13th
NetflixDirected by Ava DuVernay, the award-winning documentary explores the racial inequality of the modern world, especially focusing on the large number of Black people unjustly imprisoned in the United States.
2All Quiet on the Western Front
NetflixThe Netflix war film that won multiple Oscars this year follows Paul Bäumer and his classmates as they enlist in the army to defend their home country of Germany. With an outstanding score and cinematography, the feature highlights the true terror of war.
3Always Be My Maybe
NetflixThe 2019 rom-com starring Ali Wong and Randall Park follows childhood sweethearts who connect again once they’re adults, delivering a sweet and smart story that will have you smiling as you watch it unfold.
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4Call Me By Your Name
NetflixWhether you’re on a mission to watch every Timothée Chalamet movie out there or want to escape into the dreamy Italian countryside, this romantic film will do the trick.
5Arrival
NetflixOne of the greatest directors working today, Dennis Villeneuve (Dune, Prisoners, Sicario) takes on Story of Your Life, Nebula-winning science fiction from Ted Chiang. Amy Adams stars opposite Jeremy Renner, and what she does with her character of Louise, a language expert recruited to help the military translate messages from heptapod aliens who have landed on Earth, is just *chef's kiss.*
6Beasts of No Nation
NetflixAn immersive storyteller, director Cary Fukunaga (True Detective, Maniac) leans into his gritty, visually striking style with this haunting portrayal of war. Released on Netflix back in 2015, the brutal drama stars Idris Elba as a war lord who recruits children to do his killing, and Abraham Attah as one of his young soldiers. Interesting fact: Beasts was Netflix’s first original film.
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7Carol
NetflixAh, Carol. Todd Haynes’s dreamy 2015 romance is like a slow dance you never want to end. Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara star as Carol and Therese; the titular lead, a beauty trapped in a stale marriage, and the latter, an aspiring photographer with a new obsession. Set in 1950s New York, the two fall into a forbidden love affair, defying conventional norms for the era.
8Da 5 Bloods
NetflixSpike Lee’s 2020 war drama is a journey through brotherhood, unhealed wounds, and the scars of history. Among the starry cast, Delroy Lindo stars as the complex Paul, a man broken by three tours in Vietnam. He’s joined by Norm Lewis, Isaiah Whitlock Jr., and Clarke Peters on an odyssey back to the jungle to retrieve the remains of their fallen squad leader.
9Do Revenge
NetflixIn one of the greatest supporting roles for Sophie Turner ("I do not do co-CAINE!"), revenge is a dish best served with pretty pastels and killer '90s bangers. Turner has a rather small role in Jennifer Kaytin Robinson's comedy, but she leaves a lasting impact. As do Camila Mendes and Maya Hawke, who star as Drea and Eleanor, friends who turn their high school enemies into roadkill.
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10Dolemite Is My Name
NetflixIn 2019, Eddie Murphy gifted Netflix’s digital library with a biopic charting the rise of comedian Rudy Ray Moore. Risking everything, Moore created Dolemite, a kung fu fighting, flamboyant pimp who went on to become a cult phenomenon in Black cinema. Murphy stars, of course, and he’s joined by funnymen including Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps, and Craig Robinson.
11Eurovision Song Contest
NetflixProduced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay, Eurovision is an explosion of love, music, and inclusion. Not only does it feature original music and performances by real-life contest winners, but it also has fun with the classics and recruits the ethereal sounds of Icelandic band Sigur Rós for its score. It's a nice touch, considering the film's underdogs vying for the trophy, Sigrit and Lars, hail from the Land of Fire and Ice.
12Fear Street Trilogy
Netflix'Tis the season for slicing and dicing through movie marathons. Here’s the perfect place to start: Fear Street. Over the course of three films, Deena and her friend group jump from 1994, to 1978, to 1666, working their way through a magnificent body count in an effort to solve the mystery of why people have been dropping dead in Shadyside for more than 300 years.
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13Groundhog Day
NetflixOften repped as the greatest romantic comedy of all time, Groundhog Day stars Bill Murray in peak form as “Phil, Phil Connors,” the arrogant weatherman caught in a time loop that reboots with every a.m. alarm. Re-living the day Punxsutawney Phil emerges from his burrow to forecast winter’s end, Phil must learn it’s significant internal transformation that will free him from this wretched cycle.
14His House
NetflixHome is where the horror is in Remi Weekes's psychological scare that weaves the refugee experience into a tale about a South Sudanese couple consumed by trauma, guilt, and malevolent forces in a decrepit old house. Starring an exceptional duo, Sope Dirisu and Wunmi Mosaku, the film elevates the genre with themes of war, displacement, and assimilation.
15Hunt for the Wilderpeople
NetflixGet lost in the New Zealand bush with Ricky Baker, a rebellious teen, and Hector, his foster uncle, both of whom are on the run from child-service authorities. A clever mix of pop culture references, high-octane drama, and director Taika Waititi’s signature wit, this one is checks all the boxes.
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16I Lost My Body
NetflixEven though this French beauty is animated, it's not really for kids. A heart-aching take on the power of human connection, the award-winning fantasy takes viewers through two parallel narratives: 1) Pizza boy Naoufel courts igloo-loving Gabrielle, and 2) A severed hand looks for his body. The two stories collide in the most beautiful way, but don't let us spoil it for you.
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
NetflixThe only thing hotter than the soul-stirring tunes is the heat radiating from this film’s two leads: Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman. Set in 1927 Chicago, George C. Wolfe’s two-time Oscar winner was adapted from the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning play by August Wilson and revolves around an afternoon recording session where the Mother of Blues clashes with her ambitious trumpeter.
18Matilda
NetflixTake your pick: Danny DeVito’s 1996 classic starring Mara Wilson, or Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical starring Alisha Weir. Both are fantastic, and both are streaming on the platform now. For our purposes here, we’ll rep the remake, a joyous musical about a formidable little rebel, which will never be nixed by the Netflix gods. Unlike the original, which could leave the platform at any time.
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19Nimona
NetflixMischief and mayhem take center stage in this animated delight based on the New York Times’ best-selling graphic novel. On its surface, Nimona is a story about a shapeshifting sidekick helping a knight prove his innocence for a crime he didn’t commit. But underneath the veneer, you’ll delight in a tale that offers a new take on friendship and encourages embracing one’s true self.
RRR
NetflixRise. Roar. Revolt. Those are the words represented by the R's titling this full-throttle Telugu bromance. An action epic about a shared mission to rescue a little girl, RRR is the third-highest-grossing Indian movie. And after seeing its musical interludes, tiger rampages, and battle choreography, we understand why. In fact, it all leads us to three other powerful letters: WOW.
DeAnna Janes is a freelance writer and editor for a number of sites, including Harper’s BAZAAR, Tasting Table, Fast Company and Brit + Co, and is a passionate supporter of animal causes, copy savant, movie dork and reckless connoisseur of all holidays. A native Texan living in NYC since 2005, Janes has a degree in journalism from Texas A&M and got her start in media at US Weekly before moving on to O Magazine, and eventually becoming the entertainment editor of the once-loved, now-shuttered DailyCandy. She’s based on the Upper West Side.
Brooke LaMantia is an NYC-based culture and fashion freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Cut, Cosmopolitan, W Magazine, InStyle, NYLON, and more.
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