The 50 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now (March 2023)

Run Time: 1 hr 40 min | Genre: Horror Thriller Mystery | Director: Nathaniel Martello-White

Cast: Ashley Madekwe, Jorden Myrie, Bukky Bakray, Michael Warburton, Caroline Martin

Nathaniel Martello-White both writes and directs The Strays, a clever film that explores classism, privilege, and perception through a unique lens. Building tension, The Strays has been compared to Get Out, as it is also a thrilling psychological drama set in an idyllic suburban town. The film stars Ashley Madekwe (The Umbrella Academy) as Neve, a mother and wife who has carefully curated her perfect life through details and deliberate lies. Raising questions both about Neve’s sanity and her reality, The Strays watches her world unravel when she mysteriously notices strangers infiltrating her delicate facade. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 50 min | Genre: Horror Action | Director: Veronica Ngo

Cast: Veronica Ngo, Dong Anh Quynh, Toc Tien, Thuan Nguyen, Song Luan

Furies is a gritty follow-up to Veronica Ngo’s 2019 film, Furie. Considered a prequel of sorts, the action-packed Vietnamese film follows the training of a trio of fierce vigilantes who seek revenge on a criminal underworld that abuses women. Starring writer/director Ngo, along with Dong Anh Quynh, Toc Tien, Thuan Nguyen, and Song Luan, Furies beautifully transforms the modern world into 1990s Saigon with a creative flair and an engrossing aesthetic. With a thoughtful script, Furies explores the emotional turmoil caused by a sinister syndicate and the determination which drives these badass warriors to risk it all. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 39 min | Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family | Director: Wendy Rogers

Cast: Brian Tyree Henry, Natasia Demetriou, Mandy Patinkin, Benedict Wong

Based on the fantastic novel of the same name written by Kate DiCamillo, The Magician’s Elephant is a whimsical and inspirational story of bravery in the face of the impossible. When a fortune teller convinces Peter (Noah Jupe), a young orphan, that he must follow a magical elephant to be reunited with his sister, he agrees to perform Herculean tasks to win the prized pachyderm. In his attempts to perform these gargantuan feats, he is aided and supported by a wonderful cast of characters with equally amazing voice talents, including Brian Tyree Henry (The Eternals), Mandy Patinkin (The Princess Bride), and Benedict Wong (Doctor Strange). – Tauri Miller

Run Time: 2 hr 9 min | Genre: Crime Drama, Mystery, Thriller | Director: Jamie Payne

Cast: Idris Elba, Cynthia Erivo, Andy Serkis

Idris Elba (The Suicide Squad) reprises his role as John Luther, the disgraced London detective who always gets his man by any means necessary. At its core, Luther has always been a new take on the Sherlock Holmes character, and in this new film that takes place after the events of the series, it seems he has finally found his Moriarty in the brand-new character David Robey, played by Andy Serkis (Lord of the Rings). Luther: The Fallen Sun makes great use of the film budget and promises to give fans bigger action sequences and an epic narrative displaying the full force of the London police as they chase down Luther, who has escaped prison to capture a serial killer. For long-time fans of the Luther series, this movie will be the next chapter we’ve all been waiting for. – Tauri Miller

Run Time: 2 hrs 6 min | Genre: Comedy Adventure | Director: Christopher Landon

Cast: Jennifer Coolidge, David Harbour, Tig Notaro, Anthony Mackie

We Have a Ghost is a silly horror comedy about a family who moves to a new town and meets the ghost haunting their home. Writer/director Christopher Landon captures David Harbour’s innate playfulness, who thrives in humor with his inhibited nature, dazzling as the ghost Ernest. Melting genres, We Have a Ghost crosses from humor and horror to action and mystery as the story follows how Ernest’s exposure makes them an overnight sensation, ultimately inviting media, fanatics, and the government to hunt him. Supported by an all-star cast including Anthony Mackie and Jennifer Coolidge, We Have a Ghost is entertainment for the entire family. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 51 min | Genre: Romance Comedy | Director: Aline Brosh McKenna

Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Ashton Kutcher, Zoe Chao, Jesse Williams

Written and directed by Aline Brosh McKenna (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend), Your Place or Mine is a traditional rom-com in every sense of the word. Your Place or Mine has two undeniably stunning leads in Reese Witherspoon (The Morning Show) and Ashton Kutcher (Two and a Half Men), takes place in major cities on both coasts, and falls into a slew of expected narrative traps. Although there are quite a few outdated ideals in Your Place or Mine, it does enjoy a fantastic supporting cast and a cute romance at its core, leaving most of the flaws worth ignoring. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 52 min | Genre: Documentary | Director: Ryan White

Cast: Pamela Anderson, Gregory Butler, Rob Bowman

Following Hulu’s critically acclaimed limited series Pam & Tommy, actress Pamela Anderson is taking control of her narrative and allowing director Ryan White to help her tell her story in the documentary Pamela: A Love Story. Shared through her own words, Pamela: A Love Story prudently explores Anderson’s journey from a teenager with dreams to a universal sex symbol embroiled in an infamous scandal. Featuring archives of never-before-seen footage, personal home videos, diaries, and journals, Pamela: A Love Story is a raw look at the trauma, ambitions, and humanity behind the pop culture icon. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 39 min | Genre: Sci-Fi Action | Director: Yeon Sang-ho

Cast: Kang Soo-youn, Kim Hyun-joo, Ryu Kyung-soo

Directed by Yeon Sang-ho, who also wrote the screenplay, Jung_E is a beautifully designed science-fiction/action drama set in the terrifying near future. After Earth becomes inhospitable, humans relocate to shelters in space, leading to a civil war between the Allied Force and the Adrian Republic. After 35 years, a leading tech company, Kronoid, clones the brain of an Allied Forces’ legendary mercenary, releasing an AI version of the Captain to save humanity. Starring Kang Soo-yeon in her final film performance before her death, Jung_E also features Kim Hyun-joo and Ryu Kyung-soo, rounding out the incredible cast of this fascinating film. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 57 min | Genre: Comedy Romance | Director: Kenya Barris

Cast: Jonah Hill, Lauren London, Eddie Murphy, Julia Louis-Dreyfus

Kenya Barris (Black-ish) directs Jonah Hill in You People, an uproarious comedy about race, family, and culture clashes based on a screenplay they co-wrote together. Co-starring with Hill are comedic icons Eddie Murphy (Coming 2 America) and Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Black Panther: Wakanda Forever), who absolutely dazzle in You People in a story that presents varying perspectives to universal themes, emphasizing progress and generational differences. Supported by a stacked cast, including Nia Long, Lauren London, and David Duchovny, You People’s narrative relies heavily on the on-screen talent more than the written dialogue to provide the laughs in this romantic comedy about families. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 1 hr 35 min | Genre: Biography Drama | Director: Stephen Herek

Cast: Rob Lowe, Johnny Berchtold, Kimberly Williams-Paisley

Rob Lowe stars in Dog Gone, a touching family film about a beloved pet dog whose unexpected disappearance inspires a young man to embark on a life-changing journey with his parents to find their furry friend who is in need of life-saving medication. Based on a true story chronicled in Pauls Toutonghi’s book, Dog Gone is, at its core, about a fractured relationship between a father (Lowe) and his son (Johnny Berchtold). Director Stephen Herek (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure) carefully captures the slow and steady pace at which the family bond is repaired, paralleled by their hike into the Appalachian Trail. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 2 hrs 8 min | Genre: Thriller Horror Mystery | Director: Scott Cooper

Cast: Christian Bale, Harry Melling, Lucy Boynton, Gillian Anderson

Directed by Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart), who adapted The Pale Blue Eye from Louis Bayard’s novel, this gruesome thriller reunites the director with star Christian Bale (Thor: Love and Thunder). In The Pale Blue Eye, Bale plays a retired detective reluctantly investigating the odd murder of a cadet attending West Point Academy in 1830. Blending elements often associated with horror into a criminal investigation and murder mystery, The Pale Blue Eye is a unique feature about an even stranger crime. Cooper’s clever use of color and shadows presents an impressive allure as his characters put together the pieces of the puzzle. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 2 hrs 16 min | Genre: Absurdist Comedy Drama | Director: Noah Baumbach

