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How to Choose The Best Movies to Watch & Download On Netflix

So, you finally caved in and got a Netflix subscription, am I right? What with all the great shows and movies that have come out — Stranger Things, Marriage Story, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before — who wouldn’t at this point? There are tons of movies and Netflix originals that you just can’t miss out on these days. However, if you’re a new subscriber then you know yourself that it can be difficult to find the best movies on Netflix. After all, it isn’t always easy to navigate, especially if you’re new to the platform. Though we must admit that the movie choices can be varied from country to country. That said, you might not find the show you’re looking for. Luckily, the

use of a VPN on Netflix

can save you from these struggles.

So how do you choose what to watch and download? Given that Netflix has over 1,000 shows and over 4,000 movies (

plus

an expanding library), how do you pick a movie? Even Netflix veterans might have a hard time. No worries. In this article, we’ll give you easy steps so you can learn how to choose a movie from Netflix.

How To Choose The Best Movies on Netflix

© Image by Andrés Rodríguez from Pixabay

There isn’t really one right way to choose the best movies on Netflix. In fact, there are multiple methods depending on your circumstances and what you’re in the mood for. We’ll give you different methods to pick and choose for different occasions. Hopefully, after you browse through all of them, you can see what you like and choose the best movies on Netflix.

As a disclaimer, keep in mind that not all movies are going to be on Netflix. Some movies are on other streaming platforms like HBO, Disney Plus, Amazon Prime Video, and more. It’ll all depend on the copyrights per movie or show. If you don’t like the ones on Netflix, then maybe it isn’t the best streaming service for you and you should consider other options. With that said, let’s get to the methods on how to pick a movie to watch on Netflix.

Browse Through Recommendations

If you’re not sure what to do or where to go, then browsing through Netflix’s recommendations is a good way to start. On your home page, you should find rows of recommended videos. These will range from Trending Now (in your country), Recently Added, Comedies, Top Picks for You, etc. Browsing through these is the best option especially if you’ve been a Netflix user for a while. Netflix will filter these recommended movies based on your ratings and watch history so that they’ll suit your tastes.

Search Bar To The Rescue

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If you already have a movie in mind, then that’s great! All you need to do now is search it on Netflix. Searching is easy just like any other website or app and you should see the search icon (magnifying glass) on the top of the screen. If you’re on the Netflix TV app though, then it’ll be on the sidebar, unlike the website and mobile app. Once you’re there, just type in the title of the movie and you’re done!

You should be able to stream movies like this as long as you already have a movie in mind. You don’t even need to search the

title

of the movie. Sometimes if you’re a fan of a certain

actor or director

, you can search that way as well. It’s pretty handy if you can’t remember a movie’s name but you remember who stars in it. Although you’ll probably get shows from that certain actor/actress as well, not just movies.

If you don’t have an actor/director/title in mind, you can

search by genre or language

. Perhaps you’re in the mood for a thriller movie or something Korean. You can even search by video quality if you’re very particular about watching in high resolution. Just type “UHD” to find 4K UHD shows and movies.

Filter By Genre

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If you don’t want to come up with genres to search for, you can browse through Netflix’s own list of genres. Whether you’re on mobile or desktop, there should be a clickable option at the top of the site. It’ll either say

TV Shows

or

Movies

. If you click on it and choose Movies, you can further filter out content by genre via the pull-down menu.

In the menu, you’ll find a variety of genres ranging from Action to Documentaries or even Anime and Asian movies. The genre filter can be a great way to check out different genres you like or even ones you’re not used to and see what’s out there. You never know you might find the right movie in a totally unfamiliar genre.

Browsing Deeper Into Categories

If you filter by genre, the movies that’ll show up will be very broadly categorized under that genre’s umbrella. That can make searching for good movies a bit difficult. Sometimes you might be looking for something even more specific than just “Action” or “Comedy”. In this case, it might be time to browse deeper into specific categories.

To do this, go to

Netflix-Codes.com

on your computer. On this site, you’ll be able to check out lists of numerous codes that you can paste into Netflix. These codes will lead you to even more refined and laser-focused genre searches. Once you find the right genre and code, right-click on it to search that hyper-specific Netflix genre. These can range from “Film Noir” to “Dark Comedies” and even “Sports & Fitness” (no joke, this is a thing). This can be great if you’re in the mood for something especially specific.

