The dog days of summer are here, and the excessive heat is making a compelling argument that everyone should stay indoors and chill as much as possible. Netflix is also offering fans an alternative to the cinema by bringing in flicks from other studios, like Ride Along, as well as premiering the new sci-fi film, Paradise. That’s in addition to recent Netflix originals like They Cloned Tyrone, and there’s still more to come later this summer.
Even in the middle of two Hollywood strikes, there’s still something new to watch on Netflix every week. At least for now. And to help you stay on top of things, we’ve updated our list of the best movies on Netflix right now.
Looking for something else? We’ve also rounded up the best shows on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime, and the best movies on Disney+. For Netflix fans, check out the 10 most popular movies on Netflix right now.
Watching from abroad? Use a Netflix VPN to access your country’s catalog from anywhere in the world. Want to watch on the go? We can show you how to download movies on Netflix.
Paradise (2023) new
Time is the ultimate commodity in the new German sci-fi thriller, Paradise. In the near future, the biotech company AEON has perfected a way to transfer youth to older patients and effectively allow the rich to put off death and aging forever if they have a suitable donor. Unfortunately for AEON employee Max (Kostja Ullmann), and his wife, Elena (Marlene Tanzcik), the CEO of the company has her eye on Elena’s youth.
When a financial emergency derails Max and Elena’s lives, she is forced to give up forty years of her life. But Max isn’t willing to let his wife go so easily, and he’ll do anything to help Elena regain her lost youth even if it means crossing several moral lines.
Ride Along (2014) new
In Ride Along, Detective James Payton (Ice Cube) has no time for his would-be brother-in-law, Ben Barber (Kevin Hart), a wannabe cop with dreams of making it on to the force. James is far more concerned with uncovering corruption within the department and capturing the elusive smuggler, Omar (Laurence Fishburne), who is pulling the strings.
Regardless, Ben is so eager to win James’ approval to marry his sister, Angela Payton (Tika Sumpter), that he accepts James’ offer of a ride-along to prove his worth. And while this exercise was originally meant to humiliate Ben, James may soon be glad to have his company during the most dangerous night of their lives.
They Cloned Tyrone (2023) new
Netflix has no shortage of star power in its new sci-fi comedy, They Cloned Tyrone. John Boyega, WandaVision‘s Teyonah Parris, and Jamie Foxx headline the ’70s-era Blaxploitation throwback, and they give this film its bite. Boyega plays Fontaine, a local crime enforcer who gets gunned down before the neighborhood pimp, Slick Charles (Foxx).
At least that’s what Slick Charles believes happened, but he’s clearly shaken when Tyrone (Boyega) reappears to take Fontaine’s place. With the help of Slick Charles and his top prostitute, Yo-Yo (Parris), this trio is going to unravel the truth about Tyrone or die trying. Although death is definitely not their preferred outcome.
Uncle Buck (1989) new
The late John Candy was a comedic treasure, so it’s fitting to see Uncle Buck getting new life on Netflix. When Bob (Garrett M. Brown) and Cindy Russell (Elaine Bromka) are called out of town on an emergency, Bob’s slacker brother, Buck Russell (Candy), is the only one willing to watch their three kids.
While Buck quickly bonds with the younger kids, Miles (Macaulay Culkin) and Maizy (Gaby Hoffmann), the oldest daughter, Tia (Jean Louisa Kelly), openly distrusts Uncle Buck. And she’s willing to sabotage the one good relationship in Bob’s life just so she can make time with her boyfriend.
Bird Box Barcelona (2023) new
Bird Box Barcelona isn’t really a sequel to the Bird Box film starring Sandra Bullock. Instead, it’s a side story that takes place in Spain. But the basic premise is the same: Earth has been invaded by creatures who delight in driving men and women to suicide. And the only way to avoid that fate is to cover your eyes while out in the open and operate as a blind person.
The new film follows Sebastián (Mario Casas) and his daughter, Anna (Alejandra Howard). Unlike most people, Sebastián believes that the creatures are straight out of religious mythology and he doesn’t seem to fear them as much as he should. And Anna may not be who she appears to be.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022) new
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is the second installment of this Shrek spinoff series, and it opens with the title hero facing the greatest crisis of his heroic career. Puss in Boots (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny‘s Antonio Banderas) has been able to live fearlessly because of his nine lives. But once Puss is down to his last life, he suddenly finds himself gripped by insecurity and even fear.
