Forget deadlines, it’s time for punchlines.

The 25 best comedy movies on Netflix

Forget deadlines, it's time for punchlines.

By Ilana Gordon

Ilana Gordon is an entertainment, culture, and comedy writer originally from Connecticut. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

EW's editorial guidelines

and Will Harris

on July 1, 2026 6:43 a.m. ET

Megan Fox as Jennifer Check in 'Jennifer's Body'; Steve Martin as George Banks in 'Father of the Bride'; Candy Clark as Debbie in 'American Graffiti'. Credit:

Doane Gregory/Fox; Touchstone/Getty; Bettmann Archive/Getty

One interpretation of "good comedic timing" is that any time is a good time to watch a comedy. And on Netflix, that's exactly what you're set up to do. Celebrate 20 years since the release of *Little Miss Sunshine* (2006), an eccentric ensemble comedy about the Hoover family's eventful road trip from New Mexico to California to support 7-year-old Olive's quest to win a beauty pageant. Or, for another road trip option, try *Zola* (2020), a family-unfriendly film adaptation of a series of tweets that went viral in 2015.

Grab a seat and get ready to laugh. Here is **'s list of the 25 best comedy movies available to watch on Netflix this month.**

48 Hours (1982)

Eddie Murphy as Reggie Hammond and Nick Nolte as Jack Cates in '48 Hours'.

Paramount/Courtesy Everett Collection

Eddie Murphy’s first film after breaking out on *Saturday Night Live* came in the form of *48 Hours*. The movie about a cop (Nick Nolte) and a convict (Murphy) teaming up to hunt down a pair of murderous robbers is credited with prompting the stream of buddy cop comedies released in the ‘80s and ‘90s. [See: *Beverly Hills Cop* (1984), *Lethal Weapon *(1987), *Bad Boys (*1995), and *Rush Hour *(1998), among others.]

Nolte and Murphy have explosive chemistry — director Walter Hill encouraged the duo to improvise during filming — and Murphy’s singular performance as Reggie Hammond turned him into one of the decade’s biggest box office draws. *—Ilana Gordon*

Where to watch *48 Hours*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B+

**Director:** Walter Hill

**Cast: **Nick Nolte, Eddie Murphy, Annette O'Toole, Frank McRae, James Remar

American Graffiti (1973)

Harrison Ford as Bob Falfa in 'American Graffiti'.

Screen Archives/Getty

George Lucas would never have been given the go-ahead to make *Star Wars* (1977) if not for the success of *American Graffiti*. An ode to ‘60s cruising culture, *American Graffiti* is a teen comedy set in Central California. Richard Dreyfuss and Ron Howard star as high school graduates about to leave for college, who spend the last night of summer vacation in 1962 driving around their hometown, looking for something to do.

Besides serving as a love letter to his younger self, *American Graffiti *introduced Lucas to Harrison Ford, who got his big acting break in a supporting role as Bob Falfa, a cocky street racer. *American Graffiti* represents Lucas at his most nostalgic, with EW’s critic noting, “He’s never made anything so deeply felt since.” —*I.G.*

Where to watch *American Graffiti*: Netflix

**Director:** George Lucas

**Cast:** Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard, Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith, Candy Clark

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

Tim Blake Nelson as Buster Scruggs in 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs'.

The Coen brothers got tired of limiting themselves to one narrative in their projects, so for their Netflix film, *The Ballad of Buster Scruggs*, they decided to mix it up and tell multiple stories. Set up as a six-part Western anthology, the film focuses thematically on the American frontier and tells the stories of a cheerful cowboy, an unlucky would-be bank robber, a traveling promoter whose business is going downhill, a grizzled prospector, a woman headed West in search of a husband, and a group of passengers in a stagecoach.

