Your new favorite movie is just a click away if you’re a Netflix subscriber. With a massive library of popular films and hidden gems, the streaming service has plenty to offer — including a long list of original movies you won’t find anywhere else. The collection keeps growing, too, with new movies coming to Netflix throughout each month. In order to make your movie-night decision even easier, we look through the entire library every week and put together this list of the best movies on Netflix right now.
Looking for something else? We’ve also rounded up the best shows on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime, and the best movies on Disney+. Watching from abroad? Use a Netflix VPN to access your country’s catalog from anywhere in the world. Want to watch on the go? We can show you how to download movies on Netflix.
Bubble (2022) new
101m
Genre
Animation, Adventure, Science Fiction
Stars
Jun Shison, Riria, Mamoru Miyano
Directed by
Tetsuro Araki
This animated feature from Attack on Titan director Tetsuro Araki is set in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo where a mysterious event has affected the laws of gravity, leaving strange bubbles and urban debris floating throughout the city. Skilled racers compete in parkour-like competitions for food and supplies, and when one gifted young man encounters a strange girl while exploring the epicenter of the gravity-twisting “bubble event,” their relationship changes the lives of everyone around them. A gorgeous spectacle of sights and sounds, Bubble begs to be seen on a high-end entertainment system, delivering remarkably detailed scenes of the characters traversing the city and a powerful score that accentuates its most thrilling — and quietest — moments.
Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016)
99m
Genre
Horror, Thriller
Stars
Elizabeth Reaser, Lulu Wilson, Annalise Basso
Directed by
Mike Flanagan
Before he was one of horror’s hottest filmmakers Mike Flanagan co-wrote and directed this prequel film in the Ouija franchise. It’s not common for a prequel to be better than the original, but Origin of Evil was the rare exception, showcasing Flanagan’s talents and paving the way for the great projects that followed, including the critically acclaimed Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass. Set in 1965, this film follows a single mother and her daughters’ horrifying ordeal after they attempt to add a new dimension to their séance business but accidentally bring a very real supernatural threat into their home.
Metal Lords (2022)
97m
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Music
Stars
Jaeden Martell, Isis Hainsworth, Adrian Greensmith
Directed by
Peter Sollett
Jaeden Martell and Adrian Greensmith play a pair of teenage friends who decide to form a heavy metal band and enter their high school’s Battle of the Bands competition. What they don’t expect, however, is to have their friendship tested and to learn about a lot more than music when they recruit a shy cellist to join them. Along with being a fun, funny coming-of-age film, Metal Lords features one of the most intense soundtracks of any recent film, thanks to the involvement of Rage Against The Machine‘s Tom Morello as music supervisor. As if that wasn’t enough to make this one stand out, the script was penned by Game of Thrones co-creator D.B. Weiss as one of his first Netflix-exclusive projects.
Ip Man (2008)
106m
Genre
Drama, Action, History
Stars
Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Lynn Hung
Directed by
Wilson Yip
This award-winning 2008 biographical film about Wing Chun grandmaster Ip Man took a while to find its way to US audiences, but not before breaking all kinds of box office records and earning heaps of praise for star Donnie Yen and choreographer Sammo Hung. Set during the 1930s and ’40s in the city of Foshan, the film chronicles Ip Man’s experiences during the second Sino-Japanese War, when a Japanese general challenged local men to duels to prove his army’s superiority. The first installment of what would become a four-film franchise, Ip Man offers a fascinating look at the life of the man who would go on to train Bruce Lee years later.
The Hateful Eight (2015)
188m
Genre
Drama, Mystery, Western
Stars
Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh
Directed by
Quentin Tarantino
The year is 1877. When a blizzard rips through the mountain passes of Wyoming, a band of weary stagecoach travelers decides to hole up at Minnie’s Haberdashery. The pilgrims include bounty hunters John Ruth and Major Marquis Warren (Kurt Russell and Samuel L. Jackson, respectively); Ruth’s bounty, Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), on her way to the noose; a Confederate loudmouth (Walton Goggins); and their stagecoach driver (James Parks). No one trusts the others, an issue only exacerbated when Minnie’s turns out to be occupied by several other stormbound folks. When personalities begin to clash, the eight occupants start picking sides and losing their minds. Quentin Tarantino’s eighth film features a stellar cast, impressive visuals, and plenty of the filmmaker’s signature dialogue.
