Netflix has an extensive collection of movies, and with more added to the service every week, it’s easy to explore more.
To pass the time, you’ll find important information, as well as CNET’s complete list of the best movies on Netflix.
What’s new this week (July 18 to 24)
Here are this week‘s highlights.
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Friday
Read more: The best TV shows on Netflix
The full list of best Netflix original movies
At the time of writing, all of these films have a score of 70 on Metacritic. Read also : Rival docuseries in Netflix operas on Drug Kingpin Owen Hanson.
Drama
Rebecca Hall makes her debut novel with a fine adaptation of Nella Larsen’s 1929 novel Passing. It tells the story of two light-skinned black women, one of whom chooses to “pass” as white. On the same subject : 30 years of music at Half Shell – Medford News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News. Tessa Thompson and Ruth Negga embody the two at the heart of this tender story, shot in black and white. Beautifully crafted, Passing is a simple picture that reveals a powerful psychological depth.
Tick, Tick… Boom! (2021)
Andrew Garfield directs this biographical musical drama about Jonathan Larson, the creator behind Rent and Tick, Tick… Boom! The film, directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda based on his novel, follows Larson’s career and the time pressure she has to leave a lasting impression. This may interest you : Country Queen: The first Netflix series produced in Kenya will hit the screen. With soulful music, a meaningful story about the creative process and a great performance from Garfield as Larson, Tick, Tick… Boom! it’s a sweet and fun gift.
This beautiful British drama unearths many hidden treasures with an outstanding cast of Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, Lily James and Johnny Flynn. It is based on the true events surrounding the 1939 excavations at Sutton Hoo, which yielded valuable Anglo-Saxon goods buried in a burial vessel. Emotional, witty and moving, The Dig is an absolute masterpiece.
The Boys in the Band (2020)
The Boys in the Band creates a new platform for the ensemble cast that all performed in the 2018 Broadway revival of the play of the same name. Among them, Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto and Matt Bomer. The film brings a new perspective to a birthday party celebrated by a group of gay men in 1968 New York City. The party takes an unexpected turn when a guest from the previous host enters. With a talented cast and powerful themes such as self-hatred and homophobia, The Boys in the Band is a thought-provoking, captivating drama.
David Fincher’s black and white story about the unknown screenwriter Herman Mankiewicz who helped Orson Welles write Citizen Kane. Take a trip back to Old Hollywood, with its iconic cinemas and take a look back at how the studio systems worked at a different time. Gary Oldman and Amanda Seyfried are among the outstanding actors of this biographical drama full of lightness and darkness in the life of its hero.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
Aaron Sorkin’s drama based on a true story? The Chicago 7 case lives up to its lineage, following the true trial of a group of anti-Vietnam War protesters accused of conspiracy to incite riots. With an ensemble cast, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, The Trial of the Chicago 7 is the title and full of powerful sports.
This sports drama from 2019 marked the director of the second event, Steven Soderbergh, who used an iPhone to shoot a unique film (the first was the 2018 Usane). High Flying Bird tells the story of a sports agent who faces the ax unless he can pull off a plan to save the company in 72 hours. Capturing the high-profile battles of professional sports in a unique shooting style, Bird e Flying high is an interesting feature combined with professional guidance, editing and playing.
A movie about divorce might not sound like the best viewing experience, but Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story is a journey you’ll want to take. Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver give two of the best performances of their careers as Nicole and Charlie, a married couple who embark on the complex legal process involved in breaking up an alliance. Painted with emotional complexity that includes moments of humor as well as poignancy, this is joy-sorry at its best.
Set in Vatican City, this drama follows Pope Benedict XVI and Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio in the wake of the Vatican leak scandal. It’s as interesting as it sounds. The Two Popes is a live action drama piece starring Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins.
Alfonso Cuaron’s semi-autobiographical picture of the neighborhood of Colonia Roma in Mexico City tells a small story with surprising elegance. Let Cuaron guide you through the highs and lows of a middle-class housekeeper. His lens captures stunningly beautiful images in an album that quietly gives you wonder and grace.
