57 Best Movies To Watch On Netflix (Right Now)

Published 07/12/2021, 9:26 AM CDT

via Imago

What are the best movies on Netflix right now? We have listed the 57 best titles that are available on the popular streaming platform.

Netflix is the world’s leading streaming service as it is available in more than 30 countries with its ever-expanding library full of brilliant movies and series. The streaming giant has been offering some of the most iconic titles in the history of the entertainment industry. The popular streaming platform has also created original content in addition to licensed titles. for its subscribers. Thanks to this wide range of various genres, almost anyone can find something to watch. From animes to TV series, from variety shows to Oscar-awarded movies, Netflix has clearly become a solid phenomenon of the last decade.

Thanks to that, we all get to watch our favorite movies on the platform as well. As the streaming giant also shares licensed content, some of the most iconic films ever made are available to stream from time to time. Special movies like these have a timeless nature as we probably watched them numerous times. Some of us probably memorized the quotes from the characters. That’s why we have listed the 57 best movies to watch on Netflix right now. In the list, there are both Netflix Original films and also iconic movies that have become milestones in pop culture.

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Let’s dive in and have a look at the best films on the popular streaming platform.

  • Director: Robert Luketic
  • Genre: Comedy, romance
  • Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Luke Wilson, Selma Blair
  • Summary: A blondie drama queen realizes her potential in law school after breaking up with her boyfriend.
  • Director: Peter Berg
  • Genre: Action, crime, comedy
  • Cast: Mark Wahlberg, Winston Duke, Alan Arkin
  • Summary: Ex-cop Spenser and his solid roommate become a team to hunt criminals.
  • Director: Kyle Newacheck
  • Genre: Action, crime, comedy
  • Cast: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston
  • Summary: Starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, the movie follows a cop and his wife during vacation as they find themselves on the hunt for killing police .
  • Director: Martin Scorsese
  • Genre: Biography, drama, crime
  • Cast: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci
  • Summary: An ex-mafia member tells about his past filled with political conspiracies, brutal murders, and criminal mysteries. The Irishman is not only one of the best movies on Netflix, but it is also one of the longest in the list.
  • Director: Michael Bay
  • Genre: Action, thriller
  • Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Melanie Laurent
  • Summary: Six skilled individuals team up to start over and change their past.
  • Director: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
  • Genre: Action, sci-fi, crime
  • Cast: Jamie Foxx, Dominique Fishback, Joseph Gordon-Levitt
  • Summary: A unique pill gives the user extraordinary powers. To remove it from the streets and find the ones behind it, a band of strange people embarks on a mission.
  • Director: George Clooney
  • Genre: Sci-fi, fantasy, drama
  • Cast: George Clooney, David Oyelevo, Felicity Jones
  • Summary: A lonely scientist tries to warn the astronauts about the conditions of the Earth.
  • Director: Mark Osborne
  • Genre: Animation, adventure, drama
  • Summary: A little girl and her elderly neighbor go on a journey to the world of the Little Prince.
  • Cast: Jeff Bridges, Mackenzie Foy, Rachel McAdams
  • Director: Noah Baumbach
  • Genre: Comedy, romance, drama
  • Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern
  • Summary: A brutally realistic approach to the process of marriage, divorce, and the concept of what it means to be a family. Clearly one of the best movies on Netflix and also Oscars in 2019.
  • Director: Rachel Mason
  • Genre: Documentary, history, biography
  • Cast: Karen Mason, Micah Mason, Barry Mason
  • Summary: An unusual approach to queer history starring Karen, Barry, and Micah Mason.
  • Director: Bonni Cohen, Jon Shenk
  • Genre: Documentary, sports, crime
  • Cast: Gina Nichols, Maggie Nichols, John Nichols
  • Summary: A reporter investigates a sexual scandal in the world of gymnastic sports.

