I’ve said it many times in recent months, but 2025 has been a pretty bad year for new Netflix movies. The streaming service typically drops plenty of slop on subscribers, but there are always at least a few gems in the mix. However, this year, finding the good among the bad has been particularly challenging. The skippable flicks have significantly outweighed the good ones.
Fortunately, while the balance has been more uneven than ever, there are still at least a few Netflix originals released over the past 10 months that I consider worthy of any subscriber’s watchlist. These picks range from a nerve-racking political thriller to the return of a beloved British animated duo. And you won’t be shocked to hear this ranking includes a K-pop band.
I doubt 2025 is going to be fondly remembered in terms of Netflix movies (unless the final two months of the year offer up some exceptional new originals), but as of writing, these are the five best Netflix movies that you watch right now, and I’ve even ranked them for your convenience.
Best Netflix movies of 2025 (so far)
5. ‘Havoc’
I suspect if you seek out a best Netflix movies of the year list from another source, “Havoc” probably won’t make the grade. This action-thriller was not popular with viewers. It holds a miserable 35% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes (critics were kinder at 64%). However, I’ve been banging the drum in support of this one all year long, and I’m not about to stop now. Yes, it’s far from perfect, but director Gareth Evans is such a master at crafting over-the-top choreography that I was able to switch my brain off and enjoy the chaos.
Set in an unnamed U.S. city (with huge Batman Gotham vibes), “Havoc” stars Tom Hardy as a bruised detective who is seeking redemption after making plenty of mistakes in his past. Tasked by a corrupt politician (Forest Whitaker) to locate his missing son, Walker (Hardy) delves into a seedy criminal underworld and discovers an even larger conspiracy. Don’t expect a narrative masterpiece here, but if you like high-caliber action, “Havoc” has plenty.
Watch "Havoc" on Netflix now
4. ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’
I’m certainly not the biggest “Kpop Demon Hunters” fan on this planet, but even I can’t deny its sugar rush charms. It’s a vibrant animated flick with a cast of likeable characters, and plenty of tunes that will get stuck in your head for days after watching (maybe even months, if the Spotify charts are any indication). It also became the most-watched Netflix original movie of all time in just two months, so frankly, any discussion of the streaming service’s movie output in 2025 has to include it. It’s a certified chart-topping hit.
There’s nothing subtle about “Kpop Demon Hunters,” it’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like: A colorful adventure that sees a Kpop group sell out arenas by day, and battle hordes of demons at night. The concept is ripe for a fantastical adventure, and that potential isn’t wasted here. But really, it’s the soundtrack that elevates the whole movie beyond throwaway fun. “Golden” is one of the biggest pop songs of the year, and could even win Oscar gold.
Watch "Kpop Demon Hunters" on Netflix now
3. ‘Steve’
Director Tim Mielants and actor Cillian Murphy reunite for “Steve,” a very intimate drama. While it doesn’t reach the heights of the pair's previous collaboration, the heart-wrenchingly powerful “Small Things Like These,” this Netflix original has unfairly flown under the radar. Based on the novel “Shy” by Max Porter (who adapts his own work here), it’s one of the most chaotic movies of the year as snappy dialogue flies fast and free, but underneath the rowdy atmosphere of its school setting, there’s some real emotional turmoil.
Steve (Murphy) is the head teacher at a countryside reform school for young boys with serious behavioral challenges. Set over a single day, Steve faces all sorts of hurdles, including a visiting TV news crew, adolescent squabbles between pupils, and his own personal demons that threaten to spill over. The movie may be named for Steve, and Murphy is predictably fantastic, but the beating heart is a troubled student named Shy (Jay Lycurgo), and it’s his struggles that leave the biggest impression, particularly in the third act.
Watch "Steve" on Netflix now
2. ‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’
I’ve loved “Wallace & Gromit” as long as I can remember. One of my earliest childhood memories is watching my family’s VHS copy of “A Grand Day Out” so many times that the plastic casing started to warp. So, it’s no surprise to see the quintessentially British duo’s latest adventure claim a high spot on my ranking. This long-awaited second “Wallace & Gromit” feature is another pure dose of cozy charm, and the return of the sinister Feathers McGraw (last seen in 1993’s “The Wrong Trousers”) was certainly no cruel disappointment.
Meticulously crafted in the series' trademark claymation style, “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” sees the intrepid inventor, Wallace, create a robotic gnome to assist Gromit in caring for his garden, but when the high-tech creation goes haywire, it soon becomes clear that a more elaborate scheme is afoot, and an old adversary is behind it. If my recommendation isn’t enough to sway you, “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” holds a rare 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, which is a testament to its quality.
Watch "Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl" on Netflix now
1. ‘A House of Dynamite'
“A House of Dynamite” may not be the comfort blanket that many viewers are seeking in our increasingly turbulent world, but this political thriller from Kathryn Bigelow is one of the most intense and gripping movies I’ve watched all year (and I’ve seen a lot of movies in 2025). Presented in three distinct chapters, it explores the inner workings of various U.S. government departments and how the corridors of power would react to an unthinkable situation. It’s certainly bleak and doesn’t offer any solutions, but it’s riveting.
Opening on a day that seems like any other, the situation takes a rapid downturn when an unidentified nuclear missile is launched at the United States. As the government scrambles to figure out who launched the missile and how to respond, it’s a race against time to make potentially world-altering decisions before impact. Starring Rebecca Ferguson, Idris Elba, and loads more noteworthy actors, “A House of Dynamite” is an anxiety-inducing experience that explores how the U.S. might react to a plausible nightmare.
Watch "A House of Dynamite" on Netflix now
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