Netflix's catalogue changes every month. We update this list quarterly. As of May 2026, these are the films currently available on Netflix US that we'd actually recommend.
Sorted by mood rather than ranking — what you want from a film on a given Friday is usually a matter of energy, not quality.
If you want a two-hour film that respects your intelligence
- The Power of the Dog (2021) — Jane Campion's adapted-from-Savage Western. Won Best Director. Benedict Cumberbatch's slow-burn antagonist.
- Marriage Story (2019) — Noah Baumbach. Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver. The court-mediated divorce drama of the decade.
- The Irishman (2019) — Three and a half hours of Scorsese, De Niro, Pacino, Pesci. The de-aging is the film's only weak point.
If you want comfort
- About Time (2013) — Richard Curtis time-travel romance. Sentimental in the best sense.
- School of Rock (2003) — Richard Linklater. Jack Black. One of the most-rewatchable Hollywood comedies of the 2000s.
- Knives Out (2019) — Rian Johnson's whodunit. Daniel Craig's Benoit Blanc launched a franchise.
If you want something that will stay with you
- Roma (2018) — Alfonso Cuarón's black-and-white Mexico City drama. Won Best Director. The Netflix original that finally pushed the streamer toward awards relevance.
- Okja (2017) — Bong Joon-ho's pre-Parasite film. A girl, a genetically modified pig, and a satire of food capitalism.
- Pieces of a Woman (2020) — Vanessa Kirby. The 30-minute opening home-birth sequence is some of the most demanding film acting of recent years.
If you want a thriller
- Uncut Gems (2019) — Adam Sandler. Safdie brothers. Two hours of escalating panic.
- Athena (2022) — Romain Gavras's French banlieue thriller. The opening one-shot is the year's best action sequence.
- His House (2020) — Refugee horror film. Wunmi Mosaku and Sope Dirisu. Sharper than most genre cinema of the period.
Caveats
Streaming availability changes regularly. We can't guarantee any of these films will still be on Netflix by the time you read this. Check before you commit to your evening.
We also don't include current-day Netflix Originals that are obviously marketing-driven. Algorithmic comfort food is what Netflix's home screen already does well; this list is for what you'd otherwise miss.