Netflix releases a lot of new movies every year, and while not every Netflix Original is a winner, the streaming service usually offers subscribers a strong handful of new titles each year. Fortunately, 2024 has been no different with several must-watch titles debuting on the platform over the past 10 months.
What is classified as a Netflix movie can be a little fuzzy, but for this list, we’re only including movies distributed directly by Netflix (these are marked by the little red “N” in the service’s content library). This list also excludes international movies to keep it manageable, but if you want some foreign recommendations be sure to check out “Society of the Snow,” “The Platform 2” and “Emilia Pérez.”
With all that housekeeping sorted, here are the seven new Netflix movies of 2024 that you need to stream now, and there’s something for every taste down below from a shocking true crime thriller to a family-friendly animated adventure.
‘Woman of the Hour’
I knew that Anna Kendrick was a talent in front of the camera, but did not expect her to step behind the lens and direct a thriller that simply will not leave my mind. “Woman of the Hour” is a frightening exploration of violence against women all framed within a true crime story that is so unbelievable you’ll swear it’s fiction. Kendrick doesn’t just direct but also plays the leading role, and while her performance is good, it’s her filmmaking chops that are most impressive.
Based on the serial killer Rodney Alcala (played here by Daniel Zovatto), “Woman of the Hour” explores his spree of murders through the 1970s, and also his appearance on the popular television show “The Dating Game” in 1978. It’s here that the psychopathic murderer meets Cheryl Bradshaw (Kendrick), an aspiring actress, who is completely unaware of the danger lurking behind the screen. Gripping but also haunting, “Woman of the Hour” is a Netflix must-watch.
Watch "Woman of the Hour" on Netflix now
‘His Three Daughters’
“His Three Daughters” (relatively) lack of success in the Netflix top 10 (it peaked at No. 5 in its release week and then dropped out entirely) remains extremely disappointing. This drama is one of my favorite movies of the year, and the three actresses at its core, Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne and Elizabeth Olsen, are all phenomenal. I hope they all get awards recognition early next year. So, if you’re looking for a Netflix drama with fantastic writing, a tender spirit and three performances that will have you shedding tears, look no further.
As the name suggests, “His Three Daughters” centers on a trio of siblings who reunite in New York City to care for their sick father. Katie (Coon) is the strong-willed natural alpha of the bunch, Christina (Olsen) is determined for everybody to get along and Rachel (Lyonne) is the screw-up, still living at home. As their father’s condition worsens, tensions rise, home truths are shared and old resentments come to light, but their sisterly bond also grows stronger.
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‘Rebel Ridge’
I did not expect “Rebel Ridge” to be such a winner. Based on the first trailer I assumed it would be a disposable action-thriller that would come and go quickly, instead, it shot up the charts to become a No. 1 hit, and it deserved every moment of its time in the spotlight. Bursting with frenetic energy, and anchored by an almost instantly iconic performance from Aaron Pierre, “Rebel Ridge” grabs you from the first moment and doesn’t let go 'til the very end.
Terry Richmond (Pierre) is a man in a desperate situation. Cycling into the town of Shelby Springs to post bail for his cousin, he’s run off the road by a couple of crooked cops who then unlawfully seize the cash needed to pay the bail amount. Terry faces a battle against the clock to reclaim what is his and comes up against the town’s egotistical police chief, Sandy Burnee (Don Johnson).
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‘Hit Man’
I thought that Glen Powell was pretty excellent in 2022’s “Top Gun Maverick”, but “Hit Man” really convinced me that this guy is the real deal. Powell is a movie star for the modern age, and “Hit Man” proves it. Directed by Richard Linklater, with the acclaimed filmmaker co-writing the flick with Powell himself, “Hit Man” manages to be an enjoyable crime thriller and an enticing romantic comedy in one package, and it’s a total blast from start to finish.
Powell plays Gary Johnson, a college professor who moonlights as a fake hitman as part of a police sting operation. His job is to entrap people looking to hire a contract killer, but his (relatively) simple assignment gets a whole lot more complex when he gets close to a beautiful woman (Adria Arjona) looking to hire him to snuff out her abusive husband. As romantic sparks fly, Johnson is drawn into a world of deception with deadly consequences.
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‘Don’t Move’
“Don’t Move” boasts a brilliant concept for a thriller, it sees a grieving woman trapped in a nightmare situation when an initially friendly stranger injects her with a paralytic agent that results in her body slowly shutting down. As she’s hunted through the forest by this psychopath she is rendered almost completely immobile, only able to move her eyes. So how do you escape a killer when your limbs are frozen in place and you can run to safety?
While “Don’t Move” does become a little inconsistent with exactly how much its protagonist can move in the latter half, its core premise remains enjoyable throughout. Plus, at 85 minutes long, it’s a very zippy thriller that takes place in real time and ends before the narrative can outstay its welcome. “Don’t Move” doesn’t manage to reach the heights of “Rebel Ridge” or “Woman of the Hour” but it’s still worth adding to your Netflix watchlist.
Watch "Don't Move" on Netflix now
‘Scoop’
“Scoop” is a Netflix movie that went a little under the radar outside its native Britain, but even those not well-versed in Prince Andrew’s infamous 2019 “Newsnight” interview should give it a watch. It nails enough fundamental elements to be a compelling politically charged drama in its own right. However, if you watch with the additional context of having seen the original inspiration then it really connects in a completely new way. Either way, you should stream it.
Starring Gillian Anderson, Keeley Hawes, Billie Piper and Rufus Sewell, “Scoop” is a dramatic retelling of an interview that went so spectacularly wrong that calling it a “car crash interview” barely touches the sides. In 2019, BBC’s current affairs show “Newsnight” secured an interview with Prince Andrew, a member of the Royal Family, to discuss his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, what followed was an interview that damaged one of the country’s most reputable institutions and resulted in hard questions about the British royals position in society.
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‘Orion and the Dark’
One of Netflix’s biggest wins in the animation space this year is “Orion and the Dark.” Written by Charlie Kaufman, the screenwriter behind surrealist masterpieces like “Being John Malkovich” and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”, this fantasy adventure goes beyond bright colors and simple narrative beats designed to appeal to young viewers. While little ones will find the vibrant animation appealing, grown-ups will enjoy its grand storytelling ambitions.
The movie focuses on the eponymous Orin, an 11-year-old boy with a long list of fears, but the one thing he’s scared of the most is the dark. Orin absolutely hates the dark. But when he’s visited by a strange being that turns out to be the living embodiment of his very worst fear, he’s whisked away on a fantastical journey where he learns that sometimes a little bit of darkness isn’t always such a bad thing. “Orion and the Dark” is a wonderful Netflix flick for all ages.
Watch "Orion and the Dark" on Netflix now