This Italian film has the seal of approval from Bong Joon-ho, so let’s listen to the Oscar-winning director of Parasite and add it to this list. Written and directed by Alice Rohrwacher, Happy as Lazzaro is set in the 1970s on a tobacco farm, where poor, kind-hearted Lazzaro works as a volunteer. When the gentleman convinces her to help him carry out his kidnapping, a story of friendship, innocence and social commentary emerges. A very good cinematic story.
This beautiful Spanish film will lift you up with its beautiful images and great performances from its two leads. Susi Sánchez and Bárbara Lennie star as Anabel and Chiara, respectively, mother and daughter separated who meet again for reasons that are not clear as it seems to begin. The precision of the filmmaking here deserves a dedication for those with a bias to deliberate meditation on pain, love and loss. The best one.
The Kindergarten Teacher (2018)
Maggie Gyllenhaal gives her best performance in The Kindergarten Teacher, a drama about, yes, a kindergarten teacher. Lisa is not satisfied with her life, which makes her make questionable decisions about one of her young students. When Jimmy displays the children’s childhood talent for writing poetry, Lisa may or may not be proud of it. Kindergarten Teacher’s mildly disturbing plot may leave you feeling conflicted, but there’s no questioning Gyllenhaal’s incredible performance.
Mudbound gives you a glimpse into the history of class warfare through the lens of a black warrior and a white hero who both still have one foot in World War II. Dealing with PTSD and racism in the Mississippi Delta, with a cast that includes Garrett Hedlund and Jason Mitchell, Mudbound’s storm will blow your mind right away.
Thriller
I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
A psychological thriller that dives into the depths of the surreal. I’m Thinking About Ending Things won’t be for everyone, but it connects you with the desperation of a young woman (Jessie Buckley) in her heart, struggling to end her seven-week relationship with a boyfriend his Jake (Jesse Plemons). Although it’s a little off-putting, I Think About Ending Things always keeps you on your toes, with an atmospheric film and strong performances from Toni Collette and David Thewlis as Jake’s eccentric parents. Fans of author Charlie Kaufman will be delighted.
Two movies called The Call are out in 2020. Watch the South Korean, time-travel thriller, yes, the call. Twenty-eight-year-old Seo-yeon finds a phone hidden in a closet in her childhood home. It rings — and the caller, it turns out, lives in the same house 20 years earlier. Twists until the last minute, along with a wild cat-and-mouse chase that twists the past and the present make this a must-see.
Located in the High Highlands of Scotland, this fantastic game is far and away the perfect escape. Get ready for an absolute nightmare that its opponents are dying to wake up from. Vaughn and Marcus go on a weekend hunting trip, but after a night of drinking, they find themselves faced with events they could not have planned for. Caliber lives up to its name, offering a slick package of gritty, gripping drama. Let the full power of it alone wash over you.
First They Killed My Father (2017)
The fifth film in Angelina Jolie’s CV was the most profitable for her. Based on the account of Cambodian writer and human rights activist Loung Ung, the biographical thriller recounts the suffering Ung experienced as a child under the deadly Khmer Rouge regime. Through an empathetic lens that creates a horrific story from a child’s perspective, First They Killed My Father is a unique war film made with precision and elegance.
I Don’t Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017)
If you’ve had a bad day, this might be the movie for you. When the police refuse to help with the robbery, nurse’s aide Ruth and her mysterious neighbor Tony take matters into their own hands. I Don’t Feel Home in This World Anymore I see the oddities of everyday life, before taking the story to darker places with even darker humor. With a touch of the Coen Brothers’ flair, its full 96 minutes will leave you in awe.
Sci-fi
From Netflix’s impressive list of international films comes the Spanish sci-fi horror The Platform. Its high-concept story sits on a tower that delivers food to people on each of its levels via platforms. Those at the top grab the best and most ads, which are consumed as the platform moves down the ranks. Social commentary rings throughout this dystopian thriller, which takes the scary, sometimes terrifying, to the extreme.
Romance
This YA film tells the story of Ellie Chu, a shy Asian American who discovers her sexuality in the remote town of Squahamish. A straight but unsociable student with papers to write to her classmates, Ellie helps football player Paul Munsky write a love letter to Aster Flores. But it turns out that Aster is perfect for Ellie. A story of self-acceptance told in a simple way, Half of It is a joy.
