Looking for your next Netflix watch, and don’t want to waste your precious time with a film that’ll leave you disappointed? Good news, because I’m rounding up five Netflix movies that have pulled very high scores on the review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes.
Of course, scoring at least 99% on RT doesn’t guarantee that a movie will appeal to your specific personal tastes. However, it does indicate that the Netflix movies on this list were all warmly embraced by critics and are broadly considered to be high-quality flicks worth watching.
So, here are five Netflix movies that scored 99% or higher (yes, there are a couple of picks below that managed a very rare 100% rating) on Rotten Tomatoes for your watchlist.
‘Under the Shadow’ (2016)
Horror movies are hard to get right. I adore the genre, but even I must admit there are more bad horror movies released each year than truly fantastic ones, so when a true psychological nightmare like “Under the Shadow” comes along, it’s worth shouting about. This Persian chiller certainly delivers on the scares, but like many of the recent genre greats, its spooky setup is a vehicle for some deeply thoughtful social commentary and an insightful exploration of human nature.
Shideh (Narges Rashidi) lives in war-torn Tehran during the 1980s with her daughter, Dorsa (Avin Manshadi). As the conflict around her intensifies, she refuses to uproot, even when a missile strikes the apartment building where the pair lives. In the wake of this destructive event, Shiden believes that supernatural forces are trying to possess Dorsa. “Under the Shadows” is anxiety-inducing throughout, constantly ratcheting up the tension.
Watch "Under the Shadow" on Netflix now
‘Will & Harper’ (2024)
Let’s switch gears from a movie that will have you unnerved to one that will make you laugh, maybe shed a few tears and leave your heart nourished. “Will & Harper” is a delightful, charming documentary that explores the importance of friendship and how our personal relationships can evolve (often for the better) over time. It’s a reminder that we should never stop growing, even later in life, and that accepting our loved ones as they are is essential.
The road trip feature follows SNL graduate Will Ferrell and former writer Harper Steele. The pair have been buddies since 1995, but their relationship enters a new chapter when Harper transitions to live as a woman. To process this change in their dynamic, they embark on a cross-country trip to explore the U.S., and along the way, they discover that their bond remains just as strong as ever.
Watch "Will & Harper" on Netflix now
‘The Forty-Year-Old Version’ (2020)
I’ll admit that before compiling this list, I was unfamiliar with “The Forty-Year-Old Version,” so there’s a good chance you might not have heard of it. It’s not just pulled a 99% score on Rotten Tomatoes either. It was also named one of the ten best movies of 2020 by the National Board of Review, which is a strong endorsement. This comedy-drama is certainly going on my Netflix watchlist, especially after watching the trailer.
The directorial debut of Radha Blank, who also wrote the movie and stars in it, “The Forty-Year-Old Version’ sees a struggling New York-based playwright attempt an unorthodox career change. Desperate for a breakthrough, Radha (Blank) reinvents herself as a rapper, with the stage name RadhaMUSPrime. Hoping between the worlds of music and theater, she attempts to find her true voice and an outlet to share it.
Watch "The Forty-Year-Old Version" on Netflix now
‘His House’ (2020)
If “Under the Shadow” wasn’t enough horror for you, then “His House” makes for a fantastic double-feature. This horror-thriller from writer/director Remi Weekes is the type of movie that gets under the skin to the point where you might not even feel safe in your own home. Much like “Under the Shadow,” its horror traps hide a deeper subtext. In this case, “His House” looks at the refugee experience through the lens of a couple being haunted by an evil force.
Rial (Wunmi Mosaku) and Bol (Sope Dirisu) are refugees who flee South Sudan for a decrepit house on the outskirts of London. Struggling to adapt to their new life in the United Kingdom, their ability to feel at home in their new surrounding is impacted further by something sinister lurking in the shadowy corners. “His House” is one of the most genuinely frightening horrors of the last five years, and it will have you sleeping with the lights on for days after watching.
Watch "His House" on Netflix now
‘Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl’ (2025)
I’ve loved “Wallace & Gromit” since I was a young child and watched our VHS copy of “A Grand Day Out" so often that the plastic casing became warped and it stopped working. So, I have a great personal bias when it comes to the British animated icons. But even putting my nostalgic memories aside, the duo’s latest adventure, “Vengeance Most Fowl,” is a phenomenal family film with a best-in-class claymation aesthetic and loads of lovable characters, some familiar, some brand new.
A follow-up to 1993’s “The Wrong Trousers” (my family also had the VHS of that adventure!), it sees the sinister Feathers McGraw return to wreak havoc on the eponymous duo. The crafty penguins' master plan is to turn Wallace’s latest invention, a smart gnome for household gardening, against him and use it to steal a rare diamond. “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl” is charming fun for the whole family, and I love it.
Watch "Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl" on Netflix now
More from Tom's Guide
- Netflix drops first trailer for Cillian Murphy’s new movie
- New Netflix shows I can’t wait to binge-watch in fall 2025
- 5 top new movies to stream this week
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