Netflix is considered the most popular streaming platform out there, and it’s not just because of the staggering subscriber count it boasts. The direct-to-consumer service hosts a wide variety of films and television shows for your viewing pleasure, from rom-coms to thrillers and everything in between. There’s so much on Netflix at any one time that it can be difficult deciding what to watch when you’re tired of scrolling the myriad icons. And with the service adding new content on a monthly basis, it can be equally difficult keeping track of everything on offer. So, we did the hard part for you and compiled a list of what you should definitely consider putting on your Watch List for this month.
Without further ado, here are the best movies on Netflix right now.
1.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F
Director: Mark Molloy
Cast: Eddie Murphy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, Bronson Pinchot, and Kevin Bacon
Genre: Action Comedy
Rating: R
Runtime: 1h58m
Rotten Tomatoes: 66% (Critics), 77% (Audience)
Thirty years after Beverly Hills Cop III, Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F arrived on Netflix in 2024 as the fourth installment in the Beverly Hills Cop film franchise. Eddie Murphy reprises his role as Axel Foley, with Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, and Bronson Pinchot returning to their roles from the previous films in the franchise while adding Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, and Kevin Bacon to the cast.
This time around, Detective Axel Foley (Murphy) is back on the beat in Beverly Hills. After his daughter’s life is threatened, she (Paige) and Foley team up with a new partner (Gordon-Levitt) and old pals Billy Rosewood (Reinhold) and John Taggart (Ashton) to turn up the heat and uncover a conspiracy. A lot has changed since Murphy gave life to this iconic character, but having this franchise live on Netflix is sure to introduce it to a whole new wave of fans.
2.
Hit Man
Director: Richard Linklater
Cast: Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, Retta, and Sanjay Rao
Genre: Romantic comedy
Rating: R
Runtime: 1h 53m
Rotten Tomatoes: 95% (Critics), 91% (Audience)
Glen Powell was on a mission to cement himself as the next big movie star in the summer of 2024. Before Twisters hit theaters as his first major blockbuster film, he kicked it all off with Netflix’s Hit Man. And what better way to prove your acting chops than by playing dozens of characters in the same film? Inspired by an unbelievably true story, Hit Man follows a goodie-two-shoes professor named Gary (Powell), who discovers he has a hidden talent for pretending to be a hitman. He joins the New Orleans Police Department to help catch criminals looking to hire someone to commit a murder on their behalf.
Gary then falls into dangerous territory when he finds himself falling for one of the fake hitman’s potential clients, a beautiful young woman named Madison (Adria Arjona) who seeks to get rid of her husband. Hit Man is a clever comedy that is easy and fun to watch.
3.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
Director: Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson
Cast: Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Vélez, Jake Johnson, Issa Rae, Daniel Kaluuya, Mahershala Ali, and Oscar Isaac
Genre: Action/Animation
Rating: PG
Runtime: 2h 20m
Rotten Tomatoes: 95% (Critics), 94% (Audience)
Miles Morales returned for the next chapter of the Oscar-winning Spider-Verse saga. The epic adventure transports Brooklyn’s full-time, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man across the Multiverse to join forces with Gwen Stacy and a new team of Spider-People to go against a villain more powerful than anything they have ever encountered. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse was released in 2018, and it introduced Miles as a novice superhero finding his footing. In Across the Spider-Verse, Miles is ready for what the role requires and more.
The innovative animation in the Spider-Verse films separates it from all the other animated films of its kind. That, paired with incredible dialogue and story, made it such a standout that it landed in the Top 5 of Complex’s Best of Movies of 2023 list. (That’s a hell of an accolade.) The cast is also stacked with A-listers like Shameik Moore in the lead, alongside Hailee Steinfeld, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Vélez, Jake Johnson, Jason Schwartzman, Issa Rae, Karan Soni, Shea Whigham, Greta Lee, Daniel Kaluuya, Mahershala Ali, Oscar Isaac, and many more.
4.
The Inspection (2022)
Director: Elegance Bratton
Cast: Jeremy Pope, Raúl Castillo, McCaul Lombardi, Aaron Dominguez, Bokeem Woodbine, and Gabrielle Union
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 1h 34m
Rotten Tomatoes: 88% (Critics), 91% (Audience)
In Elegance Bratton’s deeply moving film inspired by his own story, a young, gay Black man named Ellis French (Jeremy Pope) is rejected by his homophobic mother Inez (Gabrielle Union), who kicks French out of their home, leaving him homeless since he was 16. With few options for his future, he enlists in the Marines as a last-ditch effort for him to do whatever it takes to succeed in a system that would cast him aside.