Nightbooks (2021)
103m
Genre
Fantasy, Family
Stars
Winslow Fegley, Lidya Jewett, Krysten Ritter
Directed by
David Yarovesky
In this dark, but (relatively) family-friendly horror feature, a young boy with an affinity for writing scary stories finds himself stuck in the magical apartment owned by a powerful witch (Krysten Ritter) and must tell her a new story every night if he wants to survive. Come for the mild scares, stay for the beautiful fantasy elements in this unique film.
Iron Fists and Kung Fu Kicks (2019)
108m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Sammo Hung, Cheng Pei-Pei, Scott Adkins
Directed by
Serge Ou
You don’t have to be a kung fu film fan to enjoy this documentary on the wild, fascinating history of the genre, but you probably will be by the time it’s over. Featuring plenty of archival footage and interviews with a long list of legends from behind the camera and in front of it, this film charts the origins and evolutions of kung fu films and the filmmakers and stars that made it one of the most popular — and influential — film genres in both the U.S. and abroad. Kung fu cinema has shaped countless film genres, as well as popular music and even cultural movements over the years, and this documentary does a wonderful job of diving into how and why it has such a profound, global reach.
Nightcrawler (2014)
118m
Genre
Crime, Drama, Thriller
Stars
Jake Gyllenhaal, Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed
Directed by
Dan Gilroy
Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) is a driven young man who is desperate to find work in the high-octane world of Los Angeles crime journalism. After discovering a group of freelance camera crews that film crashes, fires, murder, and other mayhem around the city, Lou muscles his way into this world, which is known as nightcrawling. Now, every police siren equals a possible cash windfall, and Lou begins to see victims as another payday. Aided by veteran newswoman Nina (Rene Russo), Lou thrives in the blood sport of local TV news, eventually becoming the star of his own story.
Apocalypse Now Redux (1979)
147m
Genre
Drama, War
Stars
Marlon Brando, Robert Duvall, Martin Sheen
Directed by
Francis Ford Coppola
Widely regarded as one of the greatest films ever made, Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now casts Martin Sheen as an Army captain sent deep into the jungles of Cambodia to find and assassinate a renegade colonel amassing his own personal army and a cult-like following during the height of the Vietnam War. Marlon Brando delivers a truly iconic performance as the terrifying Colonel Walter Kurtz, whose ideology and brutality have made him a god to those around him, both feared and worshipped. The Redux version of the film has been re-edited to include almost an hour of additional footage cut from the 1979 theatrical release.
The Social Dilemma (2020)
94m
Genre
Documentary, Drama
Stars
Skyler Gisondo, Kara Hayward, Vincent Kartheiser
Directed by
Jeff Orlowski
Director Jeff Orlowski’s The Social Dilemma is an eye-opening docudrama that puts big tech like Google, Facebook, and Instagram under the microscope. Various talking heads (many ex-employees of big tech) weigh in on social media’s harmful implications — from algorithmic data mining to mental health detriments. The more one watches Orlowski’s film, the more questions one begins asking about their own social media exposure. The Social Dilemma doesn’t stray from its intent, leaving us with all kinds of things to think about (particularly our own social media accounts) once the credits roll.
Mank (2020)
132m
Genre
Drama, History
Stars
Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins
Directed by
David Fincher
In this photographic gem of a Hollywood retrospective, director David Fincher delivers a finely layered drama about the writing of a Golden Age masterpiece. The writer in question is Herman J. Mankiewicz (Gary Oldman). The film he’s writing, commissioned by Orson Welles (Tom Burke), is Citizen Kane. Mank‘s narrative shifts back and forth from the 1930s to the 1940s, chronicling the turbulent life of its title character throughout his development of the screenplay. Mank was written by the late Jack Fincher, the director’s father, and features amazing performances from its rich ensemble cast. It’s a great watch for cinephiles and casual viewers alike, with a dazzling and authentic take on La La Land’s heyday.
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
164m
Genre
Science Fiction, Drama
Stars
Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas
Directed by
Denis Villeneuve
Denis Villeneuve returned to the world of Blade Runner for this sequel released 35 years after the original 1982 film that had Harrison Ford hunting hidden androids in a neon-drenched, cyberpunk metropolis. The sequel casts Ryan Gosling as an agent tasked with continuing to track down androids living among us, but when he unearths a dangerous secret, he ends up on the trail of Ford’s Rick Deckard, the same agent involved in a conspiracy 30 years earlier.
