There are weeks where Netflix‘s selection of movies enters some strange territory. Case in point is the 2019 B-movie Primal, which is clawing its way up the list of the most popular movies on Netflix. And it’s not the only obscure title on the rise this week. The Silencing and The Secret: Dare To Dream, two films with nuclear-level bad reviews, are among the top three movies on Netflix.
This week also has the premiere of a Netflix original family comedy Family Switch, which features veteran performers Jennifer Garner and Ed Helms alongside Wednesday‘s Emma Myers. This could be the new No. 1 film on Netflix by the end of the weekend.
Want to keep up with everything new on Netflix? We’ve got the lowdown on every movie coming to Netflix in December. And every week, we’ll update our list of the best movies on Netflix. Stick with us, and you’ll always have something good to watch on Netflix.
Looking for something else? We’ve also rounded up the best shows on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime, and the best movies on Disney+. For Netflix fans, check out the 10 most popular movies on Netflix right now.
Watching from abroad? Use a Netflix VPN to access your country’s catalog from anywhere in the world. Want to watch on the go? We can show you how to download movies on Netflix.
Editor’s Pick
Family Switch (2023) new
Movie lovers have seen the mother-daughter body switch before in Freaky Friday (both versions), so Family Switch is upping the stakes by not only swapping Jess (Jennifer Garner) with her daughter, CC (Emma Myers), but it also has Wyatt (Brady Noon) trade bodies with his father, Bill (The Office‘s Ed Helms).
The reason for the multi-body switch is less important than the need for the family to navigate their new selves on what is the most challenging day of their lives. Jess’ job hinges on her presentation, while CC has a tryout that could land her on the U.S. Women’s soccer team. Meanwhile, Bill’s biggest performance with his band could lead to an actual music career and Wyatt is sure to miss out on early admittance to Yale if his dad is in his body. It’s going to take a miracle for all four of them to get what they want.
Primal (2019) new
Primal is by no means a great film, but it is a Nicolas Cage movie, which means that it’s at least going to be fun to watch. Cage plays Frank Walsh, a big game hunter who has snagged perhaps the most valuable animal in his life: a rare white jaguar. While transporting the jaguar, Frank learns that his ship is also being used to bring an assassin, Richard Loffler (Kevin Durand), back to the U.s. to stand trial.
Loffler has other ideas in mind for his fate, so he escapes, setting the wild animals that Frank had captured loose in the process. Now, Frank has to lead the ship’s passengers, including Dr. Ellen Taylor (Famke Janssen), to safety while contending with both a killer and deadly creatures.
Leo (2023) new
For 74 years, the titular lizard of Leo has shared an enclosure with a turtle named Squirtle (Bill Burr) as the official pets of a fifth-grade classroom in Florida. However, Leo (Adam Sandler) comes to believe that he’s wasted his life in captivity, which is why he plots his escape.
When Leo makes his bid for freedom, he accidentally reveals his ability to speak to Summer (Sunny Sandler), one of the students in his classroom. Through Summer and the other students in the class, Leo discovers a new purpose in life while contending with mean substitute teacher Mrs. Malkin (Cecily Strong).
Lone Survivor (2013) new
Lone Survivor‘s upcoming 10h anniversary would have probably passed quietly if the film hadn’t had a resurgence of interest on Netflix. This story is based upon the real account of Marcus Luttrell (Mark Wahlberg), a Navy SEAL who served during the War in Afghanistan.
The film chronicles a mission to locate and capture a Taliban leader, Ahmad Shah (Yousuf Azami), which is assigned to a four-man SEAL group including Luttrell, Lieutenant Michael P. “Murph” Murphy (Taylor Kitsch), Gunner’s mate Second Class Danny Dietz (Emile Hirsch), and Sonar technician Second Class Matthew “Axe” Axelson (Ben Foster). Although the team is more than capable, they soon discover that the overwhelming odds against them cannot be overcome. Now, escape is the only option.
