These are the best Netflix movies of 2025 according to Rotten Tomatoes
We can agree on one thing: 2025 was a tumultuous year. But amidst all the ups and downs, we could always count on one thing: Netflix. Every month we were treated to new gems that made us forget the latest removal alerts. With all those new movies (and series), your watchlist quickly grew to the length of a roll of wallpaper — and finishing it all? Good luck. To help you out, we’ve lined up the ten best Netflix films of 2025 for you. Selected by the critics of Rotten Tomatoes. And if they say so…
The Perfect Neighbor
We just barely miss a perfect score, but with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 99 percent, there is a clear winner. The true crime documentary ‘The Perfect Neighbor’ is seen by critics as the best Netflix addition of 2025. The doc follows the story of Ajike ‘AJ’ Owens and her neighbor Susan Lorincz. What starts as an apparently simple neighbor dispute escalates further and further out of control. The police have to intervene multiple times, but when things really go wrong, they are too late. The argument escalates with deadly consequences.
The case leads to large-scale protests that continue to this day. With bodycam footage, you get a raw and intense view of what happened — and believe us: it hits hard.
Train Dreams
Experts had already called this film one of the Netflix hits of the year before its release, and with a Rotten Tomatoes-score of 95 percent, those expectations are more than met. The touching drama ‘Train Dreams’, based on the eponymous book by Denis Johnson, follows Robert Grainer (Joel Edgerton), a simple day laborer who helps build the railroads in the American West at the beginning of the twentieth century.
In his life, he finds true love, but after a tremendous loss, everything comes to a standstill. In a world that is constantly changing, dealing with that grief proves to be his greatest challenge. Hopefully, there were some tissues under the Christmas tree, because you’re definitely going to need them for this film.
KPop Demon Hunters
The second place must be shared this year, and with a completely different film: ‘KPop Demon Hunters‘. When it comes to viewership, this animation is at the top of the list. In fact, it is even the most-watched Netflix film ever.
The film revolves around the Korean pop group HUNTR\/X: singers who, alongside their music careers, must also protect the world from demons. When their biggest rivals disguise themselves as a boy band to lure fans into traps even more easily, HUNTR\/X’s task suddenly becomes a lot more dangerous.
There’s a good chance you’ve already heard one of the songs from the film. Can’t sing along yet? No worries — after watching, the songs will definitely stick in your head for a while. And you’ll definitely feel cheerful.
One of Them Days
Maybe you missed this film for a moment, but with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 94 percent, ‘One of Them Days’ is absolutely a must-watch. In this comedy, we follow friends and housemates Dreux and Alyssa, who discover that Alyssa’s boyfriend has spent their rent money on very different things.
The landlord is, of course, not happy about this and demands that the amount be in his account before the end of the day. With time ticking away mercilessly, the girls must do everything they can to gather the money. Whether they will succeed — and whether their friendship will survive — is still uncertain. After all the Christmas stress, ready for something light? Then this is your film.
Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery
The film has only been out for two weeks, but with a score of 92 percent, ‘Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery’ has already secured a spot on this list. After three years of waiting, detective Benoit Blanc is finally back in the third installment of the Knives Out series; this time with perhaps the biggest challenge of his career.
Blanc is tasked with solving a mysterious murder within a village church. When faith, power, and secrets become intertwined, the truth proves to be much harder to unravel than expected. The result is a complex whodunit with plenty of humor and, importantly, a cast that is impressive. A must-watch for crime lovers.
In Your Dreams
Okay, officially it might be a children’s film, but the sixth place on this list already proves that the fanbase is secretly much larger. The animated film ‘In Your Dreams’ tells the story of Stevie and her little brother Elliot. When they recite a spell from Klaas Vaak together, they suddenly find themselves in dreamland.
There they discover that the Sandman might just be the key to keeping their family together, but first, they need to find Klaas Vaak. And that proves to be trickier than expected, especially when they have to face their biggest nightmares along the way. But the further the brother and sister go, the clearer it becomes that they can handle more together than they thought.
Don’t expect great tension or dark twists, but rather a warm feel-good story. And honestly: ending the year with such a film is always a good idea.
Frankenstein
Spooky season was extended a bit this year; and it turned out to be a great success. ‘Frankenstein’ took us back into the story of the monster, but in perhaps an Oscar-worthy guise. The brilliant but egocentric scientist Victor Frankenstein is determined to create a new being from the dead at all costs. When he succeeds, his ambitious plan quickly leads to a tragic confrontation with his creation. Their desires, fears, and secrets clash so hard that you inevitably start to wonder: who is actually the monster here?
With the Oscar nominations around the corner, now is the time to watch; being able to chat a bit during the coffee break is always nice.
Nonna’s
A last-minute trip to Italy? Where can we sign up? Okay, you’re probably just watching this film from your own couch, but with a bit of imagination, you can still taste la dolce vita. In ‘Nonna’s’ Joe looks for a way to honor his deceased mother. His solution? Starting a restaurant where four grandmothers combine their family recipes into the most delicious dishes. Each of them claims to have the best recipes, so the selection process is anything but smooth. Yet their shared passion takes them quite far.
Extra bonus: the film is based on a true story — and that makes it all the more beautiful.
Steve
Some films already have an advantage with their cast. And if Cillian Murphy is in it, we are automatically a bit more curious. There’s a good chance he also helped his film ‘Steve’ secure a spot on this list.
Murphy plays the principal Steve, who fights against the closure of a school for troubled youth. At the same time, he struggles with mental issues himself — and he’s not the only one. Shy, one of the students, is also trying to gain control over his past and his future. It becomes an increasingly larger challenge for Steve to keep everything under control, to prove that the school matters, and that the youth here get exactly what they need.
The Thursday Murder Club
For the diehard crime lovers among us, this film could very well be a glimpse into the future — although I’m not sure if you should want that. In ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ Elizabeth, Ron, Ibrahim, and Joyce, four residents of a luxurious nursing home, come together every Thursday to ponder a cold case. Just a fun hobby, until they are suddenly confronted up close with a new murder.
With all their ‘experience’, the amateur detectives dive back into a mystery, but this time there’s a bit more at stake. The result: an exciting search for the culprit, with a hefty dose of humor. And honestly? You can hardly end your year better.
Cr: Netflix © 2025
