The 50 Best Movies on Netflix Right Now (July 2024)

Netflix has always been known for its volume of titles. Few streaming platforms have libraries that compare to Netflix's when it comes to the output of both originals and licensed content. The two latest additions to our best movies list, Godzilla Minus One and Hit Man, represent the best of both worlds. Licensing the Academy Award-winning Godzilla Minus One is a major get for the service, given that most American Godzilla flicks live on Max. And Richard Linklater's Hit Man, starring Glen Powell and Adria Arjona, could very well be Netflix's best original film of 2024. 

Other recent standouts on Netflix include the romantic comedy Anyone But You, the British journalism drama Scoop, the horror comedy Bodies Bodies Bodies, and the Adam Sandler sci-fi film Spaceman. 

This is a list of the best movies to watch on Netflix right now. To keep things relevant, we're specifically highlighting the best recent releases, Netflix originals, and some of our own personal favorites.

Last updated July 2; newer additions are at the top.

Hit Man

Richard Linklater is known for making thoughtful films about suburbia and the inevitable toll that time takes, but his latest is pure fun. Hit Man stars Top Gun: Maverick's Glen Powell (who also co-wrote the film with Linklater) as a college professor who goes undercover as a hit man in order to arrest those who try to hire him. But when a beautiful woman (Adria Arjona) tries to enlist his services to kill her husband, he falls in love with her and tries to save her from the law. The film is astonishingly based on a true story and earned rave reviews on the festival circuit late last year. As Gavia Baker-Whitelaw writes in her TV Guide review, "Linklater understands that the best rom-com protagonists have strong personalities — the weirder the better — and Arjona and Powell are happy to play their assigned roles to the hilt." -Tim Surette [Trailer]

Godzilla Minus One

On the American side of the Godzilla franchise, things don't usually get too serious, but maybe we're doing it wrong. Because Godzilla Minus One, the latest Godzilla flick from Japan, is both an awesome Godzilla spectacle made at a tiny fraction of the cost of the American ones, and a fascinating rumination on post-World War II Japan. Which is to say that Godzilla Minus One is that rare monster flick that we can say is just a great movie, period, rather than being "good for a Godzilla movie." -Phil Owen [Trailer]

A Simple Favor

This spicy little thriller sees an up-and-coming mommy blogger named Stephanie (Kendrick) befriend a fashion executive named Emily (Lively), who wastes no time in disappearing without a trace. Stephanie investigates, gets a little bit too close with Emily's hot husband in the process, and learns some really wild things about her missing friend's past. It's all just a bit too much — there's a reason the book on which this movie is based isn't particularly well regarded — but with Kendrick holding things down in front of the camera, and Feig's deft touch behind the wheel, A Simple Favor is impossible to turn off once you get going. -Phil Owen [Trailer]

Anyone But You

A romantic comedy movie starring two blonde leads harkens back to the days of yore, which is probably at least some of the reason why Anyone But You was such a big hit. The film follows Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell), who, after their fairy tale first date turns to mutual hate, reunite at a destination wedding. And then, get this, a series of events forces them to pretend to be a couple in order to keep up appearances. Classic! Actually, it literally is classic: Anyone But You is loosely based on the Shakespeare comedy Much Ado About Nothing. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

Scoop

In 2019, BBC Newsnight managed to land an interview with British Royal Prince Andrew to discuss his relationship with billionaire convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — that interview had major negative consequences for the prince, and would lead to his ostracism from the royal family over the next few years. This docudrama tells the story of how that incredibly unlikely interview came to be, both from the perspectives of the media and the royal family's PR liaison who was responsible for making it happen. Scoop condenses the details of this story a bit more than it needs to, but it makes up for it with riveting performances by Anderson, Piper, and Hawes and a kinetic pace that never lets you look away. -Phil Owen [Trailer]