The Incredible Jessica James (2017)
The Incredible Jessica James features a selfish main character played by the equally wonderful Jessica Williams. The confident and independent Jessica James goes on a blind date where she ends up talking about nothing but her ex. A fresh take on a breakout film with a strong lead, this is a great song for a good night out.
Animation
The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021)
One of the best family movies on Netflix. From some of the creators of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse comes this world-saving adventure involving Mom, Dad, the kids, and their clumsy, doe-eyed dog. an insect. But in the midst of a robot apocalypse, led by Olivia Colman’s Siri, it’s really The Mitchells vs. the Machines is about the strained relationship between film-loving daughter Katie and her technophobe father. Bad tech parenting gags abound, colors are muddled and character development is shaky. An intimate package with the timeless message that embracing your craziness is super-powerful.
This award-winning French film begins with a broken arm that escapes from a freezer in a laboratory and begins a general search of Paris for the rest of its body. What an opportunity it was! With minimal animation and brilliant animation, this haunting, heartwarming story explores loss, both physical and emotional, in poetic ways.
Action/Adventure
2017’s Okja comes from Parasite director Bong Joon-ho – that should be enough incentive to watch it. Part dark comedy, part environmental thriller, Okja follows a young South Korean farmer girl whose pet friend is a genetically superhuman pig. But Okja is the target of a large company that wants his delicious meat. With an English supporting cast including the likes of Tilda Swinton and Jake Gyllenhaal, Okja soaks you in its sweetness before showing you the heartbreaking intimacy of the meat industry.
Crime/War
Spike Lee’s epic war drama follows a group of Vietnam War veterans who return to the country to search for the remains of their squad leader — as well as a hidden treasure. With a desperate power to get through it, Da 5 Bloods gives you a look at the Vietnam War through the experiences of Black people, giving a glimpse into the past of racism and war.
Covering the lives of its mobsters for decades, The Irishman pulls off a 3-and-a-half-hour crime saga. But don’t worry — you can screw up this tour de force if you need to. Always witty and entertaining, with Robert De Niro, Al Pacino and Joe Pesci like Martin Scorsese on screen, The Irishman comes at you, offering a chilling look at aging mobs and the havoc they wreak.
Beasts of No Nation (2015)
Director Cary Joji Fukunaga gives you a deep look into the life of a boy who becomes a child soldier in a West African country embroiled in civil war. Idris Elba stars as the ruthless Commander alongside the amazing Abraham Attah as young Agu. A war film that is focused but quiet from a first-person perspective, Beasts of No Nation needs to be on your radar if it isn’t already.
Comedy
The Forty-Year-Old Version (2020)
The title of this comedy drama may sound familiar, but its focus is an unusual story. The Forty Version follows Radha, a playwright and teacher who finds herself drawn to a forgotten passion of her youth: rapping. Inspired by writer, director and real life Radha Blank, this beautiful novel by a struggling artist will inspire and hit home, with themes related to failure and unfulfilled potential.
Tennis buddies Michael (Mark Duplass) and Andy (Ray Romano) receive devastating news: Michael has terminal colon cancer. As he struggles to let go of his dying friend, Andy joins Michael on a journey to find the medicine to end things before they get too bad. Blending humor into melancholy, Paddleton softens an initially emotional friendship into a poignant setting.
Dolemite Is My Name (2019)
Eddie Murphy returned from his acting hiatus to great effect as Rudy Ray Moore, a comedian who played a character named Dolemite in comedy and blaxploitation films of the 1970s. Dolemite Is My Name follows Moore from her job in a record store to the big screen. True to Moore’s reputation and its surprising and interesting twists, Dolemite Is My Name does justice to the talents of Moore and Murphy.
Paul Giamatti and Kathryn Hahn star in a comedy that has something to say about modern marriage? Private Life is a unique take on the struggles of a middle-aged couple in New York who have different ways of having a child. But with Hahn and Giamatti in it, it shines with wit and brilliance. Add Kayli Carter to the mix as Sadie, a school dropout, and you have another role in this compelling film about the unpredictability of entering a new stage of life.