The only recourse for Puss is to find a legendary wishing star to restore his lost lives, which reunites him with his ex-fiancée, Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek Pinault), who has her own wish to make. Unfortunately for them, they aren’t the only ones after the wishing star. And Puss will have to put his last life on the line before all is said and done.
The Out-Laws (2023)
Marrying into any family comes with its fair share of baggage. The Out-Laws takes that idea to the extreme when a bank manager named Owen (Adam DeVine) is ready to meet the parents of his bride-to-be, Parker (Nina Dobrev). After Owen witnesses a bank robbery by the infamous Ghost Bandits, he becomes convinced that they are actually his new in-laws, Billy (former James Bond Pierce Brosnan) and Lilly McDermott (Ellen Barkin).
Of course, suspecting the truth and proving it are two different things. And if Owen is right, it means that both he and Nina may be thrust into a world of danger.
Titanic (1997)
James Cameron’s epic romance film, Titanic, is back on Netflix, and it’s already rising to the top, unlike the real Titanic. This is not only one of the top-grossing movies of all-time, it’s also a multiple Oscar-winner, including for Best Picture. In the present, explorer Brock Lovett (Bill Paxton) leads an expedition to the Titanic’s wreck that draws the attention of Rose (Gloria Stuart), one of the ship’s few remaining survivors.
Through Rose’s memories, we witness her younger self (Kate Winslet) as she has a forbidden affair with a young man named Jack Dawson (Killers of the Flower Moon‘s Leonardo DiCaprio). Jack and Rose’s love connection is almost instant, but the looming tragedy of the Titanic threatens to send them both to the bottom of the sea.
The Perfect Find (2023)
The Perfect Find follows a 40-year-old woman named Jenna (Gabrielle Union) as she deals with personal and professional turmoil in the wake of her breakup with Brian (DB Woodside). Jenna is even forced to ask her rival, Darcy (Gina Torres), for a job as she tries to rebuild her career. However, Jenna wasn’t expecting to fall for a much younger man, Eric (Keith Powers), who just so happens to be Darcy’s son.
As Jenna and Eric’s relationship progresses, she risks her newfound career resurgence if Darcy finds out. And just when things couldn’t get more complicated, Brian decides he wants Jenna back.
Accepted (2006)
Accepted is another in a long line of largely forgotten films that have been rediscovered by audiences while streaming on Netflix. Barbarian‘s Justin Long stars as Bartleby Gaines, a high school underachiever who fails to get into a college. So he starts a fake college of his own: The South Harmon Institute of Technology.
However, Bartleby underestimates the demand for a college with no admission standards, and he soon finds himself overwhelmed by actual students at his school. With the help of his friends, Sherman Schrader III (Jonah Hill), Rory Thayer (Maria Thayer), Darryl “Hands” Holloway (Columbus Short), and Glen (Adam Herschman), as well as Sherman’s uncle, Dr. Ben Lewis (Lewis Black), they manage to make the school seem more legitimate. But how long can they keep the deception going before the truth comes out?
The Mule (2018)
As a director, Clint Eastwood tends to come back multiple times to the best actor he knows: himself. Such is the case with The Mule, one of Eastwood’s most recent films. Within the movie, Eastwood plays Earl Stone, a law-abiding elderly man who is an extremely unlikely candidate to be a successful drug mule. If the cartel had an employee of the month award, then Earl would have had it locked up.
However, Earl learns the hard way that he is not a “friend” of the cartel, especially when Gustavo (Clifton Collins Jr.) seizes control of the organization. Earl also faces additional pressure when Colin Bates (Bradley Cooper) and the rest of the DEA agents begin to close in on him.
Extraction 2 (2023)
Surprise! Chris Hemsworth’s Tyler Rake survived the events of Extraction, and he’s back in the field in Extraction 2. No one could ever say that Netflix skimped on the action in this film, which has even more ambitious battle scenes than the original. Within the sequel, Tyler has a personal stake in rescuing his former sister-in-law, Ketevan (Tinatin Dalakishvili) and her children Sandro (Andro Japaridzo) and Nina (Mariami Kovziashvili), from Ketevan’s deadly husband, Davit (Torniko Bziava).
Unfortunately for Tyler and his team, their actions have earned them the enmity of Davit’s brother, Zurab (Torniko Gogrichiani). And Zurab will go to great lengths to get his revenge.