The Paper Tigers (2020)
108m
Genre
Action, Comedy
Stars
Alain Uy, Ron Yuan, Mykel Shannon Jenkins
Directed by
Quoc Bao Tran
When the mentor of the once-feared martial artists known as “The Three Tigers” is murdered, the trio must reunite to avenge their former teacher. The only problem? They’re now middle-aged men with families, jobs, and responsibilities outside of martial arts drama. This lighthearted action-comedy throws all the right punches with its story of friendship and kung fu, plus the challenges of getting old.
Top Gun (1986)
110m
Genre
Action, Drama, Adventure
Stars
Tom Cruise, Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer
Directed by
Tony Scott
Do you feel the need for speed? This 1986 film helped turn Tom Cruise into a bona fide star with its story about a hotshot pilot (Cruise) at the Navy’s prestigious Top Gun school. As Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, Cruise is joined by Kelly McGillis, Val Kilmer, and Anthony Edwards for a tale that blends spectacular aerial photography with intense music to deliver one of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters of the era.
Dunkirk (2017)
107m
Genre
War, Action, Drama
Stars
Fionn Whitehead, Tom Hardy, Mark Rylance
Directed by
Christopher Nolan
Christopher Nolan wrote and directed this World War II drama that chronicles the evacuation of Allied soldiers from the beaches and fishing harbor of Dunkirk, France, after they were cut off and surrounded by German forces. The miraculous effort to rescue the troops is depicted in vivid, explosive detail, with some critics calling it one of Nolan’s best films to date and one of the greatest WWII movies ever made. The ensemble cast includes Fionn Whitehead, Harry Styles, James D’Arcy, Barry Keoghan, Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, and Tom Hardy.
Stardust (2007)
127m
Genre
Adventure, Fantasy, Romance, Family
Stars
Claire Danes, Charlie Cox, Michelle Pfeiffer
Directed by
Matthew Vaughn
Claire Danes and Charlie Cox star in this fantasy film based on Neil Gaiman’s 1999 novel of the same name. The film follows Tristan (Cox), a young man on a quest to retrieve a fallen star for his beloved, only to discover that the star has taken the shape of a peculiar, beautiful woman named Yvaine (Danes). Their adventure together has them cross paths with a colorful collection of allies and enemies, including a sinister witch played by Michelle Pfeiffer, a ruthless prince played by Mark Strong, and a pirate captain played by Robert De Niro who is more than he appears.
Fear Street: 1994 (2021)
107m
Genre
Mystery, Horror
Stars
Kiana Madeira, Olivia Scott Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr.
Directed by
Leigh Janiak
This retro slasher feature based on R.L. Stine’s book series of the same name follows a group of teenagers in fictional Shadyside, Ohio, who find themselves terrorized by a supernatural killer with a link to the town’s dark history. Dripping with ’90s nostalgia and plenty of blood, the movie is the first installment of a trilogy that explores Shadyside’s deadly reputation as the murder capital of the country, with each chapter unfolding in a different era. Kiana Madeira, Olivia Scott Welch, Benjamin Flores Jr., Julia Rehwald, and Fred Hechinger star in the terrifying tale.
The Devil All the Time (2020)
138m
Genre
Crime, Drama, Thriller
Stars
Tom Holland, Bill Skarsgård, Riley Keough
Directed by
Antonio Campos
Written and directed by Antonio Campos, The Devil All the Time is American Gothic at its most perverse. Set in rural southern Ohio and West Virginia after World War II, the story follows Arvin Russell (Tom Holland), a young man who is determined to protect his loved ones against the corruption and violence that plagues his town. From complete strangers to the most powerful institutions in the area, brutality is pervasive as everyone seeks desperately to assert their own small bits of power in a broken — but recovering — world. Things aren’t getting better for everyone, however, and The Devil All the Time takes its time exploring the generational trauma and cold truths that inhabit this sinister town.
Sorry to Bother You (2018)
112m
Genre
Fantasy, Science Fiction, Comedy
Stars
Lakeith Stanfield, Tessa Thompson, Jermaine Fowler
Directed by
Boots Riley
Set in an alternate version of Oakland, California, Sorry to Bother You casts LaKeith Stanfield (Get Out, The Harder They Fall) as a Black telemarketer who discovers that using his “white voice” propels him up the corporate ladder, only to find that every inch of upward mobility comes at a high moral price. A fascinating, unpredictable takedown of corporate culture and viral celebrity, the 2018 surreal comedy served as the directorial debut of hip-hop musician Boots Riley, and earned a long list of awards and high praise from critics en route to becoming one of the year’s most under-the-radar gems. Tessa Thompson, Terry Crews, Patton Oswalt, David Cross, Danny Glover, Steven Yeun, and Armie Hammer so-star in the film, which delivers plenty of unexpected surprises along with its potent message.
