April brings a flood of new movies to Netflix. Some movies are returning to the streaming service after being released elsewhere, while others are available on Netflix for the first time.
Choosing a title to watch on movie night can be difficult and time-consuming. If you’re like me, you might fall asleep while scrolling. You can count on Netflix movies rated highly on Rotten Tomatoes. But critics can be cruel, and you might miss out on a great option.
That’s why I’ve compiled my favorite new movies on Netflix this month. I have seen and can vouch for all of them. They might not reach RT’s A-grade, but they all deserve to be on Netflix’s best movies list.
Here are my picks.
begining
People are still debating the ending of Inception more than a dozen years after its release. If you’re somehow left unspoiled by Christopher Nolan’s sci-fi film, prepare to have your mind blown. Oh, and don’t forget to turn up the volume because Hans Zimmer’s music is epic. Leonardo DiCaprio leads an all-star cast as Dom Cobb, a thief with the power to enter dreams and steal ideas. But along the way, imaginary cities collapse and Dom’s internal struggles put the trickster and his own mind in danger.
Arrived on Netflix: April 1, 2023
genre: A sci-fi thriller
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Elliot Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ken Watanabe, Tom Hardy
Director: Christopher Nolan
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Born `s identity
The super spy genre got a much-needed boost with 2002’s The Bourne Identity. The film subverted the usual tropes by making the main character, Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), forget he’s a super spy. He doesn’t remember why he can fight and struggles with the fact that he has deadly skills. The relationship between Bourne and his occasional companion Marie (Franca Potente) brings out his tender side and makes him seem more human than, say, James Bond.
Arrived on Netflix: April 1, 2023
genre: Action thriller
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 84%
stars: Matt Damon, Franca Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen, Brian Cox
Director: Doug Liman
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Inside man
This Spike Lee feature is a propulsive heist thriller featuring an engaging game of cat and mouse that pits Denzel Washington against Clive Owen. Dalton Russell (Owen) is the mastermind behind the “perfect” bank heist. NYPD Detective Keith Frazier (Washington) is a hostage negotiator sent to negotiate terms with the thieves. Meanwhile, fixer Madalyn White (Jodie Foster) is hired by the owner of the bank to retrieve sensitive documents contained in his safe. With so many programs in place, opposition threatens to turn violent.
Arrived on Netflix: April 1, 2023
genre: Crime thriller
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 86%
stars: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer, Willem Dafoe, Chiwetel Ejiofor
Director: Spike Lee
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How to lose a man in 10 days
A classic tale of hate turning to love, this Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey rom-com has become iconic. Magazine writer Andy Anderson and advertising executive Benjamin Barry (yes, those are really their names) initially get together for the wrong reasons – with Andy looking for a story and Ben doing it for a bet – but there’s a passion between them that may not ignored. When they both understand what the other is doing, the game really begins.
Arrived on Netflix: April 1, 2023
genre: A romantic comedy
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 42%
stars: Kate Hudson, Matthew McConaughey, Kathryn Hahn, Adam Goldberg
Director: Donald Petrie
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Zombieland
The plot of this zombie drama isn’t particularly unique — a virus ravages the world and turns many people into flesh-eating, undead monsters — but its likable character and sharp wit set it apart from the hordes. A college student known as Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) joins forces with three other survivors: Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Emma Stone (Wichita) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin). As they travel to a known safe house in Los Angeles, Columbus comes up with a list of rules to help them survive the zombies.
Arrived on Netflix: April 1, 2023
genre: Horror/Comedy
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 89%
stars: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin
Director: Ruben Fleischer
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