Netflix is still the biggest premium streaming video service worldwide, with over 150 million subscribers. However, its massive content library can sometimes be a little intimidating. It can be hard to find what to watch on Netflix.
Thankfully, we have been working for a long time to post many guides to what’s on Netflix. However, we thought it would also be helpful to do a feature that offers a quick summary of what to watch on Netflix as well. Here’s a look at what’s good on Netflix at the moment.
What to watch on Netflix
What to watch on Netflix – Originals
Stranger Things
What else can be said about this Netflix original show that hasn’t been said already? Stranger Things has become one of the most popular and buzzed about current TV dramas, period. Created by brothers Matt and Ross Duffer, the show manages to offer great nostalgic entertainment for people who grew up in the early to mid-1980s and watched movies like E.T., Poltergeist, and others. At the same time, the show is made with a modern sensitivity towards relationships and characters.
The kids and adults who live and work in the fictional Hawkins, Indiana, have to deal with supernatural threats in each of the show’s first three seasons, but there’s also plenty of room for teenage romance and more. The fourth season has been confirmed, but there’s no word on its release date yet.
Bojack Horseman
If you thought an animated show about a talking horse would be funny, you would be correct when it comes to Bojack Horseman. However, what’s really surprising about this adult Netflix series (no, it’s not for kids), is how it can deal with some serious issues while making you laugh as well.
Will Arnett’s vocal performance as Bojack is spot on, playing a talking horse who once was the star of a hit TV shows, but now wants to make a big comeback. You can catch all six seasons on Netflix right now.
What to watch on Netflix – Action
Avengers: Infinity War
The Marvel Cinematic Universe took 10 years and 19 movies to reach just the first part of its concluding story. Released in 2018, Avengers: Infinity War pits nearly all of the superheroes of the MCU, including Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America, Black Panther, the Guardians of the Galaxy, and more against the Mad Titan, Thanos. This guy is collecting the six Infinity Stones so that when he has them all, he can snap his fingers to kill off half the universe’s population (it’s all in a good cause, at least according to Thanos). The Avengers want to stop him from making the big snap, and we get to see some of the biggest superhero action sequences of all time, and it all leads up to . . . well, we won’t spoil it.
Black Panther
Black Panther was the biggest box office movie in the US in 2018. It also won three Academy Awards and it’s certainly one of the best action movies on Netflix. What makes this movie different than other Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, or indeed any other superhero movie? Well, it only establishes Chadwick Boseman’s T’Challa as a worthy character but it also brings us the advanced African country of Wakanda.
Yes, we have seen other worlds in MCU films, but Wakanda is unique in that it has highly advanced technology. However, it still clings to very traditional leadership roles, and it wants to also remain isolated from the rest of the world. It’s this kind of setup that’s at the heart of the movie. Michael B. Jordan’s character of Killmonger wants to only claim the throne of Wakanda. He also wants to use its tech to strike back at the rest of the world for its history of oppressing black people.
Black Panther shows us a villain in Killmonger who might have some good reasons for his actions. At the same time, the leadership of Wakanda might have some ethical problems. It’s this reversal that really makes the movie different than the normal superhero epic. Oh, and it has some awesome action sequences and fights, too.
What to watch on Netflix – Comedy
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
After gathering a cult following for their work on the BBC comedy show Monty Python’s Flying Circus and a movie based on it, this group of sketch comedians blew audiences away with their first original film. 1975’s Monty Python and the Holy Grail remains one of funniest movies ever made. If you have never watched it, prepare to start quoting a ton of its lines. This may be the best movie ever made about the myth of King Arthur as well, and that’s saying something.
You can catch up on the group’s earlier work on Netflix, which is streaming the entire run of the Monty Python’s Flying Circus TV series. Also make sure to watch another great film, Monty Python’s Life of Brian.
To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before
Netflix has recently hit it big with original young adult romantic comedy movies, which have turned its actors into major social media hits. Perhaps the best movie in this category is To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before. Based on the best selling book of the same name, it was released on Netflix in 2018. It tells the story of a teenage girl and her letters to all of her past secret crushes, but she’s only written these notes for herself. However, these letters get out into the wild, and she has to deal with the fallout.
The movie may have a cute premise, but it’s made more relatable thanks to the performances of Lana Condor, who plays the letter-writing girl Lara Jean, along with breakout teenage male heartthrob star Noah Centineo, who plays one of her crushes.
What to watch on Netflix – Drama
The King
This movie follows the story of Hal, also known as King Henry V. After trying to escape royal life most of his life, he is forced to take the throne after his father dies. The rightful heir to the throne must now deal with politics and everything that comes with ruling. He is also found in the middle of a war his tyrannical father left behind. The leader needs to adapt to the new life while he settles personal matters.
Bird Box
Consider this Netflix’s nod to A Quiet Place. Instead of tiptoeing and keeping quiet to avoid blind monsters, humans must wear blindfolds when going outside. A single look at these supernatural entities drives humans insane to the point of suicide.
The story follows Malorie Hayes (Sandra Bullock) and her two children. They’re heading downstream in a rowing boat packed with a blanket, supplies, and blindfolds. Their goal is to reach a sanctuary, but the journey won’t be easy.
What to watch on Netflix – Sci-Fi
Cloud Atlas
Adapted from a David Mitchell novel of the same name, Cloud Atlas is an epic sci-fi film featuring Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, and Jim Broadbent. The film takes you through the stories of six seemingly unconnected people. Their lives connect through generations, spanning across five centuries and coming from different corners of the world. This complex film explores human connections in an intricate and captivating way no other has, which is what makes it one of the best sci-fi movies on Netflix.
Her
Spike Jonze’s Her is part romantic drama, part hipster-fest, with just enough sci-fi sprinkled on top to make this list. It’s about a timid man (Joaquin Phoenix) who upgrades his virtual assistant to be artificially intelligent. Over time he develops a romantic relationship with the AI’s disembodied voice, which names herself Samantha (Scarlett Johansson). Despite the lack of any physical contact, the film is uniquely intimate and provides an interesting commentary on modern human relationships.
Jonze reportedly had the idea when interacting with an AI chatbot in the early 2000s. His solo screenwriting debut earned him an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, plus a nomination for Best Picture.
What to watch on Netflix – Kids and family
Incredibles 2
The 2018 sequel to The Incredibles is almost as good as the original and is a joy to watch. The sequel takes place immediately after the original, as the super-family is still trying to prove that they are needed in a world that distrusts people with powers.
A rich brother and sister team seem to want to help improve the image of superheroes, with the assistance of Elastigirl. However, a new villain wants to spoil those plans. Writer-director Brad Bird keeps the action going as we get introduced to a new batch of heroes, and we get some really funny scenes with baby Jack Jack. This is definitely one of the best kids movies on Netflix you can watch.
Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2
Ralph and Vanellope just can’t stop getting into trouble. Vanellope’s arcade game breaks down and might be thrown out without a replacement part. The dynamic duo sets on a quest to find it online. We all know the internet is not always a nice place, so you can only imagine the adventures they get into.
Plenty more including comedians, sad movies, teen shows, and the list goes on
That’s just a brief look at what’s on Netflix. However, there’s a ton of content you can stream on the service. Here are some of our other Netflix guides worth checking out:
More posts about Netflix guides