While the Coens mess around with genre in each chapter and the cast differs from story to story, the six narratives are given a sense of consistency courtesy of the unique Coen voice, which the pair previously deployed on projects like *No Country for Old Men *(2007) and *True Grit *(2010). And while there are certainly frontrunner stories in terms of quality and effectiveness, the entire film is worth a watch. —*I.G.*

Where to watch *The Ballad of Buster Scruggs*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Directors:** Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

**Cast:** Tyne Daly, James Franco, Brendan Gleeson, Bill Heck, Grainger Hines

The Big Lebowski (1998)

Jeff Bridges as the Dude in 'The Big Lebowski'. Universal Studios

The Coen brothers love to create crime comedies with intricate plots, but in *The Big Lebowski*, the plot is beside the point. What matters is the vibe, the ‘70s burnout aesthetic exemplified by Jeffrey Lebowski (Jeff Bridges) — known to his intimates as 'the Dude' — a joint-smoking, White Russian swigging, Los Angeles resident who just wants to go bowling with his friends. When the Dude is assaulted by goons looking for a millionaire with a similar name, he finds himself caught up in a criminal underworld.

The film didn’t hit when it was released in 1998, but the story, its characters, and the success of its stars have allowed it to endure as a cult classic. EW’s critic writes, “The Coens’ most prominent talent is for smashing everything in their path, only their tool of choice is mockery.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Big Lebowski*: Netflix

**Directors: **Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

**Cast: **Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Julianne Moore, Steve Buscemi, David Huddleston

BlackBerry (2023)

Jay Baruchel as Mike Lazaridis and Glenn Howerton as Jim Balsillie in 'BlackBerry'. Everett Collection

The BlackBerry phone is dead; all hail the *BlackBerry *movie*. *A Canadian comedy about the rise of the personal device, *BlackBerry* is a cautionary tale about how the company’s hubris caused the “CrackBerry” to lose its vice grip on the smartphone market. Canada’s own Jay Baruchel stars as Research In Motion’s (the company behind BlackBerry) founder, Mike Lazaridis, and Glenn Howerton plays former co-CEO Jim Balsillie.

You can’t load a streaming service these days without stumbling over a tech origin story, but *BlackBerry *is particularly good thanks to its smart, funny script and an excellent performance from Howerton. A great film for fans of *The Social Network* (2010) or *The Big Short* (2015), *BlackBerry* is the story of tech’s Roman Empire: once mighty, now fallen. —*I.G.*

Where to watch *BlackBerry*: Netflix

**Director: **Matt Johnson

**Cast: **Jay Baruchel, Glenn Howerton, Matt Johnson, Rich Sommer, Michael Ironside

Borat (2006)

Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat Sagdiyev (center) in 'Borat'. 20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock

Relic of 2000s cringe comedy or cinematic masterpiece satirizing America’s most backward beliefs? Watch *Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan *and decide for yourself. Released in 2006, this mockumentary follows Kazakhstani journalist Borat Sagdiyev (Sacha Baron Cohen) as he and his producer travel to America to film a documentary about the country’s customs and culture. The comedy emerges from Borat’s interactions with everyday Americans, and the film’s release prompted debates over the ethics of misleading participants.

Half vulgar shock comedy and half cultural criticism, the film is crass but constructive. EW’s critic writes that the character is “the best sort of pest, the kind who preys on people’s weaknesses, coaxing out the prejudices they’re too polite to expose.” —*I.G*

Where to watch *Borat*: Netflix

**Director: **Larry Charles

**Cast: **Sacha Baron Cohen

The Breakfast Club (1985)

Judd Nelson as John Bender, Emilio Estevez as Andrew Clark, Ally Sheedy as Allison Reynolds, Molly Ringwald as Claire Standish, and Anthony Michael Hall as Brian Johnson in 'The Breakfast Club'. Universal Pictures/Everett Collection

Teenage angst of the '80s variety is on full display in *The Breakfast Club*, an indie coming-of-age dramedy about five high school students who share a memorable Saturday detention together. Writer-director John Hughes knows his way around a teenage trope, but while the film’s characters are easily and intentionally put into boxes (the brain, the athlete, the basket case, the princess, and the criminal), their inner lives and the connections they make elevate the story so it’s far more than just another teen movie. *The Breakfast Club* is the second feature Hughes ever directed, and EW ranked it number one on our list of the 50 best high school movies. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Breakfast Club*: Netflix

**Director: **John Hughes

**Cast: **Emilio Estevez, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy

Bros (2022)

Billy Eichner as Bobby in 'Bros'.

Universal Pictures

*Bros* didn't perform great at the box office, and while critics and pundits will argue the reason, it’s clear the blame doesn’t fall with the quality of the film. A romantic comedy led by Billy Eichner — the first out gay man to co-write and star in his own major studio film — *Bros* follows the proudly single Bobby Lieber (Eichner) as he accidentally falls for the hetero-presenting Aaron (Luke Macfarlane).

