The 10 Best Netflix Movies Of 2024, Ranked

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Love it or hate it, Netflix is still a dominating force in the streaming wars. As of 2024, the platform has 282 million paid subscribers worldwide, with roughly 96 million of those coming from North America alone. That means if you recommend a worthwhile Netflix original movie for someone to check out, there's a good chance they already have a subscription lined up to watch it. And recommendations can be so very crucial, as Netflix constantly cycles through movies and TV shows to the degree that it's easy for a real gem to get lost in the mix.

Many Netflix movies don't wind up in theaters at all, with a few noteworthy exceptions. That means there's typically a small window where a film can make an impact and get some buzz going before it's shifted out of the carousel at the top of the homepage. 2024 had a host of great Netflix originals, from thrillers to documentaries to some of the best in animated films of the year. And if you missed any of these, you definitely owe it to yourself to seek them out.

It's natural if you got sidetracked by the likes of "Hot Frosty." Admittedly, none of the other movies in this article involve a snowman turning into a gorgeous hunk. But this list has been carefully curated by a film expert who enjoys all the ingredients of our cultural cinematic stew.

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In recent years, some movies and TV shows have resorted to a bit of a cheat code to get audiences invested. A surefire storytelling technique has been to pair a hero with an adorable child they take upon themselves to protect, and it's used to get effect in "Ultraman: Rising." 

It's a genuine feat to create a new installment in a decades-spanning franchise that feels like it does right by longtime fans while being accessible enough to newcomers. Ken Soto (Christopher Sean) may just want to play baseball, but he's tasked with defending Japan against kaiju in between (and during) games. This involves a baby Gigantron imprinting on him, and the rest is a heartfelt, action-packed story of what it means to be a parent. 

While the story hits all the right notes, particular admiration goes toward the animation. Industrial Light & Magic may be known for changing the film industry with its special effects, but 2024 saw a big return to form for the legendary studio making great animated movies again with both "Ultraman: Rising" and "Transformers One." Even if you don't know the first thing about the "Ultraman" mythos, "Rising" is an excellent place to start. Plus, the filmmakers already have ideas in place for a sequel that will hopefully pay off that intriguing mid-credits scene teasing an intergalactic mission for Ken Soto.

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"It's What's Inside" is one of those movies that sort of defies typical genre labels. It's a bold blending of horror, science fiction, comedy, and thriller that results in a must-see event demanding to be rewatched as soon as you finish it the first time. 

The film follows a group of friends hanging out the night before one of them gets married. However, while they all thought they were just going to play some games, one of them brings a suitcase containing a device that allows them to swap minds with one another. In /Film's interview with director Greg Jardin, he spoke about getting inspired by a game of Mafia and taking that to a mind-melting conclusion. Honestly, it's one of those movies you watch and kick yourself as a writer for never having thought of it yourself. 

With such a premise, it would've been easy for "It's What's Inside" to fall apart, but Jardin has such a deft hand that you never feel lost. With expert lighting and visual cues, you know precisely where each character's psyche is at all times, allowing the story to play with expectations about what it would mean for someone to embody somebody they've always admired or resented or been jealous of. It's a great story, complete with a conclusion you certainly won't see coming.

Leah Gallo/Netflix

"Woman of the Hour" is based on the terrifying true story of Rodney Alcala, otherwise known as The Dating Game Killer. He earned that moniker due to his appearance on the game show "The Dating Game" at a time when he was still in the midst of a murder spree that could've entailed as many as 130 victims (although he would only be convicted of killing five people).

It's perhaps no surprise to see this story get adapted, considering true crime is all the rage these days. But Anna Kendrick, in her directorial debut that also sees her play Dating Game contestant Sheryl Bradshaw, sees the story as something much larger than another serial killer on the loose. It's about the often unbalanced power dynamics between men and woman, even if said men aren't actively trying to kill anyone. Sheryl still has to deal with a male friend, Terry (Pete Holmes), who's seemingly only being nice to her to sleep with her, as well as the misogynistic host of The Dating Game, Ed (Tony Hale).

Throughout this story, there's an underpinning of how much men can get away with if they're attractive and charming enough. Rodney (Daniel Zovatto) wins "The Dating Game," after all. And outside of the game show, there's the underlying idea that if women don't "play the game," as it were, there's no telling what a man could do to them in retribution.

