Let’s face it: it’s hard to make a hit movie. It’s difficult enough to make a “popular” movie, one that makes the streaming charts or wins big at the box office. But it might be even harder to create a critical juggernaut. And I’m not talking about a movie that scores 65% on Rotten Tomatoes—I’m talking about those precious few that manage to approach 100%; the ones that undeniably claim a spot amongst critics as an important, nearly flawless film. There aren’t many of those movies, and even fewer can be found on Netflix—but trust me, they’re there. In fact, I’ve got ten of them that should immediately be placed on your watchlist. Amongst these ten, you’ll find Academy Award winners, both bona fide and soon-to-be animated classics, and just about every genre you can think of, from retro mysteries to psychological thrillers to horror social commentaries.

Don’t worry: none of the movies on this list will feature repeats from either this article or that article. These are ten fresh picks that have earned near-universal appraisal from the trusted critics of Rotten Tomatoes. Every one of these movies scored at least 93% on the site, with several approaching 100% territory (with one even achieving triple digits). So without further ado, let’s dive in.

193 reviews — 97% approval rating

Of all the award winners released in 2024, I’m Still Here may have flown under the radar the most. Luckily, Netflix’s access to millions upon millions of subscribers is here to ensure that problem is fixed. Winner of both an Oscar for Best International Feature Film and a Golden Globe for Best Actress (won by Fernanda Torres), this drama based on the memoirs of Marcelo Rubens Paiva directed by Walter Salles serves as a testament to a family’s quiet resilience amidst political repression. The story follows Eunice Paiva (played by Torres) and her family in 1971 Rio as her husband, former congressman Rubens, is abruptly taken prisoner by the military dictatorship—and never returns. A slow, methodical film that doesn’t move at a pace to which we’re accustomed when it comes to Hollywood blockbusters, its narrative unfolds through the family’s domestic rhythms—everything from its family meals and daily routines to its celebratory beach days—until the abrupt disruption of political violence rattles their lives. Torres delivers a deservedly praised performance throughout, holding together her children and household even while grappling with fear and uncertainty after losing the love of her life.

254 reviews — 96% approval rating

Another big award winner from the 2024 movie circuit looks, The Wild Robot feels decidedly different from a political drama like I’m Still Here. Loud, vibrant, sweeping visuals help what many consider to be last year’s best animated film become something more than your run-of-the-mill cartoon, leaving the winner of several Annie Awards (which many consider to be the animation industry’s Academy Awards) to feel more like a classic like WALL-E than the average schlock spit out by movie studios. This incredibly well-reviewed film tells the story of Roz (voiced by Oscar winner Lupita Nyong’o), a highly intelligent robot that washes ashore a remote island. Seeking to adapt to the world around her, Roz silently roams the human-less island amongst the forest animals before becoming an unlikely guardian to a newly hatched gosling named Brightbill (Kit Connor). Directed by Chris Sanders (who gave us How to Train Your Dragon), this Oscar-nominated film astounds with its gentle storytelling, unfolding at a pace that allows its themes of parenthood, of adaptation, of empathy and environmental harmony to resonate with its family-targeted audience. To boot, a killer cast that involves the likes of Pedro Pascal, Mark Hamill, Ving Rhames, Stephanie Hsu and Bill Nighy keeps you entertained throughout.

133 reviews — 98% approval rating

What more can you say about Rear Window that hasn’t already been stated? As evidenced by the figures above (an astounding 98% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes), this Alfred Hitchcock classic has won over critics ever since its 1954 release. But I can’t help but wonder if you’re average Millennial or Gen Z-er (aka a healthy portion of Netflix’s subscriber base) has ever partaken in this mystery thriller for the ages. And if you haven’t? Now is the time to fix that. You won’t find any car chases, explosions or shooting guns in this gripping masterpiece, which instead never leaves the confines of a single apartment courtyard, and rarely ventures outside the room of one particular man: L.B. “Jeff” Jeffries (played by James Stewart). A photojournalist stuck in a wheelchair after breaking his leg, Jeff spends his days spying on neighbors via his binoculars. But one day, he potentially witnesses something he never suspected—a murder. With the help of his glamorous girlfriend Lisa (Grace Kelly) and sharp-tongued nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter), Jeff pieces together the mystery of this man from his apartment wheelchair, all while fighting to achieve justice and protect himself. The film never leaves the apartment, yet the tension never sways—an exquisite piece of genre storytelling that only Hitchcock could achieve.

