Special Report

Best Movies to Stream on Netflix This Month

Navigating any streaming service on the hunt for a movie to watch can be a daunting task. With so many options, choosing the right one can be downright overwhelming.

It doesn’t seem like too long ago when Netflix was a virtual Blockbuster, with just about every hit film, and every new release, included in its library. Nowadays, however, it’s just one of many streaming services, equally known for its original series as its films. (These are the 50 best Netflix original series.)

With competitors including HBO Max, Amazon Prime, and Hulu (not to mention ad-supported streamers including Vudu and Tubi) also in the fray, Netflix remains the original and the largest one of them all, even though they famously announced that they lost 200,000 subscribers in Q1 this year, and expects to lose as many as 2 million more this quarter. That’s a relative drop in the bucket of its estimated 221.64 million global paid memberships as of March 31, however. (Speaking of other streaming platforms, here’s where to stream 50 great movies you’ve probably never seen.)

To determine the best movies to stream on Netflix this May, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of April 2022, weighting all ratings equally. We considered only movies with at least 5,000 audience votes on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes. Documentaries were not considered. Data on streaming availability, current as of this month, comes from the streaming guide Reelgood.

Click here to see the best movies to stream on Netflix this month

From “Paddington” to “Nightmare on Elm Street,” from “The Disaster Artist” to “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” and all the way up to the No. 1 entry on this list – “Saving Private Ryan” – there’s a movie on Netflix for every mood.

Courtesy of DreamWorks Distribution

50. Road to Perdition (2002)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (257,017 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (188,984 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 81% (214 reviews)
> Directed by: Sam Mendes

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Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

49. Big Fish (2003)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (427,374 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (498,471 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 75% (220 reviews)
> Directed by: Tim Burton

Courtesy of Netflix

48. Roma (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (148,393 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 72% (5,701 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (400 reviews)
> Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

47. In the Line of Fire (1993)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (98,094 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (55,121 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (71 reviews)
> Directed by: Wolfgang Petersen

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Courtesy of TWC-Dimension

46. Paddington (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (105,218 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (50,357 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (163 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul King

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

45. Little Women (1994)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (55,003 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (87,630 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (39 reviews)
> Directed by: Gillian Armstrong

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Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

44. Gattaca (1997)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (290,017 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (208,849 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (64 reviews)
> Directed by: Andrew Niccol

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

43. Looper (2012)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (550,438 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (180,475 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (269 reviews)
> Directed by: Rian Johnson

Courtesy of STX Entertainment

42. The Edge of Seventeen (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (113,349 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (27,536 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (216 reviews)
> Directed by: Kelly Fremon Craig

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Courtesy of A24

41. The Disaster Artist (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (145,375 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (15,351 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (350 reviews)
> Directed by: James Franco

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

40. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (498,432 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (51,506 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (441 reviews)
> Directed by: Denis Villeneuve

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Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

39. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (440,178 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (119,228 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (256 reviews)
> Directed by: David Fincher

Courtesy of Netflix

38. To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (96,804 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (4,835 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (70 reviews)
> Directed by: Susan Johnson

Courtesy of New Line Cinema

37. Menace II Society (1993)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (55,052 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (62,747 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (42 reviews)
> Directed by: Albert & Allen Hughes

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

36. The Exorcist (1973)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (376,295 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (420,561 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (83 reviews)
> Directed by: William Friedkin

Courtesy of A24

35. Lady Bird (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (260,681 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (22,988 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (398 reviews)
> Directed by: Greta Gerwig

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

34. Dunkirk (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (595,440 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (69,228 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (461 reviews)
> Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Courtesy of New Line Cinema

33. A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (216,821 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (415,796 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (54 reviews)
> Directed by: Wes Craven

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

32. Into the Wild (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (594,510 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (179,594 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (200 reviews)
> Directed by: Sean Penn

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

31. Dirty Harry (1971)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (149,143 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (76,913 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (47 reviews)
> Directed by: Don Siegel

Courtesy of Warner Bros./Seven Arts

30. Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (108,146 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (56,616 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (64 reviews)
> Directed by: Arthur Penn

