The Best Movies on Netflix Right Now

Filmmaker Matthew Vaughn has found success with colorful, somewhat subversive films like Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class, and most recently Kingsman: The Secret Service, but if you’re a fan of the director’s work or just in the mood for a really fun fantasy film, his 2007 Neil Gaiman adaptation Stardust is highly recommended. This is a fairy tale by way of Gaiman and Vaughn’s particular sensibilities, as Claire Danes plays a star who falls to Earth and is found by a young man named Tristan (Charlie Cox), kicking off an adventure that includes Michelle Pfeiffer as a witch and Robert De Niro as a flamboyant pirate. It’s fun, it’s weird, it’s sweet, and it stars a pre-Superman Henry Cavill. Why aren’t you watching this movie right now? –Adam Chitwood

Maybe this isn’t necessarily a “feel-good” movie, but director David France’s stunning documentary How to Survive a Plague is required viewing. The film chronicles the early days of the AIDS epidemic, as two coalitions—ACT UP and TAG—were formed to shine a light on an issue that our own government was reluctant to admit had major repercussions. It’s one of the most moving documentaries you’re likely to see, as archival footage captures author/activist Larry Kramer and others in action, juxtaposed with those lucky few who managed to survive the deadly outbreak in present day interviews. Devastating, infuriating, eye-opening—How to Survive a Plague is one of the best documentaries of the 21st century. – Adam Chitwood