A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
91m
Genre
Horror
Stars
Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund, John Saxon
Directed by
Wes Craven
The film that spawned one of horror’s most iconic franchises and helped save a studio, filmmaker Wes Craven’s 1984 story of a monstrous serial killer who hunts teenagers in their dreams delivers plenty of scares for a movie that’s nearly four decades old. In the role that made him a legend, Robert Englund plays the terrifying, razor-gloved, sweater-wearing Freddy Krueger, who stalks the subconscious minds of a sleepy town’s high school students whenever they fall asleep. Sure, the sequels fell off a bit with each installment and reboot, but the original movie still packs a punch due to Englund’s performance and some innovative, ahead-of-their-time effects.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
132m
Genre
Comedy, Drama, Western
Stars
Tim Blake Nelson, James Franco, Zoe Kazan
Directed by
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
What’s better than a new Western from the Coen brothers? How about six? The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a sextet of short films, all set in the Wild West. They follow different characters through wild plots that explore the themes of human depravity and cosmic justice (or injustice) that recur so often in the Coens’ works. The stories and protagonists vary wildly. The eponymous sequence follows Buster Scruggs (Tim Blake Nelson), a sharpshooting, guitar-slinging cowboy roaming the West and singing of his adventures. In another, a lonely prospector (Tom Waits) digs for his fortune. The stories in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs fall on the surreal end of the Coen spectrum — they’re somewhat comical, occasionally brutal folk tales that don’t always leave the viewer feeling they’ve learned a lesson. Here’s our list of the best comedies on Netflix to browse if you’re looking for more in this genre.
The Lost Boys (1987)
97m
Genre
Horror, Comedy
Stars
Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Dianne Wiest
Directed by
Joel Schumacher
Joel Schumacher assembled some of the era’s hottest rising stars for his 1987 vampire thriller that follows a pair of siblings whose recent move to a small California town is complicated by a gang of teenage blood-suckers terrorizing the region. Decades later, the humor and scares hold up surprisingly well in The Lost Boys, and so do many of the film’s themes. Come for the slick horror tale, but stay for ’80s-era Jason Patric, Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland, and an oiled-up guy playing the saxophone.
Over the Moon (2020)
100m
Genre
Animation, Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Stars
Cathy Ang, Phillipa Soo, Ken Jeong
Directed by
Glen Keane
Fei Fei (Cathy Ang), grieving the loss of her mother, clings to a legend about a moon goddess named Chang’e. Much to the dismay of her father and his new family, the girl aims to prove that the goddess does indeed exist. To do so, she begins work on a rocket that will take her to the moon to prove Chang’e’s existence. Filled with heart and mesmerizing animation, the Oscar-nominated Over the Moon often looks and feels like your standard Disney epic, but the familiar structure and dazzling music are enough to keep everyone glued to the screen.
His House (2020)
93m
Genre
Drama, Horror, Thriller
Stars
Sope Dirisu, Wunmi Mosaku, Matt Smith
Directed by
Remi Weekes
After suffering a major tragedy on their pilgrimage from South Sudan to the U.K., Bol (Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù) and Rial (Wunmi Mosaku), married refugees fleeing their war-ravaged country, are placed in a decrepit tenement home. As Bol does his best to acclimate to a new life of racial discrepancy, a series of horrific ghouls make themselves known to the grieving man. Blending a socio-political immigration story with a haunted house story, His House bends both sub-genres in a way we’ve never seen pulled off before. An exciting and unsettling directorial debut from Remi Weekes, His House exists in a unique, terrifying place in the realm of horror fare.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)
123m
Genre
Comedy, Music
Stars
Rachel McAdams, Will Ferrell, Pierce Brosnan
Directed by
David Dobkin
Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams play a pair of Icelandic musicians with dreams of stardom in this 2020 comedy. Widely ridiculed but persistent in their pop-music aspirations, Lars Erickssong (Ferrell) and Sigrit Ericksdóttir (McAdams) find themselves thrust into the spotlight when an unexpected series of events gives them the chance to represent their country at the famous Eurovision Song Contest, where they must prove themselves up to the task. A musical underdog story featuring a host of real-world Eurovision winners in cameo roles, The Story of Fire Saga is silly fun that warms the heart and is almost certain to bring a smile to your face.
