Staying at home? Sure, you could try to convince yourself that you're going to spend that time getting around to those cleaning projects you've been putting off or learning a new skill, but let's be honest: The reality is you're going to sit on the couch, snack away and stream something hopefully good. I'm not judging; I'm doing the same thing as we speak.

So, to help make your nights in go as outstanding as possible, here's a list of 100 good movies – from awesome action flicks to cool choices for children to stellar sports stories and Will Ferrell singing to honor the great country of Iceland – you can currently find on Netflix. Go and stream away – you can get around to that to-do list tomorrow. Or the day after that. Or maybe next week.

Action movies

"21 Bridges": One of Chadwick Boseman's final big screen performances is also one of his most underrated, playing a detective who shuts down the city to find out who killed two police officers. What results is a taut, old-school cop thriller that's definitely worth crossing.

"Baby Driver": Edgar Wright is one of our most kinetic and original directors – and for evidence, check out his take on the car chase/heist genre, blending catchy music and tense crime thrills into a toe-tapping and exciting summer actioner about a young wheelman getting in over his head working as a getaway driver for robbers around town.

"Bad Boys": Michael Bay's feature debut is a slick and solid action movie with two infamously charismatic leads and some cool action set pieces. And if you want all the style and bombast of this actioner with none of the conscience, morality or sense of decency, "Bad Boys II" is also on Netflix and is an inglorious cavalcade of bad taste and flipping cars.

"Captain Phillips": Paul Greengrass ("United 93," the latter Bourne movies) sets his masterfully jittery docu-drama lens on this pulse-racing true-story thriller about a boat captain attempting to get himself and his crew out of a hostage situation on the high seas. Watch it, sweat out an ocean from all the tension, marvel at Tom Hanks' performance – especially the final moments – and then write the Academy an angry letter for somehow not nominating him. 

"The Commuter": Perhaps the best of his old-man actioners (not including "The Grey," which is a masterpiece), "The Commuter" stars Liam Neeson as a train commuter who finds himself stuck in an Alfred Hitchcock-esque thriller – if Alfred Hitchcock made a movie in which his star smashed a henchman's head with a guitar.

"Godzilla Minus One": One of the best movies of 2023 ... was a Godzilla movie? No, seriously, this Toho-made offering was easily one of the best blockbusters of the past year, delivering everything you could possibly want from a monster movie. The city-smashing setpieces, big and small, are jaw-droppingly thrilling – in part because Godzilla is actually menacing and intimidating again in this installment – and as opposed to the American-made versions, you'll actually really care when the human characters are on screen.

"The Harder They Fall": Super stylish and slick, this all-Black Netflix Original Western is a good wild ride following outlaw leader Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) as he seeks out revenge against the sadistic gang leader Rufus Buck (Idris Elba) who murdered his family. It's lot of old classic genre fun mixed with new style and verve. 

"The Night Comes For Us": Do you like violent action movies? No, I mean VIOLENT action movies – violent enough that even the guy from the "Saw" films would be like, "Please, have you no decency?" Well, if you're a fan of stuff like "The Raid" movies, you'll love this viciously brutal actioner starring martial arts superstars Iwo Uwais and Joe Taslim – directed by Timo Tjahjanto, who'll helm the upcoming "Train to Busan" remake, so get pumped for that!

"Spider-Man 2": There have been a lot of great comic book movies – and this is one of the best, with Sam Raimi's superhero sequel improving in almost every way while truly capturing the Spider-Man emotional struggle, bringing in a terrific villain in Dr. Ock and crafting some spellbinding action sequences. 

"Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse": With great power comes great responsibility ... and apparently great sequels, as "Across the Spider-Verse" manages to follow up its terrific and groundbreaking 2018 original with even more eye-popping visuals, even more thrilling animated action, even more compelling and original takes on a story seemingly well-told at this point, and – yes – even more Spider-People.

"S.W.A.T.": You may not remember this 2005 hit action movie – but it's actually pretty awesome, a low-key police actioner about a ragtag crew of S.W.A.T. officers (Colin Farrell, Michelle Rodriguez, Samuel L. Jackson and LL Cool J, namely) brought together and tasked with transporting a notorious criminal. The action's cool, tense and grounded; the performances are fun; and it's just a good entertaining time at the movies. Dad cinema for the win!