But even as he battles deep-seated prejudice and the grueling routines of basic training, he finds unexpected camaraderie, strength, and support in this new militant community, giving him a hard-earned sense of belonging that will shape his identity and change his life forever. The A24 film spotlights Pope as an actor to watch, while Union gives the most powerful and most memorable performance of her career.
5.
The Book of Clarence (2023)
Director: Jeymes Samuel
Cast: LaKeith Stanfield, Omar Sy, RJ Cyler, David Oyelowo, Teyana Taylor, Caleb McLaughlin, James McAvoy, and Benedict Cumberbatch
Genre: Comedy
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 2h 9m
Rotten Tomatoes: 67% (Critics), 80% (Audience)
The Harder They Fall director Jeymes Samuel once again puts together a stellar cast of actors to tell yet another larger-than-life story with his second film, The Book of Clarence. The film follows a down-on-his-luck man named Clarence (LaKeith Stanfield), who struggles to find a better life for his family as he fights to free himself of debt. While he is living a life of crime, he becomes captivated by the power and glory of the rising Messiah, so Clarence concocts a plan to ride on the coattails of the Messiah’s popularity and leads people to believe he is also a chosen one. Alongside his best friend Elijah (RJ Cyler), Clarence becomes convincing enough that he creates his own following and starts changing his luck, only to discover that the redemptive power of faith may be his only way out. It doesn’t matter if you are a believer or not, LaKeith’s performance is powerful enough to make you reconsider.
6.
A Family Affair
Director: Richard Lagravenese
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Zac Efron, Joey King, Kathy Bates, and Liza Koshy
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 1h51m
Rotten Tomatoes: 36% (Critics), 30% (Audience)
A Family Affair might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but it sure is entertaining; Zac Efron is at his best when he is in his rom-com bag. Plus, fans will get a side of Nicole Kidman that they perhaps have not seen before. The film is about a surprising romance that kicks off between a personal assistant and her movie-star boss. When Zara (Joey King) quits her job after growing tired of her famous, egocentric employer Chris Cole (Zac Efron), the incident leads to an encounter between him and her renowned writer-mom Brooke (Nicole Kidman).
Much to Zara’s disappointment, Brooke and Chris instantly hit it off. The multigenerational, coming-of-age romantic comedy follows each character as they deal with the complications that come with love, sex, and finding their identities. The movie was directed by Richard Lagravenese, who helmed the beloved rom-com P.S. I Love You, and features Kathy Bates and Liza Koshy alongside King, Efron, and Kidman.
7.
Dumb Money (2023)
Director: Craig Gillespie
Cast: Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, Vincent D’Onofrio, America Ferrera, Nick Offerman, Anthony Ramos, Sebastian Stan, and Shailene Woodley
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 1h 45m
Rotten Tomatoes: 84% (Critics), 85% (Audience)
Dumb Money is perhaps some of the most fun you can have right from the comfort of your home. The film is based on the riveting true story of everyday people who flipped the script on Wall Street and got rich by turning GameStop into the world’s hottest company on the stock market. In the middle of everything is regular guy Keith Gill, incredibly well played by Paul Dano, who starts it all by sinking his life savings into the stock and livestreaming about it. When his social media posts start blowing up, so too does his life and the lives of everyone following him. As a stock tip becomes a movement, everyone gets rich until the billionaires fight back, and both sides find their worlds turned upside down. The story gives you so many people to root for, all played by an exciting and extremely fun cast that includes Pete Davidson, America Ferrera, Nick Offerman, Seth Rogen, Anthony Ramos, and more.
8.
Rustin (2023)
Director: George C. Wolfe
Cast: Colman Domingo, Chris Rock, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Jeffrey Wright, and Audra McDonald
Genre: Drama
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 1h 48m
Rotten Tomatoes: 84% (Critics), 83% (Audience)
Bayard Rustin, the man behind 1963’s March on Washington, was one of the greatest activists and organizers the world has ever known. But due to homophobia, he was almost forgotten. Rustin follows the activist, who was an advisor to Martin Luther King Jr. and dedicated his life to the quest for racial equality, human rights, and worldwide democracy. As an openly gay Black man in the 1960s (in politics, of all fields), he was nearly erased from the civil rights movement he helped build.