A Judd Apatow production, *Bros* has the requisite one-liners, witty banter, and celebrity cameos necessary to boost the comedic sections of the movie, but it’s the romantic portions that truly distinguish the film. As EW’s critic notes, “*Bros* wears its queerness proudly, without stooping to cater overmuch to whatever elusive demographics might qualify it as a 'crossover' success.” *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Bros*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B+

**Director: **Nicholas Stoller

**Cast: **Billy Eichner, Luke Macfarlane, Guy Branum

Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

Craig Robinson as Ben, Mike Epps as Jimmy Lynch, Tituss Burgess as Theodore Toney, Eddie Murphy as Rudy Ray Moore, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Lady Reed in 'Dolemite Is My Name'.

Francois Duhamel/Netflix/Everett Collection

In this biopic written by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski (*Ed Wood*, *Man on the Moon*), Eddie Murphy plays Rudy Ray Moore, who works at a record store but knows he has something more to offer. Through sheer force of will — and a sharp ear for the raunchy, rough-edged poetry found on the streets and fringes — he transforms himself into a cult sensation, from his so-called “party records,” to live performances, to some of the most ridiculous and memorable Blaxploitation films of the ’70s.

Murphy’s sheer charisma and star power make this movie land, but Wesley Snipes’ surprising comic chops are the secret sauce. *—Will Harris*

Where to watch *Dolemite Is My Name*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B+

**Director: **Craig Brewer

**Cast: **Eddie Murphy, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Wesley Snipes, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps

Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)

Will Ferrell as Lars Erickssong and Rachel McAdams as Sigrit Ericksdottir in 'Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga'.

The Eurovision Song Contest has been beloved globally for decades…except in the U.S., where it’s virtually unknown. As such, many Americans missed the boat on this absurd yet sincere comedy. Lars (Will Ferrell) and Sigrit (Rachel McAdams) are longtime not-quite-sweethearts from Iceland who, as Fire Saga, are on a quest to win the competition.

In addition to being funny, *Eurovision* is also filled with quippy and catchy performances and songs, so expect some of the tunes to get stuck in your head. *—W.H.*

Where to watch *Eurovision: The Story of Fire Saga*: Netflix

**Director: **David Dobkin

**Cast: **Will Ferrell, Rachel McAdams, Dan Stevens, Melissanthi Nahut, Mikael Persbrandt

Father of the Bride (1991)

Steve Martin as George Banks and Kimberly Williams-Paisley as Annie Banks in 'Father of the Bride'.

Touchstone/Getty

It’s the bride’s big day, but it’s her dad who melts down in the Steve Martin remake of a 1950s screwball comedy. In *Father of the Bride*, Martin stars as successful businessman George Banks, who learns that his 22-year-old daughter plans to marry a man she met three months ago. As he and his wife, Nina (Diane Keaton), go through the motions of preparing for the wedding — meeting the groom and his family, consulting with the coordinator — George struggles to accept that his little girl is moving on without him.

Martin gives one of his best performances here, balancing his over-the-top physicality with a nostalgic and compassionate portrayal of parenthood at its most heartbreaking. It’s Martin’s movie, but Keaton is the one who grounds the film with her elegance and charm. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Father of the Bride*: Netflix

**Director: **Charles Shyer

**Cast:** Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Kieran Culkin, George Newbern

Ghostbusters (1984)

Bill Murray as Peter Venkman, Harold Ramis as Egon Spengler, and Dan Aykroyd as Ray Stantz in 'Ghostbusters'.

Columbia Pictures/Everett

"If there’s something strange in your neighborhood, who ya gonna call?" The only acceptable answer is the Ghostbusters (Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, and Harold Ramis), a group of former Columbia University parapsychology professors (plus Ernie Hudson's want ad applicant, Winston Zeddemore) turned professional ghost hunters. As New York City starts filling up with spirits, it’s up to the Ghostbusters to investigate and eliminate Manhattan’s uninvited supernatural guests.

