Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery highlights this month’s list of best movies to watch on Netflix. In his third installment to the Knives Out franchise, writer-director Rian Johnson unleashes his darkest whodunit yet, with Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) investigating another murder with a whole new cast of suspects.
Other top picks in December include Jay Kelly, 28 Years Later, The Northman, Doctor Sleep, Frankenstein, and Paddington 2. Read the rest of our guide for the best movies on Netflix below.
We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, and the best movies on Amazon Prime Video.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025)
In Benoit Blanc’s third cinematic murder mystery, an “impossible crime” occurs when Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin) is suddenly found stabbed to death in his church. Though the murder is considered a miracle, Blanc attempts to unravel this mystery, leading to a thrilling clash of faith and logic.
While young priest Jud (Josh O’Connor) is considered the prime suspect, Benoit finds that several people close to Msgr. Wicks had a motive. The suspects include housekeeper Martha (Glenn Close), handyman Samson (Thomas Haden Church), Dr. Nat (Jeremy Renner), lawyer Vera (Kerry Washington), aspiring politician Cy (Daryl McCormack), author Lee (Andrew Scott), and cellist Simone (Cailee Spaeny).
Stream Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery on Netflix.
Jay Kelly (2025)
Directed by Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story), Jay Kelly follows the titular fictional actor (George Clooney), who wants to spend a few days with his estranged daughter, Daisy (Grace Edwards), before she leaves for college in Europe. Unfortunately, she decides to spend her trip with her friends.
After a nasty confrontation with his old actor roommate (Billy Crudup), Jay drops everything and travels to Europe. Hoping to reconnect with his daughter, Jay embarks on an emotional journey with his manager, Ron (Adam Sandler), that forces them to reflect on their lives and the relationships they’ve forged.
Stream Jay Kelly on Netflix.
Frankenstein (2025)
Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein opens in 1857, when the crew of a Danish Navy ship comes across the wounded Victor Frankenstein (Oscar Isaac) in the Arctic. After the crew battles a vicious Creature (Jacob Elordi), Victor shares his life’s story and how he ended up creating the “monster” that attacked them.
However, we then hear from the Creature about his journey. What ensues is a beautiful yet heartbreaking tale of an innocent soul shunned and abandoned by those around him, including Victor, which fills him with rage and loneliness.
Stream Frankenstein on Netflix.
28 Years Later (2025)
Nearly three decades after the Rage virus outbreak, mainland Europe has been cleared of zombies, and the British Isles have been quarantined. The film follows young Spike (Alfie Williams) as he embarks on a journey into adulthood and begins hunting Rage-infected people with his father, Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson).
However, when his ailing mother, Isla (Jodie Comer), nears death, Spike takes her into the zombie-filled wilderness to seek help from a mysterious doctor (Ralph Fiennes).
Stream 28 Years Later on Netflix.
The Thursday Murder Club (2025)
Don’t underestimate the retired residents of Coopers Chase in director Christopher Columbus’s film, The Thursday Murder Club. The movie shows ex-MI6 officer Elizabeth (Helen Mirren) running The Thursday Murder Club, a group that meets weekly to discuss cold cases. The club consists of Elizabeth, Ron (Pierce Brosnan), Ibrahim (Ben Kingsley), and Joyce (Celia Imrie).
Suddenly, a murder involving the owner of the Coopers Chase threatens the future of their retirement village. Unwilling to let the police conduct the investigation, the Thursday Murder Club attempts to nail the killer before their home shuts down.
Stream The Thursday Murder Club on Netflix.
Doctor Sleep (2019)
In director Mike Flanagan’s sequel to The Shining, Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) grows up an alcoholic like his father following his traumatic experience at the Overlook Hotel. After hitting rock bottom, Dan gets back on his feet as he sobers up and finds work as a hospice orderly.
However, Dan finds himself facing more horrors when Abra (Kyliegh Curran), a girl with powers like his own, is hunted by the True Knot, a cult of psychic vampires who want to feed on her life force to survive. Teaming up with Abra, they set out to find the True Knot before they can hurt anyone else.
Stream Doctor Sleep on Netflix.
Paddington 2 (2017)
Paddington 2 was once the highest-rated film on Rotten Tomatoes, and this widespread acclaim established it as a modern classic. Written and directed by Paul King, this hilarious and heartwarming sequel follows Paddington (Ben Whishaw) as he is framed for a bookstore burglary and sent to prison.
As Paddington bonds with his hard-knuckled inmates, the Brown Family tries to clear his name. They then uncover the true culprit, Phoenix Buchanan (Hugh Grant), as well as his dastardly plot to steal a hidden fortune using clues in the pop-up book he stole.
Stream Paddington 2 on Netflix.
The Northman (2022)
This epic Norse adventure from Nosferatu director Robert Eggers tells the story of Amleth (Oscar Novak), who flees his home as a child after his uncle Fjölnir (Claes Band) murders his father, King Aurvandill (Ethan Hawke), and abducts his mother, Queen Gudrún. Growing up to become a ruthless Viking, the adult Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård) teams up with the sorcerer Olga (Anya Taylor-Joy) and embarks on a quest for vengeance against his uncle.