Colman Domingo, who nabbed the Best Actor nomination for the role at the 96th Academy Awards, helps shed an overdue spotlight on the man who, alongside giants like the Reverend King, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Ella Baker, dared to fight to make the world better for all. Rustin’s story is one everyone can learn from, and Domingo’s Oscar-nominated performance takes it to an even higher level.
9.
May December (2023)
Director: Todd Haynes
Cast: Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, and Charles Melton
Genre: Drama/Romance
Rating: R
Runtime: 1h 57m
Rotten Tomatoes: 91% (Critics), 65% (Audience)
May December was a hit with critics. The film is loosely based on the real-life events of Mary Kay Letourneau, a 34-year-old teacher who victimized and began a sexual relationship with her then 12-year-old student, Vili Fualaau, in 1996, becoming a tabloid fixture. Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, May December follows the fictitious version of the scandalous pair, Gracie Atherton-Yu (Julianne Moore) and her husband Joe (Charles Melton), as they prepare for their twins to graduate high school.
Hollywood actress Elizabeth Berry (Natalie Portman) comes to spend time with the family to get inside Gracie’s mind since she will be playing her in a film. The family dynamics begin to unravel under the pressure of the outside gaze. Having never processed what happened in his youth, Joe starts to face the reality of life as an empty-nester at 36 and all that he didn’t experience after getting into a relationship so young. Todd Haynes’ movie might make viewers uncomfortable, but it’s not any easier to watch than following the real-life disturbing story all those years ago.
10.
The Equalizer 3 (2023)
Director: Antoine Fuqua
Cast: Denzel Washington, Dakota Fanning, Eugenio Mastrandrea, David Denman, and Gaia Scodellaro
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller
Rating: R
Runtime: 1h 49m
Rotten Tomatoes: 76% (Critics), 94% (Audience)
The Equalizer 3 was a hit with fans when it arrived in theaters, and now it’s available on Netflix. While the first two are not on the streamer, fans of the franchise can find them on other platforms before sinking their teeth into the third installment. In 3, Robert McCall (Denzel Washington) has struggled to reconcile with the horrific things he’s done in the past after giving up his life as a government assassin and finds a strange peace in serving justice on behalf of the oppressed. Now at his new home in Southern Italy, he discovers his new friends are under the control of local crime bosses. McCall vows to stop the Italian crime syndicate from brutalizing and extorting the residents of a small coastal town who have won over his heart and his trust. As events turn deadly, McCall becomes his friends’ protector in ways only he can.
11.
Leave the World Behind (2023)
Director: Sam Esmail
Cast: Julia Roberts, Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, Myha’la Herrold, and Kevin Bacon
Genre: Thriller/Mystery
Rating: R
Runtime: 2h 21m
Rotten Tomatoes: 73% (Critics), 35% (Audience)
When Leave the World Behind hit Netflix in November 2023, it was all people could talk about on social media for days, if not weeks. The apocalyptic thriller may not have been perfect, but it is sure to grab your attention from start to finish. The story follows a well-to-do New Yorker named Amanda (Julia Roberts) and her husband Clay (Ethan Hawke), who rent a luxurious home for the weekend on Long Island with their kids, Archie (Charlie Evans) and Rose (Farrah Mackenzie).
Their vacation is soon disrupted when two strangers, G.H. (Mahershala Ali) and his daughter Ruth (Myha’la), arrive at night, telling them about a mysterious cyberattack and asking for shelter in the house they claim is theirs. As the two families grapple with what’s happening around them, the viewer sits in suspense, wondering what’s really going on and maybe even considering how something like this could tear our world apart.
12.
Miller’s Girl
Director: Jade Halley Bartlett
Cast: Martin Freeman, Jenna Ortega, Bashir Salahuddin, Gideon Adlon, and Dagmara Dominczyk
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Mystery & Thriller
Rating: R
Runtime: 1h 33m
Rotten Tomatoes: 29% (Critics), 42% (Audience)
In Miller’s Girl, high schooler Cairo Sweet (Jenna Ortega) has an inappropriate and flirtatious close bond with her English teacher, Mr. Miller (Martin Freeman). The film takes a close look at the blurred lines in relationships and what happens when boundaries aren’t fully set, especially between people with a power imbalance. Miller’s Girl is a fictional thriller that also incorporates elements from the work and life of novelist Henry Miller, who is known for his erotic, boundary-pushing literature.
