30 Best Movies On Netflix Right Now (September 2024)

The best movies on Netflix are a key reason that the streaming giant has managed to maintain its dominance of the highly competitive market for years, as the platform offers subscribers an unparalleled range of titles — including both original content and licensed blockbuster films. Ranging across the decades and almost every conceivable genre, Netflix subscriptions include some of the best movies of all time. Whether subscribers are looking for a family film everyone will enjoy, a challenging sci-fi, or laugh-out-loud comedy, the best movies on Netflix cater to almost every taste.

Subscribers can enjoy new movies on Netflix every week, with the platform seeking to give the broadest, richest entertainment experience for its monthly cost. From Oscar-winning dramas to stunning animations and hilarious modern and classic comedies, there’s something for everyone currently on Netflix, and Screen Rant’s selection of choices from the best movies on the platform is updated regularly to make sure all recommendations are fresh.

Best Drama Movies On Netflix

American Psycho (2000)

Few movies have been dissected and analyzed as frequently as American Psycho, the 2000 satirical horror-drama from director Mary Harron. Harron also co-wrote the screenplay, which is based on the 1991 novel of the same name by Bret Easton Ellis. Just like the book, American Psycho is a scathing take-down of the cynical and dehumanized nature of the high-flying brokers of Wall Street, with Christian Bale playing the embodiment of all all their worst elements with his now-iconic character, Patrick Bateman.

However, despite its setting, American Psycho is nothing like movies such as Boiler Room or The Wolf of Wall Street. The focus of Harron’s thriller isn’t shading financial dealings but, instead, a distinct disconnect that runs throughout the characters — one so strong that protagonist/antagonist Patrick Bateman turns to serial murder just to feel a shred of emotion. Incredibly dark and violent throughout, few of the movies currently available on Netflix are likely to stick with subscribers after viewing quite like American Psycho.

Dark Waters (2019)

Mark Ruffalo and Anne Hathaway are both cinematic powerhouses when it comes to gripping dramas, and bringing them together under the directorship of Todd Haynes in the 2019 legal thriller Dark Water made the movie a recipe for success both at the box office and on Netflix. Dark Waters is a semi-fictionalized retelling of the infamous 1990s legal case where lawyer Robert Bilott (played by Ruffalo) took chemical manufacturer DuPont to court for damages to the local environment of his grandmother’s town of Parkersburg, West Virginia.

As the drama unfolds, the case gets messier and messier, with suspected unregulated chemicals being used that led to the deaths of both natural wildlife and the livestock the residents of the town depend on for their livelihood. While it didn’t win many, Dark Waters was nominated for multiple awards, and was successful in securing the Environmental Media Award for Best Feature Film in 2020.

Leave The World Behind (2023)

Between her work in Homecoming and Gaslight, Julia Roberts is proving herself just as adept at taking on dark, dramatic subject matter as she is with feel-good rom-coms, and Leave the World Behind is another prime example. In the film, she plays Amanda Sandford, a wife and mother who takes her family on a spontaneous Long Island vacation. However, things go awry when none of their technology devices work, and a father and daughter show up at the vacation house claiming they live there.

As Amanda gets closer to the father, G. H. (Mahershala Ali), she discovers that all these strange occurrences may be the result of a government conspiracy. Leave the World Behind is written and directed by Mr. Robot creator Sam Esmail, who also produced Homecoming and Gaslit, and the movie proves to be another winning collaboration with Roberts. Like these other works, Leave the World Behind is a slow burn, which may not appeal to everybody. But Esmail knows how to turn up the dread and menace of technology on society, making Leave the World Behind more than worth the watch.

The Power Of The Dog (2021)

The 2020s have seen a cultural shift as society examines traditional values alongside new ones, particularly within art, and the Western movie genre is no exception. From acclaimed director Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog is the definitive revisionist Western. Based on the 1967 novel of the same name by Thomas Savage, the film stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Phil Burbank, a charming yet cruel rancher who uses toxic masculinity to torment those around him and repress his true desires.

