Trying to figure out what to stream this weekend? Whenever I'm at a loss over what to watch next, I make a beeline for the Netflix top 10 list. Granted, not every movie there is guaranteed to be a hit, but it's a useful tool for cutting through the noise quickly with so much to watch across the best streaming services.
That's why we've carefully evaluated what's trending and narrowed down the three best movies to watch in the streamer's list of most-watched movies. This list includes a highly anticipated new thriller starring Aaron Pierre, a classic action buddy comedy, and a feel-good, family-friendly flick about everyone's favorite speedy blue hedgehog.
If you're on the hunt for even more streaming recommendations, check out our guide on the best family movies to watch on Netflix or the best action movies on Netflix.
This article is based on the Netflix top 10 movies as of 1 p.m. ET on September 7.
Best movies in the Netflix top 10
'Rebel Ridge' (2024)
"Rebel Ridge" is shaping up to be one of the best original Netflix movies of the year so far, and it's already landed the #1 spot on the streamer's top 10 list. From director Jeremy Saulnier, the mind behind “Green Room” and “Hold the Dark," comes a high-octane action thriller that sees Aaron Pierre going full Rambo on a cabal of corrupt cops.
He plays a retired Marine who's doing his best to enjoy a peaceful civilian life but gets dragged down into bloodshed once again after he heads to the small town of Shelby Springs. After he tries to post bail for his cousin, local law enforcement illegally seizes his life savings. As he seeks justice for his family, he finds an unlikely ally in court clerk Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb) and the two crack open a deep-rooted conspiracy with Don Johnson's police chief Sandy Burnne at the center.
Watch it now on Netflix
'Sonic the Hedgehog' (2020)
It's a given that you'll spot a few children's movies among the Netflix top 10, but this week saw one of the best video game movie adaptations in recent years join the ranks. So while you're waiting for "Sonic the Hedgehog 3" to hit theaters this December, why not revisit the Blue Blur's first adventure on the big screen?
Ben Schwartz is in top form as Sonic, a speedy blue hedgehog who flees to Earth to escape those who want to use his supercharged power. While hiding out in the sleepy town of Green Hills, Montana, he accidentally lands himself in the government's crosshairs, and the feds send an eccentric and villainous scientist Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) to catch him. He winds up befriending the town's sheriff (James Marsden), and the two team up to retrieve Sonic's rings so he can find a new home.
Watch it now on Netflix
'The Rundown' (2003)
In the mood for a classic buddy action comedy? From "Friday Night Lights" and "Hancock" director Peter Berg, "The Rundown" stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as a tight-lipped bounty hunter who avoids using guns and accepts any job without asking questions.
Sent on one last job to retrieve his employer's son Travis (Seann William Scott) from a mining town in Brazil, he encounters resistance from the head honcho behind the operation (Christopher Walken) over a missing artifact. It turns out Travis is the only one who knows the artifact's location, so the two must team up with a group of rebels led by Rosario Dawson's Mariana to make it out of the jungle in one piece.
Watch it now on Netflix
NETFLIX TOP 10 MOVIES RIGHT NOW
- "Rebel Ridge" (2024)
- "The Deliverance" (2024)
- "Sonic the Hedgehog" (2020)
- "Shark Tale" (2004)
- "Aloha" (2015)
- "Migration" (2023)
- "The Rundown" (2003)
- "The Union" (2024)
- "Trolls: Band Together" (2023)
- "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" (2023)
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