Best Movies on Netflix Right Now
For as many streaming services as there is currently are, Netflix remains possibly the premiere platform to watch movies and television shows. The first mainstream streaming service there was, it's a platform that continues to boast some of the finest and most noteworthy movies you'll find anywhere.
With a streaming catalog mixed between Netflix original movies and endless amounts of well-known movies like The Founder, The Woman King, and Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, there's no shortage of potential viewing options when it comes to Netflix's impressive lineup of movies.
Here are some of the movies you can currently find streaming on Netflix that we'd recommend checking out.
Updated: February 21.
Action: The Woman King
One of the best action films of 2022, The Woman King, has recently arrived on Netflix after dominating last year's summer blockbuster market. Though the movie's portrayal of real-world history is dubious at best, it's still a first-rate adventure film, full of memorable performances and exciting battle sequences.
In the 1820s, an elite group of female warriors protect their kingdom from opposing African tribes bent on destroying their way of life.
Described as the modern equivalent of Braveheart and Gladiator, The Woman King takes a sensationalized route when it comes to its historical subject matter. However, the movie still takes its time in delivering well-choreographed fight scenes and some powerhouse acting from Viola Davis, Thuso Mbedu, and Lashana Lynch.
Comedy: Cunk on Earth
A spin-off from the English TV series Charlie Brooker's Weekly Wipe and Cunk on Britain, Cunk on Earth is a hilarious British export about clueless investigative journalist Philomena Cunk (Diane Morgan) and her research into the most important events in global history.
Presented in a mockumentary format, Cunk on Earth features Morgan's Cunk as she interviews numerous historical experts. Discussing a variety of subjects, Cunk babbles her way through these interviews, asking unanswerable or bizarre questions like "Did the Egyptians build the Pyramids from the top down?" or "What is the deeper meaning behind Beethoven's musical lyrics?"
Imagine a drier version of Borat, primarily composed of interview footage, and you have the recipe for Cunk on Earth. Keeping a straight face throughout, Morgan's title character remains consistently hilarious no matter the ridiculous topic she brings up in her interviews.
Biopic: The Founder
Everyone - and I mean everyone - knows the name McDonald's. The reigning monarch of the fast food industry, the McDonald's brand has spread to the farthest corners of the globe, its locations sprouting up across the world. Decidedly less well-known is the man who made it all possible - the main subject behind the 2016 biopic, The Founder.
Sensing the financial opportunity of a lifetime, milkshake salesman Ray Kroc (Michael Keaton) uses his business acumen to turn a regional fast food restaurant known into a massive multinational corporation.
We don't know if you'll exit The Founder wanting to buy a Big Mac and a Coke (although that'll probably be the case), but the film offers an incredibly fascinating look at the life and far-reaching influence of Kroc, a businessman who shaped the American food industry for generations.
Horror: The Babysitter
It's a rare occurrence when a horror comedy expert treads a fine line between its horror and humorous elements. Joining the ranks of other tongue-in-cheek films like Evil Dead II, Gremlins, and Killer Klowns is The Babysitter, an enjoyably campy Netflix original.
Staying up late one night against his babysitter's express wishes (Samara Weaving), a pre-teen boy (Judah Lewis) realizes his sitter is actually in league with a Satanic cult, the group doing everything it takes to keep their secret from getting out.
Harking back to the winking tone of early ‘80s slasher films, The Babysitter also introduces some underlyingly poignant themes, such as the reality of growing up and the less innocence that comes with encroaching adolescence. If nothing else, it's worth seeing for Weaving's amazing turn as the lead antagonist - a homely, kind-hearted, flirtatious babysitter on the one hand, and a conniving, manipulative, cold-blooded sadist on the other.
Family: Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile
The 2022 film adaptation of Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile had some big shoes to fill in living up to the standard set by its classic 1965 source material. Fortunately, the movie manages to stick the landing, crafting an inventive and addictively fun children's movie in the process.
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Upon moving into his family's new brownstone house in New York City, a young boy (Winslow Fegley) discovers an anthropomorphic singing crocodile (Shawn Mendes) in their attic, the two striking up a close friendship with one another.