ParaNorman (2012)
90m
Genre
Family, Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Stars
Kodi Smit-McPhee, Tucker Albrizzi, Jodelle Ferland
Directed by
Sam Fell, Chris Butler
A young boy who can communicate with ghosts finds himself at the center of a 300-year-old curse in this stop-motion animated film that was nominated for an Academy Award. Kodi Smit-McPhee leads the cast of voice actors in ParaNorman, which is notable for being the first full-length, stop-motion film to use 3D-printed faces to animate its characters. It’s also a funny — and occasionally a little creepy — film that kids and adults alike will enjoy for its heartwarming story about embracing the differences that make each of us unique and learning to listen to others when it matters most.
Warrior (2011)
140m
Genre
Drama, Action
Stars
Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Jennifer Morrison
Directed by
Gavin O'Connor
Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy portray estranged brothers whose long-simmering grudges come to the surface when they find themselves competing in the same mixed martial arts tournament. Edgerton plays high-school teacher Brendan Riordan, who enters the tournament to pay off his family’s medical bills, while Hardy plays Tommy Riordan, a Marine who can’t bring himself to stop fighting. Looming large over the brothers’ impending showdown is their father, a recovering alcoholic portrayed by Nick Nolte, whose childhood treatment of his sons has led to the rift between them. A tense, heart-wrenching drama featuring impressive fight sequences and equally hard-hitting emotional beats, Warrior earned Nolte an Oscar nomination for his performance.
Misha and the Wolves (2021)
90m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Misha Defonseca
Directed by
Sam Hobkinson
Move over, Tiger King, Netflix has another wild documentary you need to see to believe. The film chronicles the far-reaching investigation that took place after the publication of Misha Defonseca’s widely circulated 1997 memoir Misha: A Mémoire of the Holocaust Years, in which the author describes her experiences as a young Holocaust survivor who was raised by wolves while searching Europe for her parents. It’s best not knowing any of the twists and turns the story takes ahead of time, so just sit back and let this true, stranger-than-fiction story unfold. You won’t be disappointed.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (2016)
101m
Genre
Adventure, Comedy, Drama
Stars
Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rima Te Wiata
Directed by
Taika Waititi
Based on Barry Crump’s novel Wild Pork and Watercress, Taika Waititi’s Hunt for the Wilderpeople stars Sam Neill and Julian Dennison as an unlikely foster father/foster child duo. After his adoption by the Faulkner family, Ricky (Dennison) attempts to settle into his new family, but tragic events scare the boy into the dense New Zealand wilderness. Hec (Neill), Ricky’s foster parent, tracks the boy down but suffers a debilitating injury in the process. Bonding over their pasts and hoping for a freer future, the pair decide to hide away in the brush together. But with a national manhunt underway to find the man and boy, how long can their odyssey truly last? Hunt for the Wilderpeople lives and breathes through Neill and Dennison’s onscreen chemistry, an acting partnership only deepened by Waititi’s rich and emotive script.
I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
135m
Genre
Drama, Mystery
Stars
Jesse Plemons, Jessie Buckley, Toni Collette
Directed by
Charlie Kaufman
Writer-director Charlie Kaufman (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Synecdoche, New York) is at his most delightfully weird in this Netflix original movie. This time- and the perspective-bending story follows a young, nameless woman on a road trip to her new boyfriend’s parents’ house in the middle of a blizzard. When she gets there, she finds the parents (Toni Collette, David Thewlis) are extremely weird, and the house seems to exist in some kind of surreal alternate reality where time and character morph with abandon. Alternatively strange and hilarious, and constantly thought-provoking, I’m Thinking of Ending Things is powered by strong writing and outstanding performances from all the actors involved.
There Will Be Blood (2007)
158m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Daniel Day-Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin J. O'Connor
Directed by
Paul Thomas Anderson
Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood is a grim character study of one Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day-Lewis), a burgeoning oil tycoon in early 20th-century California. Daniel is the type of man who would sell his soul to make a buck, which makes the arrival of Paul Sunday (Paul Dano) all the more serendipitous. The boy claims there is oil on his family’s property, and he’ll tell Daniel where it is for cash. The pair transact, and Daniel journeys to the town of Little Boston with his son H.W. (Dillon Freasier) to try and purchase the Sunday Ranch for drilling. What’s waiting for Daniel is a dastardly foe and his family’s cursed land. Or is Plainview the curse himself? There Will Be Blood is a two-hour-plus descent into a hell of business meets faith, featuring an Oscar-winning lead performance from Daniel Day-Lewis.
