Stuck for something to watch? Here are some of the best Netflix movies as of August 2018.
Sometimes
Netflix gets a hard time as people often complain that it's easy to spend more time trying to find the best Netflix movies rather than actually watching something. You may be doing that right now.
But this isn't Netflix's fault. There's just too much choice.
So we've compiled this list of the top movies on Netflix that you should really see before you watch anything else.
Without further ado, here are some of the best Netflix movies available right now. You owe it to yourself to check them out.
Netflix synopsis: When an African-American boy disappears in 1964 Mississippi, two agents move in on a beautician who knows the truth about the Ku Klux Klan's actions.
JOE verdict: With racial tension in the United States escalating in recent times, Mississippi Burning has proved a particularly timely addition to Netflix, 30 years after its original release and over a half a century since the year in which it was set.
Featuring a tour-de-force from Gene Hackman that merited a Best Actor Oscar nomination, Mississippi Burning is a powerful offering, filled with tension and suspense, that is well worth your time.
Netflix synopsis: Career politician Janet invites a few friends over to toast her major promotion. But her husband, Bill, has some explosive news of his own.
JOE verdict: One that passed under the radar somewhat following its release in 2017, The Party has an excellent cast, including our own Cillian Murphy, and enough drunken and drug-fuelled shenanigans to keep viewers entertained for 71 minutes.
Netflix synopsis: Martin Scorcese's high-rolling Wall Street drama is based on the memoirs of stockbroker Jordan Belfort, whose giddy career ended in federal prison.
JOE verdict: One of Leonardo DiCaprio's best performances and the contributions from a stellar back-up cast, including Margot Robbie, Jonah Hill and Matthew McConaughey, aren't half-bad either.
The drug-fuelled business antics of DiCaprio and his cohorts are pretty hilarious, and the fact that it's based on a true-story makes it even better.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iszwuX1AK6A
Clip via Paramount Pictures
Netflix synopsis: Zack and Miri make and star in an adult film to bring in easy money. But their unspoken feelings for each other might threaten the whole enterprise.
JOE verdict: Stars Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks and director Kevin Banks have all been involved in movies more popular and critically acclaimed than this outing, but it's quirky, it's charming and will raise a chuckle or two.
Netflix synopsis: When a 4-year-old girl vanishes from a rough Boston neighbourhood and cops offer little help, her family hires two private detectives to find answers.
JOE verdict: Directed by Ben Affleck and starring his brother Casey alongside Morgan Freeman and Michelle Monaghan amongst others, it's hard not to be moved by an unpredictable and often dark adapatation of a Dennis Lehane novel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itPTyd3DkEw
Clip via MoviemanTrailers
Netflix synopsis: Career aspirations run up against bittersweet romance in modern-day Los Angeles, as two artists face a heartbreaking dilemma.
JOE verdict: Whether or not it merited the 47 (ish) Oscars it won is debatable, but the performances are top notch, the songs are great and it will more than likely put a smile on your face.
Netflix synopsis: A recently engaged guy who lacks a best man for his pending nuptials hunts for a candidate with wedding-party potential.
JOE verdict: Do we even need to extol the virtues of arguably the best movie of an admittedly small 'bromance' genre? Is the presence of comedic legends like Paul Rudd and Jason Segel not enough?
"Slappin' da bass mon."
Netflix synopsis: When debris destroys their shuttle, a medical engineer and a seasoned astronaut find themselves floating through space, with no connection to Earth.
JOE verdict: A visually stunning picture, it manages to compel viewers despite the fact that for most of its 91 minutes running time, it consists of conversations between George Clooney and Sandra Bullock in a fairly bleak predicament.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiTiKOy59o4
Clip via Warner Bros. Pictures
Netflix synopsis: A Jewish cinema owner in occupied Paris is forced to host a Nazi premiere, where a group of American soldiers called the Basterds plans a face-off.
JOE verdict: Despite the subject matter, Inglourious Basterds is up there with the most entertaining movie offerings since the turn of the millennium. Christoph Waltz stands out, but it's hard to find fault with the performances of any member of a star-studded ensemble cast featuring heavyweights such as Brad Pitt, Mike Myers, Michael Fassbender and more.
Netflix synopsis: When professors discover that an aimless janitor is also a math genius, a therapist helps the young man confront the demons that are holding him back.
JOE verdict: Literally one of the best movies of all time. Robin Williams gives a masterful performance, and Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are incredible. You should have seen this already, but it's not too late.
