(Credit: Netflix)

Netflix served a buffet of cinematic brilliance in the first week of streaming shuffles this July. With over 60 movies and shows added to the Netflix library, the immediate task at hand is to handpick the few that will make July full of entertainment. The Netflix playbook was already brimming with showbiz genius. But with the latest arrival arc, viewers are clearly spoilt for choice.

The streaming giant has not exactly hit the brakes. As the month progresses, more projects will be released on Netflix. So, how to skip the delirium of selection? With still three workweeks to go, the titles queued up on your watchlist are already scrambling for attention. And once you start scrolling on Netflix, the chances are that it will alone own half of your screen time.

For those who deem movie selection a task, Best of Netflix is at the rescue with the ten best movies to check out this July. From cultural touchstones to cult classics, this movie list dwells deep in Tinseltown waters.

Since Best of Netflix has you covered from the struggles of selection, all you need to do is get comfy on your couch. And in case you need a companion, keep your best friend on speed dial. Because, believe it or not, this July is all things cinematic.

10 best movies to stream on Netflix this July

His Three Daughters (Azazel Jacobs, 2023)

Complex family dynamic is a showbiz trope that’s hardly original in Hollywood. But with His Three Daughters, fans can witness Azazel Jacobs take the everyday to incredible depths. Crowned with a whopping 98% Rotten Tomatoes rating, His Three Daughters brings the thorns and warmth all at once.

The bittersweet film follows three estranged sisters portrayed by Carrie Coon, Elizabeth Olsen, and Natasha Lyonne who return to look after their ailing father. But when the credits roll, all you remember is their individuality and exceptionality.

Atlantics (Mati Diop, 2019)

If you dip your toes too long in Netflix’s aquarium, the likelihood of stumbling across buried gems grows by the minute. And one of the underrated titles wearing a Rotten Tomatoes crown is Mati Diop’s feature directorial debut, Atlantics. Diop made history as the first Black woman to direct a film to compete for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019.

Atlantics tells the story of a young woman, Ada, and her partner Souleiman, in the suburb of Dakar on the Atlantic coast. Described as a supernatural romantic drama, the film chronicles Ada and Souleiman’s struggle in the face of a slumping job market and class-based societal infrastructure, resulting in migration, crime, a refugee crisis, and ghosts you cannot ignore.

One of Them Days (Lawrence Lamont, 2025)

Everyone talks about the shrinkage of raunchy comedies in Hollywood. But only a select few dare to make them despite. However, this year, Lawrence Lamont clubbed together an unlikely on-screen duo with Keke Palmer and SZA in the buddy comedy film, One of Them Days. Although it was released in January, One of Them Days deserves a place on the July list as the laughter riot lives on.

Palmer and SZA steal the show with their comedic chemistry in the 94% Rotten Tomatoes-rated film. One of Them Days follows two friends who go to excruciating lengths to gather their rent money when one of their partners squanders it.

May December (Todd Haynes, 2023)

The Oscar-nominated May December was one of the top ten films chosen by the American Film Institute in 2023. This July, if you’re looking for layered storytelling with fascinating but campy humour, May December should be one of the films on your to-do list. It tells the story of an actress who travels all the way to meet and study Gracie, the woman she is about to play in a film.

Steeped in controversies, Gracie is infamous for having been in a 24-year-old relationship with her husband since he was 13 and she was 36. While May December is buoyant and light on your feet, it may spark discomfort and unease.

Barbarian (Zach Cregger, 2022)

The pumpkin season is far down the line. But if you’re on a hunt for teeth-sinking horror this July on Netflix, Barbarian is here to keep you up at night. Full of eerie twists and turns, Barbarian isn’t a horror movie that makes you scream out of breath. It’s worse; it makes you silent.

Barbarian follows a woman who arrives at a double-booked Airbnb in Detroit. Despite the visible warnings of a sinister plot, the woman does whatever a horror movie protagonist should: she stays. But as the movie unfolds, it breaks every archetype of terror sensation to bring triggers far more terrifying. And if that’s not convincing enough, Nosferatu’s Bill Skarsgård is there to hold you through it.

Parasite (Bong Joon Ho, 2019)

The Korean fever is palpable on Netflix. And this July, fans can make the most of it with the Oscar-winning black comedy thriller, Parasite. Parasite is the first non-English language winner of the ‘Best Picture’ Academy Award. The biting social commentary on class struggle, coupled with Bong Joon Ho’s satirical POV, has made Parasite a modern-day classic.

Netflix has already hit home runs with its non-English language titles. With Parasite out in the open, cruising against the shifting tides of Netflix projects, there’s no correct time to watch or rewatch it. It is and will be timeless. Parasite sits on the Rotten Tomatoes throne with 99%.

Dunkirk (Christopher Nolan, 2017)

Speaking of the Oscars, how can we skip a July watchlist without Christopher Nolan? Sitting on the Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic throne with a 92% rating and a 94/100 scorecard, Dunkirk is one of the Nolan movies that demands multiple watches. From trippy time jumps to entwined perspectives, the film depicts the Dunkirk evacuation of World War II.

Told from the POVS of the land, sea, and air, Dunkirk inculcates little dialogue. But the storytelling, cinematography, music, and craftsmanship pull you again and again. It’s full of blink-and-you-miss moments. So, those with short attention spans might find the watch a task. However, once you hit play, no pause button can help the suspense.

The Power of the Dog (Jane Campion, 2021)

The Power of the Dog hits the notes of melancholy and solitude. Based on Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel, the Western psychological drama follows two rich ranch-owner brothers, Phil and George Burbank, who are anything but the same. When George encounters a widow inn owner, Rose, and her teen son Peter, Phil makes it his life’s purpose to not allow them a moment of respite.

The Power of the Dog reeks of jealousy and resentment. But it equally makes one curious to unravel the reasons behind. The characters make the story worth a watch, and Jane Campion makes each of them a highlight by digging deeper into their lives. Despite leading the 94th Academy Awards with 12 nominations, it won only one for Campion.

Private Life (Tamara Jenkins, 2018)

A good comedy can take you places. And the Private Life on Netflix does just that. The film follows a middle-aged couple in New York City, Richard and Rachael, who will stop at nothing to have a child. While the premise might seem unoriginal, the comedic impetus is barely subtle.

With 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, Private Life makes a blockbuster out of a familiar and identifiable situation. It sensitively handles a difficult topic and gives humour the spotlight during hardships. Private Life might be imperfect, but it’s natural.

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (Christopher McQuarrie, 2015)

One of the concerns with franchises is that the audience often gets lost in translation when they skip a title. But to comprehend and make sense of Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, one doesn’t inherently need to rely on its predecessors. Of course, the context might help them. However, it excellently builds up on its own.

If you intend to end the July movie marathon on a heart-pounding note, what better man to summon than Tom Cruise? The first five Mission: Impossible films were added to Netflix US this month. So, those missing Ethan Hunt can conclude with some flybys with the 94% Rotten Tomatoes-rated action spy flick.