https://youtu.be/N3w_Kr-KlWE

  • Director: Werner Herzog
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Cast: Werner Herzog
  • Summary: An in-depth analysis of the volcanoes on our planet.
  • Director: Alfonso Cuaron
  • Genre: Drama
  • Cast: Marina de Tavira, Yalitza Aparicio, Diego Cortina Autrey
  • Summary: A one-year journey through the life of a maid of a middle-class family in Mexico during the 1970s. The title is one of the best movies on Netflix with its unforgettable narrative style.
  • Director: Susanne Bier
  • Genre: Sci-fi, horror, thriller
  • Cast: Sanda Bullock, John Malkovich, Trevante Rhodes
  • Summary: A paranormal incident cause the world’s population to kill themselves. A mother and her children try to survive in this setting.
  • Director: Sam Hargrave
  • Genre: Action, thriller
  • Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Ryder Lerum, Bryon Lerum
  • Summary: A mercenary goes on a dangerous task to extract a prison.
  • Director: Rachel Lears
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Cast: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Joe Crowley, Cori Bush
  • Summary: A documentary focusing on U.S 2018 election.
  • Director: Beyonce, Ed Burke
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Cast: Beyonce, Joe Brown, Marvin Brown
  • Summary:  An extended look at Beyonce’s performance during Coachella in 2018.
  • Director: Bong Joon Ho
  • Genre: Drama, action, adventure
  • Cast: Tilda Swinton, Seo-hyun Ahn, Paul Dano, Jake Gyllenhaal
  • Summary:  A young girl tries to save her friend which is a huge and fantastic beast from evil companies.
  • Director: Vince Gilligan
  • Genre: Crime, drama, action
  • Cast: Aaron Paul, Jonathan Banks, Matt Jones, Charles Baker
  • Summary: Breaking Bad movie follows Jesse Pinkman, an ex-drug dealer as he tries to escape his past actions.
  • Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
  • Genre: War, drama
  • Cast: Abraham Attah, Emmanuel Affadzi, Ricky Adelayitor
  • Summary: The rocky journey of a child soldier during the civil war taking place in an unknown African nation. The title is one of the best movies on Netflix if you are looking for a realistic approach to war and its brutality.
  • Director: Sean Foley
  • Genre: Comedy, thriller
  • Cast: Julian Barrat, Simon Farnaby, Essie Davis, Steve Coogan
  • Summary: An actor who used to play a detective in a TV series finds himself in a real situation with a crime drama.
  • Director: Zak Hilditch
  • Genre: Crime, horror, drama
  • Cast: Thomas Jane, Dylan Schmid, Molly Parker, Kaitlyn Bernard
  • Summary: A farmer makes schemes to murder his wife with the help of their son. Their actions result in unexpected consequences.
  • Director: Jonathan Hensleigh
  • Genre: Action, drama, adventure
  • Cast: Liam Neeson, Laurence Fishburne, Marcus Thomas, Amber Midthunder
  • Summary: A driver tries to miners in a diamond mine located in a distant place after a collapse takes place.

https://youtu.be/SHEPdMqrWjE

  • Director:  Michael Rianda, Jeff Rowe
  • Genre: Animation, comedy, adventure
  • Cast: Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Abbi Jacobson, Michael Rianda
  • Summary: A very different family becomes the beacon of hope for humanity as they fight against a robot apocalypse.
  • Director: Sabaah Folayan, Damon Davis
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Cast: Mike Brown’s family, friends, and other members of the community
  • Summary: The effects of Mike Brown’s murder on the community and the events that follow.
  • Director: Dee Rees
  • Genre: Drama, war
  • Cast: Jason Mitchell, Jason Clarke, Carey Mulligan, Mary J. Blige
  • Summary: Two men returning from World War II find themselves in a dire situation as racism and post-war affect their lives.
  • Director: Kitao Sakurai
  • Genre: Comedy
  • Cast: Michaela Conlin, Lil Rel Howery, Eric Andre
  • Summary: A chaotic cluster of brutal pranks and strange road trip
  • Director: Susan Johnson
  • Genre: Comedy, drama, romance
  • Cast: Noah Centineo, Janel Parrish, Lana Condor
  • Summary: The unsent letters written by a teenage girl for her ex-boyfriends are revealed. Now she has to figure a way out in this chaos.