Bodies Bodies Bodies

A24 is putting some of its fine movies on Netflix, but the big deal it has with Warner Bros. Discovery (and therefore Max) means that the movies Netflix does get won't be there for long. So watch this horror flick about a group of friends who play some deadly games at a secluded mansion before it leaves the service. With a distinct Gen Z flavor, an escalating sense of paranoia, and an ending that just tickled me, it's the perfect "I don't know what to watch tonight" watch. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

More recommendations:

• The best TV shows on Netflix right now
• Everything coming to and leaving on Netflix
• What to watch on Amazon, Hulu, HBO Max, and more in May

The Greatest Night in Pop

'80s kids remember the charity anthem "We Are the World," a massive collaboration put together between Lionel Richie, Michael Jackson, Bob Geldof, Harry Belafonte, and Quincy Jones to bring awareness to famine in Africa that brought together dozens of pop music's biggest stars. This documentary with tons of behind-the-scenes footage charts its creation, from Jackson's humming of a melody to the ultra-secretive recording session to its impact (it's still the ninth-best selling physical single of all-time), and it's all guided by the charismatic Richie, whose recounting of meeting with Jackson in his animal-filled house kicks off this unbelievable story. It's worth watching just to see Bob Dylan look very uncomfortable the entire time. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

The Society of the Snow

The disaster of Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571 in 1972 has been covered in many books and movies, but J.A. Bayona's take stands on its own thanks to some heart-pounding action sequences. The film covers the survivors of a plane crash in the Andes, and the lengths — including cannibalism — to which they had to go to see the next day. Society of the Snow is one of Netflix's 2024 Oscar nominees, most notably for its nomination for Best International Feature. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

Maestro

The expertly composed Maestro raked in Oscar nominations this season. In addition to directing and writing this biopic about composer Leonard Bernstein, Bradley Cooper stars in the leading role, opposite Carey Mulligan as Bernstein's wife, Felicia Montealegre. It's hardly surprising that critics are heaping praise on both lead performances. -Kat Moon [Trailer]

May December

In May December, Gracie (Julianne Moore) and Joe's (Charles Melton) marriage threatens to crumble when an actor shows up on their porch one day. To prepare for a film, Elizabeth (Natalie Portman) has made it her goal to learn about their controversial relationship beyond the tabloid headlines from two decades ago. But what happens when the actor takes her research a little too far? -Kat Moon [Trailer]

The Killer

David Fincher's newest project, The Killer, is based on the French graphic novel series of the same name that was first published in 1998. The film stars Michael Fassbender as an assassin bent on fulfilling his mission without letting emotions cloud his judgment. Charles Parnell, Kerry O'Malley, Sala Baker, Sophie Charlotte, and Tilda Swinton round out the cast. The Killer's trailer promises a chilling energy signature to Fincher's films, as well as high-octane, smoothly choreographed action scenes. -Kat Moon [Trailer]

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Rarely do sequels match the energy of the original, but in this case, Across the Spider-Verse, the sequel to 2018's Oscar-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, should clear some space for more trophies. Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) returns as a more established hero and travels the Spider-Verse with Gwen (Hailee Steinfeld), where they, along with a group of various Spider-People from different universes, must stop a new evil. The animation is incredible, the beats are delicious, and the emotional story hits hard. This is as close to a must-watch as there is. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

The Saint of Second Chances

This documentary is less a historical document and more of a series of true tall tales passed down from generation to generation about the Veeck family, notably Bill Veeck, the beloved and fun-loving owner of the Chicago White Sox in the 1970s, and his son Mike, whose up-and-down relationship with his dad — which hit a low after Mike's brainchild, the infamous "Disco Sucks" night, tarnished Bill's reputation — eventually left him clawing his way back up in the world of baseball and reflecting on his relationship with his own family. Mike is charismatic as he talks about his dad and his life, and Malmberg and Neville have fun with the direction, bringing in Charlie Day to play a young Mike Veeck in reenactments. It's a heartwarming story that transcends the world of baseball. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

