The 51 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now (July 2024)

Summer is finally here, and there’s no better way to beat the heat than staying in and having a great movie night. As temperatures start to get higher, so do the number of movies on the platform, from romances like Set It Up to recent Oscar contenders like Rustin and Nyad. Whether you’re looking for something deep and thought-provoking or light for the whole family, there are a plethora of incredible films on Netflix. With over 40 amazing movies on this list alone, it can be difficult to choose, but our carefully written recommendations will help you find just what you’re looking for.

Rest assured, this list has been carefully considered and curated by seasoned Collider editors with decades of combined experience — not to mention a passion and enthusiasm for the medium. Only the crème de la crème has made the cut. Read on to discover the best movies to watch on Netflix right now.

For even more recommendations, check out our list of the best shows on Netflix, best comedies on Netflix, and best dramas on Netflix.

Disclaimer: These titles are available on US Netflix.

Editor’s note: This article was updated July 2024 to include Everything Everywhere All at Once.

‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ (2022)

Rotten Tomatoes: 93% | IMDb: 7.8/10

An absurdist comedy-drama film of epic proportions, Everything Everywhere All at Once was written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, aka The Daniels. The movie stars Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Quan Wand, a Chinese-American immigrant who, while being audited by the IRS, finds herself connected to different versions of herself across parallel universes. Evelyn then unwittingly becomes embroiled in a fantastical adventure to stop a powerful being from destroying the multiverse. The film also stars Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis, and James Hong. On its release, Everything Everywhere All at Once was a massive success and earned universal acclaim. The film made history at the 95th Academy Awards with 11 nominations and seven wins, including the Best Actress Award for Yeoh, who became the first Asian woman nominated in the category. Though billed as a comedy, the film incorporates elements of science fiction, fantasy, martial arts, and animation to explore themes of absurdism, surrealism, depression, generational trauma, and Asian-American identity.

Watch on Netflix

‘The Breakfast Club’ (1985)

Rotten Tomatoes: 89% | IMDb: 7.8/10

A certified classic of the Brat Pack era, The Breakfast Club follows a ragtag selection of students, each placed in detention on a Saturday. Each of the students is a representation of a stereotype, from the jock to the basket case; however, their time together soon breaks down these preconceived boundaries as they form an unlikely and beautifully hopeful bond. The Breakfast Club simply feels like required viewing for anyone at a certain point in their lives. John Hughes’ iconic tale of friendship despite differences offers hope and honesty, with a group of lead performances that have come to define an entire genre of film. Heartwarming and, at times, crushingly relatable, The Breakfast Club is one of the best of its kind. – Jake Hodges

Watch on Netflix

‘Matilda’ (1996)

Rotten Tomatoes: 92% | IMDb: 7.0/10

Based on Roald Dahl’s 1988 novel, Matilda is a 1996 fantasy comedy film directed by Danny DeVito and written by Nicholas Kazan and Robin Swicord. Mara Wilson stars as Matilda, a child prodigy who develops psychic powers and turns them on her neglectful parents and oppressive school principal. DeVito also co-produced the movie and played multiple roles, including that of the narrator. Other notable cast members of the film include Rhea Perlman, Embeth Davidtz, and Pam Ferris. Matilda received very positive reviews from critics but was a box office disappointment at its release. However, the movie found more success on home video and is now considered a classic of the ‘90s. Though the film has some departures from the book, DeVito’s Matilda is largely faithful to its source material, capturing both the darker and lighter sides of Roald Dahl’s beloved work. It’s a children’s movie, yes, but it’s a great watch for adults as well, with well-acted performances and an odd but charming narrative.

Watch on Netflix

‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’ (2024)

Rotten Tomatoes: 65% | IMDb: 6.6/10

40 years after his first appearance, Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) is back solving crimes in 90210. However, with age comes different responsibilities, with his daughter’s life now a priority. After she is put in danger, Axel and some faces, old and new, must rush to solve an action-packed series of problems to try and keep her safe. Murphy hasn’t missed a beat despite it being 20 years since he last played the character, with an emphasis now put on using his age to help bring an added layer to both the narrative and the comedy. Fans of all generations will have something to enjoy, with the classic high-octane, fun-fueled, frantic pace of the franchise back in all its glory. Cue the music. – Jake Hodges

Watch on Netflix

‘Hit Man’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 97% | IMDb: 7.1/10

Legendary director Richard Linklater directs and co-writes Hit Man, the story of Glen Powell’s professor, Gary Johnson, who pretends to be a paid assassin. A master of disguise but not of love, Johnson falls head over heels for Adria Arjona’s Madison, with the catch being that she has hired his fake services. Will he keep up his tall tale, or will he admit the truth in the name of love? Enormous fun, Linklater deviates from his usual philosophical masterpieces to bring this bundle of joy to the screen. Powell and Arjona have undeniable chemistry as the lead duo, with Powell, in particular, proving once again that he’s one of the rom-com genre’s best-leaning men right now. Hit Man is a perfect popcorn flick for a Saturday night. – Jake Hodges

