat of combat during the Iraq war. When targeted by insurgents, we see the psychological reactions of the soldiers and how well they’re able to tolerate extreme stress. Some even find it addictive!
Written by Mark Boal and directed by Kathryn Bigelow, the film won 6 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best original screenplay.
20. Kill Bill
A former Assasin awakens from a four-year coma, to find out that she had been betrayed by the members of her previous squad. Needless to say, she decides to take her revenge and hunt down and kill each member of the team, with a focus on finding “Bill”, her former lover and assassin squad leader.
Released in 2003, Kill Bill Volume 1 became Quentin Tarantino‘s highest-grossing film up to that point, earning over $180 million dollars. and was placed in Empire Magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Films of All Time.
19. The Fighter
Released in 2010, starring Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Melissa Leo, The Fighter depicts the life of a fledgeling fighter, Micky Ward, trying to break out of his older brothers, Dicky Eklund, shadow, on his way to the world light welterweight title.
The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won Best Supporting Actor (Christian Bale) and Best Supporting Actress (Melissa Leo).
18. Coraline
If you like 3D stop motion animated films, then this might be right up your street! Released in 2009, directed by Henry Selick and based on Neil Gaiman’s 2002 novel of the same name, Coraline is about an 11-year-old girls adventures in another world which she finds through a hidden door in her new house.
Things turn sour, however, and she soon finds herself trapped in an alternate reality. Some of the cast includes Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French. To date, the film has grossed over $124 million dollars worldwide.
17. As Good As It Gets
A hit at the box office, this 1997 romantic comedy-drama film starring Jack Nicholson, follows an obsessive-compulsive novelist, Melvin, who finds his world turned upside down when he is entrusted with looking after a dog from a neighbouring gay artist, and the only waitress that can tolerate his OCD behaviour has to leave work to look after her sick son, meaning Melvin can’t have breakfast anymore.
The film earnt over $314 million dollars worldwide and received Academy Awards for Best Actor & Actress in a Leading Role.
16. 13th
This one’s a real eye-opener. Named after the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution which abolished slavery throughout the United States, 13th takes an in-depth look into the United States Prison System and explores topics of race, justice and mass-incarceration.
Released in 2016 and directed Ava DuVernay, 13th won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Documentary or Nonfiction Special.
15. Heathers
American dark comedy, Heathers, written by Daniel Waters and directed by Michael Lehmann, stars Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, who play a young teen couple drawn to each other after Veronica (Winona Ryder) has had enough of her three best friends, who are all called Heather, and finds solace in sociopath JDs character.
The pair go after her former “clique” and the drama soon escalates. Heathers was ranked number 412 on Empire’s list of “The 500 Greatest Movies of All Time”.
14. Poltergeist
An iconic 1982 American supernatural horror film, Poltergeist is a story about a young family that’s home is haunted by a plethora of demonic ghosts. All is well at the beginning, but things soon turn nasty and the family are terrorised and their youngest daughter is kidnapped.
Directed by Tobe Hooper and starring JoBeth Williams, Craig T. Nelson, Heather O’Rourke, Poltergeist was both a major critical and commercial success, receiving several award nominations and winning the Saturn Award for Best Horror or Thriller Film in 1983.
13. Stripes
Dissatisfied with their jobs and after very little thought, John Winger (Bill Murray) and Russel Ziskey (Harold Ramis) decide to join the army.
The problem is, is that they’re both clearly not solider material, however, to their luck they meet Stella and Louise, who both manage to help keep them on the straight and narrow. Stipes became the 5th most popular 1981 film at the US and Canadian Box office and grossed over $85 million dollars in North America alone!
12. The Wild Bunch
Directed by Sam Peckinpah, this epic American western tells a tale of how the traditional American West is dying and some of its inhabitants, “The Wild Bunch”, aren’t quite ready to go down without a fight, so they decide to take on one last job in Mexico.
After a few twists and turns, the gang end up in a dramatic and brutal gunfight with their enemies. This 1969 American Western is a great one to watch on a Sunday afternoon!
11. Little Women
Based on Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel of the same name, Little Woman is an American family drama film. The story tells of 4 sisters lives, growing up with their father fighting in the American Civil War and their journey to find love and their own destiny in the world.
Starring Winona Ryder, Gabriel Byrne and Trini Alvarado, Little Woman grossed over $50 million dollars and still receives a 91% positive review score on Rotten Tomatoes.
10. A Separation
This dramatic thriller is about an Iranian middle-class couple who separate due to a difference of opinion about living abroad. Simin (Leila Hatami) wants to live abroad for better opportunities for their daughter, whilst Nader (Payman Maadi) refuses to leave as he feels it’s his duty to stay in Iran to look after his father, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.
Written and directed by Asghar Farhadi, A Separation made over $24 million dollars worldwide on an $800,000 dollar budget, making it a box office success. It currently holds a 99% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on 171 reviews.
9. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
It can’t be a top 50 without including a Star Wars film, now can it!
Released in 2017 and written and directed by Rian Johnson, The Last Jedi follows Luke Skywalker’s (Mark Hamill) attempt to teach Rey (Daisy Ridley) the ways of the force, whilst Leia (Carrie Fisher), a former Princess, tries to lead the remaining Resistance fighters away from the First Order.
The Last Jedi became the highest grossing film of 2017, making a reported $1.3 billion dollars worldwide.