"Time to Hunt": Part heist movie, part futuristic dystopian sci-fi, part action thriller, part "Terminator" and all tensely entertaining, it's definitely time to check out this Korean Netflix original hidden gem, following a group of down-on-their-luck young adults who rob the wrong place. 

"White House Down": "Olympic Has Fallen" got all the attention (and box office) when these two dueling movies came out in 2013 – but Roland Emmerich's version is the better, more bombastic, more ridiculous and more entertaining one, following Channing Tatum and President Jamie Foxx as they attempt to survive a terrorist siege on the White House.

Comedies

"Back to the Future": One of the great blockbusters in the history of Hollywood, Robert Zemeckis's '80s favorite sends Michael J. Fox back in time to make sure his parents fall in love at the Enchantment Under the Sea dance. The other two entries are also on Netflix – but unlike our lead here, you shouldn't skip around in time. Just start with the iconic, still incredible original.

"Bad Trip": Cheap hidden camera comedy makes a welcome return with this bite-sized blast tracing the misadventures of Eric Andre and Lil Rel Howery as they travel across the country and get into all sorts of inappropriate and awkward trouble. It's bawdy – but "Bad Trip" also packs a surprisingly big heart, showing people oddly at their best when confronted with the worst. It's easily the most strangely sweet film involving a prolonged sexual encounter with a gorilla. 

"The Breakfast Club": Don't you forget about me – and don't you miss out on catching up once more with this '80s coming-of-age dramedy classic about five seemingly different high school misfits who banter and bond over the course of a Saturday detention. 

"Dolemite Is My Name": Watch this jubilant tribute to the movies – and this wild yet heartwarming tribute to an under-appreciated mad genius movie-making mind in Rudy Ray Moore (an awards-worthy Eddie Murphy), who brought the blaxploitation character Dolemite to overlooked audiences across the country.

"Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga": Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams star in this Netflix Original about a duo of goofy Swedes attempting to take the globe by storm with their charmingly kitschy pop music in this toe-tapping and charming comedy. And seriously, Hollywood, cast Rachel McAdams in every comedy from here on out.

"Frances Ha": Love the wit and wisdom of writer-director Noah Baumbach's movies ("Marriage Story," "Squid and the Whale") but struggling with the brutal honesty and barbed vinegar? Try out this delightful coming-of-age story starring Greta Gerwig as a young woman trying to figure out her life. It's delightful – and also features the most accurate scene involving a tax refund ever.

"Hubie Halloween": Listen, I'm just as shocked to see this Adam Sandler holiday comedy here as you are – but here's something horrifying: It's actually quite funny and charming! Sandler's character is on the right side of annoying, there are more comedic hits than misses, and there's an odd goofy innocent sweetness to the film. Maybe it was just low expectations and pandemic brain, but "Hubie Halloween" is worth scaring up for spooky season.

"Hunt for the Wilderpeople": A fan of Taika Waititi's "Thor Ragnarok" and "Jojo Rabbit"? Then don't miss this wildly charming wildlife tale about a young rebel who runs off into the New Zealand woods and befriends a gruff loner played by Dr. Grant himself, Sam Neill.

"Jackass 4.5": Their pain is your pleasure in this bonus compilation of comedic bits, behind-the-scenes interviews and even more body-pounding pranks from their latest batch of big-screen hijinks. There's something oddly endearing and comforting about this friendly crew's profoundly uncomfortable shenanigans – VERY odd but also very entertaining. Also: Don't watch while eating.

"Magic Mike XXL": "Last Dance" didn't satisfy in the way you hoped? Thankfully, Netflix is here to provide the best of the Magic Mike trilogy, a delightful and joy-filled hangout road trip movie with Channing Tatum and the fellas, running into friends old and new, and bust out their best dance moves to make audiences go wild – both in the movie and on the couch at home. A guaranteed great night awaits with this one.

"Monty Python and the Holy Grail": You've almost certainly quoted this comedy classic in the last few days – but have you actually watched this medieval lark recently? Remedy that; you'll certainly have the time.

