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25 of the best movies on Netflix right now

by Oema | Dec 16, 2021 | Virtual Reality, Virtual Worlds & Games | 0 comments

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Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Fast Color — Image: Lionsgate

From cannibalistic coming of age stories to superhero family dramas

What’s the best movie I can watch on Netflix? We’ve all asked ourselves the question, only to spend the next 15 minutes scrolling through the streaming service’s oddly specific genre menus, and getting overwhelmed by the constantly shifting trend menus. Netflix’s huge catalogue of movies, combined with its inscrutable recommendations algorithm, can make finding something to watch feel more like a chore than a way to unwind when really what you want are the good movies. No… the best movies.

We’re here to help. For those suffering from choice paralysis in September, we’ve narrowed down your options to 25 of our favorite current movies on the platform. These run the gamut from taut thrillers to eccentric comedies to newly minted classics. We’ll be updating this list monthly as Netflix cycles movies in and out of its library, so be sure to check back next time you’re stuck in front of the Netflix home screen.

21 Jump Street

Based on the 1987 TV series of the same name, Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s 2012 buddy cop comedy 21 Jump Street stars Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum as Morton Schmidt and Greg Jenko, two high school classmates from radically different social circles who befriend one another later in life as police academy cadets. After a humiliating screw up, the pair are sent undercover to pose as high school students in order to find the source of an illegal synthetic drug. Accidentally mixing up their identities, Morton and Greg get a taste of what life was like for one another back when they were in school, all while getting into all types of shenanigans and shootouts. Acutely self-aware and frequently hilarious, 21 Jump Street is a comedy reboot done well. —Toussaint Egan

At Eternity’s Gate

Julian Schnabel’s 2018 biographical drama stars Willem Dafoe as Vincent van Gogh, following the late Impressionist master in the final years of his life as he struggles with aspersions towards his artistic career and ability as well as his own tortured psyche. Named for van Gogh’s 1890 painting, At Eternity’s Gate is a dreamlike work of art, diving into the painter’s point of view as the picture violently spasms and shakes as his life becomes increasingly more dire. Dafoe’s performance was celebrated at the time of the film’s release, earning him his fourth Oscar nomination at the 91st Academy Awards. —TE

The Burial of Kojo

If you were a fan of either 2012’s Beasts of the Southern Wild or 2020’s Night of the Kings, you’ll love The Burial of Kojo. The directorial debut of musician Blitz Bazawule and filmed entirely in Ghana, the mythic drama stars Cynthia Dankwa as Esi, a young girl recounting the story of her childhood and the tumultuous relationship between her father Kojo (Joseph Otsiman) and her uncle Kwabena. When her father goes missing, Esi embarks on a journey to an otherworldly plane of existence where she must contend with a powerful creature known only as the Crow in order to rescue him. Narrated by actress Ama K. Abebrese, The Burial of Kojo is a stunning dream-like odyssey told with evocative visuals, richly lit colors, and captivatingly somber performances. —TE

Cloud Atlas

Cloud Atlas offers the best hint at what to tonally expect from a Matrix sequel in the year 2021, aside from The Wachowskis’ Netflix sci-fi drama Sense8. Adapted from David Mitchell’s 2004 novel of the same name, the epic sci-fi odyssey charts the story of several characters from the 1900s to the middle of the 21st century as they attempt to grapple with the challenges of their respective eras and find meaning in their lives. Starring an ensemble cast including Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, Ben Whishaw, Doona Bae, Susan Sarandon, and more, the film is a cofounding, ambitious, and at times deeply moving story with an “anything goes” attitude that equally results in some of the most inspired scenes and questionable directorial decisions the Wachowskis have ever produced in their careers. From the looks of the trailer, if you want to brace yourself for the kind of wild cinematic experimentation you’re likely to find in The Matrix Resurrections, then Cloud Atlas will point the way. —TE

The Edge of Seventeen

Nadine (Steinfeld) does the human version of the shrugging kaomoji.

