Special Report

The 50 Best Movies to Stream on Netflix This Month

Netflix is an entertainment juggernaut with a seemingly endless library of movies and tv shows. With over 220 million users as of 2022, it’s the most popular streaming service out there.

Despite its seat on the streaming throne, though, Netflix has recorded a loss of over one million subscribers within the last year. Consumers cite many reasons for leaving, such increased subscription costs, emigration of popular content to other streaming platforms, and the crack-down on password sharing.

Even though Netflix has experienced a loss in subscribers, those who remain have plenty of great movies to pick from. The site boasts more than 3,000 movies, including blockbuster hits like “Ocean’s Eleven” and Netflix original content such as “Klaus.”  

To determine the best movies to stream on Netflix this month, 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 September 2022, weighting all ratings equally. We considered only movies with at least 5,000 audience votes on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes that are currently streaming on Netflix. Documentaries were not considered. (Data on streaming availability comes from Reelgood, and directorial credits are from IMDb.)

Are you a big fan of sci-fi? Be sure to watch the 2009 reimagining of “Star Trek,” directed by J.J. Abrams. Looking for something a bit funnier? Netflix is currently streaming the original 1997 “Men in Black” starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. (Here are funniest American movies of all time.)

Blockbusters not your thing? Check out the indie film “Lady Bird,” chosen by Time magazine as one of the ten best films of 2017, and starring Saoirse Ronan, who was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her role as the film’s protagonist.  

Click here to see the 50 best movies to stream on Netflix this month

Many of the movies on this list have come out within the last 30 years. It is not that there aren’t good older movies, it’s more that Netflix is trying to serve a younger demographic. The company has recently released more new original content to set itself apart from its competitors. Time will tell if doubling down on original content is the right move, as many viewers might miss the ability to watch the classics. (Here are the best movie classics you’ve never seen available to stream right now.)

Courtesy of Lionsgate

50. Margin Call (2011)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (122,167 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 74% (20,059 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (172 reviews)
> Directed by: J.C. Chandor

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Courtesy of Netflix

49. The Fundamentals of Caring (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (66,831 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (6,058 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 77% (35 reviews)
> Directed by: Rob Burnett

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

48. Despicable Me 2 (2013)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (380,993 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (369,878 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 75% (186 reviews)
> Directed by: Pierre Coffin & Chris Renaud

Courtesy of Focus Features

47. Loving (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (33,296 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (19,722 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (294 reviews)
> Directed by: Jeff Nichols

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Courtesy of New Line Cinema

46. The Conjuring 2 (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (248,052 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (54,926 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (255 reviews)
> Directed by: James Wan

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

45. A River Runs Through It (1992)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (55,840 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (67,874 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (45 reviews)
> Directed by: Robert Redford

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Courtesy of Warner Bros.

44. Blood Diamond (2006)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (519,219 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (568,901 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 63% (219 reviews)
> Directed by: Edward Zwick

Courtesy of Batrax Entertainment

43. The Gift (2015)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (147,518 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (51,282 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (196 reviews)
> Directed by: Joel Edgerton

Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox

42. Kung Fu Panda 3 (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (144,300 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (100,039 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (179 reviews)
> Directed by: Alessandro Carloni

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Courtesy of Netflix

41. Always Be My Maybe (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (50,782 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (2,029 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (99 reviews)
> Directed by: Nahnatchka Khan & Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Courtesy of Level 33 Entertainment

40. Copenhagen (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (12,929 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (1,093 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (16 reviews)
> Directed by: Mark Raso

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Courtesy of Netflix

39. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (46,581 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (1,141 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (297 reviews)
> Directed by: George C. Wolfe

Courtesy of Fathom Events

38. Mirai (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (14,186 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (945 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (84 reviews)
> Directed by: Mamoru Hosoda

Courtesy of Netflix

37. Okja (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (112,707 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (10,697 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (239 reviews)
> Directed by: Bong Joon Ho

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Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

36. Blue Jasmine (2013)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (196,995 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (49,179 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (232 reviews)
> Directed by: Woody Allen

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

35. Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (539,125 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (32,601,771 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (179 reviews)
> Directed by: Steven Soderbergh

