In the 10 years since releasing its first original film, Beasts of No Nation, Netflix has evolved into a power player in the movie scene. It's earned honors at award shows including the Oscars, Golden Globes and Emmys.
The streaming giant won three Oscars in 2025, and action-thriller Rebel Ridge just nabbed an Emmy Award this week for Best TV Movie (the sentimental Vince Vaughn comedy Nonnas was nominated in the same category and is worth a watch, too). Popular films like KPop Demon Hunters, which is now the platform's most-watched movie ever, have also helped make it a reliable destination for hits.
Whether you love drama, comedy, blockbusters or quiet, independent films, check out what we consider to be the best movies you can watch on Netflix right now. And if a film is leaving soon, we'll let you know so you can watch it before it gets pulled from the platform. For example, you may want to catch The Departed -- the film that finally won Scorsese his Oscar -- or Friday Night Lights before they leave at the end of September.
If you'd rather go with a series, peruse our picks for the best TV shows to watch on Netflix.
Read more: Where to Watch All the 2024 Oscar Winners
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Netflix Rebel Ridge (2024) Rebel Ridge is another Netflix original film nominated for an Emmy this year; it's up for Best Television Movie. The action film stars Aaron Pierre as an ex-Marine who, in an attempt to post bail for his cousin, has the bail money stolen by corrupt cops, and the ordeal turns into an action-packed, thrilling showdown. Don Johnson has evolved from playing suave cops like Sonny Crockett in Miami Vice to playing morally compromised officers of the law these days, and in Rebel Ridge, he's earned accolades for playing a wickedly corrupt Louisiana police chief at the heart of the film.
Netflix KPop Demon Hunters (2025) The Netflix original animated film KPop Demon Hunters premiered in June and has already risen through the ranks to become the platform's most-watched original film of all time. The film, about a KPop group that performs by day and hunts demons in their downtime, features tons of great original music and stars Arden Cho, May Hong and Ji Young Yoo as the titular girl group tasked with fighting off a demonic boy band. (And the recently released theatrical sing-along version is also available to stream, too.)
Netflix Will & Harper (2024) Will Ferrell and Harper Steele star in the Netflix original documentary Will & Harper as two longtime friends reconnecting on a road trip as they address Steele's transition to life as a woman. The film doesn't gloss over the hate Steele receives for her appearance and desire to live authentically, and Ferrell tempers his comedic persona to serve as Steeles supportive friend who isn't afraid to ask often uncomfortable questions. The film has won a Peabody Award and was nominated for an Emmy in 2025.
Netflix Nonnas (2025) Vince Vaughn stars in the Netflix original film Nonnas as a man who decides to open an Italian restaurant to honor his mother and grandmother who have passed. He hires a crew of older Italian women, the titular nonnas (played by Susan Sarandon, Talia Shire, Lorraine Bracco and Brenda Vaccaro), to cook and share their recipes to keep their traditions -- and the memory of their loved ones -- alive.
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