The Impossible (2012) new
The Impossible is rising to the top on the Netflix movie chart, and not just because it’s the film debut of MCU Spider-Man actor Tom Holland. It’s also a harrowing tale of survival that is based on a true story. During the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Henry (Ewan McGregor) and Maria Bennett (Naomi Watts) are on vacation alongside their family when Thailand is struck by a massive wave.
In the aftermath, Maria is severely injured and left with her oldest son, Lucas (Holland), while Henry finds his two other sons in a separate location. With so many injured and dead, the Bennett family will need a few small miracles to make it through as the Thai people come together in the face of tragedy.
Minions (2015) new
Before The Rise of Gru and Despicable Me, Minions chronicles the origins of the dim-witted yellow henchmen who live only to serve the most evil person alive. In 1968, that person was Scarlet Overkill (Sandra Bullock), the world’s first female supervillain.
The three primary Minions, Kevin, Stuart, and Bob (all three of whom are voiced by Pierre Coffin), are genuinely eager to please Scarlet and help her seize the throne of England. However, their incompetence and honest mistakes accidentally make Scarlet their nemesis even when they really want her to succeed.
The Killer (2023)
David Fincher’s latest thriller, The Killer, shows us that the life of a professional assassin, as played by Michael Fassbender, can be pretty mundane and boring … right up until he accidentally misses his target. From that point on, the assassin’s life is anything but boring. And suddenly, even his contact, Hodges (Charles Parnell), is ghosting him.
Not even fleeing the country is enough for the assassin to evade an international manhunt, as well as two rival assassins, The Expert (Tilda Swinton) and The Brute (Sala Baker), who have been hired to take him out.
Insidious: The Red Door (2023)
Insidious: The Red Door marks Patrick Wilson’s debut as a director, while also reuniting most of the original cast for a new story. A decade after their last run-in with the supernatural, neither Josh Lambert (Wilson), nor his son, Dalton (Ty Simpkins), remember their experiences in The Further, or the demons that tormented them. It was their choice, but that time in their lives has come back to haunt them.
Although Josh is now divorced from Renai (Rose Byrne), he attempts to reconnect with Dalton while taking him to college. Unfortunately for both father and son, the demons they’ve run from have not forgotten them. And if the Lamberts don’t come together to face this evil, then they may both fall victim to it again.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
You could call Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse “amazing, spectacular,” or “sensational” and it would still undersell just how terrific this movie is. Somehow, the team behind the Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse topped themselves with an even more thrilling sequel that reunites Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) and Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld).
Unfortunately for the would-be couple, it’s not a happy reunion. Gwen is keeping secrets from Miles while running from a difficult family situation at home. As for Miles himself, he’s inadvertently created a new nemesis: The Spot (Jason Schwartzman). Miles has also been targeted by Miguel O’Hara (Oscar Isaac), the Spider-Man of the year 2099. And if Miles can’t get home to his own world, then his life will never be the same.
Godzilla vs. Kong (2021)
For the first time in six decades, the King of the Monsters and the Eighth Wonder of the World get their rematch in Godzilla vs. Kong. In this MonsterVerse sequel, Dr. Nathan Lind (Alexander Skarsgård) is convinced by Dr. Ilene Andrews (Rebecca Hall) to accompany her on an expedition to the Hollow Earth with King Kong himself as their guide. Because Kong has formed a bond with Andrews’ adopted daughter, Jia (Kaylee Hottle), he is relatively docile around the humans.
Meanwhile, Godzilla is attacking science facilities around the world for no apparent reason. And once Godzilla senses Kong’s presence, he gets even more aggressive. There’s only room for one king in this world, even if Godzilla and Kong have a mutual foe.
Pain Hustlers (2023)
Frequent Harry Potter director David Yates is about as far as you can possibly go from the Wizarding World in Netflix’s new crime drama, Pain Hustlers. Emily Blunt, Chris Evans, and Andy Garcia provide the star power for this adaptation of Evan Hughes’ novel, which casts Blunt as a high school dropout named Liza Drake.