The Power of the Dog landed on a staggering number of 10 best movie lists and its awards nominations were also numerous. Along with Cumberbatch, actors Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, and Kodi Smit-McPhee were all nominated for Oscars for their roles. Campion took home the Best Director statuette, becoming the first woman to win two Academy Awards in that category (her first was for The Piano). With its expert direction, stellar performances, and thought-provoking themes, The Power of the Dog is one of the best movies on Netflix.

All Quiet On The Western Front (2022)

Deservedly handed a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars, Netflix’s 2022 adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s classic novel All Quiet on the Western Front is a remarkable, stark meditation on the reality of war. Telling the story of World War I from the German perspective — typically not the side of the trenches cinema’s light shines on — it is the first adaptation to be told in the original German.

It is an important movie, showing the harrowing experience of young soldiers thrown into battlefields, but it is also thoroughly entertaining thanks to its moving central performances. Even with the military genre potentially limiting wider audience interest, All Quiet on the Western Front is a genuine must-see for Netflix subscribers.

May December (2023)

Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore are two of today’s most respected actors, and the Oscar winners co-star in May December, directed by Todd Haynes. Loosely inspired by the Mary Kay Letourneau scandal, the film sees actress Elizabeth Berry (Portman) cast in a film to play the controversial public figure, Gracie Atherton-Yoo (Moore), who years earlier was caught having sex with her son’s 13-year-old schoolmate, Joe Yoo. 23 years later, Gracie and Joe (Charles Melton) are married, and Elizabeth travels to Georgia to meet them and prepare for her role.

While it’s no surprise that Portman and Moore are stellar as their characters, Melton all but steals the show. The Riverdale actor has been picking up awards steam, with Melton winning the Gotham Independent Film Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor. This taut three-hander movie is thought-provoking and uncomfortable, raising serious questions about age differences in romantic relationships. But for such weighty subject matter, May December also has moments of humor and levity.

Best Comedy Movies On Netflix

Back To The Future (1985)

Sci-fi comedy is a difficult genre to get right, but 1985’s Back to the Future remains a textbook example of how to perfectly blend futuristic concepts with absolute hilarity. Starring Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd, Back to the Future is considered by many viewers and critics alike to be the quintessential time-travel adventure. The story focuses on Marty McFly (Fox) who, thanks to a mishap while helping out Dr. Emmett Brown (Lloyd), finds himself transported from the then-present of the 1980s back to the 1950s.

While Doc figures out a way to get home, Marty must ensure that the timeline isn’t disrupted. This is easier said than done though, especially when he meets the teenage versions of his own mother and father. Back to the Future is rightly now considered a classic of cinema, and also spawned two sequels, 1989’s Back to the Future Part II and 1990’s Back to the Future Part III, and the entirety of the hit trilogy is currently available to stream on Netflix.

The Mitchells Vs. The Machines (2021)

Netflix subscribers looking for a family-friendly animated comedy should look no further than The Mitchells vs. The Machines. The comedy stars Abbi Jacobson, Danny McBride, and Maya Rudolph as members of a dysfunctional family whose cross-country road trip becomes tangled up in a plot by an evil AI to take over the world. Particularly pertinent storytelling in 2023. Blending both 3D and traditional animation, The Mitchells vs. The Machines is one of the most visually impressive animations on the platform (and indeed of recent years, generally) and it deservedly picked up an Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature.

Full of heart, funny and featuring a wonderfully unhinged villain turn from Olivia Colman, The Mitchells vs. The Machines offers something for everyone. It can surely only be a matter of time before Netflix cements plans for The Mitchells vs. The Machines 2. It can’t come soon enough.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024)

The Beverly Hills Cop franchise was a landmark action-comedy from the release of the first movie in 1984 through to 1994’s Beverly Hills Cop III. After the franchise spent several decades dormant, Netflix brought back Eddie Murphy to reprise his role as Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F. The fourth Beverly Hills Cop movie picks up 30 years after the previous entry, with Foley still working as a Detroit police detective.