Armed with proton packs, the Ghostbusters must find a way to contain the city’s ever-expanding psychic presence, or risk destruction at the hands of the demigod Zuul and Gozer, a god of destruction. One of the first comedies to contain expensive special effects, *Ghostbusters* was a critical and commercial hit when it premiered, paving the way for other comedies to integrate similarly high production value. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Ghostbusters*: Netflix

**Director:** Ivan Reitman

**Cast: **Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Sigourney Weaver, Harold Ramis, Ernie Hudson

Jennifer’s Body (2009)

Megan Fox as Jennifer Check in 'Jennifer's Body'.

Doane Gregory/Fox Atomic/Kobal/Shutterstock

*Jennifer’s Body* is a horror comedy about a high school student named Jennifer (Megan Fox) who becomes possessed by a demon and feasts on the bodies of teenage boys. But the film’s real victims are the audiences who chose not to see it because it was so poorly marketed.

Writer Diablo Cody (2007's *Juno*) focuses her satirical eye on toxic friendships and female sexuality, delivering a campy and clever script that was elevated by a top-notch performance from an up-and-coming Amanda Seyfried. The film was positioned as “*Twilight* for boys” by 20th Century Fox, overhyping the sex and underselling the comedy. But over the last 15 years, the film reached its intended audience and secured its spot as a cult classic. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Jennifer's Body*: Netflix

**Director: **Karyn Kusama

**Cast:** Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried, Johnny Simmons, J. K. Simmons, Amy Sedaris

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Abigail Breslin as Olive and Alan Arkin as Grandpa in 'Little Miss Sunshine'.

Eric Lee/Fox Searchlight

This eccentric dark comedy charmed audiences when it was released in 2006, chronicling the adventures of the Hoovers, a family that travels from New Mexico to California to support Olive (Abigail Breslin) as she competes in a children's beauty pageant. Riding together in a yellow VW bus that is disintegrating around them, the Hoovers confront their personal issues — among them: suicidal ideation, drug addiction, and failure to launch professionally — while juggling vehicular crises that threaten to prevent them from reaching their destination. The cast is stacked with veteran acting and comedic talents, but *Little Miss Sunshine* wouldn’t have worked without Breslin, whose committed performance as the intelligent and off-kilter Olive compels audiences to root for her. *—I.G.*

Where to watch* Little Miss Sunshine*: Netflix

**Directors: **Jonathan Dayton, Valerie Faris

**Cast:** Greg Kinnear, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin

The Lovebirds (2020)

Issa Rae as Leilani and Kumail Nanjiani as Jibran in 'The Lovebirds'. Skip Bolen/Netflix

After four years of dating, Jibran (Kumail Nanjiani) and Leilani (Issa Rae) are prepared to call it quits — until the couple finds themselves involved in a murder that requires them to put their breakup aside and go on the run. Too concerned about racial profiling to involve the police, Jibran and Leilani must hunt down the identity of the man who was murdered so they can find out who killed him and clear their own names.

Directed by Michael Showalter (*Wet Hot American Summer*), *The Lovebirds* is a romantic evening gone wrong in the style of films like 2010's *Date Night* and 2018's *Game Night*. Boasting a high ratio of jokes per minute and a pair of lead actors who know how to wield their witticisms like machetes, Nanjiani and Rae's onscreen bickering and loving needling will have you rooting for their relationship, even as it's falling apart. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Lovebirds*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B

**Director: **Michael Showalter

**Cast: **Kumail Nanjiani, Issa Rae, Anna Camp, Paul Sparks

One of Them Days (2025)

Keke Palmer as Dreux and SZA as Alyssa in 'One of Them Days'.

Anne Marie Fox/Sony Pictures

*One of Them Days* is the buddy comedy you didn’t know you needed. Keke Palmer and SZA — who makes her film debut here — star as Dreux and Alyssa, broke best friends and roommates who have to make rent by day's end to avoid eviction. The film winds its way through the Los Angeles area as the women overcome a series of hurdles, which include a high-stakes job interview, a cheating boyfriend turned T-shirt entrepreneur, and a gangster willing to murder for a pair of Air Jordans. Palmer and SZA possess enough combined chemistry to defibrillate new life into a sometimes tired genre, and the stars commit wholeheartedly to the film’s inspired physical gags. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *One of Them Days*: Netflix

**Director: **Lawrence Lamont

**Cast: **Keke Palmer, SZA, Vanessa Bell Calloway, Lil Rel Howery, Katt Williams

Saturday Night (2024)

Gabriel LaBelle as Lorne Michaels, Ella Hunt as Gilda Radner, Matt Wood as John Belushi, and Dylan O'Brien as Dan Aykroyd in 'Saturday Night'.

