Need help figuring out what to watch this weekend? You can bet that as soon as that decision paralysis hits, I'm heading straight to Netflix's top 10 movies list. Sure, they're not all guaranteed winners, but it makes for a quick way to sort through things with so much to watch on the best streaming services.
That's why we've done even better, separating the wheat from the chaff to narrow down the list of the three best movies to watch in Netflix's top 10. This list includes one of the best psychological thrillers of all time, an uplifting documentary about dogs, and a fun animated film for the whole family.
This article is based on Netflix's list of the top 10 most-watched movies in the US as of 1 p.m. ET on August 11. If you're looking for even more recommendations on what to watch, check out everything new on Netflix this month.
“Pearl” (2024)
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Technically, “Pearl” is the middle chapter in Ti West’s X-Trilogy, but even as a standalone film, it’s a horror movie that’s not to be missed. Mia Goth delivers the performance of a lifetime as Pearl, a young woman with her eyes set on Hollywood who feels trapped under the thumb of her overbearing mother (Tandi Wright) on a remote farm while her husband serves in World War I.
When her wealthy sister-in-law tells her that a dance troupe in town is auditioning new dancers to take them on the road, Pearl is convinced this will be her big break. But as things start to go wrong and she sees her chances of stardom falling apart, let's just say she doesn't handle rejection well. And I mean at least allThis disturbing psychological horror film owes much of its success to Goth's exceptional performance, with a captivating monologue that truly lets her talent shine through.
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“Inside the Mind of a Dog” (2024)
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Netflix is giving dog lovers a gift after the success of 2022's “Inside the Mind of a Cat.” “Inside the Mind of a Dog” is the perfect coffee-table documentary, the kind of fun, trivia-filled show I remember watching on the Discovery Channel in its heyday.
Narrated by Rob Lowe, this wholesome documentary traces the history of human-dog relationships through time, offering at-home advice to dog owners everywhere on how to better connect with their pets. It answers all your burning pooch questions, like why dogs dream, why they developed such a great sense of smell, and why small dogs are such a pain (I say this as the owner of a geriatric Chihuahua-terrier mix). And of course, there are more good boys and girls than you can shake a stick at (I'm throwing it out there already!!)
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“Trolls: Together” (2023)
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Poppy (Anna Kendrick), Branch (Justin Timberlake) and the rest of the Trolls are back for their biggest adventure yet in “Trolls Band Together.” If you don’t have kids in your life who are begging to watch the Trolls movies a billion times, here’s the pitch: An all-star cast, including some real-life pop stars, sings mostly karaoke over a kaleidoscope of colorful visuals, characters based on classic toys and playground humor.
This time around, the team goes to the rescue of Branch's brother, Floyd (Troye Sivan), and in the process learns about the grumpy, music-hating guy's past life as a member of the boy band BroZone. Eric Andre, Daveed Diggs, and Kid Cudi lend their voices to the other members, which is not a mix I needed until now. The latest Trolls movie also serves as a de facto NSYNC reunion, with the boy band performing their first original song in decades.
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- “The Union” (2024)
- “The Emoji Movie” (2017)
- “Evening School” (2018)
- “Trolls: Together We Get Along” (2023)
- “The Lorax” (2012)
- “Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie” (2024)
- “Pearl” (2022)
- “Inside the Mind of a Dog” (2024)
- “Jack Reacher: Never Go Back” (2016)
- “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” (2023)