Cast: Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig, Don Cheadle

Written for the screen and directed by Noah Baumbach, White Noise is based on the book by Don DeLillo. An interesting balancing act by Baumbach, White Noise has been described as both a dark comedy and a horrific mystery, which could easily be a reflection on the philosophical questions broached by the absurdist film, such as the existence of joy in a precarious society. Starring skillfully adaptable actors including Adam Driver (House of Gucci) and Greta Gerwig (Barbie) as a fascinatingly mundane American couple attempting to grapple with existential dread blossoming from universal realities, White Noise provides these versatile performers a solid foundation from which to thrive. – Yael Tygiel

Run Time: 2 hrs 19 min | Genre: Mystery | Director: Rian Johnson

Cast: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Kathryn Hahn, Janelle Monáe

Rian Johnson’s follow-up to his hit mystery movie Knives Out, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery allows Daniel Craig (No Time to Die) to reprise his role as investigator Benoit Blanc. With an intriguing new puzzle, the famed southern detective heads to Greece, where he finds a new group of suspects. The deliberate casting of incomparable talent deserves an award of its own. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery features stars like Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, and Kathryn Hahn (WandaVision), to name a few. Star power aside, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery continues to captivate with twists, enigmas, and even some clever laughs. – Yael Tygiel

Director: Jane Campion | Genre: Western Drama | Run Time: 2 hr 6 min

Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee

The Power of the Dog is a slow, sly movie that reveals itself to you in subtle, measured glimpses at tenderness that are otherwise caked in grit, cruelty and crudity. Set in 1920s Montana, Jane Campion‘s awards contender stars Benedict Cumberbatch, giving one of his best performances yet as Phil Burbank; a gruff and bitter cowboy who takes an immediate disliking to his brother’s (Jesse Plemmons) new wife, Rose (Kirsten Dunst). In turn, her son Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee) takes a disliking to him, determined to protect his mother, setting the stage for fascinating, subtle power plays and dynamic shifts as the contentious new family attempts to settle in together. As with all Campion films, you can expect exquisite shots and stunning glimpses into small moments of human vulnerability, but The Power of the Dog is also a challenging, often caustic film about tracing the ripples of toxicity. It certainly isn’t your average Neo-western, so don’t go in expecting standoffs our shootouts, but even without those flashy calling cards, The Power of the Dog makes a striking impact that seems to land all in one final blow. – Haleigh Foutch

Run Time: 2 hr 33 min | Genre: Thriller Crime | Director: Dennis Villeneuve

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davis, Melissa Leo, Maria Bello, Terrence Howard

For his first English language picture, Dennis Villeneuve delivered an instant classic in the vein of Seven or Zodiac. Prisoners may be Dennis Villeneuve’s most underrated film. It’s heavy, like a waterlogged coat, and driven forward by the dramatic reactions of the characters lost in the haze of mystery in this missing child thriller. Superb performances, melancholic music, and a rainy atmosphere reinforce the weighted tone of the film. Jake Gyllenhaal plays the fastidious detective Loki, trying to connect the dots between old cold cases, missing children, and a dead body. Hugh Jackman and Terrence Howard metamorphose into two men on the edge of desperation as they abduct the man (Paul Dano) they believe to be responsible for their missing daughters. It’s a dark story about faith, resolve, and morality that sees a community pushed to its emotional limit. There’s little respite from the darkness in the world of prisoners, as each scene compounds the mystery and pain in the wake of two missing children.

