Netflix is one of the most popular streaming services in the world, with more than 220 million subscribers. And just what do those people tend to watch? In particular, what is the most popular movie on Netflix?
Each week, the streaming service releases a list of its 10 most-watched movies over the preceding seven days. Below, we’ve listed the top 10 movies in the U.S. from May 15 to May 21, along with general information about each film, such as genre, rating, cast, and synopsis.
Looking for something else? We’ve also rounded up the best shows on Netflix, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Amazon Prime, and the best movies on Disney+. For Netflix fans, check out the 10 most popular shows on Netflix right now.
After the events of 2016’s Sing, Buster Moon (Matthew McConaughey) and his friends are once again attempting to put on the greatest show in Redshore City.
To impress entertainment owner Jimmy Crystal (Bobby Cannavale), the crew proposes a show involving Clay Calloway (Bono), a once-famous rock star who became a recluse after his wife’s death. Now, it’s up to Buster and his cast to convince Clay to come out of hiding to headline their show.
From Trolls to Angry Birds, animated toy movies are extremely popular with children. Uglydolls did not find as much success in theaters, but it’s risen in popularity during its time on streaming. Based on the plush toys of the same name, the film depicts what happens to the Uglydolls, or deformed dolls, when they are made in a toy factory. These dolls are sent to the land of Uglyville to live, where they are secluded from the rest of the world.
One of the dolls, Moxy (Kelly Clarkson), dreams of being loved by a child outside of Uglyville, so she travels through the tunnel with her friends to the “Big World,” where she discovers the Institute of Perfection, where the perfect dolls are trained. Uglydolls is a charming underdog story that younger children will find entertaining.
Head back to prehistoric times and meet the Croods, a cave family that survives several natural disasters due to their refusal to leave their cave. Grug Crood (Nicolas Cage) is the overprotective father who believes new is “bad.” Grug’s family is made up of teenage daughter Eep (Emma Stone), wife Ugga (Catherine Keener), son Thunk (Clark Duke), young daughter Sandy (Randy Thorn), and grandma Gran (Cloris Leachman).
When an earthquake destroys their home, the Croods are eventually rescued by Guy (Ryan Reynolds), a more evolved caveman who takes a liking to Eep. Grug doesn’t trust the new addition to the crew, but it’s clear that Guy and his methods work, and if the Croods want to survive, they will have to do the one thing they’ve refused over the years: adapt.
¡Que Viva México! is a satirical comedy that follows Pancho Reyes (Alfonso Herrera), a middle-class Mexican man who lives with his wife, son, and daughter in Mexico City. Pancho’s family lives a comfortable life, but they owe money to the bank because of loans and a mortgage.
One day, Pancho receives a call from his father, telling him he must return to his small hometown of La Prosperidad after the death of his grandfather. The deceased grandfather’s wish was for the entire family to be present at the reading of his will. Once Pancho arrives home, he’s hounded by his family for money, but things take a wild, comedic, and dark turn after they learn about the grandfather’s inheritance.
Who said erotic thrillers don’t exist anymore? In the Dutch thriller Faithfully Yours, the erotic thriller is back in a big way, as this film went on to sell over 100,000 tickets. Directed by André van Duren, Faithfully Yours follows the exploits of Bodil (Bracha van Doesburgh) and Isabel (Elise Schaap), two friends that are happily married and seemingly live perfect lives.
However, Bodil and Isabel share a secret: they are having affairs. Both women use each other as alibis. However, Faithfully Yours takes a dark turn when Isabel is murdered, and since Bodil was her alibi, she must explain what happened. Let the mystery begin.
In 2018, the screenlife mystery thriller Searching became a sleeper hit at the box office, grossing over $75 million worldwide against an $880,000 budget. In 2023, the Searching universe expanded with the standalone sequel, Missing. 18-year-old June Allen (Storm Reid) heads to the airport to pick up her mom Grace (Nia Long), and her boyfriend, Kevin (Ken Leung), after a weeklong vacation in Colombia.
However, Grace and Kevin never show up, prompting the FBI to step in. However, the FBI makes no strides in the case, forcing June to take matters into her own hands and investigate using the digital tools at her disposal, unearthing hidden secrets that could explain what happened. It’s a fast, unique thriller that will satisfy fans of the genre.
In the 1990s, Anna Nicole Smith was a pop culture icon. Smith was a Playboy Playmate of the Year, actress, and television personality, becoming one of the most talked about celebrities in entertainment. However, Smith’s difficult life included various legal battles and the death of her son. Smith tragically died in 2007 at 39 due to combined drug intoxication.
The rise, fall, and everything in between regarding the complex life of Smith is the subject of Anna Nicole Smith: You Don’t Know Me. The documentary features never-before-seen footage and interviews to paint a more accurate picture of what Smith really was behind the fame.
The power of Tom Hanks is still strong in 2023 as A Man Called Otto finds itself on top of the Netflix charts after its debut a few days ago. In the second adaption of the 2012 novel A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman, Hanks stars as Otto Anderson, an old grumpy widower with no hope in life. Not wanting to live anymore, Otto decides to commit suicide by hanging.
However, Otto is interrupted by his new neighbor, Marisol (Mariana Treviño), and her children. With each suicide attempt comes an interruption from Marisol, who constantly needs Otto’s help. The film will tug on your heartstrings as he forms a friendship with Marisol. Through these interactions, Otto slowly realizes he has more to live for than he thought.
An R-rated comedy about a foul-mouthed teddy bear could only come from the mind of Seth MacFarlane. As a young boy, John Bennett wishes upon a shooting star for a friend in the form of his Christmas teddy bear, Ted. John’s wish is granted as Ted becomes a walking, talking teddy bear and local celebrity.
The story picks up nearly 30 years later with John (Mark Wahlberg), now 35, still living with Ted (MacFarlane). However, their friendship is interfering with John’s love life as he hesitates to commit to his girlfriend, Lori Collins (Mila Kunis). Ted is forced to move out, putting their friendship in jeopardy. Fun fact: Roger Ebert gave Ted 3.5 stars out of 4. Trust the taste of the most influential film critic of the last 50 years.
Because of her dancing and performing background, Jennifer Lopez is a natural action star. In The Mother, Lopez plays the titular Mother, a former assassin forced to disappear after escaping an attempt on her own life. Before leaving, the pregnant Mother gives birth to her child, but gives her up for adoption and escapes to the Alaskan Wilderness.
After more than a decade, the Mother comes out of hiding when her former partners send assailants to abduct her teenage daughter. The Mother rescues her daughter, Zoe (Silencio’s Lucy Pez), and retreats to the wilderness. The movie is a relationship movie at heart, as the mother and daughter learn to bond despite the tough circumstances. It all culminates in one final fight that’s epic in scale.
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