Watch on Netflix

‘Godzilla Minus One’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 98% IMDb: 7.9/10

One of the biggest surprise hits of 2023, Godzilla Minus One follows Kamikaze pilot Shikishima (Darren Barnet), who, after failing to distract the titular iconic monster, was accidentally at fault for the deaths of several warplane engineers. Intent to make up for his error, Shikishima joins a team whose sole purpose is to destroy the monster for good. One of cinema’s most legendary villains, there have been numerous versions of the Godzilla story, with this one widely considered one of the best of all time. Equal parts a gripping tale and dazzling cinematic experience, the movie even picked up a Visual Effects Oscar at the most recent Academy Awards — such is the extent of this film’s triumph. – Jake Hodges

Watch on Netflix

‘War Dogs’ (2016)

Rotten Tomatoes: 62% | IMDb: 7.1/10

Directed and co-written by Todd Phillips, War Dogs follows the life of David Packouz (Miles Teller), who, to begin with, lives as normal and mundane a life as can be imagined. However, everything is set to change when he runs into an old friend, with the two of them earning a contract to arm America’s allies in Afghanistan. Featuring a cameo from the real David Packouz, War Dogs is loosely based on a true story, with the mind-blowing depths of this narrative made even wilder when learning of this fact. Both of the central characters are neatly flawed, with their mistakes always rooted in reality — an important addition to any protagonist in a story of this ilk. Deeply gripping but also often funny, War Dogs has a bit of everything. – Jake Hodges

Watch on Netflix

‘The Equalizer’ (2014)

Rotten Tomatoes: 61% | IMDb: 7.2/10

Based on the 1980s TV series of the same name, The Equalizer is an action thriller film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by Richard Wenk, starring Denzel Washington as Robert McCall. A former Marine and Defense Intelligence Agency Paramilitary Operations Officer, McCall returns to action in The Equalizer to protect a teenage girl from human traffickers. The movie’s cast also includes Chloë Grace Moretz, David Harbour, Bill Pullman, Marton Csokas, and Melissa Leo. Though The Equalizer received rather mixed reviews from critics, the film was a box office success and has proven quite popular with audiences. In the years since its release, it’s spawned two sequels, The Equalizer 2 in 2018 and The Equalizer 3 in 2023. While the plot is a bit uneven and almost nonsensical in parts, the stylish action sequences and gratuitous violence still carry you through its 132-minute runtime. Denzel Washington is as scintillating as ever in the lead role, and when you add the stacked supporting cast and Fuqua’s slick direction to the mix, you’ve got one great old-school actioner that’s perfect for a weekend movie night.

Watch on Netflix

‘Anyone But You’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 55% | IMDb: 6.2/10

is a romantic comedy directed by Will Gluck that’s loosely based on the William Shakespeare play Much Ado About Nothing. Gluck also co-wrote the screenplay with Ilana Wolpert. The film stars Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell as two people who have an instant connection that quickly turns sour, only to find themselves reunited at a destination wedding where they must pretend to be a couple. Though Anyone But You received a mixed reception from critics, the film has performed quite well at the box office, earning over $200 million globally. The chemistry between its two talented stars is what makes Anyone But You such a fun rom-com and has made the film so popular with audiences. Sure, there are better Shakespeare adaptations and better enemies-to-lovers rom-coms out there, but Sweeney and Powell’s enjoyable performances make this a much better movie than it would otherwise have been.

Watch on Netflix

‘Shrek’ (2001)

Rotten Tomatoes: 90% | IMDb: 7.9/10

It’s easy to forget just how big of a deal Shrek was when it hit theaters in 2001, but it was a very big deal. DreamWorks Animation challenged Pixar in the realm of CG animation with a more edgy, slightly more adult-oriented animated film — one in which parents would be laughing at jokes that went over their children’s heads. But at its core, Shrek works beautifully as a story of an outsider looking for acceptance, and of love coming from unexpected places. It’s also just a really pretty and fun fairy tale in its own right. While technology has advanced considerably in the two decades since its release, Shrek still holds up all these years later. – Adam Chitwood

Watch on Netflix

‘Four Daughters’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 85% | IMDb: 7.3/10

Read Our ReviewDirected by Kaouther Ben Hania, Four Daughters is an Arabic-language documentary film that explores the true story of a Tunisian woman whose two eldest daughters were radicalized by Islamic extremists. After the disappearance of her daughters, the filmmaker invites professional actresses to take their place, blending reality and fiction to give the audience an intimate view of the family’s life. The movie was a co-production between France, Tunisia, Germany, and Saudi Arabia. Four Daughters premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the prestigious Palme d’Or Award. The film received near-universal acclaim and was nominated for Best Documentary Feature at the 96th Academy Awards. Critics have lauded Kouther Ben Hania’s form-breaking approach to the film, and that masterful storytelling is what makes this documentary all the more engaging. Four Daughters makes the lives of its subjects come alive in heartbreaking detail in a way that few other documentaries have done before.

