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The most popular sci-fi movie on Netflix right now is this Tom Cruise modern-day classic

A man in gear looks ahead in Edge of Tomorrow.
Warner Bros.

In 2014, Edge of Tomorrow was first released in theaters. Based on Hiroshi Sakurazaka’s beloved manga series All You Need is Kill, the film adaptation focuses on Major William Cage (2024 Summer Olympics daredevil Tom Cruise), a public relations specialist who is thrown into the middle of a deadly war against aliens called mimics. The movie sees the protagonist stuck in a time loop as he figures out how to defeat the monstrous attackers. Along the way, he meets famed Sergeant Rita Vrataski (The Fall Guy‘s Emily Blunt) and lives, dies, and repeats the same battle-filled day over and over again.

Despite earning acclaim from critics and audiences alike, with a 91% score on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.6/10 user rating on Metacritic, the film was only a modest box office hit. However, more than a decade after its initial release, the Doug Liman-directed project is fondly remembered as a modern science fiction classic. Here are three reasons why you should check out the movie on Netflix right now.

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Tom Cruise’s usual role is flipped on its head

Edge of Tomorrow 8
Netflix

Cruise is known for being a major action star, playing cooler-than-cool characters on the big screen, including Maverick in the Top Gun series, Ethan Hunt in the Mission Impossible franchise, and the titular character in the Jack Reacher franchise. Edge of Tomorrow flips and subverts what you’d expect from the usual Cruise performance, as he plays Cage, a cowardly public affairs officer whose efforts not to be placed on the battlefield blow up in his face, quite literally.

As he’s thrown in the Battle of Verdun against the Mimics, viewers watch Cage grow from a scaredy-cat with little actual fighting skills into a legitimate soldier who poses the last hope for humanity. It’s refreshing to see Cruise’s character not be the usual hero he plays. Instead, he’s forced to earn his stripes with his repeated failures on the battlefield.

It’s a great twist on a familiar premise

Tom Cruise in Edge of Tomorrow
Netflix

Time loop movies weren’t exactly a fresh idea when Edge of Tomorrow arrived in theaters in 2014. From the iconic Bill Murray comedy Groundhog Day to the hilarious and violent Happy Death Day franchise to the Andy Samberg sci-fi rom-com Palm Springs, viewers have seen a lot of the repeating concept on the big screen.

However, Edge of Tomorrow brings something unique to the time loop subgenre. Its epic visuals, sharp script, and the continued growth and failures of Cruise’s Cage keep things from ever getting stale. Seeing Cage go from a bumbling PR guy to what he becomes in the film is legitimately exhilarating, as the repeating timeline offers some new insights and further unlocks the puzzle of the overall story. No other time loop movie accomplishes what Edge of Tomorrow does in terms of scale and action. It’s a total spectacle, even if it’s the same day over and over.

Emily Blunt makes a great sci-fi movie heroine

Emily Blunt and Tom Cruise face each other while wearing mech suits in Edge of Tomorrow.
Warner Bros. Pictures

Prior to taking on the role of Rita Vrataski in Edge of Tomorrow, Emily Blunt was known more for her standout performances in The Devil Wears Prada, the romantic comedy Salmon Fishing in Yemen, and the comedy The Five-Year Engagement. However, the science fiction epic proves Blunt can play against her usual role, as Edge of Tomorrow‘s Rita is a seasoned fighter wielding a giant sword who is more arduous and deadlier than any other soldier, making her the perfect leading woman.

Blunt, who hadn’t done anything as action-packed before this role, absolutely crushes it, as she’s intimidating, commanding, deadly, and beautiful all at the same time. The film ends up being the perfect role for Blunt, and its hard to imagine anyone else playing the part.

Edge of Tomorrow is available on Netflix now.

The 10 most popular movies on Netflix right now
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Netflix is one of the most popular streaming services in the world, with nearly 280 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 a recent seven-day period to keep subscribers in the loop regarding its most popular titles.

This week is all about new movies on the service. While The Garfield Movie and Jailbreak: Love on the Run occupy the top two spots, eight new movies debuted in the top 10. This includes Sing, the 2016 animated musical; Escape Plan, an action thriller about a prison break; The Platform 2, the sequel to 2019's Spanish dystopian thriller; and It Chapter Two, the final chapter in Stephen King's famous horror tale. Below, we've listed the top 10 movies in the U.S. from September 30 to October 6, along with general information about each film, such as genre, rating, cast, and synopsis.

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The 10 most popular TV shows on Netflix right now
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Exploring the thousands of titles on Netflix can be both exciting and overwhelming. Content of all types abounds, from dramas and comedies to reality shows and documentaries. It's a good thing there's a list to help narrow your decision by letting you see the most popular Netflix shows. That's right, every week, Netflix releases its list of the 10 most-watched TV shows over a recent seven-day period.

Move over, Ryan Murphy. There is a new No. 1 on Netflix, and its name is Nobody Wants This. The rom-com series starring Kristen Bell and Adam Brody continues to win over the hearts of many millennials. Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story slips one spot to No. 2, followed by Love is Blind season 7 at No. 3. Below, we have listed the top 10 shows in the U.S. from September 30 to October 6, along with general information about each show, including genre, rating, cast, and synopsis.

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The best LGBTQ movies on Netflix right now
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The selection of LGBTQ+ movies on Netflix continues to increase each month. These films include a healthy mix of every possible genre, from straightforward dramas to rom-coms and even a few genre pieces. The so-called King of the Streamers has a wide selection of queer movies available, offering enough entertainment to make this an even more enjoyable spooky season.

These films feature compelling queer stories and characters that will make their audience feel seen, perhaps for the first time. New movies come to Netflix every week, meaning there's a consistent and varied collection of queer-themed pictures available. Some are acquired tastes, while others are critically acclaimed classics. Others are animated, while some are decidedly not kid-friendly. With so much to choose from, it might be tedious to search for just one title. Luckily for you, we've pulled together a list of the best LGBTQ-themed movies on Netflix right now.

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