The illicit teacher-student love story is not new, as viewers saw with May December, and it is at the heart of the controversy that surrounded Miller’s Girl, particularly when it comes to the film’s sex scenes, with audiences speaking out against the 31-year age gap between Freeman and his co-star Ortega. Sure, it can be hard to watch at times, but for those who simply came to see Ortega take on such a complicated character, Miller’s Girl is a must-watch.
13.
Anyone But You (2023)
Director: Will Gluck
Cast: Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, Alexandra Shipp, GaTa, Hadley Robinson, Michelle Hurd, Dermot Mulroney, Darren Barnet, Bryan Brown, and Rachel Griffiths
Genre: Romantic Comedy
Rating: R
Runtime: 1h 43m
Rotten Tomatoes: 52% (Critics), 87% (Audience)
Anyone But You is a romantic comedy loosely based on William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing and stars Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell. The edgy film follows Bea (Sweeney) and Ben (Powell), who have the perfect meet-cute that leads to an amazing first date. Things quickly go left after a misunderstanding between them that causes their magical chemistry to fizzle out and their feelings for each other turn from attraction to disdain. They then unexpectedly find themselves having to attend the same destination wedding in Australia,, where the pair pretend to be the perfect couple to keep up appearances. And that’s when things get fun and raunchy fast.
The supporting cast includes Alexandra Shipp, GaTa, Hadley Robinson, Michelle Hurd, Dermot Mulroney, Darren Barnet, Bryan Brown, and Rachel Griffiths. It may not have been a hit with critics because the acting left room for improvement, but it worked for fans; with a $25 million budget, it went on to bring in $220 million, cementing it as a success. Anyone But You is now proof to movie studios that there is still an audience for rom-coms in theaters, and they are worth making.
14.
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
Director: Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert
Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, James Hong, and Jamie Lee Curtis
Genre: Comedy/Adventure/Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Rating: R
Runtime: 2h 19m
Rotten Tomatoes: 93% (Critics), 77% (Audiences)
On the surface, Everything Everywhere All At Once is a movie about an exhausted Chinese American woman (Michelle Yeoh) who can’t seem to finish her taxes and has lost control of her marriage and her family. But the movie then quickly evolves into this big-hearted, multidimensional, sci-fi action adventure about a new hero who must channel her newfound powers to fight bizarre and bewildering dangers from the Multiverse as the world’s fate is in her (multiple) hands.
The other universes contain infinite versions of what her life could’ve been, outlining her every possibility of all conceivable events, choices, actions, or scenarios and how they would have played out. The concept of the Multiverse then reveals to her the beauty of her reality, showing her that although things might not be perfect where they are right now, everything is as it should be. The larger-than-life film won the Best Picture trophy at the Oscars, and it also made some of its stellar cast—Michelle Yeoh, Ke Huy Quan, and Jamie Lee Curtis—Oscar winners.
15.
Gran Turismo (2023)
Director: Neill Blomkamp
Cast: Archie Madekwe, Orlando Bloom, and David Harbour
Genre: Action/Drama
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 2h 14m
Rotten Tomatoes: 65% (Critics), 98% (Audience)
Archie Madekwe co-stars alongside Orlando Bloom and David Harbour in Neill Blomkamp’s Gran Turismo, which is based on PlayStation’s iconic racing game franchise. The Gran Turismo movie is based on the true story of a team of unlikely underdogs, the struggling working-class gamer Jann Mardenborough ( Madekwe), a failed former race car driver named Jack Salter (Harbour), and the idealistic motorsport marketing executive Danny Moore (Bloom). Following a pitch by Danny, Nissan established the GT Academy to recruit skilled players of the racing simulator Gran Turismo to transform them into real racing drivers.
Danny enlists Jack to train the players. Meanwhile, Jann, a teenage gamer from Cardiff who is now a professional driver in real life, dreams of becoming a racing driver despite his father Steve’s (Djimon Hounsou) disapproval. Together, Jack and Jann risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world. Gran Turismo is an exciting and action-packed story that shows that nothing is impossible when you have the right team around you and the drive to make your dreams come true.
16.