My Octopus Teacher (2020)
84m
Genre
Documentary
Stars
Craig Foster, Tom Foster
Directed by
James Reed, Philippa Ehrlich
The Academy Award winner in the Best Documentary Feature category at the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony, My Octopus Teacher chronicles the year filmmaker Craig Foster spent free-diving off the South African coast and forging a relationship with a wild octopus he discovered there. In following the octopus’s life and experiences, Foster learns lessons about his own life and relationship to the world around him and his family.
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
100m
Genre
Family, Fantasy, Comedy
Stars
Gene Wilder, Peter Ostrum, Jack Albertson
Directed by
Mel Stuart
Gene Wilder was at his wacky best in this beloved adaptation of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, which follows a young boy’s adventure through a candy-filled wonderland when he wins the opportunity to visit the eccentric, reclusive chocolatier Willy Wonka (Wilder). Infinitely quotable and filled with iconic — and occasionally terrifying — moments, director Mel Stuart’s film is a silly, psychedelic fantasy tale that still holds up more than 50 years after it first hit screens.
Taxi Driver (1976)
114m
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Albert Brooks
Directed by
Martin Scorsese
An existential odyssey by seedy New York moonlight, Taxi Driver follows Travis Bickle (Robert De Niro), an unmoored Vietnam vet who takes a job as a cab driver. Reeling from the war, Travis becomes enraged by the world around him. From the pimps of child sex workers to the rhetoric of political movers and shakers, Travis’ inner rage begins to boil over, propelling the character from a quiet observer into a darkened vigilante. Directed by Martin Scorsese from a script by Paul Schrader, Taxi Driver helped to pour the template for gritty ’70s realism, serving as inspiration for such modern-day films as Joker and Nightcrawler.
Stand by Me (1986)
89m
Genre
Crime, Drama
Stars
Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman
Directed by
Rob Reiner
Rob Reiner helmed this critically acclaimed adaptation of Stephen King’s novella The Body, which follows four young friends who embark on a hike through the Oregon wilderness in 1959 in the hopes of finding a dead body of a lost boy and claiming the reward. The film features an all-star cast of actors who went on to become household names, with Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell portraying the childhood friends and Kiefer Sutherland playing the leader of a local teenage gang. A powerful, funny, and occasionally heart-wrenching coming-of-age story, Stand by Me was nominated for an Academy Award for its screenplay and a pair of Golden Globe Awards as the year’s best film and for Reiner’s directing.
The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)
114m
Genre
Animation, Adventure, Comedy, Family, Science Fiction, Action
Stars
Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph
Directed by
Michael Rianda
Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, the duo that gave us The Lego Movie and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, return for this animated feature about a dysfunctional family that ends up becoming humanity’s last and best hope against a robot uprising. Mike Rianda (Gravity Falls) makes his directorial debut with the film, which also features an impressive voice cast that includes Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, Maya Rudolph, Eric Andre, Olivia Colman, Fred Armisen, John Legend, Chrissy Teigen, Blake Griffin, and Conan O’Brien, among other familiar names (and voices). An early favorite for the year’s best animated feature, The Mitchells vs. The Machines became a surprise hit for Netflix.
Loving (2016)
123m
Genre
Romance, Drama
Stars
Joel Edgerton, Ruth Negga, Michael Shannon
Directed by
Jeff Nichols
Written and directed by Jeff Nichols, and inspired by the 2012 HBO documentary The Loving Story, Loving depicts the trials and tribulations of Richard (Joel Edgerton) and Mildred Loving (Ruth Negga), an interracial couple who wanted nothing more than to be wed. But after traveling from Virginia to Washington D.C., to get married, the couple is tracked down by their hometown authorities and charged with violating Virginia’s segregation laws. For their prison sentences to be thrown out, the couple must agree to vacate Virginia and not return for 25 years. But the couple doesn’t want to give up on their love. Ruth writes to Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, which sets into motion one of the most vital Supreme Court cases in civil rights history.
The Summit of the Gods (2021) new
95m
Genre
Animation, Adventure, Mystery
Stars
Éric Herson-Macarel, Damien Boisseau, Elisabeth Ventura
Directed by
Patrick Imbert
This gorgeously animated, French-language film from director Patrick Imbert chronicles a Japanese photojournalist’s quest for the truth regarding a mysterious mountain climber and his connection to one of the first teams to attempt to climb Mt. Everest. A Cannes Film Festival darling praised for its beautiful visual achievement and compelling story, The Summit of the Gods is the rare adaptation of a Japanese manga series that does right by its source material — which was also based on a 1998 novel by Baku Yumemakura. Fascinating and emotional, the film makes it tough not to be pulled along on the characters’ epic journey.