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The internet often gets a bad rap as a vile place filled with hatred and bigotry. And yeah, it can be those things, but it's also an arena where friendships are forged between people from completely different walks of life on opposite parts of the globe. "The Remarkable Life of Ibelin" focuses on the latter, resulting in one of the most life-affirming films of 2024.

The documentary hones in on Mats Steen, who suffers from Duchenne muscular dystrophy. While it impacts his ability to perform everyday tasks, he can still play "World of Warcraft" and joins a guild where he creates many friendships. The film intercuts interviews with Steen's family and guild members with 3D animation created by just one person to show what Steen's life was like in this virtual world.

Steen sadly died at just 25 years old, but he left behind an indelible mark on all those who knew him, even if it was in a game. Several of Steen's guild members even fly in from abroad to attend his funeral in Oslo, Norway. Having friendships can take various forms; it doesn't always have to involve going to a bar every weekend. It can be something as simple as playing an online game where you don't even know what your teammate looks like in person. During a time when many feel increasingly isolated, "The Remarkable Life of Ibelin" exemplifies the importance of having a community — whatever way that means to you.

David Lee/Netflix

Denzel Washington has committed himself to adapting playwright August Wilson's works for the screen, be it as an actor and director or simply as a producer. We've seen this dedication reap incredible benefits with 2016's "Fences" as well as 2020's "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," and anyone who wants to see this trajectory continue should absolutely watch "The Piano Lesson" for themselves.

The story is about the Charles family deciding what to do with a family heirloom, namely a piano with engravings on it created by a family ancestor who was once enslaved. It's a story not just about reconciling family in the modern day but also looking back on historical trauma and how to decide what a family should retain to move forward. Corey Hawkins, who plays Avery in the film, noted to Netflix, "[August Wilson's] American Century Cycle is incredible because they talk like us. They sound like us. You see your aunties, your uncles, you see yourself [...] It's just a beautiful celebration of not just Black culture but American culture."

"The Piano Lesson" is a powerful work of art that features one of the most stellar casts of the year, with Hawkins, Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Danielle Deadwyler, Ray Fisher, and many others delivering impeccable performances. Wilson remains one of the most vital American playwrights in history, and this adaptation of "The Piano Lesson" brings it to a wider audience who may not get the chance to see it performed live otherwise.

Netflix

The incoming Donald Trump administration has made it no secret it's going to be incredibly hostile toward the trans community. No matter what happens, it'll be a daunting time for anyone who just wants to live openly and honestly as who they truly are, which makes "Will & Harper" perhaps one of the most significant movies of the year. 

The documentary follows comedic actor extraordinaire Will Ferrell and his longtime friend and former "Saturday Night Live" head writer, Harper Steele, who came out to him during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic as a trans woman. As a way of reaffirming their own friendship and seeing whether Harper could continue traveling to other states safely, they set out to see what it's like to be trans across the country. Even just the conversations between the two of them are heartwarming to see, as it helps normalize everyday folks navigating such talks in their own lives.

Obviously, Ferrell and Steele deal with some vitriol, but most of that comes from anonymous online sources. When they actually talk with people in rundown dive bars and race tracks, many folks across red states are pretty supportive of Steele. And it's nice to see Ferrell offer a solid blueprint of how others can be allies to their trans friends and family.

Brian Roedel/Netflix

Glen Powell is a damn movie star.

It's been a good year for the actor between the blockbuster success of "Twisters" and him showing off his rom-com chops in "Anyone But You." But you definitely don't want to ignore "Hit Man," which got rejected by a ton of studios before landing at Netflix. Those studios must not have known what they had, as Powell plays a professor-turned-pseudo hit man working for the police who winds up falling in love with Madison (Adria Arjona), a woman who almost contracts the "Hit Man" him for a job.

"Hit Man" received a brief theatrical release before dropping on the streaming service; it's just a shame it couldn't be on the big screen for longer. It feels like the sort of adult-oriented programming that would've easily made over $100 million 30 years ago. Still, it's an enjoyable romp that gives Powell the leeway to throw himself at all sorts of genres. He's hilarious as he dons various disguises to pretend to be different types of hitmen, and he's downright romantic in his scenes with Arjona, making "Hit Man" one of the sexiest 2024 films hands-down. Big studios may be hesitant to put out movies geared toward adults in theaters, especially ones that go back and forth between genres, but we definitely need more of them as a reprieve from major franchises.

