To quote High Fidelity, none of that “sentimental tacky crap.”
Photo: Buena Vista Pictures
It’s oppressively hot just about everywhere in the United States right about now, which means one thing: Watch a movie! But what to watch? The Netflix originals lately have been, well, less than perfect. In the Hand of Dante, Little Brother, and Voicemails for Isabelle may have their fans, but perhaps you’d prefer to revisit something you know you love or catch an indie film that you missed in theaters? Then we’re here to help. There’s star power in the best movies on Netflix this July, including Tom Hanks, Nicole Kidman, Ben Affleck, Madonna, Brad Pitt, and last year’s winner for Best Actress.
Year: 1995
Runtime: 2h 19m
Director: Ron Howard
Ron Howard directed this beloved 1995 historical drama about the dangerous space mission that nearly killed three American astronauts. Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, and Bill Paxton star as the space travelers with a great cast joining them on the ground, including Oscar nominee Ed Harris. Nominated for a total of nine Oscars, including Best Picture, this is a movie people still watch 30 years later, maybe even more so after the new interest in space travel ignited by recent NASA missions and Project Hail Mary. ➽ Streaming now.
Year: 2017
Runtime: 1h 33m
Director: Sofia Coppola
Sofia Coppola wrote and directed this underrated adaptation of the 1966 novel by Thomas P. Cullinan (already adapted once into a 1971 film starring Clint Eastwood). It’s a gorgeous period piece about the impact of an injured Union Army soldier (Colin Farrell) on a girls’ school in Virginia in 1864. Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, and Elle Fanning fill out a splendid ensemble. ➽ Streaming now.
Year: 2024
Runtime: 1h 39m
Director: David Fortune
This is a hidden gem on Netflix that you need to dig to find. Produced after its pitch won the AT&T Untold Stories competition, David Fortune’s delicate drama then did a successful fest circuit in 2024, including playing at the Chicago International Film Festival and Ebertfest. It’s a tender story about a widowed father who tries to take his son to his first baseball game and the way the world keeps getting in their way. It’s moving without ever feeling melodramatic. ➽ Streaming now.
Year: 2014
Runtime: 2h 28m
Director: David Fincher
David Fincher’s last theatrical release was this adaptation of the novel by Gillian Flynn about the disappearance of a woman and the investigation that comes down on her husband, Nick (Ben Affleck, doing arguably career-best work). Clever and taut, this is the kind of adult thriller that doesn’t really get made all that often anymore. And it’s held up remarkably well in the years since it was released. ➽ Streaming now.
Year: 2025
Runtime: 2h 5m
Director: Chloe Zhao
An Oscar winner for Jessie Buckley and a nominee for Best Picture, this devastating drama expounds on the theory that William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) wrote Hamlet as a response to the death of his own son. It surprisingly became one of the most divisive films of 2025. See it for yourself and make up your mind. ➽ Streaming now.
Year: 2000
Runtime: 1h 54m
Director: Stephen Frears
Stephen Frears directed this adaptation of the beloved 1995 novel of the same name by Nick Hornby, and the result is one of the best films of John Cusack’s career. The actor plays Rob Gordon, a Chicago music-store owner who struggles with relationships and responsibility. It’s a musically erudite movie with a fan base that has only grown in the two decades since its release. ➽ Streaming now.
Year: 1992
Runtime: 2h 7m
Director: Penny Marshall
Prime Video returned to the world of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League with a new original dramedy series in 2022, released three decades after this family favorite taught everyone that there’s no crying in baseball, but the original is still the best. A huge hit when it was released, this is the kind of film that’s easy to rewatch thanks in large part to the incredibly charming cast and the big heart in Penny Marshall’s direction. ➽ Streaming now.
Year: 2011
Runtime: 2h 7m
Director: Bennett Miller
One of the best baseball movies ever made was adapted from the 2003 book by Michael Lewis, which recounts the management of the 2002 season of the Oakland Athletics and how they changed the way the game is run by bringing analytics into the mix. Brad Pitt stars in one of his best performances as general manager Billy Beane, a man who knew he would have to find a new way to evaluate talent if the A’s were going to compete. ➽ Streaming now.
Year: 2014
Runtime: 1h 24m
Director: Gillian Robespierre
This smart rom-com about a stand-up comedian who gets pregnant after a one-night stand features one of Jenny Slate’s best performances. It’s not entirely wrong to say this is a romantic comedy about abortion, a tricky subject navigated perfectly by writer-director Robespierre, who guides Slate toward a funny, human, relatable performance. Unapologetically realistic, this is another hidden gem to watch on Netflix while you can. ➽ Streaming now.
Year: 2004
Runtime: 1h 43m
Director: James Wan
Consider this single entry your placeholder for ten films. That’s right: All ten films from the 2004 original to the pretty great Saw X are on Netflix waiting for your air-conditioned horror marathon. To say that quality fluctuates between them would be an understatement, but often these streaming services will include parts of franchises instead of the whole thing, so take this chance to experience everything that Jigsaw has to offer as we await the inevitable Saw XI. ➽ Streaming now.
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