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Courtesy of The Orchard

34. Blue Jay (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (16,105 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (2,427 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (32 reviews)
> Directed by: Alex Lehmann

Courtesy of Netflix

33. The White Tiger (2021)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (54,128 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (1,016 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (170 reviews)
> Directed by: Ramin Bahrani

Courtesy of Netflix

32. The Night Comes for Us (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (23,843 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (984 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (33 reviews)
> Directed by: Timo Tjahjanto

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Courtesy of Focus Features

31. A Monster Calls (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (84,573 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (25,354 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (267 reviews)
> Directed by: J.A. Bayona

Courtesy of Open Road Films

30. Dope (2015)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (82,817 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (34,031 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (160 reviews)
> Directed by: Rick Famuyiwa

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Courtesy of Netflix

29. Private Life (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (18,066 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 78% (1,065 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (106 reviews)
> Directed by: Tamara Jenkins

Courtesy of New Line Cinema

28. It (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (488,616 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (67,821 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (386 reviews)
> Directed by: Andy Muschietti

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

27. Men in Black (1997)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (535,658 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (1,049,562 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (89 reviews)
> Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld

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Courtesy of DreamWorks Distribution

26. Collateral (2004)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (379,479 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (364,423 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (237 reviews)
> Directed by: Michael Mann

Courtesy of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

25. The Dirty Dozen (1967)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (69,957 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (41,423 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (49 reviews)
> Directed by: Robert Aldrich

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Courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

24. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (575,740 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (1,151,886 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (274 reviews)
> Directed by: Sam Raimi

Courtesy of Warner Bros.

23. Deliverance (1972)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (103,391 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (49,473 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (62 reviews)
> Directed by: John Boorman

Courtesy of New Line Cinema

22. Love & Basketball (2000)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (20,127 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (186,899 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (95 reviews)
> Directed by: Gina Prince-Bythewood

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Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

21. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (335,601 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (729,007 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 80% (71 reviews)
> Directed by: John Hughes

Courtesy of New Line Cinema

20. 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 Netflix

19. 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 Bleecker Street Media

18. Leave No Trace (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (55,265 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (4,960 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (240 reviews)
> Directed by: Debra Granik

Courtesy of DreamWorks Distribution

17. Gladiator (2000)
> IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (1,399,053 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (34,128,168 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 77% (201 reviews)
> Directed by: Ridley Scott

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Courtesy of A24

16. 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

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

15. The Hunt for Red October (1990)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (188,284 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (172,798 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (73 reviews)
> Directed by: John McTiernan

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Courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing

14. Donnie Brasco (1997)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (291,291 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (204,292 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (56 reviews)
> Directed by: Mike Newell

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

13. Skyfall (2012)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (648,708 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (374,338 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (381 reviews)
> Directed by: Sam Mendes

Courtesy of Columbia Pictures

12. When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (205,660 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (396,152 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (74 reviews)
> Directed by: Rob Reiner

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Courtesy of The Weinstein Company

11. Philomena (2013)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (97,066 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (52,457 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (200 reviews)
> Directed by: Stephen Frears

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

10. Léon: The Professional (1994)
> IMDb user rating: 8.5/10 (1,081,769 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (274,510 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 74% (65 reviews)
> Directed by: Luc Besson

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Courtesy of Rocket Science

9. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (158,141 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (2,455 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (331 reviews)
> Directed by: Aaron Sorkin

Courtesy of Netflix

8. 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

Courtesy of Universal Pictures

7. Scarface (1983)
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (778,547 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 93% (488,892 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (71 reviews)
> Directed by: Brian De Palma

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Courtesy of Lionsgate

6. 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

Courtesy of Netflix

5. 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

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Courtesy of The Weinstein Company

4. The Imitation Game (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (717,585 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (104,116 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (285 reviews)
> Directed by: Morten Tyldum

Courtesy of Bleecker Street Media

3. Beasts of No Nation (2015)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (77,493 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 92% (8,145 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (143 reviews)
> Directed by: Cary Joji Fukunaga

Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

2. Star Trek (2009)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (589,910 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (747,981 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (354 reviews)
> Directed by: J.J. Abrams

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Courtesy of Netflix

1. 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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