The holidays are almost here which makes now the ideal time for watching as many movies as possible on the best streaming services. But when it comes to Netflix it can be hard to know where to begin your search for what to watch.
The Netflix top 10 list of the most-watched movies on the platform is a great starting point, but trust me, just because a flick manages a high ranking doesn’t guarantee it's worth streaming. Case in point, “Subservience” is ranked at No. 4, and this AI-themed cautionary tale is a stinker (it’s just 48% on Rotten Tomatoes).
So, to help you pick out the watchlist-worthy entries in the current Netflix top 10 movies list, I’m rounding up my favorites below. And be sure to note, this article is based on the Netflix top 10 movies list as of 11 a.m. ET on Thursday, Dec. 19.
Best movies in the Netflix top 10
'Carry-on' (2024)
The moment I saw the first trailer for “Carry-On,” I knew it had Netflix No. 1 in the bag, so I’m far from surprised to see the festive-themed action-thriller continuing to dominate the platform’s most-watched list even a week after its release. This is the perfect watch right now as it combines a seasonal setting with an adrenaline-fueled narrative and a memorable villain. Yes, it takes clear cues from “Die Hard," but that’s a pretty fantastic source of inspiration.
Targon Egerton plays Ethan, a young TSA agent, experiencing the holiday shift from hell. Working at LAX on Christmas Eve is bad enough but when a mysterious traveler (played by a wonderfully wicked Jason Bateman) blackmails him into allowing a dangerous package through security, Ethan must race against the clock to prevent a dangerous plot from unfolding. Oh, and along the way he just might rediscover his holiday spirit as well.
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‘Barbie’ (2023)
Few movies need as little introduction as “Barbie." This plastic-wrapped comedy dominated the summer of 2023 and had audiences everywhere wearing their very best pink outfits to the cinema. Paired with “Oppenheimer” to form the “Barbeheimer” craze, Greta Gerwig’s Oscar-winning movie was more than a high-grossing blockbuster, it became a cultural phenomenon. And now that it’s arrived on Netflix, you can relive the fun all over again.
It’s easy to be cynical about a flick like “Barbie” but what’s most impressive is that Gerwig (and screenwriting partner Noah Baumbach) crafted a comedy that is more than just a stealth marketing exercise for the kid’s plaything. Margot Robbie is fantastic as the plastic doll at the center of the film on a mission of self-discovery following an existential crisis (yes, that’s the actual plot). But Ryan Gosling completely steals the show as her guy pal, Ken.
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‘We’re the Millers’ (2013)
![We're the Millers - Official Trailer [HD] - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/0Vsy5KzsieQ/maxresdefault.jpg)
“We’re the Millers” was released at a time when the big studio comedy was in something of a rut, but this screwball movie managed to inject some much-needed freshness. It didn’t do this by being especially narratively inventive, or remarkably unique from a filmmaking perspective, instead, it focused on the fundamentals: Likeable characters saying funny things at a constant clip. And it’s in these core areas that “We’re the Millers” greatly succeeded.
The movie focuses on a small-town drug dealer named David (Jason Sudeikis) who finds himself owing a lot of money to some very bad people. To clear his debts, he must smuggle a large quantity of illegal drugs into the United States via the Mexican border. To cross inconspicuously hires a fake family (Jennifer Aniston, Will Poulter and Emma Roberts), and heads south for a trip that goes wrong at pretty much every turn. Also featuring Ed Elms, Nick Offerman and Kathryn Hahn, “We’re the Millers” is packed with memorable lines and gags.
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Netflix top 10 movies right now
- "Carry-On" (2024)
- "It Ends with Us" (2024)
- "The Dead Don't Die" (2019)
- "Subservience" (2024)
- "That Christmas" (2024)
- "Barbie" (2023)
- "Our Little Secret"
- "The Star" (2017)
- "Disaster Holiday" (2024)
- "We're the Millers" (2013)
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