Hawkeye star Hailee Steinfeld stars in the 2016 comedy-drama The Edge of Seventeen as Nadine Franklin, a high school junior with a tumultuous home life exacerbated by the death of her father. Things only get worse when her best friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) begins hooking up with her older brother Darian (Blake Jenner), driving a wedge between them. Exasperated with her life, Nadine finds herself leaning on the support of her teacher Mr. Bruner (Woody Harrelson) in order to navigate the challenges of growing up. Quirky, slightly morose, and deeply earnest, The Edge of Seventeen is a solid coming-of-age story powered by great performances on part of Steinfeld and Harrelson. —TE

Fast Color

Julia Hart’s 2018 superhero drama Fast Color stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Black Mirror, Loki) as Ruth, a homeless wanderer with inexplicable powers who returns to her family home after years of hiding from the police. Reunited with her mother Bo (Lorraine Toussaint) and her young daughter Lila (Saniyya Sidney), who both possess the same powers as her, Ruth attempts to regain control over her abilities and reconcile with Lila, all while alluding the authorities who seek to capture and study her. As we wrote back in our review, Fast Color is less a “superhero” film as it is an intimate family drama set in a speculative universe à la 2016’s Midnight Special. The spectacle on display is not the manifestation of Ruth’s powers, but in the masterful trio of performances at its center combining to create a story as poignant as it is exhilarating. —TE

The Florida Project

Central Florida is a weird place to be a kid from a poor family. You grow up in the shadow of corporate dreamlands, where people from around the world come to live out a fantasy of a weekend at the “happiest” places on Earth, fueled by workers who historically have made an average of $10 an hour. Directed by Sean Baker, The Florida Project is one small story set in this shadow, about a six-year-old girl named Moonee (Brooklynn Prince) who lives in a Kissimmee motel called The Magic Castle with her mother Halley (Bria Vinaite), who, trying to make ends meet, often leaves Moonee to her own devices, and the reluctant supervision of motel manager Bobby (Willem Defoe). The Florida Project is one of the best stories about Central Florida and Walt Disney World, a story about childlike wonder and joy a stone’s throw away from its monolithic commercialization, and the economic hardship that keeps the monied dreams of tourists afloat. —Joshua Rivera

Identity

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If you’re up for an eerie, psychological ensemble slasher with grimy cinematography à la Seven or Fight Club, director James Mangold’s 2003 horror movie Identity is just the film for you. Based loosely on Agatha Christie’s novel “And Then There Were None,” Identity follows ten strangers who, stranded at a Nevada motel during a violent storm, find themselves terrorized by a mysterious killer. As the story unfolds however, Identity reveals itself to be another story entirely; one which raises the stakes as the questions of what these strangers share in common and why their respective paths brought them together in the first place comes into focus. With terrific leading performances by John Cusack, Ray Liotta, and Amanda Peet, Identity is a solid early-aught horror flick with a twist as bonkers as it is entertaining. No spoilers. Just go watch it. —TE

It Follows

David Robert Mitchell’s breakout supernatural horror film It Follows centers on a young teenager Jay (Maika Monroe) who, after a strange sexual encounter, finds herself stalked by a nightmarish entity that no-one else but her can see that intends to kill her. In order to stave off death, Jay and her friends must stay a step ahead of the creature while attempting to find a means of defeating it, or else resort to passing the curse on to another hapless unassuming victim herself. With a terrific score provided by Hyper Light Drifter composer Richard Vreeland (aka Disasterpeace), It Follows is a memorable, unique, and entertaining teen horror drama that flips the script on the genre’s traditionally puritanical framing of sexuality with terrific results. —TE