118 reviews — 94% approval rating

One of the best movies of 2025 isn’t a prestige drama or a big-budget blockbuster. No, it’s a film that garnered a cult audience once it was released to streaming platforms less than a month after its theatrical debut—it’s also a film that has quietly won over critics to become one of the best-reviewed movies this year. Of course I’m talking about One of Them Days, the Keke Palmer and SZA-starring day-from-hell comedy that never sacrifices heart or social commentary throughout its chaotic odyssey. The film centers on two best friends, Alyssa (SZA) and Dreux (Palmer), who must scheme to come up with rent money after Alyssa’s boyfriend uses it to fund his T-shirt company. With eviction looming by their landlord’s 6 p.m. deadline, these two embark upon a manic ride to come up with cash, with simple errands turning into shady pawn shop dealings, impromptu blood donations and sneaker hustles (with surprise celebrity encounters sprinkling their affairs). The entire journey is capture with such flair by director Lawrence Lamont, backed by the vibrant and infectious chemistry on display between the two leads, turning what could have easily been a forgettable caper into a genuinely funny and surprisingly grounded affair that confronts the financial anxiety that plagues so many young adults today.

272 reviews — 97% approval rating

When you take a look at Nicolas Cage’s filmography over the past five years—one that involved a cartoonish Lugosi-esque impersonation of Dracula in Renfield, a meta performance that tongue-in-cheekily examines his own wild career in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, and…well, whatever he was doing in Longlegs—you might scoff at the plot of Pig. But don’t be fooled: this isn’t the revenge-fueled Cage movie you’d expect it to be. The story starts with a former renowned chef named Rob living a lonely, quiet life in the Oregon wilderness who has one trusted companion: his beloved truffle pig. And before long, his pig is stolen, leaving him heartbroken. But what follows isn’t a spoof of John Wick’s plan to avenge his dog, and instead an intimate survey of the universal human struggle with loss, with memory, with the desperate need for connection. As Rob ventures back into the city to find his pig, he reconnects with the ghosts of his past and the pain that made him retreat in the first place. In this quiet, haunting film from first-time director Michael Sarnoski, Cage delivers one of the most subdued and affecting performances of his career, turning what could have been a quirky genre film into something far more soulful.

407 reviews — 96% approval rating

What can you say about Roma that hasn’t already been said? This Best Picture-nominated affair from Alfonso Cuarón—who deservedly won a long-overdue Oscar for Best Director in this tale about his own childhood and the woman who helped raise him—has become one of the best-reviewed films of the 21st century, with a 96% approval rating from over 400 reviews. But still, there may be many people who haven’t dived into Roma, perhaps because of the subtitles. If that’s the case for you, then maybe it’s time to watch this elegant, visually mesmerizing experience set in 1970s Mexico City. The story follows a live-in housekeeper working for a middle-class family named Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) during a period of personal and political upheaval. The family she cares for fractures, and life takes all sorts of unexpected turns, yet Cleo must remain the constant steady, silent force that holds everyone together—that is until her own personal crisis shatters everything. Shot in luminous black and white and composed with painterly precision, Roma becomes an important tale that examines the often-neglected characters of art, elevating an important story without ever begging for your attention. This film is a force to be reckoned with.

