Last updated: November 3, 2026
Not sure what to watch tonight? These are good movies to watch right now, sorted by mood and all streaming on services you probably already pay for. Every pick is a film I have reviewed and graded B+ or higher, and every one gets checked against current streaming catalogs each month.
Jump to: Edge-of-your-seat thrillers · Laugh-out-loud comedies · Date night · Scary movies · Mind-bending sci-fi · Animated favorites · True stories and documentaries · Big action
Edge-of-your-seat thrillers
TUNER (2026)
Daniel Roher’s Tuner is the rare crowd-pleasing crime thriller that works just as well as a thoughtful character study. Propelled by Leo Woodall’s breakout performance and a deeply immersive sonic perspective, this sharply tuned gem finds surprising emotional depth between its suspenseful set pieces.▶ Watch on Paramount+ · Read the full review
SICARIO (2015)
Emboldened by Roger Deakins’s screamingly accomplished cinematography, Jóhann Jóhannsson’s hypnotic score, Benicio Del Toro’s unforgettable performance and Denis Villeneuve‘s prudent, cold-blooded direction, Sicario‘ commits cinematic terrorism against our desire for narrative order. It’s time to welcome Villeneuve to the Masters circle.▶ Watch on HBO Max · Read the full review
NO OTHER CHOICE (2025)
No Other Choice is an expertly constructed social satire from Park Chan-wook that harkens to its South Korean compatriot ‘Parasite’. Come for the bloody thrills, stay for the pertinent message about humanity and their employment crisis circa 2025.▶ Watch on Hulu · Read the full review
SALTBURN (2023)
Emerald Fennel’s venereal second feature is an explosive satire of inheritance and deception framed as a simmering psychosexual thriller. The entire cast is wonderful but Barry Keoghan proves himself as a truly one-of-a-kind talent.▶ Watch on HBO Max · Read the full review
NIGHTCRAWLER (2014)
Jake Gyllenhaal plays Lou Bloom, a sociopath who discovers he can make money filming LA’s crimes and car wrecks for the local news. Dan Gilroy’s razor-sharp thriller is a scathing look at media ghouls, and Gyllenhaal is terrifying.▶ Watch on Kanopy · Read the full review
IT’S WHAT’S INSIDE (2024)
Greg Jardin’s ‘It’s What’s Inside’ is a hilarious, mind-bending puzzle box comedy-thriller. Crafted with incredible precision and featuring an electrifying ensemble cast, this eruptive debut is destined to be one of the buzziest movies of 2024.▶ Watch on Netflix · Read the full review
CHALLENGERS (2024)
In Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers,’ the world of competitive tennis becomes a steamy love triangle, where obsession and passion clash in a song of ice and fire. Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor are excellently matched to the material as Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ heightened score amplifies the movie’s seductive spell.▶ Watch on Paramount+ · Read the full review
Laugh-out-loud comedies
THEATER CAMP (2023)
Fueled by a script that absolutely sings and the thespian talent and improvisational ingenuity to back it up, Theater Camp is a hysterical and delightful trip to mockumentary perfection that stands as one of the best comedy films of the 2020s. More Molly Gordon in everything please.▶ Streaming on Tubi · Read the full review
BIRDMAN (2014)
Birdman probes both the death of and subsequent resurrection of art in the age of the superhero with a brand of ironic wit and industrial precision that don’t often coincide, and even less often coalesce into one film. It’s like seeing Black Swan and A Beautiful Mind fist-fighting in a Charlie Kaufman play; a crossroads of cinema and theater that’s entirely novel and entirely brilliant. It’s an achievement unlike any other.▶ Watch on HBO Max · Read the full review
RED ROCKET (2021)
A Texan ballad of a dirtbag ex-porn star, Red Rocket is a sidesplittingly funny and brutally honest character study from writer-director Sean Baker. Its uncomfortable subject matter will be a turn-off for many but Baker’s unblinking commitment to fully unpacking this satirical saga of a guy who’s packing is amongst the best of the year.▶ Watch on Tubi · Read the full review
SING STREET (2016)
Big-hearted, shamelessly cheerful and joyous beyond measure, Sing Street is an upbeat victory for director John Carney. Brimming with laughs and a surprising amount of tears, Sing Street is rarely seen uplift cinema sure to inspire an embarrassingly wide grin from start to finish, suffused with dreadfully catchy tunes to boot.▶ Watch on HBO Max · Read the full review
22 JUMP STREET (2014)
Schmidt and Jenko go undercover at college, and the movie spends its entire runtime gleefully mocking the very idea of a sequel. Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s meta comedy is even funnier than the first, and Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum’s chemistry is the whole engine.▶ Watch on Netflix · Read the full review
THE INVITE (2026)
‘The Invite’ from Olivia Wilde is a wildly funny swinger comedy that explores how relationships open, close, and end in hilarious and heartfelt ways. Seth Rogan, Olivia Wilde, Penelope Cruz, and Edward Norton are all fantastic.▶ Watch on HBO Max · Read the full review