They Cloned Tyrone

It would be a shame if They Cloned Tyrone got lost in the Netflix shuffle. The sci-fi mystery is director Juel Taylor's feature film debut, and boasts a trio of standout lead performances from John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, and Jamie Foxx, playing three people thrown together by circumstance who, after a shooting in their neighborhood, find themselves wrapped up in an increasingly bizarre government conspiracy. Their search for answers leads them down an eerie path, and to say more would be a disservice to this funny, inventive film. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

The Deepest Breath

The A24-produced documentary about a couple at the top of the freediving world really delves into what drives people to risk everything to be the best. World champion freediver Alessia Zecchini and Irish safety diving instructor Stephen Keenan seemed destined to meet, but their passion for exploring beneath the surface and risk-taking meant danger would always be near what they loved to do. There are some interesting storytelling choices made by director Laura McGann that some say border on manipulation, but the end result is worth it, and no one can deny that the stunning and treacherous underwater footage of the dives will make your heart pound. -Tim Surette [Trailer] 

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

A member of the excellent class of 2023 Oscar nominations for Best Animated Feature, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is a dazzling sequel to the 2011 Puss in Boots film, though it exceeds it in every way. Slightly darker than its predecessor, as its main focus is on death — Puss comes dangerously close to expiring his nine lives — The Last Wish still manages to be very family-friendly with its colorful characters and comedy, thanks to an excellent voice cast that includes new franchise members John Mulaney, Florence Pugh, and Wagner Moura. It was also clearly influenced by Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which you'll notice in its animation style. I love this movie. -Tim Surette [Trailer] 

Nimona

This charming animated movie about not putting labels on people may seem pretty typical, but it relays that message well and is the rare family-friendly film with LGBTQ+ themes. (The film was reportedly delayed multiple times and eventually canceled in 2021 by boneheaded Disney leadership because of its LGBTQ+ storyline, before being revived by Annapurna and Netflix.) Based on the award-winning graphic novel by ND Stevenson, Nimona features Riz Ahmed as the voice of a disgraced knight whose only chance at redemption is a rambunctious, shapeshifting teenager (Chloë Grace Moretz). Set in a world that evokes science-fiction and D&D fantasy, it's a feast for the eyes, but it's your heart that will feel the fullest by the end. -Tim Surette [Trailer] 

Kill Boksoon

This Korean action film features plenty of clichés — a seasoned assassin whose personal life gets in the way of work agrees to one last mission before retirement and decides she can't go through with the killing for moral reasons — but that's OK, since it executes them all pretty well and features a great performance from Do-yeon Jeon as a woman who flips back and forth between heartless killer and doting mother to her teenage daughter. Violent, stylish, and tense, it's worth a watch for fans of Korean dramas and action flicks. -Tim Surette [Trailer] 

All Quiet on the Western Front

This epic adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque's classic and ever-timely 1929 anti-war novel is one of the best Netflix Original movies of 2022, and the winner of the Best International Film award at the 2023 Academy Awards as well as a nominee for Best Picture. It tells the story of Paul Bäumer (Felix Bammerer), a 17-year-old who enlists in the Germany army and gets a firsthand look at the pointless, dehumanizing slaughter of World War I. It's a devastating film that's especially notable for composer Volker Bertelmann's modern, powerful score. -Liam Mathews [Trailer] 

Pamela, a love story

Pamela Anderson shares her side of the story in this revealing documentary about her life, in which she discusses the fame, movies, shows, sex tape scandals, and men that have come to define her with the public. It's the perfect chaser to Hulu's raucous Pam & Tommy, which Anderson wasn't part of and didn't really portray her fairly. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery  

The first Knives Out was a box office smash, and the sequel got the widest (though still very brief) theatrical release for a Netflix movie ever, but make no mistake, this stylish sequel is a Netflix film. Daniel Craig returns as master detective Benoit Blanc, who's tasked with solving a murder mystery at a Greek villa that starts out as a game and turns real. The cast includes Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, and Dave Bautista. The plotting is brilliant, the performances are delightful, and the social commentary is astute. In his review for TV Guide, Jordan Hoffman gave it a 9 out of 10, an exceptionally high score for any movie, let alone a Netflix Original in 2022. -Liam Mathews [Trailer]