Watch on Netflix

‘American Graffiti’ (1973)

Rotten Tomatoes: 95% | IMDb: 7.4/10

George Lucas’s directorial debut, American Graffiti is a coming-of-age comedy-drama starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, and Paul Le Mat. The film follows the adventures of a group of teens in 1960s Modesto, California, on the last day of summer as they grapple with their futures. The film is comprised of a series of vignettes that come together to tell a concurrent story of cruising culture, rock-and-roll, greasers, and mysterious blondes. Far removed from Lucas’ later creations, American Graffiti is a nostalgic and bittersweet film that speaks to a more thoughtful sensibility. Critically acclaimed, the movie is visually striking and features some great performances, including an appearance by a pre-Star WarsHarrison Ford. The movie is a nostalgic return to the sixties, full of heart and humor — and it helps that it also has one of the greatest rock soundtracks of all time.

Watch on Netflix

‘The Matrix’ (1999)

Rotten Tomatoes: 83% | IMDb: 8.7/10

Written and directed by theWachowskis, The Matrix is a science fiction film that stars Keanu Reeves as a hacker who discovers that the world he lives in is an illusion crafted by malevolent Artificial Intelligence. The movie also stars Laurence Fishburne, Carrie-Anne Moss, and Hugo Weaving and spawned a franchise that includes three sequels and an animated anthology. The Matrix is an ambitious movie that presents the very best in technical filmmaking, winning the Oscars for Best Visual Effects, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, and Best Sound Editing. The performances are solid, the action is spectacular, and the plot is intricately crafted. The film’s narrative style feels quite surreal, drawing the audience into its ever-expanding world in a way that feels like a blend of Hong Kong action movies, cyberpunk anime, and 1990s techno-futurism. It’s dystopian, slick, and easily one of the best films ever made in its genre.

Watch on Netflix

‘Molly’s Game’ (2017)

Rotten Tomatoes: 81% | IMDb: 7.4/10

Based on the true story of Molly Bloom, Molly’s Game was written and directed by Aaron Sorkin and stars Jessica Chastain in the lead role. An Olympic-level skier whose career was ended by an accident, the film follows Molly as she seeks a different kind of gold by running a high-stakes underground poker ring. The movie also stars Idris Elba, Kevin Costner, Jeremy Strong, and more. Sorkin’s directorial debut, the film received critical acclaim, largely thanks to Sorkin’s Oscar-nominated script and the phenomenal performances by Chastain and Elba. The role of Molly Bloom earned Chastain her fifth Golden Globe nomination, further cementing her reputation as an acting powerhouse. It’s one of the defining performances of her career, and that alone should make the movie worth watching. Tightly written and expertly paced, Molly’s Game is a complete entertainer from beginning to end and a brilliant showcase of Sorkin’s abilities as a writer and filmmaker.

Watch on Netflix

‘American Symphony’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 94% | IMDb: 6.9/10

Even if you just watch the trailer for American Symphony, you will be in tears. The documentary tells the story of Grammy winner Jon Batiste and his wife, Suleika Jaouad, as they live a life of drastic contrast. While Batiste continues to take over the music world, Jaouad goes through an intense battle with cancer. Jaouad begins chemotherapy on the same day Batiste is nominated for 11 Grammy Awards – an obviously unplanned detail that sums up the entire message of the film: that a wonderful thing and terrible thing can happen at the same time. Over the course of the documentary, Batiste is writing a composition that he plans to play for one night only at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival to great reviews, with Variety Magazine calling it “one of the best love stories seen on film.” Currently, American Symphony is nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “It Never Went Away” by Batiste and Dan Wilson. – Emily Cappello

Watch on Netflix

‘Rustin’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 85% | IMDb: 6.6/10

Read Our Review

Currently nominated for an Academy Award for Best Leading Actor for its star, Colman Domingo, Rustin tells the story of Bayard Rustin (Domingo), a civil rights activist heavily inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr. Rustin sets out to organize the March on Washington against huge obstacles like racism and homophobia. Those familiar with the March on Washington, which occurred in 1963, know how paramount it was in the fight to end racial discrimination and that it concluded with Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. The film follows these incredible historic events while highlighting Rustin’s passion and enthusiasm for civil rights.