The Long Game (2023)
Director: Julio Quintana
Cast: Jay Hernandez, Gregory Diaz IV, Cheech Marin, Oscar Nuñez, Paulina Chávez, José Julián,, Dennis Quaid, Julian Works, Jaina Lee Ortiz, and Brett Cullen
Genre: History/Drama
Rating: PG
Runtime: 1h 52m
Rotten Tomatoes: 82% (Critics), 97% (Audience)
Based on Humberto G. Garcia’s Mustang Miracle, The Long Game is an inspiring movie that will make you root for the underdog. In 1956, JB Peña (Jay Hernandez) and his wife moved to the small town of Del Rio, Texas, partly for a job as a school superintendent, but mostly to pursue JB’s dream of joining the prestigious, all-white Del Rio Country Club. So, when JB is rejected because of his skin color, he is devastated. But he soon encounters a group of young Latino golf caddies who work at the country club, lighting a fire in his spirit. JB is inspired by the handmade course the boys built in the country to teach themselves golf. With little experience and even fewer resources, JB convinces the boys to start their own high school golf team, starting them all on a journey where they learn it takes more than just golf skills to make history.
17.
Society of the Snow
Director: J. A. Bayona
Cast: Enzo Vogrincic, Agustín Pardella, Esteban Bigliardi, and Simón Hempe
Genre: Drama
Rating: R
Runtime: 2h 24m
Rotten Tomatoes: 90% (Critics), 88% (Audience)
In 1972, Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 went down in the Andes Mountains region with 45 passengers and crew members on board. After 72 days, 16 survivors were rescued just days before Christmas. The harrowing event has simultaneously been called the “Miracle of the Andes” as well as the “Andes Flight Disaster,” two very different names trying to capture the brutality of survival and the astonishing rescue.
For the past 50 years, the crash has inspired countless media, including 1993’s Alive and 2021’s hit television series Yellowjackets. This film is based on the book of the same name by Pablo Vierci, who happened to grow up with several of the survivors.
18.
X (2022)
Director: Ti West
Cast: Mia Goth, Jenna Ortega, Martin Henderson, Brittany Snow, and Scott Mescudi
Genre: Horror
Rating: R
Runtime: 1h 45m
Rotten Tomatoes: 94% (Critics), 76% (Audience)
X follows a gang of guerrilla porn makers who head to the middle of nowhere to film their latest project. Their elderly host, unaware of their intentions, asks them to try to keep it down since his wife isn’t feeling too well. As the shoot gets underway, the old woman begins haunting the set. She isn’t too happy not being the star. The first entry in the Ti West-directed and Mia Goth-starring trilogy introduces the intertwined tales of Maxine and Pearl. The horror film also stars scream queen Jenna Ortega alongside Scott Mescudi and Brittany Snow.
19.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)
Director: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic
Cast: Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Jack Black
Genre: Comedy, Adventure
Rating: PG
Runtime: 1h 32m
Rotten Tomatoes: 59% (Critics), 95% (Audience)
Nintendo’s iconic plumber made his second appearance on the big screen in this Illumination-animated feature film. After his brother Luigi (Charlie Day) is taken to another world during a job, Mario (Chris Pratt) finds himself in the Mushroom Kingdom. As the threat of Bowser (Jack Black) looms over the citizens, they believe Mario could be the hero they need. He’s just going to need to believe in himself.
An all-star voice cast was assembled alongside Black and Pratt, such as Anya Taylor-Joy, while Day proves to be the stand-out as the green-colored, lanky, scaredy-cat taller brother. The movie is full of Easter eggs for long-time fans while still allowing newcomers to jump in. After crossing the billion-dollar mark in 2023, there is a guarantee there are more adventures to come. Let’s hope for a Luigi’s Mansion spinoff!
20.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
Director: Rian Johnson
Cast: Daniel Craig, Ed Norton, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista
Genre: Thriller
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 2h 20m
Rotten Tomatoes: 91% (Critics), 92% (Audience)
The world-renowned detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) returns in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Blanc receives an invitation to join tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) on his private island. The retreat with his close friends happen to include a controversial starlet (Kate Hudson), an MRA Twitch streamer (Dave Bautista), and the governor of Connecticut (Kathryn Hahn)—just to name a few. Despite his reputation, Bron does not know who invited the sleuth but welcomes him anyway. The reunion turns deadly when one of them is killed, leading to the unraveling of long-held secrets. It’s up to Blanc to peel back the layers to figure out which one of the attendees it is before the killer can claim another victim.