Emily the Criminal

Aubrey Plaza stars in this crime drama that isn't technically a Netflix original but had such a small indie release that it may as well be. The White Lotus star plays the titular aspiring artist, who has a crushing amount of student debt and a past felony conviction that prevents her from getting a job that makes enough money to pay down what she owes. But then she meets a guy named Youcef (Theo Rossi), who runs a credit card fraud ring. It's a tight little thriller with astute social commentary. -Liam Mathews [Trailer]

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio

It took Guillermo del Toro a decade to bring this passion project, a stop-motion adaptation of the timeless tale of the puppet who wants to be a real boy, to life. GDT's take is steeped in his signature allegorical style of dark fantasy, setting the story in Fascist 1930s Italy and making Pinocchio much less cute than the Disney version of popular imagination. In his review for TV Guide, Jordan Hoffman had particular praise for Pinocchio's character design. "He's lively and charming and lovable, but still looks like real wood," he wrote. "It truly is a work of minor magic." -Liam Mathews [Trailer]

Is That Black Enough for You?!?

Film critic and academic Elvis Mitchell explores Black cinema in this insightful and incredibly researched documentary that features interviews with Samuel Jackson, Harry Belafonte, Whoopi Goldberg, and other legends. Starting with the early representations of Black people in movies and paying close attention to the blaxploitation era of the 1970s, Is That Black Enough for You?!? is a fascinating and illuminating cultural essay that looks at Black cinema from all angles. The always great Mitchell outdoes himself here in what should be required watching for all cinephiles. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

My Father's Dragon

If you don't have a kid, you might consider picking one up to watch My Father's Dragon, the latest animated film from Irish studio Cartoon Saloon. Cartoon Saloon gave us the outstanding Wolfwalkers, as well as Song of the Sea and The Secret of Kells, all of which were nominated for Oscars and all of which are fantastic. My Father's Dragon is an adaptation of the classic children's novel of the same name, and features the voices of Jacob Tremblay, Gaten Matarazzo, and Whoopi Goldberg. We miss the Irish accents Cartoon Saloon movies usually have, but it's still really good. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

The Good Nurse

For fans of: Great casts, tense medical dramas, true crime

Oscar-winners Jessica Chastain and Eddie Redmayne star in this drama about the chilling case of Charles Cullen, a nurse who is confirmed to have killed 29 people and is suspected to have possibly killed hundreds more during a period of time in which he kept getting jobs at hospitals in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Redmayne plays Cullen, while Chastain plays Amy Loughren, a nurse who played a pivotal role in catching Cullen. In his review for TV Guide, Jordan Hoffman called it "tense" and "engrossing," with a better performance from Redmayne than the one that won him an Oscar. -Liam Mathews [Trailer]

Sheng Wang: Sweet & Juicy

Comedian Sheng Wang has delivered one of Netflix's all-time great comedy specials, dissecting office printers, Costco pants, and snoring in his unique Texas drawl. Wang, based out of the Bay Area, keeps things irreverent but relatable with observational comedy about getting older and not giving a crap about it. It's funny from the moment he steps on stage until the second he leaves it. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

RRR

As Americans, we're pretty much just "Marvel movie, drrr drrr, Star Wars, drrr drrr," but now's your chance to expand your range to some quality action from international cinema. S.S. Rajamouli's insane epic RRR is a global phenomenon, a dazzling period adventure about two real figures from India's history who meet, form a friendship, and fight the British Raj together, and find a missing girl. With over-the-top, physics-defying action sequences, you won't care that it runs over three hours long. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood 