SWISS ARMY MAN (2016)
One of the most bizarre and bizarrely beautiful films to grace the Sundance Dramatic Competition, Swiss Army Man is not a film to be puzzled out in one go but that’s ok. It’s mightily entertaining, features two standout performances and has enough raw originality coursing through its veins to make it truly stand in a league of its own.▶ Watch on Netflix · Read the full review
Date night
SANCTUARY (2023)
Sanctuary, a kinky dark romantic comedy, transcends its overtly sexually-charged trappings to become a provocative exploration of power, control, and trust. With an unforgettable performance from Margaret Qualley, it’s a wildly unpredictable ride that’ll leaves an indelible mark on the more risqué viewer’s psyche.▶ Watch on Tubi · Read the full review
THE SHAPE OF WATER (2017)
The Shape of Water shucks convention in making a throwback to the monster movies of yesteryear, showcasing Guillermo del Toro’s soaring visual style and a breathtaking lead performance from Sally Hawkins while telling a love story from the most bizarre, and somehow moving, of angles. Fans of esoteric erotica, prepare to swoon.▶ Watch on HBO Max · Read the full review
DINNER IN AMERICA (2022)
‘Dinner in America’ is a rough-around-the-edges ode to love on the fringes of society, where a criminal punk rocker and a bizarre loner court an unlikely flirtation, all while navigating the suburbs, musical aspirations and the law. Expect a brash curb-stomp of a coming-of-age saga and prepare for impact.▶ Watch on Tubi · Read the full review
LOVE & FRIENDSHIP (2016)
Whit Stillman’s ‘Love & Friendship’ is a savvy anecdote to the stuffy Victorian costume drama. Hysterical and unpretentious, Stillman’s adaptation of Jane Austen’s work would make the author proud. Additionally, Kate Beckinsale proves that a career spent amongst CGI creations is a monumental waste of her awesome talent as she crafts an unforgettably shrewd feminist heroine in Lady Susan Vernon.▶ Watch on Prime Video · Read the full review
POOR THINGS (2023)
With Poor Things, Yorgos Lanthimos continues to prove that he is Hollyweird’s maddest scientist and its most refreshingly singular voice. Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, and Mark Ruffalo offer a trifecta of the best performances of 2023 in this deeply funny, wickedly smart, and entirely brilliant reimagining of Frankenstein as a feminist declaration and character study. Yes, it’s alive, but it’s also pretty much perfect.▶ Watch on Hulu · Read the full review
FRANCES HA (2013)
The comedy is easy and the drama meaningful in Baumbach and Gerwig’s Frances Ha, making it a perfect storm of societal commentary that doesn’t wield its satire like a knife’s edge but rather picks and jabs in a playful manner.▶ Watch on Netflix · Read the full review
Scary movies
TITANE (2021)
Titane sees Julia Ducournau use expressive body horror and ostensibly insane plotting to explore the very-real transformative nature of childbearing. A startling and genuinely thrilling work of avant-garde brilliance. Julia Ducournau won the Palme d’Or for this gleefully transgressive body-horror fever dream, and Agathe Rousselle is astonishing in her first role.▶ Watch on Tubi · Read the full review
HEREDITARY (2018)
Ranking up their with the great contemporary horror movies of our time, Hereditary delivers the scares of ‘The Conjuring’ with the atmospherics of ‘The Shining’ all matched to a jaw-droppingly stunning performance from Toni Collette. Now go scare the shit out of yourself with it.▶ Watch on Hulu · Read the full review
THE GUEST (2014)
A polite soldier shows up claiming he served with the family’s late son, and he is a little too good to be true. Adam Wingard’s slick, synth-soaked thriller is an absolute blast, and Dan Stevens is magnetic and terrifying in equal measure.▶ Watch on Shudder · Read the full review
STARRY EYES (2014)
Low-budge indie horror tracks the disintegration of a wanna-be Hollywood starlet, complete with a Kafka-esque transformation that’ll have even the hardest of horror fans squirming. Alex Essoe gives a fearless performance as an aspiring actress who will do anything for a role, in a nasty satire of Hollywood ambition.▶ Watch free on Tubi · Read the full review
OBSESSION (2026)
Obsession feels like a dark-magic witch’s brew of Together, Fede Álvarez’s 2013 Evil Dead, and Big: a horrifying black comedy that takes big swings and somehow pulls them off, masterfully achieving that rare blend of being actually scary and actually funny. Inde Navarrette is fantastic as a possessed lover desperate to win the affections of her cursed beau, while Curry Barker proves himself a genre craftsman with a wicked sense of humor, a mean little visual streak, and an unnerving command of tone.▶ Watch on Peacock · Read the full review
UNDERTONE (2026)
A masterfully assembled nightmare of all-encompassing horror, Ian Tucson’s ‘Undertone’ is as immersive as it is bone chilling, featuring truly elite sound design.▶ Watch on HBO Max · Read the full review