"Pineapple Express": Seth Rogen and James Franco team up for this dark stoner comedy about two reluctant buddies – a process server and his dopey drug dealer – who have to hide out together after the former accidentally witnesses a high-profile murder. Bring snacks – preferably Fruit Roll-Ups.

"The Prom": This star-studded musical brings together Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman, James Corden, Andrew Rannells and more as egotistical Broadway stars who invade a small Indiana town in the hopes of helping a gay teen go to prom (and giving themselves some much needed good publicity). It's relentlessly big, bright, colorful and sweet – aka much better than real prom.

Documentaries

"The Battered Bastards of Baseball": It may have been minor league baseball, but the Portland Mavericks of the '70s – owned and created by Kurt Russell's dad – were major league fun in this sports documentary about these oddball outlaws who were juuuuuust a bit outside the norm. 

"Coded Bias": "Black Mirror" not freaky enough for you? Watch this riveting documentary about the future of facial recognition software, its hidden biases and the tech heroes fighting against them. It's so effective, you might just chuck your laptop in the bin right after watching it. 

"Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution": Learn about the history of the long hard fight for equal rights for Americans with disabilities – and the '70s New York State summer camp where several of its leaders met one another and grew in their strength and confidence in this powerful and educational Oscar-nominated 2020 documentary. 

"Icarus": This Oscar-winning Netflix Original documentary starts as a look into the Olympics doping scandal – but ends up taking its director deep into the dangerous world of Russian politics that definitely isn't just a game. 

"Misha and the Wolves": A wild twisty ride of a documentary, "Misha and the Wolves" tells the story of a Holocaust survivor who, as a child on the run from Nazis, befriended a pack of wolves in a forest to stay alive. It's a story so incredible it must be true – but as the story becomes a global sensation decades later, many start to wonder if that's exactly the case. A fascinating and compelling story about stories and what people – the tellers and the listetners – use them for. 

"The Pez Outlaw": There are a lot of true crime documentaries out there – but there's only one involving Pez dispensers. Indeed, this charming true-story caper tracks the story of a Pez lover who smuggles in rare collectible dispensers – and, in the process, makes some high-up enemies who aren't so sugary sweet. It's a snappy and warm winner – so much so Milwaukee Film selected it as its 2022 festival's opening night pick.

"Procession": One of the best documentaries – and films, period – of 2021, this Netflix Original follows six men using art therapy to come to terms with the sexual abuse they survived from Catholic priests. Some of them are surreal, some are simple, but all are bracingly raw, incredibly cathartic and moving as the men find friends and potentially a way forward. 

"The Tinder Swindler": A modern cautionary "Catfish" tale for the world of dating apps, this propulsive, tense and twisty true-crime doc follows several women as they fall for a handsome and wealthy man over Tinder ... only to discover that he's nothing as he seems. 

"Trust No One: The Hunt for the Crypto King": Sure, I get it: There's been a lot of true-crime scammer docs and miniseries out there. (See above!) But this one is one of the better options, telling the strange saga of an up-and-coming crypto star who mysterious disappears and dies ... with millions in purloined internet money. A fascinating saga that also dives into the dark corners of internet obsession. 

"Won't You Be My Neighbor": Looking for a nice movie to watch? How about a documentary about the world's nicest man! That's what you'll find with "Won't You Be My Neighbor," a gentle and thoughtful tour through the life of Fred Rogers, the mellow man who made childhood adventurous and taught essential life lessons for generations, as well as the legacy he left behind.

Dramas

"A Walk Among the Tombstones": Liam Neeson's last decade or so of movies hasn't been great – but amongst all the B-level action movies and "Taken" rip-offs, there's this tense, grim detective story about a broken man (Neeson) trying to solve the murder of a drug dealer's wife. Written and directed by crime movie expert Scott Frank ("Logan," "Out of Sight"), it's a gritty and terse little gem among the Netflix maw. 

"Athena": A marvel of craft and direction, this intense 2022 indie gem follows several brothers on multiple sides of an escalating urban war between police and citizens – mostly captured in mesmerizing, city-sprawling one-shots that could impress even the most skeptical long-take truther. 

