So you’re stuck in scrolling purgatory again, huh? Endlessly thumbing through Netflix, hoping something jumps out. We’ve been there. That’s why we pulled together the Top 10 Movies you would actually want to watch this week—no fluff, no filler. Whether you’re into thrillers, rom-coms, or indie gems, there’s something worth hitting play on. Here’s your Netflix cheat sheet for May 25–31, 2025—because your time is too valuable for another “meh” movie night.
The Outrun (2024)
Saoirse Ronan might’ve just delivered her most personal performance yet—and that’s saying something. The Outrun drops her on the windswept Orkney Islands, playing Rona, a woman fresh out of rehab who’s trying to piece her life back together. There’s no flashy drama here, no huge breakdown scenes. It’s just this quiet, hauntingly beautiful look at what it means to start over when your past is still sitting in the room with you.
Ronan is absolutely magnetic. She’s raw and honest and never once feels like she’s acting—and that’s kind of the magic of this whole thing. Director Nora Fingscheidt (who did System Crasher, also very worth your time) lets the landscape speak almost as much as the characters. You can feel the cold wind, the crashing waves—it’s like nature is part of the story.
If you loved Wild or Leave No Trace, this is in that lane: moody, introspective, and emotionally real in a way that sneaks up on you. It’s not a popcorn movie—it’s a “sit in silence when it ends” kind of movie. And honestly? We need more of those.
Here (2024)
What if one room could tell a thousand stories? That’s the idea behind Here, a trippy, deeply emotional film from Robert Zemeckis (yes, Forrest Gump Zemeckis) that takes place entirely in one single location. Through the decades, we meet all the people who’ve lived, loved, fought, died, and dreamed in that space. And somehow, it all works.
Tom Hanks and Robin Wright reunite here, and it feels like a homecoming. Their performances are subtle and heartfelt, and there’s this bittersweet thing running underneath it all—how time keeps moving, no matter what. The camera tricks are wild, too. Think long takes, slow dissolves, and transitions that make you feel like you’re floating through memories.
It’s nostalgic without being cheesy. Deep without being pretentious. And while the concept sounds a little artsy on paper, the emotion keeps it grounded. If you’re into movies that make you feel a little more connected to the human experience—or if you just want to see Hanks in peak form again—Here is one to catch.
The Swan (2023)
This one’s short, sharp, and pure Wes Anderson. The Swan is part of his Roald Dahl mini-series on Netflix, and honestly? It might be the best of the bunch. It’s only 17 minutes, but it packs more style and emotional punch than some full-length dramas.
The story’s simple—two bullies torment a brilliant, sensitive boy named Peter. But the way Anderson tells it? It’s equal parts gorgeous and gutting. The symmetry, the voiceover, the vintage British schoolboy vibe—it’s all there. Rupert Friend, as the narrator, delivers this almost fairy-tale-like recounting that slowly turns into something way more sinister.
It’s dark, but not in a gory way. More in that “wow, kids can be terrifying” kind of way. And even though it’s tiny, it stays with you. Like a beautifully wrapped punch in the gut. If you’ve got 20 minutes and want something that’s perfectly crafted and quietly devastating, The Swan is a must.
Will & Harper (2024)
If you think you know what to expect from a Will Ferrell doc…you don’t. Will & Harper is funny, yeah—but it’s also way more tender and raw than you’d expect. It follows Ferrell and his longtime friend Harper Steele as they take a road trip together after Harper comes out as a trans woman. And what starts as a goofy buddy trip turns into one of the most intimate portraits of friendship you’ll see all year.
There’s zero performative “look how supportive I am” energy from Ferrell. It’s just a guy trying to show up for his friend in the most honest, sometimes clumsy, always heartfelt way. The two talk, laugh, cry, and crack jokes in diners and hotel rooms across America. And even when it gets emotional, it never feels forced.
Director Josh Greenbaum (who did Barb and Star, of all things) gives it space to breathe. It’s not trying to be a “capital I” Important documentary—it just is. And that’s what makes it powerful. If you’re in the mood for something that’s real, warm, and genuinely moving, queue this one up.
His Three Daughters (2023)
You know those family dramas where everyone’s yelling and you’re like “yep, been there”? That’s His Three Daughters in a nutshell—but it’s also so much more than just a bickering sibling movie. Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, and Elizabeth Olsen play three wildly different sisters who reunite to care for their dying father. Tensions fly, emotions boil over, but underneath it all is this deep, aching love.
Director Azazel Jacobs keeps things intimate—mostly one location, lots of close-ups, no unnecessary fluff. The acting is the star here. Every scene feels like a real conversation you could’ve had with your own siblings, full of messy history and unspoken stuff that finally bubbles up. Lyonne brings the dry wit, Coon brings the bite, and Olsen? Surprisingly restrained and powerful.
This isn’t a “fix everything with a hug” story. It’s honest, painful, and weirdly funny in all the right places. Think The Savages meets Marriage Story, but with more wine and sarcasm. If you’ve ever fought with your family while secretly loving them to death, this one hits hard.
Saturday Night (2024)
You don’t have to be an SNL superfan to get hooked on Saturday Night. Jason Reitman directs this fast-paced, behind-the-scenes look at how the very first episode of Saturday Night Live came together back in 1975. It’s chaotic, funny, and a little awe-inspiring watching these young weirdos try to launch a live comedy show that no one’s totally sure will work.