Filter By Year

You might not have noticed but Netflix usually suggests movies within the past 5 years on its homepage. While it’s fun to find fresh and current options, some of the best movies of all time are classics from the 90s or early 2000s. In this case, you’ll have to do a bit of digging.

To filter movies by year, you’ll have to go on the desktop version. Once you get there, navigate to the Movies section and click the grid icon on the corner towards the upper-right. From here, you should select “Year Released” from the pull-down menu. However, this option will only let you scroll down to get to the older years which can get tedious. There’s no option for reverse year sorting either so it’s going to take lots of time (although you should get through the 2010s just fine).

If you really want something old (older than the 2010s) then you should check out

InstantWatcher.com

. It’s a website that helps you filter the best movies on Netflix by year. Once you get to their homepage, go to the sliders to filter movies by release year. You can even see their average IMDB rating, Netflix rating, IMDB votes, and run-time. Even more filtering options can be found below the sliders for further customization.

Rating Videos

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Like many other video streaming services, Netflix operates based on its own algorithm. This means it calculates your preferences based on previously watched and liked videos. Once it has a rough idea of what kind of videos you like, you’ll get recommendations accordingly.

This means if you want the best movies on Netflix according to your taste, you should constantly rate videos. The rating system’s pretty easy with just a thumbs up or thumbs down for those you like and dislike. You can even rate movies you haven’t watched before. While it might seem odd, it actually makes sense since it immediately takes out the kinds of movies you won’t like. For example, if you’re sure you don’t like horror or gore movies, then you should dislike those movies from the get-go. This will make it easier for Netflix to at least filter out the stuff you dislike.

If you’re unsure about liking or disliking movies, don’t worry. Netflix has a feature where you can scroll through all your previously rated videos and change your rating. All you need to do is hover over your profile icon on the homepage at the top-right. Once you’re there click

Account > Ratings > My Profile

. In this section, you’ll be able to change your rating or click “x” to completely unrate the video (not liked, not disliked). It’s a great tool since most people change preferences over the years.

Find Related Movies

If you’ve watched a couple of movies before, checking related videos should give you more options for similar movies. It’s one of the best ways to find the best movies on Netflix that are sure to be to your liking.

Unfortunately, though, Netflix isn’t always consistent with giving out related movies. If you’re having trouble finding the related movies section, it could be because of the platform you’re on. Sometimes Netflix on the Apple TV doesn’t show related videos even when the iOS app doesn’t have this problem. Strange, I know. If you want a sure-fire way to find related videos then you should browse through Netflix on your desktop. Netflix’s browser version should have it when you hover over a title (it’ll show a down-arrow where you can find the “More Like This” option).

Netflix Roulette

Alas, there are some days when you just want to watch something without having to decide for yourself. In these cases, it’s best to automate your decision and let something else randomly select your movie-of-the-day. How? Try looking for a Netflix Roulette or a Netflix Randomizer.

Even the most veteran Netflix users might not be familiar with this method. Basically, all you have to do is go to a roulette website that has Netflix’s library within its database. Try out

reelgood.com

and filter your roulette based on genre, type (movies/TV shows), IMDB score, and Rotten Tomato score. This way, you’re sure that at least others have reviewed the movie and it’ll be a good watch. It’s a great method to choose the best movies on Netflix when you’re not in the mood to look for them yourself.

Popular: Must-Watch Movies On Netflix

With all of that said, perhaps you just want a few recommendations. Sometimes it’s easier to just watch recommendations from other people to get you in the mood. Besides, there are so many must-watch movies on Netflix anyway that any subscriber should definitely go and see them. Here are our top picks for the best movies on Netflix you definitely shouldn’t miss:

1. A Silent Voice (2016)

© Photo by MAGGIE LEE from variety.com

Netflix is a very diverse platform with lots of films in various languages. Most people can enjoy the best films even from other cultures if they want to and this one’s definitely one of the must-watch Japanese films in recent years. A Silent Voice is about a suicidal young deaf lady, Shoko Nishiyama, and her ex-elementary school bully, Shoya. As Shoya was blamed as the sole culprit in driving Shoko to change schools, he is plagued by guilt as he grows up. The story is about how he tries to atone for his sins by learning sign language and reaching out to Shoko. With a beautifully told story and equally beautiful animation, this film is sure to make you feel all the feels a good drama should.

2. Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

© Photo by netflix

A lot of younger Netflix users might be unfamiliar with Eddie Murphy — one of the most iconic actors in comedy. After a long hiatus, he’s back on the big screen playing as Rudy Ray Moore, a washed-up musician. Rudy’s life takes a turn as he transforms into Dolemite — the 70s blaxploitation character — eventually becoming a cult star. If you’re looking for a bit of comedy and drama (or if you just miss seeing Eddie Murphy in his classic comedic fashion) then this should be one of the best movies on Netflix for you.

3. Klaus (2019)

© Photo by imdb.com

Netflix has no shortage of critically acclaimed films and Klaus is one of them. After being down on his luck, Jesper, a postal-academy student, is sent to the arctic to man a quarrelsome town’s post office. There he finds a man named Klaus, a peaceful man with a knack for carpentry and creating wooden toys. Upon meeting, Jesper devises a plan to deliver toys in exchange for letters. Thus, an unordinary Santa Claus origin story is born.

4. Marriage Story (2019)

© Photo by imdb.com

If you were following the Oscars early this year then you might have heard of Marriage Story with Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. While it may seem like a romance film, it’s actually the story of a couple’s declining marriage relationship eventually leading to divorce. Their incompatibilities, despite how much they love each other, just proved to be blatantly overwhelming. Watch as this couple’s tensions rise and boil eventually leading to their ultimate separation. It’s certainly one of the best movies on Netflix to enjoy. It might even give insight into your current or future relationships, giving light to the many difficulties that come with marriage.

5. Roma (2018)

© Photo by imdb.com

If you thought black-and-white movies were an outdated, underwhelming form of story-telling, then watching Roma will make you think otherwise. It’s about an ordinary woman named Cleo who works as a maid for the wealthy family of a doctor, Antonio and his wife, Sofia. She sweeps the floors, takes care of the kids, and runs the entire household keeping everything in order. However, things get a bit more interesting after an unintended pregnancy and a difficult lover. It’s a beautifully shot film and delicately made — certainly one of the best movies on Netflix.

6. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse (2018)

© Photo by imdb.com

If you’re particular with graphics and a movie’s aesthetics, then this one might just be the right movie for you. Feast your eyes quite literally on the outstanding Spiderman film Sony actually managed to pull off well. Follow along as young Miles Morales takes up the mantle Peter Parker left behind while awkwardly learning how to become his own unique Spiderman. Oh, and did I mention he meets other Spidermen (and women) from other universes? Yeah, that too! Full of lighthearted jabs and a bit of breaking-the-fourth-wall on the numerous spider movies that have come out, it’s one film you definitely won’t want to miss. It’s truly one of the best movies on Netflix in the animated genre.

7. The Irishman (2019)

© Photo by imdb.com

If you’re into gangster movies, then you might like The Irishman directed by Martin Scorsese. Starring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci, the film follows the routine corruption within the mafia. Frank Sheeran, the main character, becomes one of the mob’s top hitmen after getting involved with a powerful crime family in Pennsylvania. The movie spans decades of the life of Frank as he reminisces his gang-related experiences. It’s critically acclaimed and is definitely one of the best movies on Netflix.

8. To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)

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If you like romance, then “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” is one of the best movies on Netflix for you. The lighthearted movie follows Lara Jean Song Covey who has been writing love letters to every guy she’s ever liked. However, one day her letters are anonymously sent to each guy she wrote a letter to. What follows is a love life that goes out of control for this young teenager.

Netflix: All The Best Movies, All For You

Netflix is a God-send especially for people who love to watch all kinds of movies and TV shows. Considering its small monthly subscription fee, it’s a total steal if you watch a movie a day or even a movie a week! Moreover, with all of these tools and ways to pick the best movies on Netflix, you’re sure to enjoy your movie-watching experience. Just employ any one of the methods — or choose some of our top picks — and enjoy! Once, you’ve decided what to watch, learn

how to download movies on Netflix for offline viewing

.

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