The calendar says spring starts in March, but the weather in many parts of the country may still force people to huddle in dens and family rooms and seek movies to stream – and one of the leading streaming platforms for feature films (as well as series), of course, is Netflix.
To determine the best movies to stream on Netflix this March, 24/7 Tempo developed an index using average ratings on IMDb, an online movie database owned by Amazon, and a combination of audience scores and Tomatometer scores on Rotten Tomatoes, an online movie and TV review aggregator, as of March 2023, weighting all ratings equally. We considered only movies with at least 5,000 audience votes on either IMDb or Rotten Tomatoes, and ruled out documentaries. Data on streaming availability, current as of early March, comes from the streaming guide Reelgood. Directorial credits are from IMDb.
Of the 50 films on our list, 22 of them have at least a 90% Freshness score from Rotten Tomatoes critics. Five of the films received a 90% score or higher from both Rotten Tomatoes audience members as well. (Among the platform’s own productions, these are the 25 best original Netflix movies.)
Click here to learn about the best movies on Netflix right now
There are plenty of movies ready to be streamed based on historical events and real people. These include “Darkest Hour,” “The Aviator,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “First They Killed My Father,” “Philomena,” and “The Trial of the Chicago 7.” Foreign films weigh in with Oscar-honored “Roma,” “Night Comes For Us,” and “White Tiger.” (See which movies number among the most successful foreign films in America.)
“Notting Hill,” one of six motion pictures on our list that was released in the 20th century, represents the rom-com genre, as does “Always Be My Maybe.” Horror flicks “Creep 2” and Stephen King’s “It” will have viewers ducking under the covers – where at last it will be warm.
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
50. Fletch (1985)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (49,947 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (45,163 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 77% (31 reviews)
> Directed by: Michael Ritchie
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
49. Seabiscuit (2003)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (74,088 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (118,456 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 77% (206 reviews)
> Directed by: Gary Ross
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Source: Courtesy of The Orchard
48. Christine (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (15,663 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 71% (5,547 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (128 reviews)
> Directed by: Antonio Campos
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
47. The King (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (132,974 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (2,286 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 71% (143 reviews)
> Directed by: David Michôd
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Source: Courtesy of Netflix
46. Hush (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 6.6/10 (115,593 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (6,853 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 93% (42 reviews)
> Directed by: Mike Flanagan
Source: Courtesy of Vertical Entertainment
45. Other People (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (10,699 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (2,563 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (60 reviews)
> Directed by: Chris Kelly
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Source: Courtesy of Focus Features
44. Tully (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (55,750 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (3,715 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (285 reviews)
> Directed by: Jason Reitman
Source: Courtesy of Screen Gems
43. Easy A (2010)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (372,419 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (129,164 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (192 reviews)
> Directed by: Will Gluck
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
42. Our Souls at Night (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (12,653 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 75% (1,024 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (44 reviews)
> Directed by: Ritesh Batra
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
41. Notting Hill (1999)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (290,457 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (508,607 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 83% (100 reviews)
> Directed by: Roger Michell
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
40. The Fundamentals of Caring (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (66,831 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (6,058 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 77% (35 reviews)
> Directed by: Rob Burnett
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Source: Courtesy of Focus Features
39. Loving (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (34,944 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (19,722 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (294 reviews)
> Directed by: Jeff Nichols
Source: Courtesy of The Orchard
38. Creep 2 (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 6.5/10 (22,511 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 71% (1,086 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 100% (25 reviews)
> Directed by: Patrick Brice
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
37. Parenthood (1989)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (47,354 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 76% (49,387 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (58 reviews)
> Directed by: Ron Howard
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Source: Courtesy of Annapurna Pictures
36. If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (45,888 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 71% (2,617 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (362 reviews)
> Directed by: Barry Jenkins
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
35. Always Be My Maybe (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 6.8/10 (50,782 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (2,029 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (99 reviews)
> Directed by: Nahnatchka Khan
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Source: Courtesy of Level 33 Entertainment
34. Copenhagen (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (12,929 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (1,093 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (16 reviews)
> Directed by: Mark Raso
Source: Courtesy of RSVP Movies
33. The Sky Is Pink (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (8,148 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 91% (80 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 71% (21 reviews)
> Directed by: Shonali Bose
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
32. First They Killed My Father (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (18,916 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (2,399 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 87% (71 reviews)
> Directed by: Angelina Jolie
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Source: Courtesy of Columbia Pictures
31. 21 Jump Street (2012)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (527,323 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (257,844 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 85% (226 reviews)
> Directed by: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
30. Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (46,581 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 73% (1,141 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 98% (297 reviews)
> Directed by: George C. Wolfe
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Source: Courtesy of Netflix
29. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (133,130 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 77% (3,708 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (234 reviews)