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Courtesy of The Weinstein Company

29. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (680,767 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (260,715 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (260 reviews)
> Directed by: David O. Russell

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

28. Awakenings (1990)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (132,710 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (55,236 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (34 reviews)
> Directed by: Penny Marshall

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

27. True Grit (2010)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (323,355 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (158,421 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (275 reviews)
> Directed by: Joel & Ethan Coen

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Courtesy of GEM Entertainment

26. Her (2013)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (567,662 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (101,810 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (283 reviews)
> Directed by: Spike Jonze

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

25. Forrest Gump (1994)
> IMDb user rating: 8.8/10 (1,905,676 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (1,244,237 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 71% (104 reviews)
> Directed by: Robert Zemeckis

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Courtesy of Lionsgate

24. Warrior (2011)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (450,064 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (59,533 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (192 reviews)
> Directed by: Gavin O’Connor

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

23. How to Train Your Dragon 2 (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (316,987 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (188,724 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (188 reviews)
> Directed by: Dean DeBlois

Courtesy of Netflix

22. Marriage Story (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (272,813 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (184 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (391 reviews)
> Directed by: Noah Baumbach

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Courtesy of Universal Pictures

21. Rush (2013)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (452,579 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (79,330 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (235 reviews)
> Directed by: Ron Howard

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

20. The Social Network (2010)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (654,350 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (204,423 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (329 reviews)
> Directed by: David Fincher

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Courtesy of Open Road Films

19. Nightcrawler (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (495,525 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (86,557 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (274 reviews)
> Directed by: Dan Gilroy

Courtesy of Netflix

18. The Irishman (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (351,546 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (1,057 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (453 reviews)
> Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Courtesy of Lionsgate

17. Hell or High Water (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (214,372 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (40,252 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (283 reviews)
> Directed by: David Mackenzie

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Courtesy of Netflix

16. Dolemite Is My Name (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (57,480 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (113 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (232 reviews)
> Directed by: Craig Brewer

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

15. Argo (2012)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (590,474 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (208,987 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (359 reviews)
> Directed by: Ben Affleck

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

14. Blade Runner (1982)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (721,985 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (338,132 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (121 reviews)
> Directed by: Ridley Scott

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

13. My Fair Lady (1964)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (90,701 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (187,112 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (61 reviews)
> Directed by: George Cukor

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

12. Casino Royale (2006)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (601,654 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (703,961 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (259 reviews)
> Directed by: Martin Campbell

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Courtesy of The Weinstein Company

11. Django Unchained (2012)
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (1,427,183 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (429,752 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (291 reviews)
> Directed by: Quentin Tarantino

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

10. The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (616,488 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (1,922,847 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (269 reviews)
> Directed by: Paul Greengrass

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Courtesy of The Ladd Company

9. Once Upon a Time in America (1984)
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (329,016 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (75,039 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (54 reviews)
> Directed by: Sergio Leone

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

8. Stand by Me (1986)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (380,190 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (270,467 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (57 reviews)
> Directed by: Rob Reiner

Courtesy of Filmarti

7. Dangal (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 8.4/10 (171,447 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (2,333 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (17 reviews)
> Directed by: Nitesh Tiwari

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

6. Inception (2010)
> IMDb user rating: 8.8/10 (2,171,143 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (571,783 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (361 reviews)
> Directed by: Christopher Nolan

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

5. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (701,608 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (324,778 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (83 reviews)
> Directed by: Stanley Kubrick

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Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

4. How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (693,881 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (312,983 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 99% (212 reviews)
> Directed by: Chris Sanders & Dean DeBlois

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

3. Taxi Driver (1976)
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (761,825 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (260,919 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (94 reviews)
> Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Courtesy of Netflix

2. Klaus (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 8.2/10 (119,752 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 96% (2,481 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (70 reviews)
> Directed by: Sergio Pablos

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Courtesy of DreamWorks Distribution

1. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
> IMDb user rating: 8.6/10 (1,292,307 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (993,591 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (143 reviews)
> Directed by: Steven Spielberg

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