Murphy is joined in the cast by the likes of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Taylor Paige, with cast members of Judge Reinhold and John Ashton also reprising their Beverly Hills Cop roles. Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F may not reinvent the wheel when it comes to action-comedy movies, but it hits all the right notes and is considered by the majority of critics and viewers alike to be a nostalgia-pleasing return to the franchise, with Murphy’s performance in particular being regularly praised.

You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023)

Adam Sandler tends to make the most at the box office when he’s surrounded by those closest to him in real life (whether the critical reception of those movies matches or not). In Netflix Original You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah he goes one step further, starring alongside his wife and daughters, with Sunny Sandler taking center stage. In fact, this is not his movie at all, though he does deliver a solid performance.

Culturally informed and sensitive, You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah is a smart portrait of a landmark celebration, finding comedy and charm in its authenticity, but also in the universality of teenage life. Crucially, it understands and never talks down to the condition of adolescence, and the younger Sandler is the pick of You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah’s cast — a fledgling star who clearly learned a lot from the better comedies of her co-star father.

The Gentlemen (2020)

Guy Ritchie is hard to beat when it comes to British gangster movies, and in 2024 he teamed up with Netflix for The Gentlemen TV show. The show is as hilarious as it is action-filled, as is the 2019 movie it’s based on — also called The Gentlemen — which is also currently available to stream on Netflix. The Gentlemen features an all-star cast that includes Matthew McConaughey, Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant, and Charlie Hunnam. Much like the show, The Gentlemen movie features all the trappings of classic Guy Ritchie movies like Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels.

Like many Guy Ritchie movies, The Gentlemen features many interlocked threads, but mainly revolves around Mickey Pearson (McConaughey), an American Cannabis magnate operating illegally in the UK.

Like many Guy Ritchie movies, The Gentlemen features many interlocked threads, but mainly revolves around Mickey Pearson (McConaughey), an American Cannabis magnate operating illegally in the UK. This narrative is framed by conversations between adept gang fixer Raymond (Hunnam) and investigative reporter Fletcher (Hugh Grant), who are both involved in the story but also explain many of the events through hilarious voice-overs (especially in Hugh Grant’s case).

Lift (2024)

Netflix kicked off 2024 on a strong note when heist comedy Lift arrived in January. The movie was originally due to arrive in August 2023, but was pushed back due to the then-ongoing 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. The movie doesn’t reinvent the wheel, and doesn’t seek to, being a solid entry into the ever-popular genre of comedies focusing on professional criminals. Subscribers seeking an easy watch guaranteed to prompt a laugh or two definitely won’t be disappointed.

Lift stars Kevin Hart as Cyrus, a known thief, and follows him and his crew as they become embroiled in a roller-coaster of events that start when they kidnap an NFT artist. Kevin Hart is joined in the Lift cast by Vincent D’Onofrio, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Sam Worthington, and several more in a solid ensemble cast.

Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

Eddie Murphy largely stepped out of the public eye in the 2010s, but he made a resounding, kick-the-door-down comeback with Dolemite Is My Name. In the Netflix comedy biopic, Murphy plays Rudy Ray Moore, a performer who adopts the persona of Dolemite, a foul-mouthed showman who dresses like a stereotypical pimp. Moore looks to break into blaxploitation films as Dolemite, but he’s told he doesn’t fit the toned physique of the industry standard. Not one to be deterred, Moore seeks to produce and star in his own movie, and he rounds up a crew of friends and misfits to help.

While Dolemite Is My Name is possibly Murphy’s best movie, and he was absolutely robbed of an Oscar nomination, it’s Da’Vine Joy Randolph who steals the show as Lady Reed, a charming woman whom Moore convinces to tour with him and eventually star in his movie. Now gaining much-deserved attention and acclaim for her work in Only Murders in the Building and The Holdovers, this is Randolph’s breakout role. A charming underdog story with an even more charming cast, Dolemite Is My Name is one of the best movies on Netflix.