Richard Linklater returns to his animation style of choice — rotoscoping, in which film is drawn over frame-by-frame for realistic movement with a dream-like feel — that he used in Waking Life and A Scanner Darkly. This time, it's used to tell a story about his very real childhood growing up in Houston in the late 1960s and a very unreal story about a 10-year-old boy who goes to the moon in a secret NASA program. It's a wistful, energetic tale of childhood innocence during a period of immense change, and Linklater nails the vibe of youthful exuberance and coming-of-age. Plus, it has a fantastic soundtrack. Watch this with your parents, they'll love it. (You will, too.) -Tim Surette [Trailer]

The Tinder Swindler

This frightening documentary about a con man who used Tinder to — you guessed it — swindle unsuspecting ladies into handing over their credit cards and taking out loans to funnel him cash will make you want to hunt down this scumbag yourself. By putting up a front of extravagance, paid for by his current mark, this man would woo women he met on the dating app and set them up to be his next source of cash before disappearing into the internet and tropical locales where he partied his ass off on their dime. It's not a particularly well-made documentary, but the story is riveting and the victims are rightfully treated with compassion. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

The Lost Daughter

Maggie Gyllenhaal's directorial debut is dark, psychological goodness. In this adaptation of the Elena Ferrante novel, Olivia Colman stars as Leda, a college professor on a solo trip to Greece, where she meets and becomes obsessed with Nina (Dakota Johnson), a young, overwhelmed mother. It all quickly turns into the vacation from hell as Nina forces Leda to confront memories of her own experience as a young mother. Jessie Buckley plays the younger version of Leda in flashbacks, while Peter Sarsgaard, Ed Harris, Dagmara Dominczyk, and Paul Mescal fill out the rest of the cast. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

The Power of the Dog

Jane Campion's first film since 2009 heads out on the range with one mean cowboy in Benedict Cumberbatch. The 1925-set Western quickly reaches a boil and holds it as a rancher (Jesse Plemons) gets a new wife (Kirsten Dunst) whom his brother (Cumberbatch) takes a strong disliking to. It's a masterclass of simmering tension and spellbinding acting, but if you're here for shoot 'em ups, this Western ain't it. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

tick, tick... BOOM!

Lin-Manuel Miranda has a type: musicals about guys who are worried their time is running out. And why mess with success? Miranda makes his directorial debut with this film adaptation, already racking up good reviews, of Rent creator Jonathan Larson's semi-autobiographical musical. Andrew Garfield stars as the struggling playwright, who's anxious that he hasn't accomplished enough by his upcoming 30th birthday. (The story is made more poignant by Larson's real-life early death at the age of 35, the night before Rent's off-Broadway premiere.) Garfield is a hit in this, Vanessa Hudgens is in her element, and Bradley Whitford does a rock-solid Sondheim impersonation. -Kelly Connolly [Trailer]

Passing

Would you give up your culture if it meant you could have an easier life? That's the question posed in this stirring film set in 1920s New York City that stars Tessa Thompson as a Black woman who runs into a childhood friend (Ruth Negga) who has been passing for a white woman, bringing up questions of racial identity and whitewashing. Shot entirely in black and white, the film features wonderful performances from Thompson, Negga, and André Holland. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

Found

This documentary about three adopted Chinese high schoolers looking into their roots could also pass as a robot test, because if you aren't moved to tears at some point, then you're made out of tin. What makes it so effective is that it looks at adoption from every angle: the girls looking for answers and discovering their culture, their adoptive families looking to help them find their roots, the Chinese families who were forced to give up their babies under China's one child policy, and the intrepid investigator who helps adopted children find their birth parents in China. It's an emotional wallop. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

The Harder They Fall

This Netflix blockbuster is an action Western with a lot more style than you're used to. Director Jeymes Samuel takes a tried-and-true cowboy premise — a gang gets together to exact revenge on the persons responsible for the deaths of loved ones — and infuses it with gorgeous violence, snappy dialogue, and a predominantly Black cast that includes Regina King, Idris Elba, LaKeith Stanfield, Jonathan Majors, Delroy Lindo, and Zazie Beetz. The result is a rollicking good time and one of the gosh dang coolest films you'll see. -Allison Picurro [Trailer]