With few legitimate prospects, Liza finds herself working for a pharmaceutical start-up out of a strip mall. But it doesn’t take long for Liza to find herself immersed in a criminal conspiracy that could ultimately send her to jail or worse.
No Hard Feelings (2023)
No Hard Feelings was Jennifer Lawrence’s comeback movie after spending a few years away from the big screen. And she certainly makes a memorable impression as Maddie Barker, a woman who is on the verge of losing her home and her car over her money problems.
That’s why Maddie accepts a bizarre job from Laird (Matthew Broderick) and Allison Becker (Laura Benanti). If Maddie can seduce their son, Percy Becker (Andrew Barth Feldman), and bring him out of his shell before he goes off to college then she can save herself from her financial black hole. Unfortunately for Maddie, Percy may be undatable and he is nearly immune to her obvious charms.
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Bradley Cooper’s Pat Solitano Jr. is a man who wants to see the silver linings in life. That’s not so easy in Silver Linings Playbook, since Pat just got out of the mental hospital after an eight-month stint that was set off when he caught his wife, Nikki (Brea Bee), with another man. The only thing Pat wants is to rebuild his life and win Nikki back.
Tiffany Maxwell (Jennifer Lawrence) is the wildcard in Pat’s life. She is also battling mental problems following the death of her husband. But Tiffany’s plan to feel better about her life involves recruiting Pat as her partner in a dancing competition. In return, Tiffany offers to help Pat reconcile with Nikki, even though she is clearly feeling her own attraction to him. This is a wonderful movie, and you’ll see why Lawrence took home the Oscar for Best Actress after watching it.
Get Out (2017)
Jordan Peele reinvented his career with Get Out, a film he wrote and directed. Daniel Kaluuya stars as Chris Washington, a Black man who is dating Rose Armitage (Allison Williams), a white woman with wealthy parents. While visiting Rose’s parents, Dean (Bradley Whitford) and Missy Armitage (Catherine Keener), in Upstate New York, Chris is unnerved by the strange way he is received and examined by the other guests.
The title of the film is uttered by the only other Black man there, Logan King (LaKeith Stanfield), when he briefly attacks Chris. And it’s only later that Chris realizes that “get out” wasn’t said out of anger. It was a warning, and it may already be too late for Chris.
Fair Play (2023)
Luke (Alden Ehrenreich) and Emily (Phoebe Dynevor) are secret lovers who work for a hedge fund in Fair Play. Their relationship is against company policy, which is why they’ve hidden it. However, their storybook romance starts to shatter when Luke believes that he’s getting a promotion that ultimately goes to Emily.
While Luke is initially supportive of Emily’s success, he soon displays his resentment both at home and at work. As Luke’s jealousy rises, he becomes more and more unstable until Emily can no longer be sure that she’s safe with the man she loves.
Nowhere (2023)
Nowhere takes place in the near future, as a married couple, Mia (Anna Castillo) and Nico (Tamar Novas) attempt to escape from a fascist regime in their native Spain before their second child is born. However, a tragic turn of events leaves Mia on her own in a cargo container that is slowly sinking in the middle of the ocean with no hope of rescue in sight.
With no other options, Mia must improvise with the materials on hand in the container as she prepares to give birth. The most important thing for Mia is to ensure that her daughter survives, even if she has to sacrifice herself to make that happen.
Dune (2021)
If the timing had worked out better, Netflix would be adding Dune just in time for the sequel to hit theaters next month. But since the actors strike is still on, Dune: Part Two will have to wait until 2024. The good news is that Dune’s premiere on Netflix is attracting even more fans to see Frank Herbert’s epic sci-fi novel fully realized on screen.
On Arrakis, the most important world in the Galactic Empire, Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) has been given the near-impossible task of making peace with the native Fremen while maintaining the spice flow that allows humanity to travel in space. But when House Atreides is betrayed by the emperor and delivered to their rivals House Harkonnen, Leto’s son, Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), and his mother, Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), are forced to flee for their lives into the unforgiving deserts of Dune.