Best Action Movies On Netflix

Under Paris (2024)

One of the best action movies currently on Netflix was an unexpected sleeper hit — the French action-horror disaster movie Under Paris, a tale that places humanity against genetically modified sharks which, according to many viewers and critics, is the best movie featuring sharks since Jaws. The plot of Under Paris is unique among shark movies too, as it takes place in the freshwater Seine river rather than out on the open ocean. This is possible thanks to a giant shark adapting to survive outside salt water.

Of course, being in such a densely populated area as Paris, especially one where nobody is prepared for the previously-impossible threat of a killer shark, means that the death and carnage come thick and fast. While Under Paris isn’t the most critically acclaimed movie in Netflix, it’s performed incredibly well with audiences, and has remained one of the most popular titles on the platform since its release in June 2024. While it’s slick and stylish, it’s also as much an easy-watch as its premise suggests, and subscribers seeking something thrilling to switch off to on movie night are sure to be satisfied.

Mortal Kombat (2021)

With shows like The Last Of Us and Fallout alongside movies like Five Nights At Freddys and The Super Mario Bros, it’s safe to say that video game adaptations are taking the world by storm. This isn’t a new trend though, and in 2021 one of the first successful modern video game movies arrived — Mortal Kombat. Netflix subscribers seeking gory fight-filled action that’s rife with impressive special effects will find Mortal Kombat more than satisified, as the movie is just as bombastic yet gripping as the game series it’s based on.

The premise of Mortal Kombat is relatively straightforward. Earth is one of several realms that exist within the universe, and the fragile peace between Earth and neighboring realm Outworld is maintained by a regular fighting tournament. The movie focuses on the champions of Earth as they’re found, trained, and then entered into the fray, fighting for their lives against the champions of Outworld to secure the safety of the mortal world.

Enola Holmes (2020)

Millie Bobby Brown became an A-list celebrity thanks to her breakout role as Eleven in Netflix’s Stranger Things, so it’s only fitting that her biggest and best movie role is also on the streaming platform. In Enola Holmes, Brown plays the eponymous heroine, the youngest sibling in a family that contains renowned detective, Sherlock Holmes. When their mother goes missing, Enola sets out to find her, and may just prove that Sherlock isn’t the smartest Holmes after all.

Between movies like Glass Onion and Enola Holmes, Netflix is breathing new life into the murder mystery genre. Brown was casting genius, as films of this genre hinge on how much the audience roots for the detective at the center. The movie proved so successful that a 2022 sequel followed, and Enola Holmes 3 is in the works, proving that Netflix audiences can’t get enough of the teenage detective.

Damsel (2024)

Millie Bobby Brown has starred in many high-profile Netflix projects, such as Stranger Things and Enola Holmes, and 2024 saw her partnering with the streamer for the dark action-fantasy movie Damsel. The plot sees Brown’s Elodie marrying Prince Henry, whom she initially isn’t interested in, but goes along with the wedding for the good of the people of her own kingdom. However, Henry soon betrays her, throwing her into a chasm which brings her face-to-face with a terrifying dragon.

Of course, this simple set-up isn’t all it seems, and it’s here that the thematic depth of Damsel truly takes shape. The story is one of self-empowerment, and Elodie quickly learns that, just like Henry, the dragon which has besieged the kingdom over centuries has its own motives, though — unlike Henry — isn’t the threat many believe it to be.

The Killer (2023)

David Fincher is a magnet for actors looking to tap into the dark side of their characters, and Michael Fassbender’s titular anti-hero in The Killer is going to go down as one of his most memorable characters, which is saying a lot considering Fincher has given audiences Tyler Durden and the English-language version of Lisbeth Salander. Like The Narrator in Fight Club and Nick and Amy Dunne in Gone Girl, The Killer has the protagonist speak to the audience in voice-over, giving them a window into his twisted mind.