Bo Burnham: Inside

k Indie auteur and certified bad movie boyfriend Bo Burnham surprised his fans when he announced he had orchestrated a return to his comedic roots during the pandemic. With Inside, which Burnham wrote, directed, and edited without a crew or an audience while stuck at home, he lets out his feelings through music, delivering a setlist of very catchy, very meme-worthy songs that have titles like "White Woman's Instagram" and "FaceTime with My Mom (Tonight)." The special gets in touch with the collective mood 2020 inspired in all of us -- the anguish, the despair, the horniness. Burnham's comedy has always touched on the existential, but he goes deeper than ever here. -Aliison Picurro [Trailer]

Pray Away

Ryan Murphy and Jason Blum executive produce this documentary about Exodus International, an Evangelical group formed in the '70s that claims it could turn gay people straight through prayer and conversion therapy. What's most interesting about this film is that it features interviews with ex-leaders who are now speaking out against the movement they were part of for so many years. -Aliison Picurro [Trailer]

The Forty-Year-Old Version

Soon-to-be household name Radha Blank writes, directs, and stars in this poignant comedy about a playwright who is approaching her 40th birthday but still has nothing to show for it, even after winning a coveted "30 under 30" award nearly a decade before. To reinvent her life, she breaks into rapping, spitting rhymes from her unique viewpoint and fighting to stay true to her own artistic vision. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

Da 5 Bloods

Spike Lee's latest is a sprawling drama split between two timelines: the first during the Vietnam War, where a group of Black soldiers band together, and the second during the present, where the surviving members, now aging veterans, return to the country in the hopes of recovering the remains of their fallen squad leader (Chadwick Boseman, in one of his last performances) and locating the gold they buried years ago. It's a dazzling, stylized adventure, and the kind of movie that will make you walk away feeling like you learned something without skimping on character development. -Aliison Picurro [Trailer]

My Octopus Teacher

For fans of: Unlikely friendships, cephalopods

This film about the intimate relationship between a man and his octopus won the Oscar for Best Documentary in 2021. Craig Foster, a diver, buddies up with an octopus in South Africa for a year, documenting her life as she sleeps, eats, and battles sharks. The whole experience teaches Foster about life and moves him to gain appreciation for humanity's relationship with nature, as well as form a closer bond with his son. The whole thing feels a little like a more wholesome version of Guillermo del Toro's The Shape of Water, but I'm not here to knock anyone who dares to explore interspecies friendships. -Aliison Picurro [Trailer]

The Trial of the Chicago 7

For fans of: Aaron Sorkin's whole thing, watered down history

In 1969, a group of anti-war activists were charged with conspiring to start a riot at the Democratic National Convention, and in 2019, Aaron Sorkin told an extremely Hollywood version of their story. Although Sorkin really simplifies a lot of the more radical politics people like Abbie Hoffman (Sacha Baron Cohen) and Jerry Rubin (Jeremy Strong) actually had, a big, showy courtroom drama -- full of grandstanding and dramatic speeches and quippy dialogue -- is a perfect vehicle for his style. It's grounded by the performances of its sprawling, star-studded cast (which also includes Mark Rylance, Frank Langella, and Michael Keaton) and the writing, which earned Sorkin a Best Original Screenplay nod at the Oscars, and it'll teach you something about the injustices of the American justice system, which, spoiler, has always been pretty bad! -Aliison Picurro [Trailer]

I Am Not Your Negro

For fans of: Social justice, visual poetry, hard truths

Raoul Peck's 2016 documentary that's an adaptation of James Baldwin's manuscript about racism in America through the eyes of Black people -- specifically civil rights activists Martin Luther King Jr. Malcolm X, and Medgar Evans -- is a visual masterpiece with a clear message: America has failed the Black community. The powerful 2016 film brims with energy through old footage of segregation and current shots of protests in the streets in the wake of police violence against minorities. It's an essential watch to better understand America's shameful past and present. -Tim Surette [Trailer]