Reptile (2023)
Benicio del Toro headlines Reptile, an intense crime thriller that never lets the audience get too comfortable with its main character, Detective Tom Nichols (del Toro). In the film, a young woman named Summer (Matilda Lutz) has been brutally murdered, and her body was discovered by her boyfriend, Will Grady (Justin Timberlake). And it seems like there are several men in Summer’s life who could have meant her harm, including Grady himself.
As he is drawn further into the investigation, Nichols shares some of the case details with his wife, Judy (Alicia Silverstone). But even Nichols’ relationship with Judy may not be what it seems as he is forced to reexamine his own life while looking for the answers that could bring a killer to justice.
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Like Martin Scorsese’s other crime epics, the popular The Wolf of Wall Street takes its inspiration from a real person: Jordan Belfort, as played by Leonardo DiCaprio in the film. After the stock market crash of 1987, Belfort uses his incredible salesmanship to make himself a fortune by selling people stock that he artificially inflated. He then leaves his clients holding worthless shares.
Belfort shares his ill-gotten gains with his friend and business partner, Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill), as well as his wife, Teresa Petrillo (Cristin Milioti), and his mistress, Naomi Lapaglia (Margot Robbie). Belfort demonstrates so little self-control with his barely legal financial moves and his excessive drug use that he comes under the scrutiny of FBI Agent Patrick Denham (Kyle Chandler).
Dredd (2012)
In theory, Dredd is everything that comic book fans say they want from an adaptation. It takes the source material seriously, the action is R-rated, and it never descends into farce. Unfortunately, the second adaption of Judge Dredd wasn’t any more successful than the Sylvester Stallone film from 1995.
Having said that, Dredd is a fantastic action flick with great performances by the two leads, Karl Urban and Olivia Thirlby. In the film, Dredd (Urban) is on a routine evaluation with rookie Judge Cassandra Anderson (Thirlby) when they cross the dangerous crime lord Madeline “Ma-Ma” Madrigal (Lena Headey). And before the Judges can call in for backup, Ma-Ma traps them in a 200-story apartment complex filled with criminals who are out to kill them.
Don't Worry Darling (2022)
Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling was largely overshadowed by behind-the-scenes drama and intrigue. But the finished film is an intriguing thriller that drops viewers in Victory, California, a small town where it seems like the 1950s never came to an end. Jack (Harry Styles), Dean (Nick Kroll), Peter (Asif Ali), and the rest of the husbands spend their days working on a secretive project with Frank (Chris Pine). Meanwhile, their wives — Alice (Florence Pugh), Bunny (Wilde), and Margaret (KiKi Layne) – play happy homemakers.
But in Alice’s case, “happy” may no longer be the operative word. The longer she stays in Victory, the more Alice comes to question the things in her life that no longer make sense. And she may not like the answers that she finds.
Big George Foreman (2023)
During the 1990s, George Foreman shocked the boxing world by becoming the oldest world champion nearly two decades after he had lost the title. Big George Foreman finally gives the legendary boxer his due with a biopic that chronicles his life story, from living in poverty to Olympic gold and an unmatched career in the ring.
Khris Davis headlines the movie as George Foreman, and the story largely focuses on Foreman’s brush with death and his subsequent reinvention as a devout minister. But after 10 years out of the ring, Foreman begins an unlikely comeback that cemented his place in boxing history.
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah (2023)
Adam Sandler produced and co-stars in the new Netflix comedy You Are So Not Invited To My Bat Mitzvah. However, Sandler only has a supporting role as Danny Friedman, the father of Stacy Friedman (Sunny Sandler). Stacy and her BFF, Lydia Rodriguez Katz (Samantha Lorraine), are in the middle of planning their epic Bat Mitzvahs when someone comes between them.
The person in question is Andy Goldfarb (Dylan Hoffman), one of the most popular boys in school. Both Stacy and Lydia want to romantically pursue Andy, and it puts such a strain on their relationship that their friendship may not be able to survive. But is a high school crush really worth throwing away years of friendship?