Based on the French graphic novel of the same name by Alexis “Matz” Nolent and Luc Jacamon, The Killer centers on the nameless assassin (Fassbender) who deals with the massive fallout after a job goes wrong. With as much substance as it has style, The Killer is yet another win for Fincher, whose sterling filmography is one of the most impressive of any working director today. The Killer will go down as one of Fassbender’s greatest characters, and with any luck, he and Fincher will become frequent collaborators.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

The 2020s are a great time to be a fan of big movie sleuths, with Kenneth Branagh’s Poirot carving out his own surprise shared universe and Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc standing just on the other side of the parody line. Both detectives owe a lot of Agatha Christie, but Blanc is all the creation of Rian Johnson and Craig’s performance, with is joyful. After Knives Out‘s success, Netflix brought the sequel, Glass Onion, to the platform, proving that their expensive acquisition model can still include absolute gems.

Here, Blanc is back as he’s invited to a billionaire’s personal island (a thinly veiled nod to Elon Musk, played by Ed Norton), to play along with a murder mystery. Naturally, participants — and Glass Onion‘s cast is another barn-stormer, like its predecessor — start dying for real, and Blanc is called into action. An Oscar nominee, Glass Onion is a great fix for anyone looking for a complex but rewarding mystery to get their teeth into.

Best Biopics & Documentaries On Netflix

The Deepest Breath (2023)

A stunning, provocative look at one of the world’s most dangerous, barely fathomable sports, the documentary The Deepest Breath is a fascinating profile of free diver Alessia Zecchini. As well as exploring Zecchini’s quest to set a world record in free-diving, the documentary chronicles her relationship with her safety diver partner, Stephen Keenan, as well as the personal toll and associated dangers with the sport. The Deepest Breath is the perfect pick for anyone looking for Netflix’s best documentary.

The documentary culminates in Zecchini’s attempt to free-dive Blue Hole’s arch, a notorious tunnel 56m down into a sinkhole, which previously took the lives of other divers, including Natalia Molchanova in 2015. The shocking tragedy that unfolds is as compelling as the portrait of the sportswoman herself and the sport is intriguing. It’s a strangely intoxicating film, whose most important message is arguably the final message Zecchini was sent before her attempt to dive through the arch: “Live for today for you never know what’s coming down the line.”

Harriet (2019)

Tony Award-winning Cynthia Erivo has proven she is just as talented and magnetic on the screen as she is on stage, and Harriet is not only one of her best movies but one of the best on Netflix. In Harriet, she plays abolitionist and freedom fighter Harriet Tubman who escapes slavery and puts her life on the line to help others find freedom through the Underground Railroad.

Erivo was unsurprisingly nominated for a slew of awards for her portrayal of Tubman. In addition to receiving an Oscar nomination for her performance, she was also nominated for Best Original Song for “Stand Up”. Harriet doesn’t reinvent the biopic wheel, but it exquisitely captures the story of one of the most important historical figures in American history, and Erivo gives a winning performance.

Maestro (2023)

Bradley Cooper may have first made a name for himself playing obnoxious jerks in comedies like Wedding Crashers and The Hangover, but he’s now on his way to becoming one of Hollywood’s most respected filmmakers. He had a splashy directorial debut in 2018 with A Star is Born, and he follows it up with another story about a musician, Maestro, a Leonard Bernstein biopic. Cooper plays Bernstein opposite Carey Mulligan as his wife, Felicia Montealegre. Maestro centers on the couple’s tumultuous yet loving relationship as it weathers heartbreaking conflicts due to Bernstein’s frequent affairs with men and his substance abuse.

While Hollywood was waiting with bated breath to see what Cooper would follow A Star is Born with, and he’s the central figure as Bernstein, it’s Mulligan who steals the show. She delivers a heart-wrenching performance, wholeheartedly capturing the trials and tribulations of being married to a successful artist, and is considered an early frontrunner in the 2024 Best Actress race at the Oscars. She and Cooper have layered, mature, and dazzling chemistry, and as a result, Maestro elevates the entire biopic genre.

