The best Netflix movies to watch right now for any mood

Need a great movie night pick without scrolling for ages? Netflix’s film catalog is vast, but a handful of titles are commanding buzz and delivering the goods across romance, prestige drama, and pulse-quick action. This week’s recommendations lean on Netflix Top 10 momentum, past Nielsen streaming rankings, critical consensus from Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb, and the simple test of “Will you actually click play?”

How we chose these Netflix movies and what we weighed

We prioritized Netflix Original films (more reliably available across regions), recent chart-toppers, and awards-season standouts that continue to find new audiences. When helpful, we note recognition from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, BAFTA, and the Golden Globes. Availability can vary by country, so your in-app Top 10 row remains the quickest reality check.

Editor’s picks you can stream on Netflix tonight

The Irishman remains the definitive modern mob epic on Netflix—Martin Scorsese’s elegy to loyalty and regret plays with the scale of a miniseries and the punch of a feature, anchored by Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci at late-career highs. It earned multiple Oscar nominations and has strong longevity on cinephile lists, which translates into reliable rewatch value.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is the rare sequel that expands the sandbox and the laughs. Rian Johnson’s layered whodunit rewarded repeat viewings and set internal Netflix records at launch, according to the company’s global Top 10 data. Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc plus an all-star ensemble make this an easy crowd-pleaser for mixed taste groups.

Marriage Story offers a humane, incisive look at love’s unraveling, powered by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. Its awards run—multiple Oscar nominations and a win in a key category—mirrors strong audience scores on major databases, and it routinely resurfaces on “best of Netflix” lists for its knockout performances.

Romance spotlight for date night on Netflix now

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before jump-started the modern Netflix rom-com boom for good reason: it’s witty, warm, and delightfully rewatchable. Google Trends shows predictable February spikes for this title, and the franchise effect means you can roll right into the sequels if the vibes are right.

Always Be My Maybe charms with razor-sharp writing from Ali Wong and Randall Park and a now-legendary cameo that still lands. It’s a breezy 100-ish minutes with high four-quadrant appeal—perfect when you want something upbeat without feeling disposable.

Set It Up resurrected the workplace rom-com and remains a reliable “we just want something fun” pick. Word-of-mouth has propelled steady discovery cycles every spring and summer, according to third-party demand trackers like Whip Media and JustWatch, which aligns with its enduring placement in Netflix’s algorithmic recommendations.

Prestige and award-winning Netflix films to queue

Roma is Alfonso Cuarón’s intimate masterwork—shot in luminous black-and-white, it won multiple Oscars including Best Director. Beyond accolades, its emotional precision and immersive sound design make it a showcase for a good TV setup and a rare streaming film that truly benefits from watching with the lights down.

All Quiet on the Western Front, Netflix’s German-language update of the classic antiwar novel, swept craft categories at major award shows. It’s technically stunning and thematically urgent, and it frequently charts among Netflix’s most recommended serious dramas for viewers who liked 1917 or Dunkirk.

The Power of the Dog is not a breezy watch, but Jane Campion’s tightly coiled Western offers world-class performances (Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Kodi Smit-McPhee) and meticulous craft. It’s the thinking person’s pick when your group wants something meaty to discuss after the credits.

High-octane thrillers and action picks streaming now

Extraction and Extraction 2 deliver muscular, single-take bravado and globe-trotting stakes—both entries have appeared among Netflix’s most-watched English-language films based on the company’s 91-day view metric. If you’re hunting for pure adrenaline with clean choreography, these are the go-tos.

The Killer leans ice-cold and clinical—David Fincher’s precision meets Michael Fassbender’s minimalist hitman in a thriller that rewards attention. It’s a top-tier “lights low, phones down” selection that surged in completion rates at launch, per industry analytics cited by trade outlets.

Triple Frontier remains an underrated heist-survival hybrid with Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, and Pedro Pascal. What starts as a straightforward score morphs into a moral quagmire, and its mountainous set pieces play beautifully on big screens.

Global standouts on Netflix you might have missed

Society of the Snow, J.A. Bayona’s harrowing survival drama, earned major awards attention and near-unanimous critical praise. It’s a tough watch that doubles as a triumph of ensemble acting and practical effects, and it consistently posts high audience scores.

The Platform is a Spanish social thriller that punches far above its budget—lean, provocative, and tailor-made for spirited post-movie debate. It became a surprise international hit for Netflix and still spikes when dystopian stories trend.

Family-friendly favorites to watch with everyone

Klaus is a modern animated classic whose hand-crafted aesthetic wows on any display. An Oscar nominee with broad appeal, it hits the sweet spot between cozy storytelling and clever humor that adults won’t mind revisiting.

Enola Holmes and its sequel give Millie Bobby Brown a spirited sleuth to inhabit, pairing mystery-solving with fizzy fourth-wall winks. They’re brisk, charming, and rewatchable—ideal for multi-generational living rooms.

Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget brings Aardman’s stop-motion magic to Netflix with inventive gags and playful set pieces. It’s a rare sequel that feels fresh yet faithful, and it’s short enough to fit a school-night schedule.

One last tip before you press play on Netflix

Netflix’s Top 10 row and the “Because You Watched” shelf remain the best real-time indicators of what’s resonating. If a title here isn’t visible in your region, search the director or cast to surface a comparable alternative. Add anything you like to My List now—licensing shifts quickly, and the best picks have a habit of disappearing just when you’re ready to watch.