Mind-bending sci-fi
THE LIFE OF CHUCK (2025)
Mike Flanagan adapts a not-so-scary Stephen King story to tremendous effect with The Life of Chuck, crafting an ethereal, poetic drama that juxtaposes the vastness of time and the universe against the quiet importance of a single human life. The cast is outstanding, the story is profound, the direction is assured, and the result pulses with the beauty, messiness, and meaning of being alive.▶ Watch on Hulu · Read the full review
EX MACHINA (2015)
Living in a time when tech and humanity cycle increasingly closer to one another in the Rolodex of life, Ex Machina, from each and every angle, pummels you with the idea of what is to come. Alex Garland’s directorial debut is a chilly chamber piece, and Alicia Vikander’s Ava is one of the great screen AIs.▶ Watch on Hulu · Read the full review
THE ROVER (2014)
In the lawless Australian outback a decade after a global collapse, a hardened drifter (Guy Pearce) hunts the men who stole his car, dragging along a wounded simpleton (Robert Pattinson). David Michôd’s bleak, brutal thriller is as lean and parched as its landscape.▶ Streaming on HBO Max · Read the full review
ULTRASOUND (2022)
From the very first frame, the mysterious science-fiction midnighter from Rob Schroeder sets out to dazzle and bewilder audiences with a magic trick of a film. Smart and captivating, Ultrasound comes fastened to committed performances from a game cast and a perplexing plot that leads to a resoundingly clever conclusion.▶ Streaming on Kanopy · Read the full review
DUNE: PART TWO (2024)
Dune: Part Two further opens the book on the world of Paul Atreides and Arrakis in this towering accomplishment that’s as thrilling as it is stunning to watch, hear, and feel. Witness it on the biggest screen you can find.▶ Watch on HBO Max · Read the full review
YOUNG ONES (2014)
In a drought-ravaged future, a father (Michael Shannon) fights to protect his family and his land from a scheming young suitor (Nicholas Hoult). Jake Paltrow’s moody sci-fi western is a slow burn, but it looks incredible and the performances are strong.▶ Watch on Hulu · Read the full review
Animated favorites
ANOMALISA (2015)
Charlie Kaufman finds new ways to stretch the imagination with stop-motion character study Anomalisa. A tender piece on insecurity and the mundanity of human relations, Kaufman’s mind-trip is as thought-provoking as it is tragic and hilarious.▶ Streaming on Kanopy · Read the full review
INSIDE OUT (2015)
Inside the mind of an 11-year-old girl, her emotions scramble to keep her together after a move across the country. Pixar’s most inventive premise is also one of its most moving, and it might just make you rethink sadness.▶ Watch on Disney+ · Read the full review
HOPPERS (2026)
Hoppers is a delightful return to form for Pixar. This story of animals and humans coming together for the common good delivers laughs, awe, and genuine thematic heft, making it one of the studio’s finer entries of the 2020s.▶ Watch on Disney+ · Read the full review
SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (2023)
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is a mesmerizing animated spectacle that treads new ground, challenging the conventional tenets of power and featuring an introspective exploration of the ideals of heroism through a visually stunning multiverse. Opening new windows for where the larger story can go while remaining an engaging entry in itself, this is bar none the most exciting thing happening in the multiverse of super-movies.▶ Watch on Disney+ · Read the full review
TOY STORY 5 (2026)
Toy Story 5‘ is a funny, heartbreaking, and insightful meditation on childhood in the digital age, asking what gets lost when screens begin replacing imagination. The gang is all here but it’s newly-minted Sheriff Jessie, in her journey to help her kid Bonnie make a real friend, that this story belongs to.▶ Watch on Disney+ · Read the full review
SOUL (2020)
A remarkable achievement that lifts up and celebrates the human spirit, Soul ranks amongst Pixar’s best works and charters a life-affirming mission to the great beyond that’s sure to leave audiences peering deep within themselves.▶ Watch on Hulu · Read the full review
True stories and documentaries
ROADRUNNER: A FILM ABOUT ANTHONY BOURDAIN (2021)
Morgan Neville’s involving documentary puts Anthony Bourdain’s travels and struggles into razor sharp focus, creating a compelling and full-bodied portrait of an ambitious journeyman, a restless searcher, a semi-charmed lover, and a crestfallen philosopher.▶ Watch on HBO Max · Read the full review
THE LOOK OF SILENCE (2014)
Joshua Oppenheimer’s companion to The Act of Killing follows Adi, an optometrist who quietly confronts the men who murdered his brother during Indonesia’s 1965 genocide. In a culture of passive ignorance and totalitarian fear, The Look of Silence is everything and actually has the power to change the world. It’s nervously hopeful and yet completely crushing.▶ Streaming on Kanopy · Read the full review
FREE SOLO (2018)