Heart of Stone (2023)
Fatale (2020)
Fatale starts out with some similarities to Fatal Attraction, but Hilary Swank’s Val Quinlan takes her obsession even further because her agenda only partially includes Derrick Tyler (Michael Ealy), the married man she seduces. Derrick has been having problems with his marriage to Tracie (Damaris Lewis) and his best friend, Rafe Grimes (Mike Colter).
When Val intrudes upon Derrick’s life after their one-night stand, it becomes clear that she could easily expose his infidelity. But there’s something that Val wants even more than a new lover, and she’s willing to kill to get it.
Happiness for Beginners (2023)
Writer and director Vicky Wight adapted Katherine Center’s novel, Happiness for Beginners, which stars Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt’s Ellie Kemper as Helen, a recent divorcée who doesn’t really know what happiness is at this point in her life. That’s why Helen embarks on a survivalist trip on the Appalachian Trail that caters to beginners. Helen’s looking for something that she can’t quite define.
What she finds is Jake (Luke Grimes), a younger man she has slightly known for years through her brother, Duncan (Alexander Koch). Although Helen is initially at odds with Jake, she can’t deny their growing connection even as other people in their lives may keep them apart.
They Cloned Tyrone (2023)
Netflix has no shortage of star power in its new sci-fi comedy, They Cloned Tyrone. John Boyega, WandaVision‘s Teyonah Parris, and Jamie Foxx headline the ’70s-era Blaxploitation throwback, and they give this film its bite. Boyega plays Fontaine, a local crime enforcer who gets gunned down before the neighborhood pimp, Slick Charles (Foxx).
At least that’s what Slick Charles believes happened, but he’s clearly shaken when Tyrone (Boyega) reappears to take Fontaine’s place. With the help of Slick Charles and his top prostitute, Yo-Yo (Parris), this trio is going to unravel the truth about Tyrone or die trying. Although death is definitely not their preferred outcome.
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is the second installment of this Shrek spinoff series, and it opens with the title hero facing the greatest crisis of his heroic career. Puss in Boots (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny‘s Antonio Banderas) has been able to live fearlessly because of his nine lives. But once Puss is down to his last life, he suddenly finds himself gripped by insecurity and even fear.
The only recourse for Puss is to find a legendary wishing star to restore his lost lives, which reunites him with his ex-fiancée, Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek Pinault), who has her own wish to make. Unfortunately for them, they aren’t the only ones after the wishing star. And Puss will have to put his last life on the line before all is said and done.
The Mule (2018)
As a director, Clint Eastwood tends to come back multiple times to the best actor he knows: himself. Such is the case with The Mule, one of Eastwood’s most recent films. Within the movie, Eastwood plays Earl Stone, a law-abiding elderly man who is an extremely unlikely candidate to be a successful drug mule. If the cartel had an employee of the month award, then Earl would have had it locked up.
However, Earl learns the hard way that he is not a “friend” of the cartel, especially when Gustavo (Clifton Collins Jr.) seizes control of the organization. Earl also faces additional pressure when Colin Bates (Bradley Cooper) and the rest of the DEA agents begin to close in on him.
Extraction 2 (2023)
Surprise! Chris Hemsworth’s Tyler Rake survived the events of Extraction, and he’s back in the field in Extraction 2. No one could ever say that Netflix skimped on the action in this film, which has even more ambitious battle scenes than the original. Within the sequel, Tyler has a personal stake in rescuing his former sister-in-law, Ketevan (Tinatin Dalakishvili) and her children Sandro (Andro Japaridzo) and Nina (Mariami Kovziashvili), from Ketevan’s deadly husband, Davit (Torniko Bziava).
Unfortunately for Tyler and his team, their actions have earned them the enmity of Davit’s brother, Zurab (Torniko Gogrichiani). And Zurab will go to great lengths to get his revenge.
The Son (2022)
Hugh Jackman, the once and future Wolverine, headlines the drama The Son as Peter Miller, a middle-aged man who is attempting to move past his tortured relationship with his father, Anthony Miller (Anthony Hopkins), by raising a new child with his second wife, Beth (Vanessa Kirby).