Roma

For fans of: Oscar winners, art films

Sorry Mank, you aren't the best black-and-white film on Netflix. Not even close. Alfonso Cuaron's 2018 personal tale of a housekeeper in Mexico to a wealthy Mexican family won Best Foreign Film, Best Director (Cuaron), and Best Cinematography (Cuaron) at the 91st Academy Awards, but could have won tons more. It's both quiet and epic in scope, balancing a fascinating relationship between a hard-working woman named Cleo and the family that relies on her, unforgettable shots involving hundreds of extras, and a sensitive story on life bubbling under the surface. –Tim Surette [Trailer]

Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé

For fans of: Beyoncé, of course… and who isn't?

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that Homecoming is perhaps the best, most impactful concert film of at least the past few years. This is Beyoncé at the absolute top of her game, showing not only her historic performance at Coachella 2018, but the emotionally and physically taxing preparation that led up to it. It's just a pleasure to watch, not only because Beyoncé's unparalleled work ethic and commitment to precision, but because of how dedicated she and her team of artists, dancers, and musicians were to making sure the performance was a celebration of Black culture. It's called Homecoming because of the way it evokes traditions made popular by homecoming concerts at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and it's maybe the most entertaining history lesson you'll ever get. Also, there's a pitch-perfect Destiny's Child reunion. We love to see it. -Aliison Picurro [Trailer]

Always Be My Maybe

Ali Wong co-wrote this 2019 romantic comedy in which she stars as Sasha, a celebrity chef who returns home to San Francisco to open a new restaurant and runs into her former childhood friend, Marcus (co-writer Randall Park). The romantic chemistry from their teenage years still remains, and after she breaks off her engagement to her fiancé after he delays their wedding yet again, Sasha attempts to embark on a new relationship with Marcus. However, his fears and her fame -- and a great guest spot from Keanu Reeves -- create obstacles that first have to be overcome before true happiness can be found. -Kaitlin Thomas [Trailer]

The Irishman

Martin Scorsese loves telling stories about almost-great men undone by their own hubris, and The Irishman is the latest example of that. A lot was made of its three-hour runtime, and its use of CGI to de-age its stars, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino, but those aren't the only things this film has to offer. De Niro plays Frank Sheeran, the titular Irishman, who works as a hitman alongside Russell Bufalino (Pesci) and famous Teamster Jimmy Hoffa (Pacino), both of whom are tied to organized crime. It's an epic about power and betrayal, and contains easily the best performance De Niro's given in years. -Aliison Picurro [Trailer]

Marriage Story

A marriage unravels in Noah Baumbach's latest, as Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) try to keep themselves afloat during their divorce. Yes, there's definitely a lot movie going on in this movie emotionally, but isn't the most important takeaway that we got two great memes out of it? I think so. -Aliison Picurro [Trailer]

Dolemite Is My Name

In 1970s Los Angeles, struggling musician-comedian Rudy Ray Moore (Eddie Murphy) decides to create a raunchy alter ego named Dolemite in an effort to get noticed. The movie highlights the way, through his work, Moore was able to help pioneer rap as a musical genre. It also provides wider commentary on the blaxploitation phenomenon, and touches on some of Murphy's own feelings about the critics who have commented on his films. Spoiler: He doesn't care! -Aliison Picurro [Trailer]

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

Chadwick Boseman's final movie role was in this Netflix original, which is based on the Tony-nominated August Wilson play. Viola Davis stars as Ma Rainey, a powerhouse blues singer in 1927 Chicago who holds up a recording session to butt heads with her white manager, and Boseman plays a trumpeter in the recording session angling to get a foothold in the music business. On its own, it's a good film that has a lot to say about race and music ownership, but the performances from Davis and Boseman elevate it. -Aliison Picurro [Trailer]