Five highly-rated movies on Netflix you should watch
The first week of September is always strange. Summer feels like it’s gone, autumn doesn’t quite arrive, and the urge to escape into movies is stronger than ever. Netflix clearly knows that feeling well, because it’s bringing you some gems in September.
But then again, it will require effort, and you don’t want to waste time scrolling endlessly on the platform. And even if you do, you wouldn’t want the movie you finally land on to be some mediocre watch.
Don’t worry, we have got half the work done for you. If you are someone who believes in the reviews of fellow cinephiles, we have got you five highly rated films on Netflix that you should enjoy this fall. Also, the list is not just one genre of films.
You’ve got everything here, from a heartbreaking look at South Central Los Angeles to a sharp sci-fi loop that keeps you hooked. There is even a haunting romance situation and two of the best coming-of-age tales ever to be screened. This is the sort of mix that keeps Netflix feeling essential.
So grab a blanket and a bowl of popcorn, as it’s time to sink into the couch and get into the five highly rated Netflix films you should be watching this month.
Five highly-rated movies to watch on Netflix:
Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret (Kelly Fremon Craig, 2023)
At times, some literature or a script is a piece of art, but it sometimes takes them longer than expected to reach the right audience. Luckily, Judy Blume’s classic novel finally got the adaptation it deserved, and it got converted into a film we know as Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. Just like the book, the film is every bit as funny, awkward, and honest as growing up really feels. Abby Ryder Fortson plays Margaret with such wide-eyed charm that you cannot help but root for her. And then you have the beloved and talented Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates providing their warmth and undeniable grounding presence.
The film is set in the 1970s, and the story follows Margaret as she moves from New York to New Jersey and grapples with all the small catastrophes of adolescence. Imagine meeting new friends with family expectations and the terrifying wait for puberty to arrive, happening altogether. This film is proof that a coming-of-age movie can still feel fresh decades after the book first landed.
Boyz n the Hood (John Singleton, 1991)
Boyz n the Hood is John Singleton’s landmark directorial debut and still remains one of the most important films of the 1990s. At just 23, Singleton became the youngest person ever nominated for Best Director at the Oscars because of this film, and he earned it with this one that is as personal as it is political.
It follows a teenager named Tre who goes to live with his father in South Central Los Angeles. His dad tries to teach him discipline, responsibility, and how to stay out of trouble. But Tre’s best friends, Doughboy and Ricky, face a tougher road. One gets caught up in gang life, while the other dreams of escaping through football. With a cast that includes Cuba Gooding Jr, Ice Cube, Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, and Regina King, Boyz n the Hood is both a riveting drama and a piercing social commentary.
Edge of Tomorrow (Doug Liman, 2014)
Yes, the title sounds like a bad paperback, but Edge of Tomorrow is one of the smartest and most entertaining sci-fi blockbusters of the past decade on Netflix. With a cast full of gems like Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, it is directed by Doug Liman, who is known for his classics Mr. & Mrs. Smith and Jumper.
This film tells a story that takes the time-loop concept and twists it into something thrilling. This time, Cruise plays a reluctant soldier forced to relive the same alien invasion battle over and over again until he finds a way to win. Watching him die repeatedly only to come back tougher, funnier, and more determined is bizarrely satisfying. Paired with Blunt’s fierce action-hero energy, this one becomes a rare mix of brains and adrenaline.
Phantom Thread (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2017)
Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day-Lewis together are already a cinematic event. And then they work together to make Phantom Thread and take that promise and spin it into an unsettling love story set in the world of 1950s fashion. Day-Lewis plays Reynolds Woodcock, a perfectionist dressmaker whose life is tailored to precision until Alma (Vicky Krieps) enters the picture.
But if you are watching this movie expecting a conventional romance, don’t do that. Instead, focus on the tale of Anderson’s obsessiveness, control, and ultimately surrendering to his craft. We promise they will linger long after the credits. Sadly, this was thought to be Day-Lewis’s final film, but he made sure he picked a masterpiece for it.
Stand by Me (Rob Reiner, 1986)
This one is for the horror lovers. And if your mind went to Stephen King adaptations, you are in the right place. While his adaptations are usually drenched in horror, this one is something else. Stand by Me is a heartfelt ode to friendship and the bittersweet edge of growing up. Directed by Rob Reiner, the film follows four boys who set out to find a dead body and end up discovering far more about themselves.
The cast is you and includes Wil Wheaton, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O’Connell, who have given performances that feel timeless. Their work and the apt direction make the film one of the most enduring coming-of-age stories ever told. If you need reminding of how friendships shape us and how quickly youth slips away, this is the perfect watch.