What ensues is a thrilling, ultraviolent adventure featuring magic, monsters, and marvelous imagery. This makes Amleth’s adventure one of the most distinctive fantasy and revenge films in recent memory.
Stream The Northman on Netflix.
The Martian (2015)
Alien and Blade Runner director Ridley Scott delivered another sci-fi classic with The Martian, an adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel of the same name. In the year 2035, astronaut Dr. Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is stranded on Mars after the rest of his crew flees during a dust storm, presuming him dead.
Alone on the Red Planet, Watney spends years trying to survive with the food and resources he has. Meanwhile, NASA discovers Watney is alive and races to rescue him and bring him back to Earth.
Stream The Martian on Netflix.
KPop Demon Hunters (2025)
The animated adventure that quickly became one of Netflix’s most-watched movies ever is KPop Demon Hunters. Rumi (Arden Cho), Mira (May Hong), and Zoey (Ji-young Yoo) are in the group Huntr/x, one of the top K-pop bands in the world. In secret, the girls are demon hunters who protect their fans against evil.
The demon world decides to fight back by creating a rival boy group of demons, the Saja Boys, to steal Huntr/x’s fans. Come for some demon battles, but stay for the irresistible tunes.
Stream KPop Demon Hunters on Netflix.
Nonnas (2025)
Food is love, and that phrase provides the heartbeat for Nonnas, a family dramedy helmed by Stephen Chbosky. Brooklyn native Joe Scaravella (Vince Vaughn) finds himself at a crossroads in life following the death of his mother. After receiving his mother’s life insurance money, Joe opens an Italian restaurant in Staten Island.
Despite having no culinary experience, Joe believes the secret to a restaurant’s success lies with the chefs. Joe hires four grandmothers (Lorraine Bracco, Talia Shire, Brenda Vaccaro, and Susan Sarandon), or “Nonnas,” to cook his mother’s recipes. It’s a huge gamble, but Joe believes that once customers experience his place, it will bring them back to their childhood.
Stream Nonnas on Netflix.
Carry-On (2024)
Like Die Hard 2, Carry-On is an action thriller set on Christmas Eve in a busy airport. Unfortunately for TSA agent Ethan Kopek (Taron Egerton), his promotion came on the wrong day at the wrong time. An enigmatic traveler (Jason Bateman) wants Ethan to waive a package through uncontested. If Ethan refuses, then his girlfriend, Nora Parisi (Sofia Carson), will be killed.
Ethan’s back is to the proverbial wall, and if he can’t find a way to thwart the plan, then Nora may not be the only casualty. He needs a way to save Nora, and his options are running out fast.
Stream Carry-On on Netflix.
Rebel Ridge (2024)
Aaron Pierre establishes himself as an action hero in the Netflix original film Rebel Ridge. Terry Richmond (Pierre) only wanted to come into town and bail out his cousin, Mike Simmons (C.J. LeBlanc), so they could rebuild their lives together. But when corrupt cops seize Terry’s cash, it leaves him without any way to get Mike out of jail.
Terry tries to be reasonable with Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson), only for these dishonorable men to go back on their word and keep his stolen money while Mike suffers. Now, Terry has to take the law into his own hands to get justice, and not even dirty cops can stand in his way.
Stream Rebel Ridge on Netflix.
Hit Man (2024)
Richard Linklater’s Hit Man could have scored a full theatrical release in part because Glen Powell is one of the breakout stars of 2024. But instead, it’s now a Netflix original that was co-written by both Powell and Linklater. The former is headlining the film as Gary Johnson, a man who has found his calling as an undercover operative for the police.
Gary pretends to be an assassin, and he helps the police arrest his would-be clients. It’s a good racket for Gary until he meets Maddy Masters (Adria Arjona), a woman who wants her husband killed so she can escape his physical abuse. Maddy is the first “client” that Gary has ever been real with, and he doesn’t want to see her get arrested like his other marks. As much as Gary might try to believe otherwise, helping Maddy and getting emotionally involved with her may bring his life crashing down around him.
Stream Hit Man on Netflix.
Godzilla Minus One (2023)
There is an English dub of Godzilla Minus One on Netflix, but the original Japanese voice track has better performances. This is one of the best Godzilla movies ever made, in part because the creature is allowed to be a fearsome monster instead of a heroic giant. It’s also notable for featuring a strong focus on the human side of the story, especially with the main character, Kōichi Shikishima (Ryunosuke Kamiki).
In the last days of World War II, Shikishima can’t bring himself to fulfill his duty as a kamikaze pilot. A chance encounter with Godzilla only brings more shame upon Shikishima. During the aftermath of the war, Shikishima forms an unexpected bond with Noriko Ōishi (Minami Hamabe) and the infant child she adopted. Yet Shikishima’s inability to let go of his regret may destroy him before Godzilla can get around to killing him and everyone else in Japan.
Stream Godzilla Minus One on Netflix.