"Beasts of No Nation": One of Netflix's first big original films is also still one of its best, as Cary Joji Fukunaga's intense and mesmerizing drama follows a young child soldier as he atttempts to survive both physically and mentally getting dragged first-hand through a brutal civil war in his country. Not a fun watch but it is a memorably vivid one. 

"Call Me By Your Name": 2017 was a pretty brilliant year for movies, with "Get Out," "Dunkirk," "The Shape of Water," "John Wick: Chapter 2" and this coming-of-age romantic drama about a young man (internet sensation Timothee Chalamet, in his breakout role) who forms a connection with an older man while vacationing in Italy. Sumptuously photographed and deeply felt until its literal final frame, call on "Call Me By Your Name" for a night of excellent cinema. (Unless you can't stand to see Armie Hammer's face anymore, which fair enough.)

"Da 5 Bloods": Spike Lee takes on Vietnam in his pained and passionate follow-up to the Oscar-winning "BlacKkKlansman," following four veterans (headlined by an award-worthy Delroy Lindo) as they return to the country they fought across to recover their fallen comrade – and recover a trunk of gold bars that they vowed to return for back in the day.

"Dark Waters": Unfortunately it was overlooked come awards season in 2019, but "Dark Waters" is low-key one of the best movies of the past several years, ominously telling the story of a lawyer attempting to bring a case against chemical giant DuPont for contaminating a small West Virginia town. On the surface, it looks like director Todd Haynes is just taking a paycheck job here, but he directs the heck out of this well-done, well-told courtroom drama.

"The Edge of Seventeen": Judging by the box office, you probably missed this excellent coming-of-age dramedy about Nadine, a high schooler (Hailee Steinfeld of "True Grit") coping with being unpopular and losing her only friend when she catches her dating Nadine's jock brother. You should amend that, as it's one of the best movies of 2016, hilarious and with a lot of heart.

"Emily the Criminal": Aubrey Plaza's terrific 2022, headlined by "The White Locus" season two, wouldn't be complete however without this tense crackerjack hidden gem about a desperate gig economy worker who falls in with some scam artists and gets in too deep. A smart and searingly intense indie treat that'll make you want to see more from everyone involved.

"Everything Everywhere All At Once": What genre to put this recent Oscar winner? Is it an action movie? It's got terrifically inventive action sequences, as a mother (Michelle Yeoh) discovers the multiverse and a sinister force trying to implode them all. Is it a drama? After all, I cry every time thanks to its beautiful mother-daughter relationship. You could call it a comedy, too, with all of its crazy, surreal universe-hopping hijinks. (It's DEFINITELY the first Best Picture winner with an extended sex toy fight sequence.) No matter what genre you call it, though, "EEAAO" is a modern original masterpiece, filled with energy and emotion. (And hot dog fingers.)

"First Man": Damien Chazelle's star-studded, star-bound Apollo 11 biopic may have fallen short of its Oscar ambitions back in 2018 – but that's just because the Academy was being weird that year. (Seriously: "Green Book"?) Surprisingly subdued but stealthily emotional by the end, Chazelle's take on the strange, quiet American hero that was Neil Armstrong is a compelling, impressively grounded and gorgeously crafted true-life story that's in a different solar system from the usual trite historical Wikipedia entries.  

"Glass Onion": This star-studded murder mystery sequel might actually be a cut above "Knives Out," having a hoot roasting a bunch of rich "disruptors" – played by Edward Norton, Dave Bautista, Kathryn Hahn, Kate Hudson and more – while Daniel Craig's detective extraordinaire Benoit Blanc gets to the bottom of the twisty mystery on their fancy private island. With this, Rian Johnson's mystery franchise truly claims its title as the Agatha Christie of the 21st century.

"Glengarry Glen Ross": Looking for an acting masterclass? Stop in to the office of "Glengarry Glen Ross," featuring Al Pacino, Alec Baldwin, Kevin Spacey, Jack Lemmon, Ed Harris and more delivering some of their finest performances as desperate real estate salesmen, feasting on David Mamet's dynamite screenplay. But be warned: This movie's only for closers. 