The cast is stacked with rising stars playing future icons—think Chevy Chase, Gilda Radner, Lorne Michaels. And even though we all know how it ends (spoiler: it’s still on the air), there’s real tension in those final rehearsals and last-minute rewrites. You feel the pressure, the nerves, the absolute scramble to make something magic.
If you liked The Social Network but wished it had more sketch comedy and bell bottoms, this is your jam. Reitman nails that mix of reverence and ridiculousness, and it’s just a blast to see the birth of something so legendary. Bonus: it lowkey doubles as a love letter to live TV, creative risk, and that messy first try that changes everything.
White Noise (2022)
White Noise is what happens when Noah Baumbach adapts Don DeLillo, and Adam Driver runs around in a hazmat suit trying to make sense of the universe. Sounds weird? Oh, it is—but in a good way. This one’s got suburban chaos, existential dread, and a big black toxic cloud floating over it all (literally).
Driver plays Jack Gladney, a professor of Hitler studies (yes, that’s a thing), whose world starts unraveling after a chemical spill turns into an airborne disaster. But this isn’t a disaster movie in the usual sense. It’s more like an anxiety spiral disguised as a dark comedy, with Greta Gerwig playing his wife, whose own secrets add to the general unraveling.
The vibes are pure 1980s-meets-apocalypse, and the themes? Consumerism, fear of death, identity, media saturation—you name it, it’s in there. It’s strange, heady, and hilarious in this off-kilter way that leaves you asking, “What did I just watch?” If you’re into weird, ambitious stuff that doesn’t hold your hand but makes you think, White Noise will absolutely deliver.
The Piano Lesson (2024)
August Wilson’s work never misses, and The Piano Lesson is proof. Directed by Malcolm Washington (yep, Denzel’s son) and produced by the whole Washington family squad, this adaptation hits deep. It’s about a family fighting over a piano that’s been passed down for generations—but the argument’s not really about the piano. It’s about legacy, trauma, and what gets left behind when you try to move forward.
John David Washington and Samuel L. Jackson face off as nephew and uncle with wildly different views on the piano’s fate. One wants to sell it and start fresh, the other wants to hold on to it—and everything it represents. The tension? Thick. The performances? Fire.
It’s powerful without being preachy. Grounded but still poetic. And it’s got that stage-play-to-screen magic where you can feel the weight of every line. If Fences or Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom hit you in the chest, this one’s going to do the same. Don’t miss it.
Woman of the Hour (2023)
True crime fans, buckle up. Woman of the Hour is one of those “this actually happened??” movies that manages to be both wild and chilling. Anna Kendrick directs and stars in this dramatization of the real-life moment in 1978 when a woman picked serial killer Rodney Alcala as her date…on The Dating Game.
Yeah. Let that sink in.
Kendrick plays Cheryl Bradshaw, the contestant who just thought she was having a weird day on a TV set. The film jumps between the taping, Alcala’s creepy behavior, and the broader cultural moment that allowed someone like him to slip through the cracks. It’s smart, tense, and unsettling in all the right ways.
It’s not just about the killer—it’s about the systems that failed. The way media smooths over red flags. The way women are taught to be polite even when their gut says “run.” If you liked Promising Young Woman or Extremely Wicked, this one fits right in—stylish, sharp, and scary as hell.
Home (2015)
Alright, hear me out: Home might look like just another colorful kids’ movie with a goofy alien, but it’s actually way more charming and heartfelt than you’d expect. The setup is wild—a race of bubble-bodied aliens called the Boov take over Earth and relocate all the humans, thinking they’re doing us a favor. But then one Boov named Oh (voiced by Jim Parsons) screws up big time, gets exiled, and ends up teaming up with a human girl named Tip (voiced by Rihanna, yes that Rihanna) to fix things.
It’s got that classic odd-couple buddy road trip vibe, but with a sci-fi twist—and way more bubble ships and Slushies. Oh is awkward, overly literal, and endlessly optimistic, while Tip is all heart and grit, just trying to find her mom. Their friendship? Genuinely sweet. It’s about trust, belonging, and learning that maybe running away from your problems (or your planet) isn’t the answer.
Plus, the soundtrack slaps—Rihanna drops original songs throughout, and they actually fit the story. The animation is bright and playful, and the message lands without being preachy. If you’re in the mood for something fun, funny, and surprisingly touching—with a little alien weirdness on the side—Home is an underrated gem. Perfect for kids, but honestly? Adults will feel it too.
Wrap Up
There you go—ten films, ten different moods, and not a single boring pick in the bunch. Whether you’re in the mood for something soul-searching (The Outrun), mind-bending (White Noise), or just straight-up powerful (The Piano Lesson), there’s something here that’ll hit you right in the feelings.
Got time for just one? Go with your gut. Maybe it’s the quiet heartbreak of His Three Daughters, the surreal grief spiral in Here, or the wild true-crime twist of Woman of the Hour. Or maybe you just want to see Will Ferrell cry in a diner and hug his best friend—no judgment.
Whatever you land on, these are the kind of films that stay with you. They get under your skin in the best way. So fire up the queue, grab a blanket, and text someone you love when the credits roll. You might have a lot to talk about.