Tick, Tick… Boom! (2021)

Hamilton‘s Lin-Manuel Miranda is widely considered Broadway’s latest visionary so it’s only appropriate that his feature film directorial debut was about another legendary composer: Jonathan Larson, best known for writing the smash-hit musical Rent. Tick, Tick… Boom! follows Larson (Andrew Garfield) struggling to finish his musical Superbia before it’s workshopped. Larson also puts increasing pressure on himself to become a successful composer before his looming 30th birthday.

Tick, Tick… Boom! wholeheartedly captures the misery, frustration, and doubt that struggling creatives face, yet they are powerless to resist the siren song of the arts. Andrew Garfield often brings an earnest passion to his roles, and this, along with his striking musical talent, makes him the perfect person to play Larson. Larson tragically passed away at the age of 35, before he saw Rent become a success, but his legacy lives on, and Lin-Manuel Miranda is the perfect person to tell his story.

Best Horror & Sci-Fi Movies On Netflix

Pearl (2022)

Independent studio A24 has been quietly dominating the horror movie market for several years now, and one of their best releases of the decade so far is available on Netflix — Ti West’s 2022 gore-fest Pearl, the prequel to X and MaXXXine. While Pearl is the first movie in the trilogy, and was released after X, it stands as a pulse-pounding shockfest in its own right, with Mia Goth’s performance as the titular killer Pearl being a career highlight for the actress so far. What’s more, X and MaXXXine aren’t required viewing for Netflix subscribers to enjoy it.

Set in the early 20th century, Pearl is as much a commentary on the repression of female sexuality as it is a blood-soaked slasher. A key thing that sets Pearl apart from other movies in the genre, however, is that the 2022 movie has viewers invariably rooting for the killer. Mia Goth does a fantastic job of making Pearl an incredibly empathetic character even as she’s hacking her neighbors to death with a hatchet, and this makes Pearl a truly unique film, and one that’s more than worth checking out for the horror fans among Netflix’s vast subscriber base.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)

Many of the best theatrical releases head to Netflix as their first stop on a tour of the various streaming platforms, and 2024’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is currently available for subscribers to enjoy. The supernatural sci-fi comedy is the latest installment in one of cinema’s most iconic franchises, and the latest Ghostbusters movie will definitely appeal both to fans of the series and newcomers alike. Starring the likes of Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, McKenna Grace, and Patton Oswalt, Frozen Empire follows on from Ghostbusters: Afterlife while re-introducing original Ghostbusters cast members Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, and Ernie Hudson.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is as much a celebration of the franchise as it is a new story, as it sees the team from Afterlife heading to New York to reestablish the Ghostbusters. However, this coincides with a mass emergence of ghosts and supernatural entities across the city. While Frozen Empire is far from the most critically acclaimed movie on Netflix, it’s one that nontheless will make for a great movie night for all but the youngest of subscribers.

Life (2017)

The 2017 sci-fi horror movie Life comes from director Daniel Espinosa, the creative mind also behind Morbius. It’s an intriguing take on the classic premise of astronauts being stuck in space with a dangerous alien entity, with its near-future setting and focus on extraterrestrial evolution giving it many unique elements that help it to feel fresh. Life stars the likes of Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, and Ryan Reynolds, among others, who are all scientists and astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

A probe from Mars brings back a sample containing dormant cellular life. When the team manage to awaken it, it rapidly evolves into a complex — and deadly — life form. While Life may not be the most groundbreaking sci-fi horror out there, it is a solid modern entry into the subgenre, and ticks many of the fan-pleasing boxes in a way that few others on Netflix can quite match. The performances of the cast are especially noteworthy, as are the special effects used to bring its terrifying creature, which the team dub Calvin, to life.