Digital Trends Streaming Roundup
Fast Color (2019) new
102m
Genre
Thriller, Science Fiction
Stars
Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Saniyya Sidney, Lorraine Toussaint
Directed by
Julia Hart
Three generations of African-American women with supernatural powers find themselves reunited and on the run across the Midwest in this critically praised 2018 drama directed by Julia Hart. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Lorraine Toussaint, and Saniyya Sidney portray the three women pursued by scientists looking to study their powerful abilities in a story about family, grief, and forgiveness unlike any other superhero story in recent years.
The Power of the Dog (2021) new
127m
Genre
Western, Drama, Romance
Stars
Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons
Directed by
Jane Campion
Written and directed by Jane Campion (The Piano), this critically acclaimed western drama casts Benedict Cumberbatch as a charismatic, domineering rancher who torments his brother’s new wife and her son when they move into the family home. Jesse Plemons portrays the aforementioned brother, with Kirsten Dunst playing the new wife and Kodi Smit-McPhee as her son. Campion’s celebrated film carefully uncovers the resentment, jealousy, and frustrations lurking beneath the surface of each of the film’s characters, setting them up for a dramatic collision you won’t see coming.
The White Tiger (2021)
125m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Adarsh Gourav, Rajkummar Rao, Priyanka Chopra
Directed by
Ramin Bahrani
Based on Aravind Adiga’s 2008 novel of the same name, The White Tiger follows the rags-to-riches story of Balram Halwai (Adarsh Gourav), an impoverished Indian villager that, through hard work (and a little manipulation), pushes himself into a much-lauded driver position for Ashok (Rajkummar Rao) and Pinky (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), two highly influential business magnates. Coming to love his position, a tragic misstep places Balram in the crosshairs of Ashok’s family. Unwilling to serve as a scapegoat, Balram chooses to fight back against the corrupt forces at play. A gripping class-drama akin to Parasite mates with Joker, The White Tiger is one of the greatest dramas you can stream today.
tick, tick...BOOM! (2021) new
121m
Genre
Drama, Music
Stars
Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Robin de Jesús
Directed by
Lin-Manuel Miranda
Andrew Garfield stars as Rent playwright Jonathon Larson in this semi-autobiographical film directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The musical drama chronicles Larson’s struggles to bring the rock musical he’s been working on for years to the stage while navigating love, friendships, and both personal and professional pressure in New York City.
Da 5 Bloods (2020)
156m
Genre
War, Drama
Stars
Delroy Lindo, Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters
Directed by
Spike Lee
This 2020 war drama marked a celebrated return to form for director, producer, and co-writer Spike Lee, and earned a long list of honors and awards for both Lee and the magnificent performances of the film’s talented cast. The story follows a group of Vietnam War veterans who return to the jungle hoping to find the remains of their dead squad leader and a hidden treasure they left behind during the war. Delroy Lindo leads a cast that also includes Jonathan Majors, Clarke Peters, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Jean Reno, and the late, great Chadwick Boseman.
Digital Trends Streaming Roundup
The Harder They Fall (2021) new
139m
Genre
Western
Stars
Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Regina King
Directed by
Jeymes Samuel
This neo-Western adventure brings together some of Hollywood’s hottest African-American actors for a stylized spin on the genre filled with epic action, great music, and memorable performances. Lovecraft Country and Loki actor Jonathan Majors plays Nat Love, a man looking to avenge the murder of his parents by the ruthless outlaw Rufus Buck, played by Idris Elba. Zazie Beetz, Regina King, Delroy Lindo, Lakeith Stanfield, and Edi Gathegi join Majors and Elba in the film’s impressive ensemble. Read our The Harder They Fall review for more spoiler-free reasons to watch.
It Follows (2015) new
101m
Genre
Horror, Mystery
Stars
Maika Monroe, Keir Gilchrist, Daniel Zovatto
Directed by
David Robert Mitchell
This 2014 horror film was praised for its fresh, frightening tale about a teenager who discovers she’s been given a sexually transmitted curse that passes from one partner to the next and kills its current host if it’s not passed on. Stylish and tense, the film casts Maika Monroe as a teenage girl forced to contend with the curse stalking her wherever she goes.