A powerful, white-knuckle documentary about fear, passion, and humanity, Free Solo is a thrilling ascent into mountaineering mania fastened by a complicated figure in free-climbing fanatic Alex Honnold. Prepare thyself for the sweatiest palms of 2018.▶ Watch on Hulu · Read the full review
NOT GOING QUIETLY (2021)
A masterful character study and politically activated documentary about ALS-stricken activist Ady Barkan, Not Going Quietly is a powerful and overwhelmingly emotional story of a heroic man honing the power of his voice just as he begins to lose it, and the rest of his physical abilities, to an absolutely debilitating disease.▶ Streaming on Kanopy · Read the full review
SUMMER OF SOUL (2021)
Questlove creates a toe-tapping and revolutionary documentary that’ll have audiences foaming at the mouth for more. The lineup of talent is simply insane, the performances eye-popping, the talking-head commentary on Black culture and music’s place within it is poignant and relevant today without stopping the contagious upbeat energy. An absolute must-see.▶ Watch on Hulu · Read the full review
THE ALPINIST (2021)
A stark reminder of the perilous extremes of climbing, The Alpinist is a fascinating character study of young renegade Marc-André Leclerc and thoughtful companion piece to the recent slew of free solo documentaries, which focuses more on the internal mysteries of the subject than the technical craft of the sport.▶ Watch on Peacock · Read the full review
Big action
ALL IS LOST (2013)
Robert Redford, alone on a sinking yacht in the Indian Ocean, with almost no dialogue and no one coming to help. J.C. Chandor’s survival drama is pure, gripping cinema, and Redford gives one of the best performances of his career without saying a word.▶ Watch on Tubi · Read the full review
THE REVENANT (2015)
A technically consummate piece of high art bred with a tension-ridden tale of against-all-odds perseverance, The Revenant is a brutal, frigid masterwork that benefits from its callous commitment from director Alejandro González Iñárritu, brilliant visuals from cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki and incredible performances from stars Tom Hardy and Leonardo DiCaprio.▶ Watch on HBO Max · Read the full review
SMALL TOWN CRIME (2018)
A rural gumshoe caper with splashes of Tarantino and the Coen bros, Small Town Crime soars on the wings of star John Hawkes who leads an unforgettable cast as a washed up ex-detective back on the case. Strange, hilarious and immensely entertaining, Small Town Crime is the modern day dusty noir we didn’t know we needed.▶ Watch on Prime Video · Read the full review
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – THE FINAL RECKONING (2025)
A fitting sendoff, ‘Mission: Impossible, The Final Reckoning’ represents everything the mega-franchise has come to represent in its nearly thirty-year run. The over-the-top plotting and loose editorial prowess keeps its from scraping the best that the series had to offer but the towering practical stunts and genuine team camaraderie make this a mission well worth accepting.▶ Watch on Prime Video · Read the full review
RIDERS OF JUSTICE (2020)
Darkly humorous, deadly serious, and led by yet another commanding turn from the great Mads Mikkelsen, Riders of Justice is an absurd and violent saga of vengeance with a surprisingly soft emotional core. Mads Mikkelsen leads a misfit crew of number-crunching nerds in Anders Thomas Jensen’s darkly funny, surprisingly moving revenge comedy.▶ Streaming on Tubi · Read the full review
THE NORTHMAN (2022)
A cinematic wonder of Viking violence and old-school melodramatic barbarity, The Northman is an unrelenting and gruesome historic epic that showcases an absolutely berserk performance from Alexander Skarsgård and all the visual style and fascinating dialogue you’d expect from auteur Robert Eggers.▶ Watch on Netflix · Read the full review
More: Best on every service → · Hidden gems → · Thrillers → · Horror →
FAQ
What is a good movie to watch tonight?
Pick a mood above. For thrills, try Sicario, No Other Choice, or Nightcrawler. For laughs, try Theater Camp, Birdman, or 22 Jump Street. Every pick is streaming right now.
What are good movies to watch on Netflix right now?
My full list lives in the best movies on Netflix right now guide, updated every month.
Are there good movies to watch for free?
Yes. Tubi is free with ads and Kanopy is free with most library cards, and both carry excellent films.
How often is this list updated?
Every month. I check every pick against current streaming catalogs, drop anything that has left a service, and add new arrivals I have reviewed.
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By: Matt Oakes
Started blogging about film in college when the university paper wouldn’t have him. Dislikes your consensus film Twitter favorites. Devotee of horror movies that make him die a little inside. Catches films at festivals when he can. Proud SFCS and OFCS member and Tomatometer-approved critic. Editor-in-chief of Silver Screen Riot.
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