Godzilla Minus One (2023)

Godzilla has been a staple of cinema for decades, and while 2024’s Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire has been considered by some longstanding fans of the giant lizard to be a departure from what made the character so beloved (and feared), the same cannot be said for 2023’s Godzilla Minus One. The most recent Godzilla movie from Japanese studio Toho, who first brought the kaiju to screens in 1954, Godzilla Minus One is a return to the roots of the franchise. Set in the 1940s, Godzilla Minus One sees Godzilla rampaging across an unprepared Tokyo.

It’s a pure disaster movie through and through, taking the core themes of the earliest Godzilla movies and bringing them to life with modern CGI — CGI that won an Academy Award, no less. Godzilla Minus One is easily one of the best disaster movies currently available on Netflix, and features incredibly solid performances from cast members like Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, and Yuki Yamada.

Atlas (2024)

Netflix subscribers seeking an explosive sci-fi movie that delivers many of the genres’ most popular tropes, including AI, space exploration, and mechs, need look no further than 2024’s Atlas. While Atlas bombed in the eyes of critics, audiences clearly felt incredibly differently, as the movie reached the number 1 spot on Netflix in multiple territories. Jennifer Lopez stars in Atlas as the titular Atlas Shepherd, a counter-terrorism agent and AI-skeptic who finds she has to work with an Artificial Intelligence to apprehend a robot gone rogue.

Critics seemed to believe that Atlas presented several interesting concepts and an intriguing premise but failed to see them through properly. This doesn’t seem to have dissuaded audiences though, and many Netflix subscribers have been raving about the 2024 action sci-fi movie. The CGI and visuals in particular stand out, and Lopez is joined in the Atlas cast by several notable names, including Mark Strong and Simu Liu.

The Matrix Resurrections (2021)

The Matrix trilogy was one of the most influential sci-fi franchises of the late ’90s and early 2000s, with the story of Neo, Trinity, and the virtual world masquerading as reality becoming culturally definitive. The series’ use of special effects — especially “bullet time” — also redefined action movies, with almost every single one released since taking some degree of inspiration from them. In 2021 the franchise returned with The Matrix 4, titled The Matrix Resurrections, which picks up the story 60 years after The Matrix Revolutions and adds additional layers to Neo and Trinity’s tale.

While it was far from the success story of the first three Matrix movies, The Matrix Resurrections is a solid sci-fi movie that’s guaranteed to entertain Netflix subscribers seeking a cerebral watch with some dazzling visuals. Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss both return as Neo and Trinity (despite their characters dying in the previous movie), and they’re joined by the likes of Jonathan Groff, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Neil Patrick Harris.

They Cloned Tyrone (2023)

Marrying high-concept science-fiction with fantasy, satire and all manner of other genres, The Cloned Tyrone is one of the best Netflix Original movies released in 2023. Set in a drab retro-futuristic world, it stars John Boyega as the titular drug dealer, who drags himself through the same cycle of everyday life, in a grim Groundhog Day-style mundane nightmare that not even being shot repeatedly seems to interrupt.

Delightfully twisty, and featuring a walking homage to Blaxpoitation movies in Jamie Foxx’s pimp Slick Charles, They Cloned Tyrone is fast-paced, occasionally bizarre and a great way to spend a couple of hours. Come for the sci-fi, but stay for the Mary J Blige elevator scene.

Upgrade (2018)

2018’s Upgrade has become a surprise hit on Netflix, experiencing a resurgence in popularity since it was added to the extensive library of movies on the streaming service. Directed and written by Leigh Whannell, the writer behind Saw and Insidious and the director of 2020’s The Invisible Man, Upgrade is a dystopian sci-fi movie set in 2046 with a strong cyberpunk aesthetic. The story revolves around Grey (Logan Marshall-Green), a technophobe and auto mechanic. After a home invasion leaves his wife dead and Grey paralyzed, he receives cybernetic implants to help him walk.

However, all is not what it seems with STEM, the enhancement that gives Grey his mobility back. Neither was the attack on his home that took the life of his wife Asha (Menalie Vallejo) random. The plot of Upgrade is filled with many twists and turns, and it stands proud as an action thriller as well as a cerebral sci-fi that explores the risks of AI.