> Directed by: Joel & Ethan Coen
Source: Courtesy of Fathom Events
28. Mirai (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (14,186 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (945 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (84 reviews)
> Directed by: Mamoru Hosoda
Source: Courtesy of Focus Features
27. Darkest Hour (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (205,576 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (14,148 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 84% (318 reviews)
> Directed by: Joe Wright
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Source: Courtesy of Miramax
26. The Aviator (2004)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (365,136 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (207,698 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (227 reviews)
> Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
25. The White Tiger (2021)
> IMDb user rating: 7.1/10 (54,128 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (1,016 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (170 reviews)
> Directed by: Ramin Bahrani
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Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
24. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (401,541 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (142,303 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (273 reviews)
> Directed by: Edgar Wright
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
23. The Night Comes for Us (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.0/10 (23,843 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 82% (984 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (33 reviews)
> Directed by: Timo Tjahjanto
Source: Courtesy of Open Road Films
22. Dope (2015)
> IMDb user rating: 7.2/10 (82,817 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (34,031 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (160 reviews)
> Directed by: Rick Famuyiwa
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Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
21. It (2017)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (488,616 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 84% (67,821 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 86% (386 reviews)
> Directed by: Andy Muschietti
Source: Courtesy of IFC Films
20. Official Secrets (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (49,024 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (361 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (166 reviews)
> Directed by: Gavin Hood
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
19. The Nice Guys (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 7.4/10 (299,978 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 79% (56,468 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (320 reviews)
> Directed by: Shane Black
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
18. El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 7.3/10 (205,157 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (5,048 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (129 reviews)
> Directed by: Vince Gilligan
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
17. Roma (2018)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (148,393 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 72% (5,701 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (400 reviews)
> Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón
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Source: Courtesy of Netflix
16. The Half of It (2020)
> IMDb user rating: 6.9/10 (32,458 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 81% (969 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 97% (101 reviews)
> Directed by: Alice Wu
Source: Courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox
15. Minority Report (2002)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (526,585 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 80% (481,676 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (253 reviews)
> Directed by: Steven Spielberg
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Source: Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics
14. The Raid 2 (2014)
> IMDb user rating: 8.0/10 (118,592 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 87% (24,310 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 82% (175 reviews)
> Directed by: Gareth Evans
Source: Courtesy of Lionsgate
13. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)
> IMDb user rating: 7.5/10 (632,802 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (424,606 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 90% (293 reviews)
> Directed by: Francis Lawrence
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
12. I Lost My Body (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (29,388 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 83% (633 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 96% (83 reviews)
> Directed by: Jérémy Clapin
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Source: Courtesy of The Weinstein Company
11. Philomena (2013)
> IMDb user rating: 7.6/10 (101,025 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 89% (52,457 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (200 reviews)
> Directed by: Stephen Frears
Source: Courtesy of Rocket Science
10. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
> IMDb user rating: 7.7/10 (179,508 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 90% (2,455 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (331 reviews)
> Directed by: Aaron Sorkin
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Source: Courtesy of Paramount Pictures
9. Forrest Gump (1994)
> IMDb user rating: 8.8/10 (1,905,676 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (1,244,237 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 71% (104 reviews)
> Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Source: Courtesy of Netflix
8. Marriage Story (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 7.9/10 (272,813 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 85% (184 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (391 reviews)
> Directed by: Noah Baumbach
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
7. Rush (2013)
> IMDb user rating: 8.1/10 (482,996 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 88% (79,330 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 89% (235 reviews)
> Directed by: Ron Howard
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Source: Courtesy of Netflix
6. The Irishman (2019)
> IMDb user rating: 7.8/10 (392,363 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 86% (1,057 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 95% (453 reviews)
> Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Source: Courtesy of Filmarti
5. Dangal (2016)
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (193,082 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (2,333 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 88% (17 reviews)
> Directed by: Nitesh Tiwari
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Source: Courtesy of Miramax
4. Reservoir Dogs (1992)
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (958,136 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (446,711 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 92% (71 reviews)
> Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Source: Courtesy of Universal Pictures
3. The Sting (1973)
> IMDb user rating: 8.3/10 (250,672 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (61,793 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (63 reviews)
> Directed by: George Roy Hill
Source: Courtesy of New Line Cinema
2. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
> IMDb user rating: 8.8/10 (1,731,527 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 95% (1,355,751 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 91% (235 reviews)
> Directed by: Peter Jackson
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Source: Courtesy of Warner Bros.
1. The Dark Knight (2008)
> IMDb user rating: 9.0/10 (2,419,864 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes audience score: 94% (1,831,566 votes)
> Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer score: 94% (345 reviews)
> Directed by: Christopher Nolan
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