https://youtu.be/555oiY9RWM4

  • Director: Tamara Jenkins
  • Genre: Comedy, drama
  • Cast: Paul Giamatti, Gabrielle Reid, Kathryn Hahn
  • Summary: A middle-aged couple goes through multiple tests and fertility treatment processes.
  • Director: Steven Soderbergh
  • Genre: Sports, drama
  • Cast: Andre Holland, Melvin Gregg, Eddie Tavares
  • Summary: A sports agent tries to figure a way out during a very competitive basketball tournament.
  • Director: Gina Prince-Bythewood
  • Genre: Action, adventure, fantasy
  • Cast: Charlize Theron, Matthias Schoenaerts, KiKi Layne
  • Summary: A group of immortal soldiers is revealed and now they are being chased. As they are on the escape they also meet a new member.
  • Director: Harry Bradbeer
  • Genre: Action, crime, adventure
  • Cast: Millie Bobby Brown, Henry Cavill, Sam Claflin
  • Summary: The sister of the world’s famous detective tries to find her mother while also solving the mysteries of a lord.
  • Director: Radha Blank
  • Genre: Drama
  • Cast: Radha Blank, Oswin Benjamin, Peter Kim
  • Summary: An almost forty-year-old woman tries to achieve success and breakthrough in the world of rap and theater.
  • Director: Zack Snyder
  • Genre: Action, horror
  • Cast: Dave Bautista, Ana de la Reguera, Ella Purnell
  • Summary: An ex-fighter plans a heist with a crazy squad to secure millions of dollars from a zombie-infested quarantine zone.
  • Director: Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Cast: Craig Foster, Tom Foster
  • Summary: A film director forms a unique bond with an octopus and discovers the wonders of nature.

https://youtu.be/3s0LTDhqe5A

  • Director: Jeff Orlowski
  • Genre: Drama, documentary
  • Cast: Bailey Richardson, Jeff Seibert, Tristan Harris
  • Summary: The brutal effects of social media and networks on human life are investigated widely in this documentary film.
  • Director: Ava DuVernay
  • Genre: Crime, history, documentary
  • Cast: Melina Abdullah, Cory Booker, Michelle Alexander
  • Summary: The prison and the justice system of the United States of America are unraveled from an extended perspective.
  • Director: George C. Wolfe
  • Genre: Drama, music
  • Cast: Viola Davis, Glynn Turman, Chadwick Boseman
  • Summary: Ma Rainey and her band go into a clash with each other during recording in the 1920s.
  • Director: David Fincher
  • Genre: Biography, drama, comedy
  • Cast: Garry Oldman, Lily Collins, Amanda Seyfried
  • Summary: The brilliant story of screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz unravels as he tries to complete the screenplay of his amazing title, Citizen Kane.
  • Director: Lana Wilson
  • Genre: Documentary, biography, drama
  • Cast: Taylor Swift, Andrea Swift, Scott Swift
  • Summary: The rocky journey of Taylor Swift as she tries to navigate her life in harsh times during her music career.

https://youtu.be/40RsbcFRwNA

  • Director: Brian De Palma
  • Genre: Crime, drama
  • Cast: Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer
  • Summary: A devoted Cuban man climbs the ladder of power and becomes a drug cartel from nobody.
  • Director: Stanley Kubrick
  • Genre: Sci-fi, crime, drama
  • Cast: Malcolm McDowell, Michael Bates, Patrick Magee
  • Summary: A gang leader responsible for brutal crimes is put into an experiment of aversion.
  • Director: Roy Hin Yeung Chow
  • Genre: Action, adventure, fantasy
  • Cast: Louis Koo, Ray Lui, Kai Wang, Justin Cheung
  • Summary: A video game adaptation focusing on the heroes of the far east and its many dynasties.
  • Director: Julia Reichert, Steven Bognar
  • Genre: Documentary
  • Cast: Junming “Jimmy” Wang, Sherrod Brown, Robert Allen
  • Summary: The clash of two distinct cultures clash in a newly opened workplace full of hope, devotion, and intense workload.

