12 can't-miss movies currently streaming on Netflix in January 2025

Netflix has a great way of churning out excellent original series. The films the streamer does can be great, too. Or some of them can be purely fluff.

The great thing about having a Netflix subscription, though, is that you don't only need to see Netflix Originals. You see a whole scope of movies made by other studios. That can be both good and bad.

But writing optimistically, there are 12 examples below of why you should be grateful to have a Netflix subscription. Each of these films is a winner. You will not be disappointed.

12 movies you should not miss streaming on Netflix in January 2025

Paddington 2

Paddington 2 is a perfect movie. This is not written as a fan of children's films solely, as the film is entertaining for people of all ages. There are enough heart-warming moments, more than enough laughs, and a bad guy played wonderfully by Hugh Grant. Plus, Grant sings! If you haven't tried the Paddington films, you should. They are done in a way all "children's books" movies should be.

Sense and Sensibility

The cast reads as a who's who of fine English actors over the last three years. The film is also a great cinema mirror to Jane Austen's excellent book. But how can one go wrong with a cast that includes Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, Emma Thompson, and Tom Wilkinson? It is like a prequel to the greatness of Love Actually, but it's a different story.

John Wick: Chapter 4

The Wick films are exactly what action films should be. Keanu Reeves plays a brooding protagonist (and anti-hero in many ways), and the bad guys are all skilled in martial arts. The choreography of the fight scenes alone is worth the watch. The trick with all the Wick films is they leave you wanting more, so let's hope there is a John Wick 5, 17, and so on.

Shaun of the Dead

You like comedies, right? And you also like zombie movies, too, right? The magic of this film comes from the fact that it doesn't wink at either genre. It's funny. It is also scary. Plus, Simon Pegg is perfect in this Edgar Wright film.

Hot Fuzz

Speaking of Wright and Pegg, this is the second film in the trilogy that also includes The World's End. Shaun of the Dead was the first. This film is a bit more difficult to totally buy into, but the wait is worth it. Plus, the scene with Pegg's character explaining why he should keep his job is priceless.

Stand by Me

Stephen King does not know just how to write scary stories, he knows how to write stories that involve kids that show he also understands what makes people stick together and what doesn't. Maybe there is a melancholy with how people divide when they get older, but as with this film, the memories of growing up (both good and bad) remain special.

Superbad

There is no melancholy to Superbad. It is a classic farce about young people starring Jonah Hill and Michael Cera that will make you laugh, even when you don't truly want to. It's pure fun about two friends who are simply trying to buy alcohol and get into a party. Sounds simple, but it is simply delightful.

Hit Man

This film had almost no business being as good as it was until you know the people involved, including Richard Linklater and Glen Powell. They both co-wrote the film about a hitman who tries to save a woman in need, only the hitman is really an undercover police officer. This is all based on a true story. Plus, while it might seem grim, the movie is intentionally hilarious.

Punch-Drunk Love

This is Adam Sandler as you have never seen him before. He is restrained and not confident as his character falls in love with his sister's co-worker. Some people used to seeing Sandler only one way (the goofball comic) might not be able to adjust to this film. They should. There are moments of humor, sure, but there is darkness and longing here that is done in a beautiful way.

Uncut Gems

Another Sandler film that you might not expect. Maybe he has done six too many goofball comedies, but it is also easy to forget that he went to the Tisch School for the Arts and got a degree in acting. He knows what he is doing, and when he stretches himself, he can be great. This is a bleak comedy about a man whose life is falling apart and Sandler plays the role perfectly.

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood

We could not have this list without a Quentin Tarantino film, right? The director has had a few films that do an alternative take on history, and this film, starring Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio, is a different look at the Tate murders and the Charles Manson cult. Tarantino always knows who the bad guys are, and most people feel the films are cathartic.

Parasite

The high-wire trick of this film (the first non-English language film to ever win Best Picture at the Oscars) was to balance different subgenres and give the entire film integrity. There is suspense, comedy, and satire and the whole bit is brilliant. You will also never forget the flood. Or this film.