Run Time: 1 hr 57 min | Genre: Fantasy Musical | Director: Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson

Cast: Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Gregory Mann

Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is one of the most beautiful adaptations of the classic fairytale. Highlighted by the monster maestro’s love of creatures, Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water) crafts an enchanting version of the story, working in tandem with co-director Mark Gustafson (The PJs) to bring this stop-motion masterpiece to life. Like most del Toro projects, Pinocchio may not be suitable for younger audiences as the director enjoys his darker themes and images, even in his most whimsical projects. Expressed through claymation, this rendition of Pinocchio follows the grieving Italian woodcarver Geppetto, voiced by Game of Thrones alum David Bradley, as his wish magically brings to life his wooden marionette. – Yael Tygiel

Director: Jennifer Kaytin Robinson | Genre: Teen Comedy | Run Time: 1 hr 58 min

Cast: Camila Mendes, Maya Hawke

This is what teen comedy dreams are made of. Starring Riverdale’s Camila Mendes and Stranger Things scenestealer Maya Hawke, Do Revenge revolves around an unlikely friendship between fallen popular girl Drea (Mendes) and new student Eleanor (Hawke). After being wronged by friends and exes, the two of them hatch the perfect plan: to help each other get revenge. With plot twists you won’t see coming, sharp comedy, and a killer soundtrack (not to mention epic cameos by Sarah Michelle Gellar and Sophie Turner), this is a truly generation-defining film among the ranks of Heathers and Mean Girls. – Taylor Gates

Director: Barry Jenkins | Genre: Romance Drama | Run Time: 1 hr 59 min

Cast: KiKi Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Teyonah Parris

If there was ever a film that deserves more love and admiration, it is Barry Jenkins’ magnificent If Beale Street Could Talk. Adapted from the novel of the same name by one of history’s greatest writers, the great James Baldwin, and could not be a more graceful honoring of his legacy. In addition to being a gorgeous cinematic experience, every single frame is overflowing with compassion for characters trying to find a way to live a life together. Set in 1970s Harlem, it centers on Tish (KiKi Layne) who is about to have a child with her artist fiancé Alonzo Hunt (Stephan James). As they dream of a future together, the couple’s hopes are dashed when Alonzo is arrested for a crime he did not commit. A moving look at the tragedy found in the everyday, both Layne and James are outstanding in every single moment. When your film also has a supporting cast of Regina King, who won an Oscar for her role as Tish’s mother, and Coleman Domingo as Tish’s father, it becomes a masterclass in acting from start to finish. – Chase Hutchinson

Director: Rob Reiner I Genre: Romance Comedy I Run Time: 1 hr 35 mins

Cast: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby

Autumn is upon us, and you know what that means? Following two people who could not be more different from each other go from hate, to like, to hate again, and finally, to love. When Harry Met Sally.. stars Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan in one of the most famous romcoms of all time. Harry and Sally bump into each other unexpectedly throughout their 20s and into their 30s, hating each time until heartbreak brings them together as best friends. They bond over their failed romances, even get their respective best friends together, and spend most of the movie oblivious to or purposefully ignoring the fact that they are perfect for each other. Oh – and there’s an orgasm in Kats Deli, we couldn’t forget that! Nora Ephron gave us a love story for the ages that still feels fresh and nuanced watching it thirty years later. Add in a sublime supporting cast of Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby – and you have yourself a timeless classic. Set against the red and yellow leaves of New York City, When Harry Met Sally.. Is essential Autumnal viewing. – Emma Kiely

Director: Shane Black | Genre: Action Comedy | Run Time: 1 hr 56 min

Cast: Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer

Between Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang and The Nice Guys, writer/director Shane Black has proven himself to the be the king of crackling neo-noir. In The Nice Guys, you have private eye Holland March (Ryan Gosling) and fixer Jackson Healy (Russell Crowe) teaming up to investigate the disappearance of a young woman (Margaret Qualley), but it’s all about how Black plays with genre conventions and film tropes to constantly upend expectations. Gosling has never been funnier, and in an alternate, better universe, The Nice Guys would have been a massive hit and we’d have an amazing comic franchise. As it stands, we only have this movie, so at least we can treasure this outing of March and Healy. – Matt Goldberg