"Hit Man": Chevy commercials, rom-coms, "Twistesr": Glen Powell is pretty much everywhere these days. But if you want to see his best work, head over to Netflix where you'll find Richard Linklater's "Hit Man," a smart, steamy and intense dark dramedy about an everyday guy who begins posing as a hit man ... and slowly yet surely evolves into a different, more dangerous person in the process. Seemingly light summer fun but with some serious bite, "Hit Man" is one of 2024's best thus far.

"Holy Spider": "Zodiac" unfortunately isn't on Netflix anymore – but this 2022 intense Iranian serial killer drama, similarly based on a true story of a murderer stalking the streets and killing sex workers in plain sight, is the next best thing. A close contender for the Oscars' Best International Film category, it's terrifically performed, chillingly crafted and startling in its portrayal of how deadly misogyny can infect a society.

"I Lost My Body": Animated movies don't come much stranger – but also much better – than this Oscar-nominated hand-drawn bittersweet and bizarre beauty about a sentient severed hand crawling its way back across the city to its rightful owner.

"The Irishman": Listen, you've finally got a lot of time on your hands. So now there's no excuse for not checking out Martin Scorsese's excellent gangster epic. It's a gripping gut punch of a movie, immaculately performed, but it's also not without its entertainment value. (Give me EVERY Al Pacino line-reading, please.) It's a powerful (seemingly) final statement from Scorsese. 

"Ma Rainey's Black Bottom": The late great Chadwick Boseman left us far too soon, but at least he left behind this final monumental, vibrant and volatile performance as hot-shot trumpet player Levee in Netflix's August Wilson play adaptation about a Black blues band and their testy singing star (an also terrific Viola Davis) battling through a heated – literally and emotionally – day of recording. 

"Marriage Story": One of the best movies of last year is at your fingertips thanks to Netflix with this biting drama about a husband and wife (Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson, never better) trying to survive a cross-country divorce.

"May December": Starring Julianne Moore, Natalie Portman and a revelatory Charles Melton, this tense and thorny Todd Haynes drama – following an actress as she embeds herself in the lives of a Mary Kay Letourneau-esque couple for research into a role – is terrific and smart about its web of exploitation. Very much deserved more than just the one screenplay Oscar nomination it received – but who would've guessed actors and Hollywood types wouldn't dig a movie about actors and Hollywoods digging into people's lives for exploitative, empty reasons!?

"Miss Juneteenth": Juneteenth may be a month away, but you can still celebrate early with the thoughtful family drama "Miss Juneteenth," about a single mom (Nicole Beharie, TV's "Sleepy Hollow") who pressures her daughter into following in her beauty queen footsteps and competing – and hopefully winning – the annual Miss Juneteenth pageant. Her daughter, however, has other ambitions. 

"Pain & Gain": Remember when Dwayne Johnson made interesting, fun movies? When he played more than just ... himself but in a tan button-down shirt? Flashback to better times with this darkly comedic drama about roided-out bodybuilders (Johnson and Wahlberg, who also used to make interesting things too) who get in over their heads with a kidnapping scheme that goes murderously awry. It's a fascinating, funny and ridiculous look at the corrupted American dream courtesy of ... Michael Bay?!

"Passing": Much more personal and psychological, complex and complicated, than the Social Issue Film it may appear to be on the surface, Rebecca Hall's directorial debut is a gorgeous black-and-white film about the gray areas between two intertwined Black women in the 1920s: one (a stellar Ruth Negga) passing as a white woman, the other (an equally magnetic Tessa Thompson) finding her life rattled by this new arrival. 

"Phantom Thread": If this Oscar-winning romantic drama is Daniel Day-Lewis' final bow, what a note to end on: a sumptuously crafted (those clothes! that score!) picture about a tempestuous fashion designer and his muse (Vicky Krieps, who should've become a star immediately after this) trickily finding how they fit into their relationship and their lives. Don't pass this unique portrait up (but maybe pass up eating any mushroom dishes on the night). 

"The Power of the Dog": A front runner for the upcoming Academy Awards, Jane Campion's return to the big screen tells the story of a rough and tough rancher (an almost surely Oscar-nominated Benedict Cumberbatch) and the brutal impact he has on those around him, including his quiet brother (Jesse Plemons), his weighed-down wife (Kirsten Dunst) and her awkward son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) in this beautifully captured Western about masculinity and loneliness, blending equal parts tenderness and slow-burning tension. 