https://youtu.be/m36QeKOJ2Fc

  • Director: James Ivory
  • Genre: Romance, drama
  • Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Vanessa Redgrave, Emma Thompson
  • Summary: The adaptation movie follows two sisters trying to find their way in life while figuring out romance and relationships.
  • Director: Jeremy Clapin
  • Genre: Drama, Animation
  • Cast: Hakim Faris, Patrick d’Assumçao, Victoire Du Bois
  • Summary: A hand flees from a laboratory to find where it belongs.
  • Director: Sean Penn
  • Genre: Biography, drama, adventure
  • Summary: Based on a true story, Christopher McCandless leaves everything behind to go on a journey in the wilderness of Alaska.
  • Cast: Emile Hirsch, Vince Vaughn, Catherine Keener

https://youtu.be/XZG1FzyB8DI

  • Director: Matt Thompson
  • Genre: Action, adventure, animation
  • Cast: Channing Tatum, Olivia Munn, Jason Mantzoukas
  • Summary: George Washington gathers his team of patriots with superpowers wielding a variety of different weapons to save America.
  • Director: Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones
  • Genre: Comedy, fantasy
  • Cast: Graham Chapman, Eric Idle, John Cleese
  • Summary: King Arthur and his brave knights go on a strange journey to acquire the Holy Grail.
  • Director: Yance Ford
  • Genre: Crime, documentary
  • Cast: Yance Ford, Kevin Myers, Harvey walker
  • Summary: Filmmaker Yance Ford investigates the death of her African-American brother and records the process in the form of a brilliant documentary.
  • Director: Mike Flanagan
  • Genre: Horror, thriller
  • Cast: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Chiara Aurelia
  • Summary: A couple decides to try new things to make their wedding more exciting. Yet the husband dies and the wife finds herself handcuffed to the bed with no one to break her free. The dead body of her husband along with childhood traumas haunt her.
  • Director: Paul Weitz
  • Genre: Comedy-drama
  • Cast: Kevin Hart, Alfre Woodard, Lil Rel Howery
  • Summary: A single dad who loses her wife during labor tries to grow up his only daughter while learning the fundamentals of the fatherhood
  • Director: Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie
  • Genre: Crime, thriller, drama
  • Cast: Adam Sandler, Idina Manzel, Julia Fox
  • Summary: A jack-of-all-trades jewelry salesman tries to figure out the ways of staying alive as his debts and debt collectors are pursuing him.
  • Director: Barry Jenkins
  • Genre: Drama
  • Cast: Mahershala Ali, Trevante Rhodes, Naomie Harris
  • Summary: The fight of an African-American man as he tries to figure out who he is throughout life and its trivial matters
  • Director: Greta Gerwig
  • Genre: Drama, coming-of-age
  • Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Tracy Letts, Laurie Metcalf
  • Summary: A teenage girl with a rebellious mind comes of age in Sacramento while having quarrels with her family and life itself

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  • Director: Remi Weeks
  • Genre: Horror, thriller, drama
  • Cast: Sope Dirisu, Wunmi Mosaku, Malaika Wakoli-Abigaba
  • Summary: A refugee couple tries to live in a house in England while fighting against their demons of the past.
  • Director: David O. Russel
  • Genre: Comedy-drama
  • Cast: Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence
  • Summary: Two people with a toxic relationship history and mental problems create a unique and beautiful bond.

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Here are some of the best movies on Netflix to watch right now. Some of them have become the most successful examples of their genres whereas others take an unusual approach. Yet again, all of them deserve your time for sure.

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Kerem Dogan

168 articles

A student following the many forms of entertainment with a passion to create content.

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