Dunkirk (2017)
Christopher Nolan’s films tend to have a touch of the fantastic or otherworldly elements. But there’s nothing made up about the miracle of Dunkirk. In the early days of World War II, Tommy Jensen (Fionn Whitehead), Alex (My Policeman‘s Harry Styles), and Gibson (Aneurin Barnard) are among the thousands of soldiers trapped on the beaches of Dunkirk following the Allied Forces’ defeat in the Battle of France.
Despite little hope for the rescue of the troops, the British answer the call for help by sea and by air in order to bring their soldiers back. But no miracles exist without sacrifice, and not everyone will get to go home.
The Son (2022)
Hugh Jackman, the once and future Wolverine, headlines the drama The Son as Peter Miller, a middle-aged man who is attempting to move past his tortured relationship with his father, Anthony Miller (Anthony Hopkins), by raising a new child with his second wife, Beth (Vanessa Kirby).
However, Peter already has a son named Nicholas (Zen McGrath) from his first wife, Kate Miller (Laura Dern), who needs his help. And while Peter is willing to let Nicholas live with him and his new family, the vast emotional gap between this father and son threatens to permanently rupture their connection.
Missing (2023)
In the early 2000s, found footage flicks were all the rage for horror titles. Now, we’re seeing the emergence of screenlife thrillers like Missing, which take place largely with the main character behind a computer for most of the film. But at least this story knows when to leave the computer behind.
Storm Reid stars as June Allen, a teenage girl who remains at home in Los Angeles when her mother, Grace (Nia Long), goes off on a South American vacation with her new boyfriend, Kevin (Ken Leung). But when Grace goes missing, June is forced to use her computer skills to start her own search for her mother, with an assist from Javier (Joaquim de Almeida), a Colombian man who can act as her surrogate and go places that June can not.
Ted (2012)
Family Guy creator and star Seth MacFarlane made his live-action directorial debut with Ted, a film where he plays the titular teddy bear. When John Bennett (Mark Wahlberg) was a child, he made a wish for Ted to come to life and be his best friend. Inexplicably, John’s wish came true. But as adults, John’s lifelong friendship with Ted is getting a little toxic.
With the encouragement of his girlfriend, Lori Collins (That ’90s Show‘s Mila Kunis), John encourages Ted to move out and start his own life. And that’s just what he does. But Ted’s bond with John isn’t easily broken, and he drags his friend into more chaotic events that threaten to destroy not only John’s relationship with Lori, but also his connection with Ted.
The Mother (2023)
It might be a bit late in her career for Jennifer Lopez to jump back into action films, but if it worked for Liam Neeson, then it can work for J-Lo. The Mother casts Lopez as an unnamed assassin with a particular set of skills, none of which are particularly useful when it comes to being a parent.
But when the Mother learns that the daughter she gave up, Zoe (Lucy Paez), is in danger from her enemies, she drops everything in an attempt to save her from an old foe, Adrian Lovell (Joseph Fiennes). And nothing Lovell puts in the Mother’s way can stop her for long.
A Man Called Otto (2022)
Tom Hanks really plays against type as the title character in A Man Called Otto. Otto Anderson has good reasons to be severely depressed and even suicidal. Rather than facing his twilight years without his recently deceased wife, Sonya (Rachel Keller), Otto prepares to end it all until he keeps running into his new neighbors, Marisol (Mariana Treviño) and Tommy (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo).
Much to Otto’s annoyance, he can’t kill himself because Marisol and her family always seem to arrive at inopportune times. But through their growing connection, Otto may yet find a new reason to live.
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022)
The story of Whitney Houston is both a triumph and a tragedy. The late singer rose from obscurity to become one of the most famous women in the world, only to die suddenly at 48 years old. Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody doesn’t attempt to sugarcoat Houston’s history, as it follows her meteoric rise and equally epic fall.
In the film, Whitney (Naomi Ackie) is supported by her friend-turned-lover Robyn Crawford (Nafessa Williams) before hitting the music industry like a tidal wave. As Whitney’s fame grows, she marries Bobby Brown (Ashton Sanders) and descends into drug addiction that threatens her career and even her life. And yet it’s impossible not to root for Whitney to pull herself out of that spiral.
Chupa (2023)
If you’ve ever heard of the legend of the chupacabra, then you know that these goat-sucking fiends aren’t exactly cuddly. At least that’s what we thought before Chupa. In this charming (and family-friendly) adventure, young Alex (Evan Whitten) goes to Mexico to visit his family in the wake of his father’s death.
Soon enough, Alex finds a lost chupacabra cub that he takes in and nurtures. Meanwhile, an American scientist, Richard Quinn (Christian Slater), will stop at nothing to find the cub and its mother, and somehow, Alex must find a way to protect his new friend.
Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022)
Minions: The Rise of Gru is a film that Peacock should probably have kept to itself, since it was one of the few animated hits of 2022. But Peacock’s loss is Netflix’s gain as the delightfully silly Despicable Me origin story of Gru (The Office‘s Steve Carell) unfolds with the child supervillain and his Minions (all voiced by Pierre Coffin) attempting to impress Gru’s idols, the Vicious 6, which includes Belle Bottom (Taraji P. Henson), Jean-Clawed (Jean-Claude Van Damme), Svengeance (Dolph Lundgren), Stronghold (Danny Trejo), and Nin-chuck (Lucy Lawless).
Unfortunately for Gru, his efforts only alienate the Vicious 6 and turn them into his enemies. But with the help of the Vicious 6’s former leader, Wild Knuckles (Alan Arkin), Gru and the Minions have a fighting chance.
After Riddick escapes, the survivors, including Carolyn Fry (Radha Mitchell), Jack (Rhiana Griffith), and Abu al-Walid (Keith David) realize that the planet is overrun by fearsome creatures whenever it gets dark. In order to survive this planet of monsters, they have to rely on their own monster: Riddick.[/dt_media]
The Magician's Elephant (2023)
Netflix just took home the Oscar for Best Animated feature for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, and it’s already got another strong animated flick out this week. The Magician’s Elephant adapts Kate DiCamillo’s novel of the same name, and it tells the story of a young orphan named Peter (Noah Jupe). Peter’s only wish in life is to find his missing sister, Adele (Pixie Davies), Through a fortune teller, Peter is told that he has to find a Magician (Benedict Wong) who will summon an elephant.
Incredibly, the prophecy comes true. But before the elephant can lead Peter to his sister, he is forced to perform three impossible tasks. And the attempt will change Peter’s life forever.
Luther: The Fallen Sun (2023)
Idris Elba’s John Luther returns in the Netflix original film Luther: The Fallen Sun. And right off the bat, Luther is tossed in jail for everything illegal he did in the Luther TV series. Luther’s incarceration was engineered by his current adversary, David Robey (Andy Serkis), and it demonstrates just how much Robey fears the disgraced detective.
However, Luther eventually escapes from prison to go after Robey and bring him down for good. Unfortunately for Luther, his former colleagues on the police force are also hunting for him.
Easy A (2010)
We Have a Ghost (2023)
The Summit of the Gods (2021)
Munich: The Edge of War (2022)
Your Place or Mine (2023)
The Pez Outlaw (2022)
The Sea Beast (2022)
Enola Holmes (2020)
The Pale Blue Eye (2022)
Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical (2022)
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
Bubble (2022)
The animated feature Bubble, from Attack on Titan director Tetsuro Araki, is set in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo where a mysterious event has affected the laws of gravity, leaving strange bubbles and urban debris floating throughout the city. Skilled racers compete in parkour-like competitions for food and supplies, and when one gifted young man encounters a strange girl while exploring the epicenter of the gravity-twisting “bubble event,” their relationship changes the lives of everyone around them.
A gorgeous spectacle of sights and sounds, Bubble begs to be seen on a high-end entertainment system, as it delivers remarkably detailed scenes of the characters traversing the city and a powerful score that accentuates its most thrilling — and quietest — moments.
Untold: Crimes & Penalties (2021)
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)
One of Hollywood most visionary filmmakers turns his attention to one of the most beloved tales in children’s literature in Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, a stop-motion animated adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s 1883 novel The Adventures of Pinocchio. Featuring the voices of Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, and Gregory Mann, as Jiminy Cricket, Gepetto, and Pinocchio, respectively, the film chronicles the marionette Pinocchio’s quest to become a living boy — a journey that brings him through one adventure after another.
The star-filled voice cast also includes John Turturro, Ron Perlman, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, Tim Blake Nelson, Christoph Waltz, and Tilda Swinton, among others. Some reviewers have named it one of the year’s best films, animated or otherwise.
Bullet Train (2022)
Misha and the Wolves (2021)
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
Da 5 Bloods (2020)
tick, tick...BOOM! (2021)
Andrew Garfield stars as Rent playwright Jonathon Larson in this semi-autobiographical film directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The musical drama chronicles Larson’s struggles to bring the rock musical he’s been working on for years to the stage while navigating love, friendships, and both personal and professional pressure in New York City.
Passing (2021)
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
RRR (2022)
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