From password-sharing crackdowns to disappearing content and the rise of FAST channels, streaming transformed in 2023. But one thing remained the same: Netflix is still the biggest game in town.
Naturally, the king of streaming had plenty of new movies this year, even with a strike-lightened schedule: awards contenders, feel-good comedies, dark thrillers, even a canceled one-time Disney animated movie and a new David Fincher film. There was a lot to keep up with this year.
So if you’re wondering what to watch and looking for the best Netflix movies of 2023, here’s a curated list of our picks.
May December
Todd Haynes’ “May December” is the movie of the year for me; a fearless, completely compelling character drama that’s uncommonly comfortable with holding opposing truths and letting the audience decide. The audacious comedic drama is directly inspired by the true tabloid tale of Mary Kay Letourneau, who seduced and sexually assaulted her student only to bear his children and marry him after prison time for her crime — screen counterparts played by Julianne Moore as Gracie and revelatory breakout Charles Melton as her young, wounded husband, Joe. But Haynes and his creative collaboratives are far too astute to play it straight. Samy Burch and Alex Mechanik’s inspired script broaches the thorny through the perspective of an equally narcissistic actress, Elizabeth (Natalie Portman), who has been hired to play Gracie. A duel of the delusional divas for the ages, and both Oscar winners make a meal of their material, but it’s Melton who’s poised to be an awards darling with his sorely tender, movie-stealing performance. — Haleigh Foutch
The Killer
Stick to the plan. Our nameless assassin (played by Michael Fassbender) utters these words in the sardonic voiceover that runs throughout David Fincher’s “The Killer.” Of course, what he is thinking and what he actually does are two different things. After he botches a job in Paris, accidentally murdering his intended target’s comely dominatrix instead, Fassbender’s killer is sent on an international quest for revenge. Charles Parnell, Tilda Swinton and Arliss Howard pop up along the way. Fincher ruthlessly subverts the “cool guy assassin” tropes that have been around since at least Jean-Pierre Melville’s “Le Samouraï” and are still trotted out today in things like Keanu Reeves’ “John Wick” saga. (This is a killer who dresses like a German tourist and who buys his tools on Amazon.) It’s also a darkly funny commentary on the gig economy, as the killer both interacts with gig workers and is one himself, a freelance psychopath through and through. As directed by Fincher, “The Killer” is expertly precise, boasting some of the year’s most immersive cinematography (courtesy of Erik Messerschmidt) that uncomfortably puts you in the shoes of a maniac, backed by a nerve-jangling score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. Ruthless (and ruthlessly entertaining), “The Killer” is what happens when Netflix gives a true artist the space and resources they need. And then leaves them alone to do their worst. – Drew Taylor
They Cloned Tyrone
A drug dealer, a pimp and a prostitute stumble onto a government conspiracy – it’s not the set-up for a joke, though “They Cloned Tyrone” is self-aware enough to acknowledge it sounds like one. Jules Taylor makes a striking directorial debut with his sharp-witted genre blender, starring John Boyega, Jamie Foxx and Teyonah Parris as the unlikely trio who tumble down the rabbit hole when they discover the very tenets of their neighborhood, the fabric of their lives – church, music, food, family – are all just a means of control. Churning through Blaxploitation tropes and name-dropping cinematic references at Tarantino-speed, “They Cloned Tyrone” has a non-stop soundtrack and some of the year’s best world-building (and visual gags) via production design. It’s a sci-fi conspiracy treat that knows, loves and acknowledges the many genre sandboxes it’s playing in, while bringing something all its own to the space. – HF
Happiness for Beginners
Adapted from the book by Katherine Center, the goofy, heartfelt “Happiness for Beginners” follows Helen (Ellie Kemper), a woman fresh out of a terrible marriage and Jake (Luke Grimes), the best friend of Helen’s brother who as it happens has been in love with her since they were children. After signing up for a hiking adventure through the Appalachian Trail, Helen’s solo, self-discovering mountain trip takes a turn when Jake signs up for the same trip. A kooky group of campers experiences the fresh air and whimsical bond that comes from surviving the elements together, and Jake’s admission of his feelings for Helen turns out to be just one of many obstacles to overcome. – Dessi Gomez