"Roma": Alfonso Cuaron's Oscar-winning character study is a gorgeous black-and-white slow burn, following a maid as her life changes along with the rich family she works for. It's mesmerizing work.

"Room": OK, so maybe an emotional intense movie significantly about seclusion and claustrophobia isn't the BEST choice when you're staying in for a casual night – but this Best Picture nominee is still outstanding, following a woman (Best Actress winner Brie Larson) trying to raise her young son while kidnapped and trapped in a small shack for years.

"Sing Street": The guy behind the delightful lo-fi musical "Once" is back at it, delivering another tuneful treat with this 2016 coming-of-age music dramedy about a young Dublin boy in the '80s who decides to create a band. Just try not to get the film's hit single "Drive It Like You Stole It" stuck in your head afterwards.

"The Spectacular Now": A cocky high school hotshot (Miles Teller) faces his uncertain future, and his many demons, when he starts dating a quiet girl from school, played by Shailene Woodley, in this excellent coming-of-age drama for fans of "Good Will Hunting."

"The Squid and the Whale": If you enjoyed "Marriage Story" – OK, maybe "enjoyed" is a strange word to use – be sure to check out writer-director Noah Baumbach's breakout indie hit "The Squid and the Whale," which tells the story of a bitter divorce instead from the viewpoint of a teenager caught in the crossfire.

"Tick, Tick ... Boom!": Lin-Manuel Miranda sure had a busy 2021 ("In the Heights," "Vivo," "Encanto") with this biopic musical about "Rent" creator Jonathan Larson perhaps serving as the best of the bunch thanks to a marvelous lead performance from Andrew Garfield, a bunch of catchy tunes courtesy of the late great Larson and some charmingly enthusiastic theater kid energy. 

"Tully": Charlize Theron stars in this thoughtful and sharply written (by Oscar-winner Diablo Cody!) dramedy about an exasperated mother who finds relief in the form of a new nanny, played by rising star Mackenzie Davis. Just do yourself a favor and turn the movie off with about 15 minutes left to go.  

"Uncorked": Barbecue and wine make a perfect comfort food pairing on a plate – and on your screen with this heart-and-soulwarming family drama about a young man trying to decide between taking over his parents' (scene-stealers Courtney B. Vance and Niecy Nash) beloved neighborhood barbecue shop and pursuing his own dream of becoming a sommelier. Watch it with plenty of food, drink and Kleenex on standby. 

For kids

"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2": This animated sequel about an island of food monsters and the scientists sent to save it is cleverly creative, packed with funny jokes and beautifully crafted ... but the most important thing to know is that there's an adorable sentient strawberry named Barry who giggles and wants hugs. Four stars. Also: THERE'S A LEEK IN THE BOAT! AHHH!

"Detective Pikachu": They truly didn't need to go this hard for a live-action Pokemon movie – but I'm glad they did, somehow managing to fuse Ryan Reynolds wisecrackery with a gorgeously neon-drenched noir mystery and the adorably dense world of fighting pocket monsters into a very entertaining time. It's maybe not the very best, like no one ever was, but it's still really fun!

"Jumanji": I'll be honest: This movie basically ruined my childhood, horrifying little Matt with kids vanishing into dust, giant spiders, vicious hunters and all sorts of nightmare-inducing jungle creatures. Decades later, as an adult, the original "Jumanji" now plays as an energetic, funny and creative adventure that only causes one night of lost sleep as opposed to a month's worth. 

"The LEGO Batman Movie": Is ... is this the best Batman movie? It just might actually be, thanks to its energetic combination of memorable voice performances, creative and dynamic blocky animation, smartly hilarious comedy and storytelling that manages to be light on its feet, dense with clever comic book references, relentlessly amusing and surprisingly emotional. That's the benefit of going to HARVARD FOR MOVIE-MAKING!

"Marcel the Shell with Shoes On": I don't know who decided that we needed a movie of the viral YouTube talking shell from practically a decade ago – but I'm glad they did, because this indie stop-motion delight is somehow one of the best movies of 2022, following the little charming shell as it attempts to learn more about the giant world around them. You won't believe a tiny shell wearing shoes can make you cry. 