Jake Johnson is writing this comedy from prolific indie director Joe Swanberg (he was also behind the Netflix anthology TV series Easy). Win It All follows Eddie, a gambling addict who agrees to save a bag of money for a local criminal who is going to prison. Making one of his many questionable decisions, Eddie takes a financial plunge. If you’re a fan of simple, character-based storytelling, Win It All is a treat that brings out Johnson’s humor and dignity.
The Meyerowitz Stories (2017)
The Meyerowitz Stories is a wonderful comedy drama told through the lens of Noah Baumbach. The main story concerns the unemployed older brothers, played by Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller, who try to live in their father’s shadow. An up-and-coming cast, including Dustin Hoffman, play these intelligent, albeit troubled, characters as they write their tragic stories.
This indie gem would have flown under the radar, so if you’re looking for a modern romcom that overflows with brilliance, definitely give Tramps a watch. Callum Turner and Grace Van Patten star as Danny and Ellie, a good kid and street smart girl trying to make a little money with little money. Tightly written and avoiding wasted space, Tramps will win your heart effortlessly.
Horror
Vampires vs. the Bronx (2020)
Vampires vs. the Bronx is a unique horror comedy in more ways than one. Set in the New York borough of the Bronx, it follows young Miguel Martinez, a big-hearted kid who helps raise money for his local bodega. But it’s not just the new clothing stores that threaten to move in: Overzealous citizens with a taste for blood are preying on people and their goods. A description of gentrification with fun charm, twists and thrills, Vampires vs. the Bronx is a new, exciting genre.
His house is a horror game that, yes, hits close to home. Revealing its supernatural evil through a harrowing human story, it follows Bol and Rial, a couple of refugees from Sudan, who struggle to adapt to their new life in an English town. Don’t expect to jump straight in — His House plays with the idea of the past, adding even more to the corridors of torture. A heart-pounding, powerful piece.
This clever psychological horror is taken from fellow writer Isa Mazzei as a camgirl (or webcam model). However, Cam is not an article, according to Alice Ackerman, a young woman who one day discovered her exact picture that took over her show. This unique product that glows red with a technological threat is a great feature to play with.
One of Stephen King’s more successful adaptations, this horror drama based on the 1922 novel is a slow-burner with a dramatic performance at its center. Thomas Jane, who you’ll also recognize from Boogie Nights and 2004’s The Punisher, gives one of his best performances as Wilfred James, a farmer who makes the utterly brilliant decision to killing his wife with the help of their teenage son. . The results are shocking in most cases (if you don’t like rats, you won’t like rats after this).
If you were blown away by The Haunting of Hill House, then Mike Flanagan’s adaptation of Stephen King’s novel Gerald’s Game is a must-watch. A couple goes on vacation to a secluded lake house, where one thing leads to another… and Carla Gugino’s Jessie ends up tied to a bed without escape. Gugino does a great job, packing the room into the closet. Expect satisfying conclusions with story and emotion, with a quiet conscience that will bring about a quiet victory for its amazing characters.
Western
The Power of the Dog (2021)
More than ten years after her last film, Bright Star, extraordinary filmmaker Jane Campion has returned to the director’s chair to oversee The Power of the Dog. He ended up winning an Oscar, so that was a good move. The Western centers on Phil Burbank, an oppressive rich man who uses the power of toxic masculinity to get his way, teasing his brother about falling in love. The Power of the Dog is a mesmeric exercise in the subtle shifts of emotion and power in relationships. Benedict Cumberbatch, Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst are the main cast, helping to bring Campion’s vision to life.
Paul Greengrass (Jason Bourne) directs Tom Hanks in this moving Western. Civil War captain, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd discovers a young girl years after she was captured by Native Americans as a baby. While helping to bring him back to his family, he does his usual job of visiting towns and reading newspapers for a small fee. Don’t expect high-octane action: This road movie is fueled by character development and great visuals. Still, you’ll want to settle in for a comfortable ride with a sympathetic Hanks behind the wheel.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
The Coen brothers kick up the western dust with an anthology film that offers six vignettes set on the American frontier. One of them is about Buster Scruggs, a cowboy who sings randomly and shoots in a cantina. But there’s a dark twist that keeps you on your toes. Stitching its other stories together with relentless black humor, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a Coen Brothers winner.
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