El Conde
Pablo Larraín, director of “Spencer” and “Jackie,” took his latest off-kilter biography into truly uncharted territory, telling the story of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet — not as a real person who died in 2006 and who, in his life, oversaw the death and enslavement of thousands of people. Instead, Larraín conceived him as an ageless vampire (played, with aplomb, by Jaime Vadell), whose children (fascists in their own right) are squabbling over his inheritance while a nun they’ve hired (Paula Luchsinger) attempts to kill him. Photographed by Edward Lachman in luxurious black-and-white and featuring a twist so insane that we wouldn’t dare ruin it here, “El Conde” is a hypnotic rumination on the depths and banality of evil. It also has some cool vampire shit you’ll probably like too. – DT
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah
It’s a family affair, and the whole Sandler bunch is downright charming in “You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah.” Adam Sandler plays dad to his real-life daughter Sunny Sandler, who stars as Stacey Freidman, a girl staring down her oncoming Bat Mitzvah (and all the adolescent awkwardness that comes with it) when she fractures her friendship with BFF Lydia (Samantha Lorraine). Popular girls, cute boys and all the familiar coming-of-age foes threaten to pull them apart for good, but the bonds of friendship and family aren’t so easy to shake. It’s so, so sweet and endearing, a full-on family film win for Netflix and for the Sandler family. – HF
Leave the World Behind
Netflix’s apocalyptic thriller “Leave the World Behind” is getting a lot of guff for being depressingly cynical, but I think that’s a surface-level read on the material, which is honestly quite refreshing and optimistic for the genre. Based on the book of the same name, directed by “Mr. Robot” creator Sam Esmail, “Leave the World Behind” stars Julia Roberts and Ethan Hawke as a well-off couple who take their family to a rental home out of the city for the weekend. But their getaway is cut short when a father and daughter (Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali and “Bodies Bodies Bodies” star Myha’la) arrive amid a widespread blackout and say the house is theirs. Set against a backdrop of pervasive dread, “Leave the World Behind” is a nightmarish thriller about collapse, but it has endless faith in its characters’ humanity. Twisty-turny and infused with paranoia, it also has some of the most cleverly constructed set pieces of the year and an ending you won’t soon forget. – HF
The Best Sci-Fi Movies of 2023
Nimona
“Nimona” almost didn’t make it to the screen. Originally a Disney picture, the invigorating animated film was scuttled when Blue Sky got shuttered. Thankfully, Netflix stepped in to save the day. Based on ND Stevenson’s webcomic-turned-graphic novel, the film features the voices of Chloë Grace Moretz as the title shape-shifter, Nimona, a devil may care creature longing to be loved for who she is, even if that changes every day, and Riz Ahmed as the unwitting villain with a heart of gold, Ballister Blackheart. Though “Nimona” abandons much of the idiosyncratic story in the outstanding source material, it keeps the core character dynamics and the broad strokes of Stephenson’s innovative old-fashioned yet futuristic world of knights, kingdoms, heroes and villains. It’s handsomely animated and heartfelt, but the film’s real superpower is the core message of unreserved acceptance and fearless love. – HF
Reptile
Reptile had some brutal reviews when it debuted on Netflix, but it was also a huge hit. Call me a man of the people because I really dug the stylish, if overstuffed, crime drama. Benicio Del Toro gives one of the most absorbing performances of the year as a rigid, hard-boiled detective who gets tangled up in overlapping crime cases after being assinged a gruesome murder case. Slow and steely, “Reptile” certainly takes its time, but I loved the details, textures and pockets of personality in this one, so the extra time to breathe and turn things over didn’t bother me a bit. Also a highlight: Alicia Silverstone’s prickly, sexy, unexpected performance. – HF
Leo
Netflix released a few Adam Sandler movies this year (in fact, there’s another one on this list), but only one where he starred as a 75-year-old iguana. And that’s got to mean something. In “Leo,” the title character — a classroom pet — realizes that he doesn’t have much time left. He launches a plan to get taken home by one of the kids and escape once he’s there. But soon, something else happens – he starts to listen to the kids and offer them advice, helping them out with the tribulations of their lives. His desire to leave subsides, replaced with a greater sense of purpose. Oh, and there are songs. Directed by longtime Sandler collaborators Robert Marianetti, Robert Smigel, and David Wachtenheim, with songs by Smigel, “Leo” is the kind of brightly animated, warm-hearted feature whose emotional depth sneaks up on you. – DT