"The Mitchells vs. the Machines": Yet another outstandingly funny, energetic and smart project courtesy of producers Lord and Miller (the guys behind "21 Jump Street" and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs"), this giddily animated adventure follows a family road trip that goes slightly off the rails when they accidentally find themselves in the middle of the robot apocalypse. 

"Pinocchio": No, not the terrible Disney live-action remake. Instead watch Guillermo del Toro's mesmerizing, emotional, dark and delightful stop-motion take on the iconic tale, following an energetic young wooden doll's dream of being a real boy amongst the backdrop of a world at war. 

"Rango": Arguably the last decent Johnny Depp movie, 2011's "Rango" is a delightful and deranged animated trip about a goofball chameleon who stumbles upon a small town menaced by a water shortage and deadly gangsters, and in desperate need of a new sheriff ... even if it's a cowardly lizard in a Hawaiian shirt.

"Shaun the Sheep: Farmageddon": I watched this animated kids charmer when it came out near the beginning of the pandemic, and for 80 lovely, witty and wonderful minutes, I forgot the world was imploding. So I guess what I'm saying is that I highly recommend "Shaun the Sheep: Farmageddon," a movie about a nice but mischievous sheep trying to help a little lost alien get home. I want to hug this movie.

"Storks": Where do babies come from? If your kid needs an answer, try popping on this manically entertaining animated movie about a bunch of business-minded storks who've given up their days of delivering babies – until one shows up unexpectedly and there's only one doofy stork up for the task. A silly sugar rush of an animated adventure, "Storks" is a wild winged ride.  

"The Willoughbys": The concept – four siblings concoct a scheme to kill their uncaring bougie parents – may not the most exciting one for parents, but this Netflix Original is both somehow charming and macabre, gorgeously animated with jokes delivered at blazing speed and a sour-yet-sweet story about sticking together as an unconventional family.

Horror/thrillers

"The Babadook": For a seriously spine-chilling fright – via a top hat-wearing demonic storybook shadow monster – bop on "The Babadook," a terrific Australian indie horror movie about a single mother whose task of raising her ornery young son gets even more difficult when a creepy dark figure starts popping up around the house. 

"The Conjuring": The world of "The Conjuring" may have expanded massively over the years – between evil nuns and thin men and werewolves and somehow even more evil nuns – but things started simple and scary as hell back with James Wan's original film, which still manages to perfect those simple bumps in the night and classic jump scares into great immaculately crafted terror. 

"The Gift": A couple's move to a new home gets an unwelcome housewarming gift: a visit from an old former school friend of the husband who seems to have some old gripes to bring into their new house. A creepy thriller of manners – with an A-grade casting pick in Jason Bateman as the husband.

"His House": Quietly one of the best movies of the past year, "His House" is both an incredibly powerful and twisty story about immigrant refugees trying to start a new life in England after the terrors of their journey as well as just a really, really impressively crafted and super scary horror movie about something that's living in their new apartment's walls. Get director Remi Weekes a new movie now please!

"It Follows": Another modern horror gem, this terrifying thriller follows a teenager and her friends as they're haunted by a slowly walking, shape-shifting horror that isn't zombies. Moody and menacing, "It Follows" will get under your skin. 

"Missing": An amateur detective thriller following a teen girl trying to discover what happened to her vanished mother, all entirely set on her computers and cellular devices, "Missing" is a techno thrill as both a unique cinematic conceptual experience and a digital whodunnit.

"Ouija: Origin of Evil": There's no reason why the sequel to a very bad horror movie based on the silly party game should've been tolerable, much less good. But that's the power of director Mike Flanagan, the guy behind the "Midnight Mass" and "The Haunting of Hill House," who gives this premise a thoughtful story, some interesting characters and – of course – a bunch of nightmare-inducingly scares. 

"The Platform": If you've been enjoying the cruel economic games of the Korean import "Squid Game," you'll want to dig into this bluntly brutal dark Spanish allegorical thriller about a man trapped in a strange vertical prison where a platform of food makes its way down level to level – with the lowest level stuck with the scraps. 

