If your summer watch list needs a little more action, chaos, and spectacle, Netflix has some great picks lined up. Its collection of various award-winning movies allows you to pick titles across the trope of your choice, spanning different genres and decades.
Whether you’re in the mood for alien invasions, futuristic mayhem, or grounded action with something to say, these films absolutely deserve a spot on your next movie night. Here are three award-winning movies streaming on Netflix U.S. to watch this weekend.
The Fifth Element
A wildly chaotic sci-fi adventure that never loses its charm
The Fifth Element is one of those sci-fi movies that somehow becomes more eccentric and entertaining every time you watch it. Set in the 23rd century, the movie follows former soldier and taxi driver Korben Dallas after a mysterious woman named Leeloo literally crashes into his cab. He soon learns that she may be the key to stopping an ancient cosmic evil that threatens humanity every 5,000 years.
The story then spirals into a huge intergalactic adventure involving opera singers, alien stones, over-the-top villains, and one of the strangest versions of future New York put on screen. The Fifth Element’s chaotic visual style and overall funky vibe were pretty divisive when the film came out, with audiences split between loving it and absolutely loathing it.
Directed by Luc Besson, The Fifth Element has definitely become a cult sci-fi classic thanks to its unforgettable costume design, performances, and unique world-building. It won a British Academy Film Award (Best Special Visual Effects).
Rebel Ridge
A classic revenge story, served hot
A Netflix Original in recent years that delivered the perfect revenge thriller story is Rebel Ridge, a tense action thriller that feels bigger than a typical action drama. The film follows Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre), a former Marine who arrives in a small Louisiana town hoping to post bail for his cousin.
But when local police officers unlawfully seize the money he was carrying under civil asset forfeiture laws, Terry is pulled into a system built on corruption, intimidation, and abuse of power. As he begins digging deeper into the town’s police department and the people protecting it, the situation spirals into dangerous territory involving violence and dark secrets.
Pierre carries the movie with his intense performance, and director Jeremy Saulnier (Green Room) brings that classic slow-burn storytelling to the table. Rebel Ridge won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Television Movie.
Independence Day
The end is near, but the fight is not over
Another sci-fi addition to this list is a classic, Independence Day. The movie is basically peak 1990s disaster blockbuster energy. The movie kicks off when enormous alien ships suddenly appear in major cities around the world, leaving governments scrambling to determine whether the visitors arrive in peace. But soon, the aliens launch devastating attacks that wipe out entire cities in minutes, sending the world into chaos.
From there, the story follows several intersecting storylines, including fighter pilot Steven Hiller, satellite expert David Levinson, and U.S. President Thomas Whitmore as they work together to organize a last-ditch counterattack before Earth is destroyed. Will Smith became a global superstar after the film’s release, and the movie won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects. It’s also one of the biggest box-office hits of that decade.
Independence Day is leaving Netflix on June 1, so make sure you stream this quintessential sci-fi thriller this weekend before it’s too late.
To explore more award-winning titles on Netflix, from Emmy-winning shows to Oscar-winning movies, you can explore collections (like Oscar Spotlight and Award-Winning Movies). You can also try your luck with official award databases, which can often help you find some hidden gems.
- Subscription with ads
-
Yes, $8/month
- Simultaneous streams
-
Two or four
Stream licensed and original programming with a monthly Netflix subscription.