The Disaster Artist (2017)
103m
Genre
Comedy, Drama
Stars
James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogen, Alison Brie
Directed by
James Franco
James Franco directs, produces, and stars in The Disaster Artist, an adaptation of Greg Sestero (portrayed in the film by Dave Franco) and Tom Bissell’s non-fiction book of the same name. Both the novel and film are a chronicle of Sestero’s rollercoaster friendship with infamous cult-film legend Tommy Wiseau (Franco), an enigmatic actor with Hollywood dreams and plenty of money to pursue them — although no one can figure out why he’s so rich. After being turned down for role after role, Tommy decides to write, direct, and star in his own film called The Room, a bizarre and disjointed melodrama that he also casts Greg in. As the film runs into continued troubles and delays (mostly because of Tommy’s inabilities as a filmmaker), tensions rise between Greg and Tommy, along with the rest of the cast and crew. Whether you’ve seen The Room or not, The Disaster Artist is a mesmerizing examination of one of the strangest film productions of all time.
Yes, God, Yes (2020) new
78m
Genre
Comedy
Stars
Natalia Dyer, Alisha Boe, Francesca Reale
Directed by
Karen Maine
Stranger Things alum Natalia Dyer stars in writer-director Karen Maine’s Yes, God, Yes, a coming-of-age take on religious repression and burgeoning sexuality. Alice (Dyer) and her friend Laura (Francesca Reale) decide to attend their Catholic school’s annual Kirkos retreat. On their pilgrimage, Alice inadvertently enters into a promiscuous AOL chat when she tries to look up a particular sex act. This puts into place a daisy chain of rumors among Alice’s peers, with Alice’s genuine innocence and curiosity put uncomfortably in the middle. Based on her 2017 short film of the same name, Maine’s Yes, God, Yes is a nuanced and mature story of one teenager trying to wade her way through the stigma of sex, featuring a powerful lead performance from Dyer.
Digital Trends Streaming Roundup
I Care a Lot (2020)
118m
Genre
Drama, Comedy, Thriller
Stars
Rosamund Pike, Peter Dinklage
Directed by
J Blakeson
Rosamund Pike portrays a diabolical con artist who poses as the legal guardian for elderly people in order to seize their assets in this dark, satirical thriller. Her highly profitable scam takes a dangerous turn when her latest victim turns out to be the mother of a powerful mob boss, leading to a deadly battle of wills between Pike’s character and a ruthless criminal kingpin played by Peter Dinklage. Eiza González and Dianne Wiest play supporting roles in the film, which earned praise from critics and led to Pike taking home a Golden Globe Award for her performance.
Untold: Crime and Penalties (2021)
Genre
Documentary, Sports
Cast
Jimmy Galante, AJ Galante
What happens when a waste-removal tycoon with mob ties decides to buy a minor league hockey team and make his teenage son the general manager and president? That question was answered when Jimmy Galante brought the Danbury Trashers to his Connecticut hometown in 2004 and had his 17-year-old son, A.J., run the UHL expansion team for two wild, brawl-filled seasons — a run that eventually led to a massive FBI bust that sent the elder Galante to prison and forced the team to disband. Part Slapshot, part The Sopranos (Galante was rumored to be the real-world inspiration for Tony Soprano, after all), the outrageous story of the Trashers is almost too crazy to believe, but the documentary is packed with interviews and archival footage — including ESPN broadcasts from the Trashers’ brief run — that hammers home how real this crazy sports saga was.
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
102m
Genre
Comedy, Romance
Stars
Ali Wong, Randall Park, Keanu Reeves
Directed by
Nahnatchka Khan
Childhood friends Sasha (Ali Wong) and Marcus (Randall Park) cross paths as adults, years after a teenage fling, and soon find themselves navigating life and love while maintaining two very different career paths and social circles. She’s a celebrity chef who hangs out with Keanu Reeves and he installs air conditioners. Can they ever find common ground? You probably know the answer to that already, but watching how they get there is where the fun lies — particularly when it comes to Reeves’ memorable performance.
Uncut Gems (2019)
135m
Genre
Drama
Stars
Adam Sandler, LaKeith Stanfield, Kevin Garnett
Directed by
Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie
Uncut Gems is not for the faint-hearted. The Safdie Brothers’ drama about a gambling-addicted jeweler is a relentlessly intense, high-stress ride through the world of high-stakes gambling. Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler) is a charismatic New York City jeweler who is always on the lookout for the next big score. When NBA All-Star Kevin Garnett takes an interest in Howard’s most recent high-value acquisition, believing it brings him luck, Sandler makes a series of high-stakes bets that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime. Unfortunately, not everyone in his life is willing to wait for that windfall. Howard has to perform a precarious balancing act between business, family, debt collectors, and more to get the payoff.
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