Looper

Rian Johnson’s sci-fi noir action-thriller Looper follows the story of Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a hitman working for a crime syndicate in the year 2044 who specializes in killing people his employers send back in time from the future. In exchange for his services, Joe is offered the opportunity to retire provided that he close his own “loop” by executing his future self (Bruce Willis). When his future self overpowers him and sets off on his own mysterious mission, Joe must track himself down and close his loop before his employers opt to kill both of them to cover the whole mess up. From there, it only gets more complicated. Filled with exciting chase sequences, exhilarating gunfights, a memorable score by composer Nathan Johnson, and some frankly bizarre makeup designed to make Joseph Gordon-Levitt look like a younger Bruce Willis, Looper is a fascinating and thoroughly entertaining action movie with a heart as big as the ideas that power it. —TE

Middle of Nowhere

Ava DuVernay’s 2012 drama Middle of Nowhere centers on the story of Ruby (Emayatzy Corinealdi), a nurse living in Compton, California separated from her husband Derek (Omari Hardwick) who has been arrested and sentenced to eight years in prison. While regularly visiting Derek and attempting to negotiate his parole, Ruby meets Brian (David Oyelowo), a bus driver whom she eventually pursues a romantic relationship with. As she struggles to reconcile her growing attraction to Brian with her lingering attachment to Derek, new discoveries are brought to light that force Ruby to reckon with the consequences of both her and her husband’s choices as she attempts to move towards an uncertain future. Beautiful, evocative, and thoroughly heart wrenching, Middle of Nowhere is a stirring portrait of finding truth in love and vice-versa. —TE

Moneyball

Bennet Miller’s sports biopic Moneyball takes a staid premise, that of sports manager using statistical analysis to assemble an all-star baseball team, and turns it into an electrifying drama playing and defying the odds. That Miller manages to do this is owed in no small part to Brad Pitt’s charismatic leading performance as Billy Beane coupled alongside Jonah Hill as math whiz Peter Brand. Bobby Kotick cameo aside, this film’s a winner through and through. —TE

The Nightingale

Set in 1825 during the British colonization of Australia, Director Jennifer Kent’s (The Babadook) period drama The Nightingale stars Aisling Franciosi (The Fall) as Clare, a young Irish convict who serves her 7-year sentence only for her abusive master Lt. Hawkins (Sam Claflin) to refuse to release her. After being subjected to a horrific act of sexual violence at the hands of her master and his officers, and with no hope of justice served on part of the British authorities against their own, Clare embarks on a relentless chase through the Tasmanian wilderness to exact her revenge on Hawkins when he leaves to take up a captain position up north. Known for its extreme historically accurate depictions of rape, murder, and racism perpetuated by British settlers against the indigenous people of Australia, The Nightingale is an visually striking and emotionally enthralling tale of revenge conveyed through deft performances, striking cinematography, and unflinching harshness. —TE

The Paper Tigers

Quoc Bao Tran’s Kung-fu action comedy stars Alain Uy, Ron Yuan (Mulan), and Mykel Shannon Jenkins as the eponymous Paper Tigers: three former martial arts prodigies who, after a lifetime of strenuous training and hard fighting, have grown into beleaguered middle-aged nobodies. But when their master is murdered, the three swear an oath to avenge his memory and bring his killer to justice. If that sounds serious, please know this falls into the Apatowian camp of Dumb Man comedy. —TE

Passing

Based on Nella Larsen’s 1929 novel, actor Rebecca Hall’s directorial debut stars Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga as Irene and Clare, two childhood friends who reunite in adulthood having been radically affected by their respective lived experiences as African-American woman. While Irene (Thompson) lives as a Black woman, Clare’s lighter skin allows her to “pass” for a white woman, escaping and inadvertently enforcing the prejudices of her time. As their rekindled friendship begins to strain under the weight of their shared secret, both must reckon with challenges that come with performance and essence of their respective identities. Shot in exquisite black-and-white — which quickly goes from obvious metaphor to integral lens — Hall charts the course of two women with a deep sense of psychology. A million movies have been shot around New York, and yet Passing discovers an entirely new corner of the world in its streets.