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2024 is the year kids' movies demonstrated that it's okay to feel anxiety. "Inside Out 2" literally brought Anxiety (Maya Hawke) to life, while "Orion and the Dark," a Netflix movie you probably didn't watch when it came out, takes a more metaphysical approach to the concept.

Young Orion (Jacob Tremblay) is terrified of the dark (and plenty of other things), and one night, the manifestation of Darkness (Paul Walter Hauser) takes him on a journey where he sees that the dark isn't so bad. A movie about overcoming fears would've been just fine, but seeing as Charlie Kaufman wrote the script, there naturally have to be layers upon layers on top of that. At one point, we fast-forward to the future where an adult Orion (Colin Hanks) is telling his daughter a bedtime story to help her overcome her own anxieties.

Through this dynamic, viewers see that anxiety isn't something to necessarily defeat. It's something that's always with you in some shape or another; what matters is how you live with it. One way that can be done is a parent telling a child a story from their personal experiences, being vulnerable and showing how it's possible to co-exist with unpleasant emotions. "Orion and the Dark" makes for an ideal double feature with "Inside Out 2;" just make sure you're ready to handle a healthy dose of existentialism along with them.

Allyson Riggs/Netflix

Jeremy Saulnier is one of our best-working directors, having delivered the likes of "Blue Ruin," "Green Room," and now one of the most awesome films of 2024 — "Rebel Ridge." A different take on the revenge thriller, the film stars Aaron Pierre as Terry Richmond, a somewhat mysterious fellow who has $36,000 legally taken away from him by a corrupt police force through civil asset forfeiture. Terry, however, just wants to get his cousin out of jail before something terrible happens to him; he's a different kind of action hero and one who's more interested in deescalation whenever possible (rather than resorting to violence right out the gate).

Pierre has shown he's a phenomenal actor in films like "Old" and "Brother," but "Rebel Ridge" is a true star-making vehicle for him. An intense glare from him says more than words ever could. Terry is a great exemplification of what an action hero should be: Someone who understands that deconstructing a corrupt system means not giving into working within its means. He doesn't shoot first and ask questions later; he goes out of his way to inflict as little physical harm as possible while making it clear he could do that if it wanted because otherwise, he'd be just as bad as the corrupt cops standing in his way.

Shortly after "Rebel Ridge" came out, Pierre was cast as John Stewart in the upcoming "Lanterns" TV show, so it's great to know he'll be back as an action star soon. If nothing else, "Rebel Ridge" shows what an awful thing civil asset forfeiture is that the police can just do to anyone without probable cause.

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What is cinema? This isn't meant to be a trick question, as it encapsulates a lot of things, including a great story that resonates with audiences and sticks with them long after the credits are over. This can just as easily mean death-defying action sequences or refer to remarkable visual effects. But sometimes, the best movies are those that give talented actors room to play in order to craft compelling characters that feel real. "His Three Daughters" takes three of the most remarkable actors of their generation — Elizabeth Olsen, Natasha Lyonne, and Carrie Coon — and lets them work through a range of emotions, yet it never feels like the film is trying to overly impress the audience with how good its stars are.

Olsen, Lyonne, and Coon play the daughters of a father who's in hospice care and about to die. It's apparent they've never really bonded, however, and have all branched out into very different lifestyles. So, naturally, the plot sees them all struggling to cohabitate, even for such a short length of time, with Rachel (Lyonne), for example, being forced to smoke marijuana outside even though her father let her do it inside when he was still lucid. The fact the other two daughters haven't seen their father in a while, forcing much of his care on Rachel, only plays into long-simmering resentment that eventually bubbles past the surface.

"His Three Daughters" is about what's said and left unsaid amongst family dynamics, and culminates with one of the most gut-wrenching endings out of any 2024 movie. There have been plenty of fantastic Netflix original movies in 2024, but this feels the most essential, as it proves what extraordinary talents its three main actors are.