The film also stars Aml Ameen (The Maze Runner) as Dr. King, Glynn Turman (Super 8) as A. Philip Randolph, Chris Rock (The Longest Yard) as Roy Wilkins, and Audra McDonald (A Raisin In The Sun) as Ella Baker. Rustin was previously nominated for two Golden Globe Awards for Best Original Song by Lenny Kravitz and Best Performance by Domingo. – Emily Cappello

Watch on Netflix

‘Nyad’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 86% | IMDb: 7.1/10

Read Our Review

Oscar winners Annette Bening and Jodie Foster dominate in the biographical sports drama Nyad. Directed by documentarians Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, Nyad is their feature directorial debut, which benefits from their experience capturing authenticity. As expected from most sports dramas and biopics, Nyad shares a story of perseverance, the triumphs of determination, and a message of hope, showcased by the undeniable on-screen power of Bening and Foster.

The actors’ dedication to truth in storytelling, as well as their chemistry, shine alongside the smart script written by Julia Cox. Nyad engages the audience with its solid foundation while entertaining through grounded drama based on reality instead of relying on cheap cliches. – Yael Tygiel

Watch on Netflix

‘Society of the Snow’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 90% | IMDb: 7.9/10

Read Our Review

In 1972, a Uruguayan flight crashed while carrying a rugby team on their way to Chile, and the survivors of the wreck had to work together to survive in the treacherously cold weather of the Andes. This real-life event is the subject of J.A. Bayona‘s film Society of the Snow, which tackles the incredible story of the survivors and their attempts to survive for two months in the mountains. Director Bayona got the idea for the film upon discovering the book The Society of the Snow, which was written by Pablo Vierci, and used the same name for his film. The cast, largely composed of newcomers in the acting world, is completely composed of Uruguayan and Argentinian performers.

The film was nominated for two Oscars, including Best International Feature Film, a Golden Globe for Best Non-English Language Film, and a Critic’s Choice Award for the same category. With a budget of 60 million euros, The Society of Snow is the most expensive Spanish film ever made. With music by Michael Giacchino, the film is acclaimed for its emotional undertone and important message. – Emily Cappello

Watch on Netflix

‘May December’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 90% | IMDb: 6.9/10

Read Our Review

While watching May December, I found myself laughing out loud almost as much as I was cringing. I also found myself looking online afterward to see if my reaction was “normal.” This kaleidoscope viewing experience shows the brilliance of May December and how its subject matter — a thirty-six-year-old woman entering into a relationship with a seventh grader and having his three children — will dramatically change depending on the person telling the story. The plot follows actress Elizabeth (Natalie Portman) as she shadows Gracie (Julianne Moore), the controversial woman (and sex offender) who inspired Elizabeth’s latest film role. Or, depending on your point of view, it’s about Gracie’s experience as Elizabeth enters and disrupts the parts of her she’s been able to keep hidden. Or it’s about Gracie’s much, much younger husband, Joe (Charles Melton), as he discovers what Elizabeth’s presence means about his own life.

Written and directed by Todd Haynes, the film was inspired by the real-life relationship between teacher Mary Kay Letourneau and her sixth-grade student, Vili Fualaau. The two had children together and eventually married upon Letourneau’s release from prison, as Gracie and Joe did in May December. While it seems impossible that, given these themes, the film would have any laugh-out-loud moments, Haynes has crafted the story in such a way that it’s aware of its own absurdity. And, perhaps, we would find humor in the smallest moments, like Gracie dramatically revealing they “need more hot dogs” just to forget the insanity of the situation we’ve found ourselves in as an audience. – Emily Cappello

Watch on Netflix

‘Maestro’ (2023)

Rotten Tomatoes: 79% | IMDb: 6.7/10

Read Our Review

One of the most talked-about films of 2023, Maestro tells the story of American composer Leonard Bernstein (Bradley Cooper), his rise to fame, and how that fame affected his relationship with long-time love Felicia Montealegre (Carey Mulligan). Directed and co-written by Cooper alongside screenwriter Josh Singer, the film was produced by cinema heavy hitters Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg. The film won the American Film Institute (AFI)’s “Movie of the Year” and was nominated for four Golden Globe Awards, including “Best Motion Picture, Drama,” “Best Director,” and “Best Performance by a Male Actor” for Cooper and “Best Performer by Female Actor” for Mulligan. It co-stars Matt Bomer (In Time), Vincent Amato (Unbroken), and comedian Sarah Silverman.

Leonard Bernstein began his career as an assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic and rose to fame when he filled in for the main conductor, who had fallen ill. Maestro follows Bernstein as he meets and marries Felicia Montealegre, who struggles with her new husband’s infidelity. While Bernstein goes on to compose some of the most famous music in American history, including West Side Story, he struggles with alcohol and other substances, causing more issues in his marriage. – Emily Cappello

Watch on Netflix