"Under the Shadow": If you're a fan of the latest wave of eerie indie horror films, you owe it to yourself to check out this grounded but ghoulish Iranian horror hidden gem about a mother, already having a stressful night taking care of her daughter alone during war, starting to believe there's an angry spirit in their apartment as well. 

"Zombieland": Hey, just because it's a zombie apocalypse doesn't mean you can't have a little fun! Do some cardio, pack the Twinkies and hop aboard this star-studded (Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg, Abigail Breslin) road trip through the end of days as a dweeby survivor tries to bond with his new post-apocalypse compatriots. And not get eaten too.

Romance

"How to Be Single": Dakota Johnson may not have had a great time making "Madame Web" – but she seemed to have much more fun with this recent rom-com, filled with glowing New York City cinematography, entertaining performances and a smarter-than-standard take on the genre, less about falling in love with someone and more about falling in love with yourself.

"La La Land": It may have lost out on Best Picture in the most devastating and shocking way possible – but Damien Chazelle's swoony and bittersweet musical ode to cinema is still a winner thanks to the charming chemistry of its two leads, some catchy tunes, some jaw-dropping cinematography and a winning tale of love under the brutally bright lights of showbiz.

"To All the Boys I've Loved Before": The rom-com isn't dead yet thanks to Netflix – and thanks to this charming teenage romance about a high schooler whose secret letters to her crushes get sent to them. The sequel, while not as fun, is worthwhile too. Hopefully the final chapter, "To All the Boys: Always and Forever, Lara Jean," keeps things cute.

Sci-fi

"Okja": Need another Bong hit after "Parasite" knocked your socks off? Luckily, Netflix has your back with his 2017 adventure "Okja," another undefinable feature about a young girl trying to protect an adorable giant pig from a factory wanting to turn it into meat.

"Star Trek Beyond": "Wrath of Khan" and the rest of this beloved interstellar series may be missing from this streaming service, but Netflix did at least snag this recent chapter from the sci-fi franchise – a frankly underrated entry, telling a bright, smart and colorful saga that makes great use of its incredible cast as well as of its tremendous action director Justin Lin.

"Starship Troopers": Paul Verhoeven's action-packed war satire about a bunch of young future fascists (including Neil Patrick Harris) battling space bugs. Would you like to know more?

"Terminator 2: Judgment Day": One of the all-time great blockbuster sequels and one of the all-time great action movies, period, James Cameron's bombastic sci-fi sequel turns its bad guy good as he protects John Connor from a liquid future assassin trying to stop the humans' future rebellion. Filled with massive action, still-incredible effects and perfect performances – special cheers to Linda Hamilton – "Terminator 2" still merits its iconic status.

"Upgrade": This viciously entertaining sci-fi thriller – about a man who gets an AI chip upgrade that teaches him how to walk again ... and how to seek revenge on the criminals who killed his wife and put him in a wheelchair – was underseen when it first came out in 2018, but here's your chance to plug into this lean mean little sci-fi action-horror gem courtesy of writer-director Leigh Whannell (who would go on to the make the equally excellent "Invisible Man" update in 2020). 

"The Wandering Earth": As far as concepts go, this Chinese blockbuster (truly, it made more money overseas than "Toy Story 4" and "The Rise of Skywalker" in 2019) has one of the more delightfully strange ones: The sun is dying so the globe plugs rocket boosters across the planet and slowly shifts the Earth to a new solar system. With a plan that normal, who could expect that things might go wrong!?

Sports movies

"Hustle": Adam Sandler keeps his late career renaissance going with this inspirational sports drama about a sports scout trying to make it to the Sixers coaching staff – and a stellar but raw Spanish center (real-life hooper Juancho Hernangomez) might get him there. Filled with an all-star game level of NBA cameos – including the Bucks' own Khris Middleton – and solid sports montages, "Hustle" is worth hustling to see. As long as you have a decent stomach for Philadelphia sports success. 

"Slap Shot": The pro hockey season may be wrapping up soon, and the weather may be warming up – but that's no reason to leave the rink! Drop the puck on this classic ribald sports comedy starring Paul Newman as a washed-out hockey player on a team of goofy goons. And if you don't watch it, well, then you go to the box and you feel shame.