Hopper Stone/Sony

*Saturday Night Live* turned 50 this season, and to commemorate one of the most iconic television institutions of our time, director Jason Reitman made *Saturday Night**. *The film is part comedy/drama, part (slightly fictionalized) TV history, and takes place on Oct. 11, 1975 — the night a group of twentysomething comedians and young producers held NBC’s airwaves captive as they debuted the network’s first counterculture, late-night comedy show.

NBC intended to use *Saturday Night Live *as leverage in a dispute with Johnny Carson about rerunning old episodes of his show. What emerged instead was a dynasty. But that night in October, all Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle) can focus on is somehow getting 90 minutes of alternative sketch comedy past censors and network suits, and broadcast live. Perfectly cast, it’s a beautiful tribute to the show and everyone involved. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Saturday Night*: Netflix through July 24

**EW grade: **A–

**Director: **Jason Reitman

**Cast: **Gabriel LaBelle, Rachel Sennott, Cory Michael Smith, Ella Hunt, Dylan O'Brien

She’s Gotta Have It (1986)

Spike Lee editing 'She's Gotta Have It'.

Island Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

Spike Lee’s first feature film as a writer and director, *She’s Gotta Have It* presents intertwining romances as lead character Nola Darling (Tracy Camilla Johns) decides which of the three men she’s dating (Lee, Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell) she wants to have a monogamous relationship with. Luxuriating in Lee’s creative sensibility and shot in crisp black and white, Nola’s journey towards picking a partner is funny, thought-provoking, and unique in every respect.

In a review of Netflix’s 2017 *She’s Gotta Have It *adaptation (also directed by Lee), EW’s critic describes the original movie, writing, “*She’s Gotta Have It *was Spike Lee’s first feature film, and few movies feel so joyfully first.” A dramedy that questions sexual, relationship, and gender norms of the time, *She’s Gotta Have It *is notable for its subject matter, aesthetic, and for launching Lee’s storied Hollywood career. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *She’s Gotta Have It*: Netflix

**Director: **Spike Lee

**Cast: **Tracy Camilla Johns, Spike Lee, Tommy Redmond Hicks, John Canada Terrell

Smokey and the Bandit (1977)

Burt Reynolds as Bo 'the Bandit' Darville in 'Smokey and the Bandit'.

Silver Screen Collection/Getty

What would you do if someone offered you $80,000 to bootleg 400 cases of Coors Beer from Texarkana to Atlanta within 28 hours? For Bo "the Bandit" Darville (Burt Reynolds) and Cledus "Snowman" Snow (Jerry Reed), the answer is obviously to accept. The plan is simple: Bandit will drive ahead in a Pontiac Trans Am intended to distract law enforcement, while Snowman drives the truck full of beer.

The duo's foolproof scheme is complicated when runaway bride Carrie (Sally Field) jumps into Bandit's car in an attempt to escape her would-be husband, Junior, whose father just happens to be Sheriff Buford T. Justice (Jackie Gleason), a.k.a. Smokey Bear. An action comedy film rife with vehicular crashes and motorcycle pratfalls, *Smokey and the Bandit* is far from subtle, but that doesn't mean it's not funny. *—I.G. *

Where to watch *Smokey and the Bandit*: Netflix

**Director:** Hal Needham

**Cast:** Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jerry Reed, Jackie Gleason, Paul Williams

Starship Troopers (1997)

Casper Van Dien as Johnny Rico in 'Starship Troopers'.

TriStar Pictures/Courtesy Everett

When Paul Verhoeven's *Starship Troopers* was released almost three decades ago, expectations were high. The Dutch filmmaker previously scored with action blockbusters like *RoboCop* (1987) and *Total Recall *(1990), but his newest sci-fi satire didn’t land with audiences who failed to appreciate the comedic insights on fascism, military overreach, and the power of propaganda.