The Power of the Dog

Benedict Cumberbatch stars in The Power of the Dog as Phil Burbank, a charismatic yet ruthless rancher who sets his sights on tormenting Rose (Kirsten Dunst), a widow and her impressionable son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee). When Phil’s brother George marries Rose, his desire and method of intimidating them only intensifies … that is, until he takes the young Peter under his wing. Does Phil harbor some unrequited, ill-communicated love for Rose and her son, or are there darker motives behind his strange behavior? From our review,

No seismic events occur in The Power of the Dog. There are no gun fights or cattle stampedes. Its meditative quality makes its abrupt ending feel even more sudden. But this is one of those movies that invites rewatches, and Campion is one of those directors who rewards careful subsequent viewing. On a second watch, the connective tissues surrounding the narrative’s tendons don’t just become apparent, they gain a muscular meaning, a robustness that makes the film’s one major reveal even more enlivening. The Power of the Dog doesn’t just mark Campion’s return — it’s the best movie of 2021 so far. This psychological Western’s themes of isolation and toxic masculinity are an ever-tightening lasso of seemingly innocuous events, and they import more horror and meaning on every closer inspection, corralling viewers under an unforgettable spell.

Raw

Titane director Julia Ducournau’s 2016 feature debut Raw is neither for the faint of heart nor weak of stomach. A coming of age body horror drama following a veterinarian student’s growing hunger for human flesh, Raw is an appropriately titled film of horrific appetites and the many consequences borne out of them. Garance Marillier and Ella Rumpf’s lead performances as Justine and her amoral carnivorous sister Alexia are riveting, the pacing is taut, and the gore is as engrossing as it is thoroughly gut-churning. –TE

Sabrina

Julia Ormond stars in the 1995 rom-com drama Sabrina as Sabrina Fairchild, the daughter of the chauffeur of a wealthy family who has nurtured a crush for their son David (Greg Kinnear) since she was young. Growing up and coming home from a fashion internship with Vogue, Sabrina catches David’s eye, who before had never noticed her for the attractive and sophisticated woman that she is. David’s newfound interest in Sabrina however threatens his imminent marriage to his fiancée Elizabeth, as well a delicate business deal orchestrated by his workaholic brother Linus (Harrison Ford) that hinges on said marriage. All three must navigate their feelings for one another in a story that is a charming and hilarious as it is heartfelt and disarmingly earnest. —TE

Sankofa

Haile Gerima’s Ethiopian-produced drama Sankofa centers on the story of Mona (Oyafunmike Ogunlano), an African-American model on a film shoot in Ghana who finds herself spiritually transported into the body of a Ghanaian woman named Shola who is being kidnapped into the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Experiencing the brutal physical and psychological torture of chattel slavery firsthand, Mona joins her fellow slaves in an uprising as they seize their freedom. Overlooked by US distributors when it was initially released in 1993, Sankofa was recently acquired and restored by Ava DuVernay’s Array Releasing before being released on Netflix this year. While the film’s premise on its face may sound reminiscent to 2020’s abysmal horror thriller Antebellum, don’t come to Sankofa expecting Shymalan-like twists attempting to ape the cultural resonance of Jordan Peele’s Get Out. Gerima’s film is a bold, beautiful, and bracing depiction of the redemptive power of community and rebellion and a stirring cinematic call to embrace, understand, and most importantly remember the history of human struggle. —TE

Silver Linings Playbook

The film that kicked off the Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, David O. Russell combo. Cooper plays Pat, a man with bipolar disorder freshly released from a psychiatric hospital, set on winning back his estranged wife. While going on runs, he meets young, surly widow Tiffany (Lawrence), who offers to help him if he enters a couples dance competition with her. It’s a story about two very messed up people trying to be better and learning a little bit from each other along the way. Part romance, part dramedy, with a touch of family turmoil, Silver Linings Playbook is bolstered by its lead actors’ electric chemistry and stellar performances. —Petrana Radulovic