However, Peter already has a son named Nicholas (Zen McGrath) from his first wife, Kate Miller (Laura Dern), who needs his help. And while Peter is willing to let Nicholas live with him and his new family, the vast emotional gap between this father and son threatens to permanently rupture their connection.
The Mother (2023)
It might be a bit late in her career for Jennifer Lopez to jump back into action films, but if it worked for Liam Neeson, then it can work for J-Lo. The Mother casts Lopez as an unnamed assassin with a particular set of skills, none of which are particularly useful when it comes to being a parent.
But when the Mother learns that the daughter she gave up, Zoe (Lucy Paez), is in danger from her enemies, she drops everything in an attempt to save her from an old foe, Adrian Lovell (Joseph Fiennes). And nothing Lovell puts in the Mother’s way can stop her for long.
Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody (2022)
The story of Whitney Houston is both a triumph and a tragedy. The late singer rose from obscurity to become one of the most famous women in the world, only to die suddenly at 48 years old. Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody doesn’t attempt to sugarcoat Houston’s history, as it follows her meteoric rise and equally epic fall.
In the film, Whitney (Naomi Ackie) is supported by her friend-turned-lover Robyn Crawford (Nafessa Williams) before hitting the music industry like a tidal wave. As Whitney’s fame grows, she marries Bobby Brown (Ashton Sanders) and descends into drug addiction that threatens her career and even her life. And yet it’s impossible not to root for Whitney to pull herself out of that spiral.
Chupa (2023)
If you’ve ever heard of the legend of the chupacabra, then you know that these goat-sucking fiends aren’t exactly cuddly. At least that’s what we thought before Chupa. In this charming (and family-friendly) adventure, young Alex (Evan Whitten) goes to Mexico to visit his family in the wake of his father’s death.
Soon enough, Alex finds a lost chupacabra cub that he takes in and nurtures. Meanwhile, an American scientist, Richard Quinn (Christian Slater), will stop at nothing to find the cub and its mother, and somehow, Alex must find a way to protect his new friend.
The Magician's Elephant (2023)
Netflix just took home the Oscar for Best Animated feature for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, and it’s already got another strong animated flick out this week. The Magician’s Elephant adapts Kate DiCamillo’s novel of the same name, and it tells the story of a young orphan named Peter (Noah Jupe). Peter’s only wish in life is to find his missing sister, Adele (Pixie Davies), Through a fortune teller, Peter is told that he has to find a Magician (Benedict Wong) who will summon an elephant.
Incredibly, the prophecy comes true. But before the elephant can lead Peter to his sister, he is forced to perform three impossible tasks. And the attempt will change Peter’s life forever.
Munich: The Edge of War (2022)
Your Place or Mine (2023)
The Sea Beast (2022)
Enola Holmes (2020)
Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical (2022)
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)
One of Hollywood most visionary filmmakers turns his attention to one of the most beloved tales in children’s literature in Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio, a stop-motion animated adaptation of Carlo Collodi’s 1883 novel The Adventures of Pinocchio. Featuring the voices of Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, and Gregory Mann, as Jiminy Cricket, Gepetto, and Pinocchio, respectively, the film chronicles the marionette Pinocchio’s quest to become a living boy — a journey that brings him through one adventure after another.
The star-filled voice cast also includes John Turturro, Ron Perlman, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, Tim Blake Nelson, Christoph Waltz, and Tilda Swinton, among others. Some reviewers have named it one of the year’s best films, animated or otherwise.
Bullet Train (2022)
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
Da 5 Bloods (2020)
tick, tick...BOOM! (2021)
Andrew Garfield stars as Rent playwright Jonathon Larson in this semi-autobiographical film directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The musical drama chronicles Larson’s struggles to bring the rock musical he’s been working on for years to the stage while navigating love, friendships, and both personal and professional pressure in New York City.
Passing (2021)
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
RRR (2022)
Editors' Recommendations
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- The best movies on Max right now
- The 10 most popular movies on Netflix right now
- What’s new on VOD and Digital in December 2023