A whimsical narrative geared towards younger children and adults alike, there are so many different things to love about Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile, whether it's the splendid visuals, Mendes' vocal performance (especially his singing), or Javier Bardem as a down-on-his-luck failed magician.
Romance: Your Place or Mine
Rising to the top of this weeks' most-watched list on Netflix is the newest romantic comedy, Your Place or Mine. Featuring the incomparable pairing of Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher, it doesn't exactly reinvent the wheel when it comes to romcoms, but can still make for a decent viewing experience for anyone interested in lighter movie recommendations.
Exploring new avenues in life, two longtime best friends (Kutcher and Witherspoon) temporarily switch houses for a week, getting a better grasp of one another's vastly different lifestyles.
Relying on every genre convention in the book, Your Place or Mine is more than a little formulaic, leaning on a highly predictable plot. However, Witherspoon and Kutcher are absolutely magical together as the lead characters, their characters' quirks and behaviors juxtaposing with each other perfectly.
Drama: The Two Popes
With the recent passing of former Pope Benedict XVI and the anniversary of his abdication a decade ago, the end of February seems like a great time to revisit the 2019 biographical film, The Two Popes.
In the wake of the Vatican leaks scandal in the early 2010s, Pope Benedict XVI (Anthony Hopkins) meets with the future Pope Francis (Jonathan Pryce) to discuss the direction of the Catholic Church.
Backed by a sharp script, The Two Popes is very much an actors' project, the film giving a stage for established stars Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce to strut their stuff. Pryce and Hopkins make an appealing pair together, Hopkins embodying the more traditional-minded view of Benedict XVI and Pryce the more up-to-date, liberal mindset of the present Pope Francis.
Documentary: Shirkers
It's not often you see a non-true crime documentary focus so intrinsically on a mystery. But that's exactly what lies at the heart of Shirkers, a brilliant documentary about creativity, filmmaking, and the dual nature of our individual lives.
In the early 1990s, 19-year-old aspiring filmmaker Sandi Tan set out to shoot a low-budget independent film about a teenage assassin in Singapore. After production on the final wrapped, the movie's director, Georges Cardona, abruptly disappeared, taking all traces of the film with him.
Who Georges Cardona is and why he so quickly vanished is the central question posed in Shirkers. Directed by a now adult Tan, the film also tackles some weighty questions along the way, following Tan as she tries to make sense of her past and the shadowy figures who played such important roles in shaping who she is.
Anime: The End of Evangelion
The exciting conclusion of the critically praised anime series, Neon Genesis Evangelion, The End of Evangelion can be viewed as a missing alternate ending to its earlier TV counterpart, meeting viewers' demands after the disappointing final two episodes of the show.
Shortly after the defeat of the final Angel, mecha pilot Shinji faces a nervous breakdown as hostilities arise between Nerv and its shady inner circle, a committee known as Seele.
Broken into two acts (each of which can be viewed as an "episode"), it's advisable that you skip the last two episodes of Neon Genesis Evangelion and watch this film instead. Utilizing the same stunning artistic design as the original series, it's an intelligent and well-made send-off for the Evangelion TV show, one of the most important and influential anime ever made.
Underrated: An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn
Between its talented cast and high-concept plotline, An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn sets a bar that's almost too high for the film to reach. While the movie doesn't quite live up to its promising set-up, it's an entertaining enough comedy crime film featuring an all-star lineup of actors.
Emotionally drained from her unhappy marriage, a coffee shop waitress (Aubrey Plaza) is overjoyed to learn that a mysterious figure from her past (Craig Robinson) will be arriving in town for a one-night show.
In all likelihood, the writers behind An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn set out to create an ambitious Coen brothers-esque crime caper, filled with idiosyncratic characters and fateful interconnected storylines. The film makes use of both of those things, but it never fully utilizes its incredible cast or oddball characters, instead existing as a fun if mediocre quirky caper film.
This article was produced and syndicated by Wealth of Geeks.
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