There Will Be Blood

For a while, Paul Thomas Anderson’s mesmerizing story about the rise and fall of an oil baron was best known for an unfortunate milkshake meme. But it’s been 14 years since its release, surely by now we can let go of that particular gag and get back to appreciating Daniel Day-Lewis’ typically intense performance and the film’s particularly uncompromising severity. It’s a severe-looking film, all cracked, dry surfaces and angry desperation, and the clash between Day-Lewis’ viciously competitive oilman and a struggling young preacher (Paul Dano) is just as severe. This is not a film about moderation or kindness, and the end is pure Grand Guignol, but it’s a hell of a ride to get there. —Tasha Robinson

Tremors

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The 1990 horror comedy Tremors is a cult classic for a reason. Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward’s odd-couple performance as best friends Val McKee and Earl Bassett is a direct precursor to the likes of Tyler Labine and Alan Tudyk’s dynamic in 2010’s Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, albeit with less gruesome aw-shucks mishaps and more general buffoonery. Set in the desert town of Perfection, Tremors follows the story of Val, Earl, and a band of townspeople who attempt to fend off a mysterious subterranean creature that threatens to engulf them and the rest of the world if not stopped. The success of the original film has spawned six sequels to date, including a 2003 television spin-off that aired for only one season. If you’re looking for a monster comedy action film in the vein of 2002’s Eight Legged Freaks or 2001’s Evolution, why not go to the film that gave the genre its second wind in the first place? —TE

Uncut Gems

2019’s Uncut Gems is a contemporary crime drama shot through the frenetic rhythm and terror of a heart attack. Adam Sandler, far from just a simple case of stunt casting, delivers an electrifying performance as Howard Ratner, a New York jeweler and gambling addict who comes into possession of a rare black opal that might finally settle his outstanding debts once and for all. The only catch is that Howard’s worst enemy is himself, and his habitual attempt to fleece and manipulate everyone from his family, friends, and acquaintances in search of his next big score imperils both his life and the lives of those around him. With a powerful orchestral EDM score courtesy of Daniel Lopatin (aka Oneohtrix Point Never), dazzling performances by Lakeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, and Kevin Garnett as himself, Uncut Gems is an unforgettable film that plays out like a pulse-pounding Greek tragedy set in 2010s New York. —TE

Under The Shadow

During a string of Iraqi airstrikes in late-1980s Tehran, the Iranian government bars medical student and political activist Shideh (Narges Rashidi) from continuing her studies. She retreats to her family’s apartment, and despite her husband’s wishes, remains with her young daughter in the war-torn capital — this is her home, and she’s not leaving. But when a missile blasts directly through her building, the normal life Shideh and her daughter knew becomes marked by an invisible, nefarious presence. Is it a djinn? Much like in The Babadook, first-time director Babak Anvari allows the question of the supernatural to orbit the action of Under the Shadow as he captures the erosion of his plain, main set, and Shideh’s very existence. —MP

White Girl

Elizabeth Wood’s White Girl caused quite a stir when it premiered back in 2016, earning comparisons to Larry Clark and Harmony Korine’s 1995 city portrait of teenage nihilism Kids. Starring Morgan Saylor, India Menuez, and Brian Marc, Wood’s film centers on the story of Leah (Saylor), a sophomore college student who strikes up a passionate love affair with Blue (Marc), a a young dealer after moving into an apartment with her friend Katie (Menuez). Things take a disastrous turn when Blue is arrested by an undercover police officer after been sold out by one of his regular customers, leaving Leah with over a kilo of cocaine he had recently acquired. With no other options and desperate to save Blue from prison, Leah attempts to sell the cocaine in order to earn enough money to afford a lawyer. White Girl is a shocking and frenetically paced movie, a nightmarish thrill ride comparable to the Safdie brothers’ 2017 Good Time that’s equal parts exhausting, exhilarating, and heartbreaking to watch. —TE

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