8. Under the Skin
Directed and co-written by Jonathan Glazer, Under the Skin is a 2013 science fiction film about an unearthly being that presents itself as a young woman, played by Scarlett Johansson, that preys on innocent men in Scotland.
She lures them into her dimension, strips them down and consumes them. However, she soon starts to look at herself as human and things quickly start to change. The film received multiple award nominations and currently ranks 61st on the BBC’s 100 Greatest Films of the 21st Century list.
7. Quiz Show
1994 American historical film, based on a true story, was produced and directed by Robert Redford; and follows a young idealistic lawyer in the 1950s who discovers that TV Quiz shows are being fixed. Richard Goodwin, the young lawyer, played by Rob Murrow, makes it his mission to uncover more information about what’s going.
His investigation focuses on two show contestants, Herbert Stempel (John Turturro) and Charles Van Doren (Ralph Fiennes). Film critic Roger Ebert gave the film 3 1/2 stars out of four, calling the screenplay “smart, subtle and ruthless. Quiz show currently holds a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
6. Strangers on a Train
Based on the 1950 novel of the same name, Strangers on a Train is an American thriller produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock.
Released in 1951, it’s a story about two strangers that meet on a train. One of whom is a complete psychopath that tries to convince the other that they could help each other out; by murdering someone that the other person wants gone.
However, the two strangers don’t see eye to eye and only one of them ends up going ahead with the plan, eventually blackmailing the other to do the same.
Starring Farley Granger (Guy Haines), Ruth Roman (Anne Morton) & Robert Walker (Bruno Antony), this 1951 classic received mixed reviews upon its release and was nominated for several industry awards.
5. Apollo 13
Into the top 5!! Apollo 13 is an American space docudrama that’s based on the true story of the failed Apollo 13 mission to the moon. Astronauts, Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks), Fred Haise (Bill Paxton) and Jack Swigert (Kevin Bacon) are on their voyage when they suffer major internal damage and things go terribly wrong.
NASA tries to devise a strategy to get the Astronauts home but the probability of a safe return fades fast! It was nominated for 9 Academy Awards, winning Best Film Editing and Best Sound; and grossed over $355 million worldwide during its theatrical releases and was well regarded by its critics.
4. The Departed
Released in 2006, The Departed is a crime-thriller directed by Martin Scorsese and written by William Monahan.
The film features a great cast, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg. It’s about a Mobb Boss planting a mole into the Massachusetts State Police, whilst simultaneously, the police decide to assign an undercover agent to infiltrate the Mobs crew.
The Departed was a massive success and won four Oscars, at the 79th Academy Awards, for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.
3. The Fifth Element
Directed and co-written by Luc Besson and starring Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman and Milla Jovovich, The Fifth Element is ultimately about the survival of the planet, with the responsibility falling on special forces major and taxicab driver, Korben Dallas’s (Bruce Willis) shoulders.
When he meets a young girl in his cab, the pair join forces to track down the stones of the four elements; which are the only things that can protect the planet from the evil entity that’s threating to attack. Earning more than $263 million at the box office on a $90 million budget, the film was a major financial success.
2. Gone Baby Gone
In 2007, Ben Affleck released his directing debut, Gone Baby Gone, a neo-noir crime drama-thriller starring Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan. After a Boston, girl disappears from her home, and the police fail to make any headway on the case, the girls Aunt decided to hire two private investigators.
Faced with a moral dilemma, the pair are forced to make some major decisions that could tear them apart.
Gone Baby Gone grossed a whopping $34.6 million worldwide the film was well-received by critics!
1. Silver Linings Playbook
Silver Linings Playbook is an American romantic comedy-drama written and directed by David O. Russell, released in 2012.
It follows the life of Pat, played by Bradley Cooper, who after serving an 8-month stint in a Maryland Mental institution, for beating up the lover of his wife Nikki and being diagnosed with bipolar disorder, is on a quest to get his life back on track and try to reunite his relationship with Nikki.
However, things don’t quite go to plan, and Pat ends up meeting another woman, Tiffany (Jenifer Lawrence), who actually enhances his life in more ways than one!
The film was a massive success at the box office, grossing over $236 million dollars worldwide and received eight Academy Award nominations!
Summary
We hope you enjoyed our list of the 50 best movies on Netflix right now and we’d be really interested to know if you agree? Let us know in the comments below what your favourite movie is and why. Furthermore, if there’s another great movie on Netflix right now that we didn’t include, let us know!
Here’s a quick recap of the 50 best movies on Netflix right now:
- Silver Linings Playbook
- Gone Baby Gone
- The Fifth Element
- The Departed
- Apollo 13
- Strangers on a Train
- Quiz Show
- Under the Skin
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi
- A Separation
- Little Women
- The Wild Bunch
- Stripes
- Poltergeist
- Heathers
- 13th
- As Good As It Gets
- Coraline
- The Fighter
- Kill Bill
- The Hurt Locker
- West Side Story
- The Truman Show
- Private Life
- Mustang
- Annie Hall
- The Aviator
- Lincoln
- Milk
- Street Fight
- The Invitation
- No Country for Old Men
- She’s Gotta Have It
- Miami Vice
- Ex Machina
- Hot Fuzz
- Boyhood
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind\
- Bonnie and Clyde
- District
- Jaws
- Zodiac
- Pulp Fiction
- The silence of the Lambs
- Pretty In Pink
- Incredibles 2
- Hellboy
- Amy
- About A Boy
- The 40-Year-Old Virgin