133 Reviews — 95% Approval Rating

On its surface, They Cloned Tyrone might seem nothing more than a genre mash-up: part sci-fi, part conspiracy thriller, part retro mystery, part stone comedy—quite the mix. But what separates this modern piece of piercing social commentary is just how confidently director Juel Taylor balances those tones while also building a world that’s both surreal and…well, frightening familiar. The story kicks off when a drug deal from a rundown neighborhood named Fontaine (John Boyega) is shot and killed, only to wake up the following day with no memory of his supposed fate. The puzzle starts to piece together after he teams up with a sharp-tongued pimp named Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx) and an ambitious sex worked named Yo-Yo (Teyonah Parris) and discovers a sinister government operating targeting the Black community that involves cloning and mind control. In this debut, Taylor fuses together Get Out and The Truman Show for his exploration of systemic exploitation, all the while employing pulp tropes and genre twists that keep the entertainment value high. The cast is unstoppable in this one, with Boyega stoic and grounded, Foxx chaotic and off the chain, and Parris warm and focused.

47 reviews — 100% approval rating

Grave of the Fireflies might have the least amount of reviews of any film on this list, but its 100% approval rating should be all the proof you need to understand this anime classic is one you cannot miss—that is pending you can handle absolutely heartbreaking stories. And just about no animated movie ever made carries the emotional weight of director Isao Takahata’s masterpiece. This early effort from Studio Ghibli (which also produced movies like Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro) follows two siblings—the teenaged Seita and his younger sister Setsuko—who lose their parents and left to fend for themselves after their city is firebombed during World War II, resulting in a slow descent into poverty and hunger. Takahata’s adept direction is both restrained and heartbreakingly sincere, painting the siblings’ experience not as melodrama but as a stark, unsparing look at the cost of war on civilians—particularly children. The use of animation, which is usually employed to explore the wonders of childhood, is instead used here instead to contrast and thus call attention to the ugliness of war, making Grave of the Fireflies one of the most profound anti-war films ever made.

208 reviews — 94% approval rating

Aubrey Plaza has had plenty of television success in the past, most notably for her role as the stone-faced, cynical intern who terrorized her office mates with astounding wit on the hit series Parks and Recreation. But she has also shown her versatile acting chops on the big screen, notably in films like Safety Not Guaranteed, Ingrid Goes West and My Old Ass. But perhaps no performance has earned more praise than Emily the Criminal, which garnered her a nomination for Best Lead Performance at the Independent Spirit Awards—an award many believe she should have won. Plaza broke out of her comedic mold with a performance that’s ferocious yet reserved yet raw, all while balancing her signature deadpan intensity. Her character, Emily, is saddled with drowning amounts of student loan debt and stuck in a string of dead-end jobs, so she decides to dive into the criminal underworld of Los Angeles to make ends meet. But as the jobs escalate in risk, so does Emily’s desperation—and her willingness to fight back. First-time director John Patton Ford never misses a beat and constantly keeps in step with Plaza throughout, crafting a film that feels urgent and angry at once, reflecting the very real economic frustrations that plague so many like Emily’s character.

551 reviews — 93% approval rating

How do you top a directorial debut like Get Out? A movie that earned Jordan Peele a 98% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes from over 400 reviews, thus making it one of the best-reviewed movies of the 21st century? Well, his second feature film, Us, doesn’t quite go to those heights—but it sure comes close. The Wilson family vacation turns into the most harrowing of ordeals when they are confronted by their own violent doubles—yes, evil doppelgängers, aka the “Tethered," a group of subterranean clones rebelling against their above-ground counterparts. While the Wilsons (Lupita Nyong’o stars as Adelaide, Winston Duke as Gabe, Shahadi Wright Joseph as Zora, and Evan Alex as Jason) represent the surface stability of middle-class comfort, their shady duplicates, donned with red jumpsuits and domestic weapons, embody rage, deprivation and a violent demand for recognition. This symmetry screams the horror of confrontation—both confrontation of the self and confrontation of who you could have been in a less fortunate scenario in an unjust system. The title suggests not just "us" but "U.S."—an America haunted by buried histories and collective shadows. The Tethered’s emergence mirrors the return of the repressed.