Dog Gone
Starring Rob Lowe and Johnny Berchtold and Adapted from Pauls Toutonghi’s 2016 book of the same name, “Dog Gone” tells the charming story of John Marshall (Lowe) as he searches for his son Fielding’s (Berchtold) missing fur baby, Gonker. Lowe imbues his character with Chris Traeger’s “Parks and Recreation” optimism and enthusiasm. John remains determined to find the lost pooch in a touching film shortened from the title, “Dog Gone: A Lost Pet’s Extraordinary Journey.” Directed by Stephen Herek, the film was written by Nick Santora, who produced alongside Jeremy Kipp Walker. Lowe executive produced. – DG
Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
It took 23 years. But the chickens are back. In “Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget,” instead of being a chicken-filled riff on “The Great Escape,” the team at beloved British studio Aardman Animation use “Mission: Impossible” as a springboard. This time, instead of busting out of a country farm, the chickens attempt to break into an industrial farming situation. You can expect all the Aardman hallmarks – witty wordplay, inventive visual gags and some of the most jaw-dropping animation you’re ever likely to see, alongside a more thoughtful, nuanced approach to how we consume and prepare food. Like all of their films, it’s a handcrafted gem of an animated film, full of inventiveness and heart. (It was directed by Sam Fell, a longtime Aardman alum who also directed the genuine masterpiece “ParaNorman” for Laika.) Hopefully, it doesn’t take another 23 years for them to make a third film. – DT
The 10 Best Animated Films of 2023
Your Place or Mine
While it didn’t make TheWrap’s best romance movies of 2023, “Your Place Or Mine” took viewers on a classic rom-com adventure just in time for Valentine’s Day. From “The Devil Wears Prada” scribe and “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” producer and showrunner Aline Brosh McKenna, the film stars Ashton Kutcher and Reese Witherspoon as Peter and Debbie, who have been best friends ever since a one-night-stand years ago. Nevertheless, their bond always has one questioning if the other has the same romantic feelings. When Peter volunteers to watch Debbie’s son while she finishes her masters accounting program in New York, where she ends up meeting handsome publisher Theo Martin (Jesse Williams) and bonding with him over books. The publishing and book-lover details, like visiting NYC’s “The Strand” bookstore and stopping by a Little Free Library scream Reese Witherspoon, who runs a book club and production company Hello Sunshine, which adapts books to films and television. Come for the chaotic comedy and heartfelt drama and stay for the movie’s “The Cars” soundtrack. – DG
Sister Death
2017’s “Verónica” is one of the best Netflix original movies and certainly one of its scariest. The fact that director Paco Plaza returned for an equally disturbing prequel was extremely exciting. And the fact that nobody seemed to care, even though this one was equally unsettling, was very disappointing. This movie is set in 1949 Spain, where a young nun (Aria Bedmar) arrives at a convent that teaches young girls. Soon, she uncovers an undying evil at the convent that threatens her very existence. The less said about the actual plot, the better; it’s much more rewarding just to watch the movie cast its unnerving spell. (And, yes, you discover the movie’s connection to “Verónica” in its closing moments.) You can tell that Netflix probably asked for something in the vein of “The Nun,” but Plaza delivered something far more bizarre and terrifying. – DT
Love at First Sight
Jameela Jamil narrates the Netflix film adaptation of Jennifer E. Smith’s novel, “The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight,” in which Hadley Sullivan (Haley Lu Richardson) meets Oliver Jones (Ben Hardy) in a chance encounter after she misses her flight to London by mere minutes. The two connect over the nine-plus hour flight across the pond, Hadley heading to her dad’s wedding and Oliver heading to his mother’s live eulogy reading before she dies of cancer. Hadley first approaches her father’s new marriage with a closed mind because she can’t forgive him for walking out on her and her mother, but words of Oliver’s echo in her mind and eventually influence her to open her mind to her new stepmother. Oliver’s life brightens with Hadley in it, and if anything, this movie proves that opposites can attract. — DG
The Best Movies of 2023