best movies on Netflix film slate has made news in recent weeks, mainly due to a bombshell report that the streaming service is planning to stop funding expensive prestige movies like Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman” in favor of cheaper, crowd-pleasing fare.
If Boston crime dramas aren’t your thing, fear not. Netflix’s latest round of offerings also include period romances, big-budget action flicks, chilling horror, and just about everything else. Even if Netflix plans to invest less in groundbreaking original movies, its library of existing films remains excellent. Keep reading for a roundup of seven of our favorites best movies on Netflix.
The Departed
Martin Scorsese may be synonymous with New York crime movies, but he didn’t win an Oscar until he took his talents to Boston. “The Departed” is a stellar, unpredictable tale of deception that follows an undercover cop trying to identify a Mafia mole–who also happens to be looking for him. This film has everything — stylish directing from Scorsese, an endlessly quotable script, and a stellar cast that includes Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Wahlberg, and Jack Nicholson in what’s arguably his last great role.
Mission: Impossible
If Tom Cruise isn’t on your mind these days, you’re probably lying to yourself. Between “Top Gun: Maverick” and the “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning – Part One” trailer, the actor and his death-defying stunts are dominating film discourse. So why not revisit the film that launched the actor’s biggest franchise? Brian De Palma’s “Mission: Impossible” introduced the world to Cruise’s Ethan Hunt, and established the stunt-heavy espionage formula that has kept the series running smoothly for nearly two decades.
Steel Magnolias
“Steel Magnolias,” Herbert Ross’ adaptation of Robert Harling’s play of the same name, is a delightful look at the strong bonds of community that can form in small towns across America. An outstanding ensemble of actresses that includes Sally Fields, Dolly Parton, and Julia Roberts anchor the film, which follows a group of Southern women grieving the death of a friend. “Steel Magnolias” blends comedy and melodrama with ease, and becomes more essential each day as America deals with issues of loneliness and isolation in towns much like Picuki the one where the film takes place best movies on Netflix.
Closet Monster
Whether you’re looking for an excellent LGBT film to watch during Pride Month or David Cronenberg’s “Crimes of the Future” has you seeking out more body horror, “Closet Monster” might be the film for you. Stephen Dunn’s inventive take on internalized homophobia uses the human body as a metaphor, seamlessly blending fantasy and reality to create a truly unique addition to the queer best movies on Netflix canon.
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