Unfortunately for humanity, time has proven *Starship Troopers* a much deeper and more prescient film than the one audiences thought they saw in 1997. EW's critic describes the comedy, which positions humanity against violent and horrifying space bugs out for total domination, as “Verhoeven’s ultimate joke. With *Starship Troopers*, he’s trashing movies even as he makes a brazenly entertaining one." *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Starship Troopers*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B+

**Director: **Paul Verhoeven

**Cast: **Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Jake Busey, Neil Patrick Harris

They Cloned Tyrone (2022)

John Boyega as Fontaine, Teyonah Parris as Yo-Yo, and Jamie Foxx as Slick Charles in 'They Cloned Tyrone'.

Parrish Lewis/Netflix

A single genre isn't enough to contain *They Cloned Tyrone**. *A sci-fi comedy that combines '70s Blaxploitation with mystery and social satire, the film has similar vibes to movies like *Get Out* (2017) or *Sorry to Bother You* (2018) while employing a far more absurd premise. Fontaine (John Boyega) is a drug dealer living in an impoverished area called the Glen. While trying to collect funds owed to him by a local pimp named Slick Charles (Jamie Foxx), Fontaine is shot and killed — but that doesn't stop him from showing up on Slick's doorstep the next day to collect his money.

Joined by sex worker Yo-Yo (Teyonah Parris), the trio attempts to get to the bottom of what appears to be a massive government conspiracy aimed at exploiting their disenfranchised community as medical subjects. A satirical romp that has as much to say about class and racial injustices as it does about mystery movie tropes, *They Cloned Tyrone *is smart, silly, and uniformly well-acted. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *They Cloned Tyrone*: Netflix

**Director: **Juel Taylor

**Cast: **John Boyega, Teyonah Parris, Jamie Foxx

Tootsie (1982)

Dustin Hoffman as Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels in 'Tootsie'. Everett Collection

Dustin Hoffman stars in *Tootsie*, a comedy about a difficult New York City actor (Hoffman) who, after failing to find work as himself, dresses up as a woman named Dorothy Michaels, and lands a role on a soap opera. The farce about a sexist man learning to find empathy for women by presenting as one was hailed as progressive when it was released in the beginning of the 1980s amidst America’s shifting gender roles and escalating AIDS crisis.

The film has been rightfully debated in the decades since, with some labeling *Tootsie* as camp, and others arguing that the script turns gay panic into the butt of the joke. Nominated for 10 Oscars, *Tootsie* is a seminal comedy from the 1980s, and it’s worth checking out if only to see how the culture has changed. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Tootsie*: Netflix

**EW grade: **A–

**Director: **Sydney Pollack

**Cast: **Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Charles Durning

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (2025)

Josh Brolin as Monsignor Jefferson Wicks in 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery'.

John Wilson/Netflix

In the third installment of the *Knives Out* franchise, Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) travels to upstate New York to solve a murder disguised as a miracle. After the controversial leader of an ill-attended parish is killed during services, Detective Blanc is brought in to determine which of Monsignor Jefferson Wicks’ co-workers and loyal followers orchestrated his demise.

Writer-director Rian Johnson works his misdirection magic, and *Wake Up Dead Man* is just as satisfying as *Knives Out* (2019) and *Glass Onion* (2022). Josh O’Connor joins the cast as a young priest who is transferred to the church after punching a former parishioner, and Glenn Close is a lovely addition in her role as Martha, a longtime congregant and Wicks’ chief confidant. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery*: Netflix

**Director: **Rian Johnson

**Cast: **Daniel Craig, Josh O'Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis

Zola (2020)

Riley Keough as Stefani and Taylour Paige as Zola in 'Zola'. Anna Kooris/A24

In 2015, a viral Twitter thread held the internet’s attention hostage for an entire afternoon. Five years later, *Zola* — a film based on one harrowing trip to Florida as experienced by Zola (Taylour Paige), a waitress and part-time stripper — took the leap from social media to the big screen in a dark comedy directed by Janicza Bravo. The film, like the story on which it’s based, is wild, terrifying, and impossible to tear yourself away from.

But where a lesser adaptation might have succumbed to the story’s most sensational elements, EW’s critic writes that Bravo’s version offers humor, humanity, and “a sort of electric buzz: the thrill of watching something stranger than fiction, and somehow better for being some kind of true.”* —I.G.*

Where to watch *Zola*: Netflix

**EW grade: **B+

**Director: **Janicza Bravo

**Cast: **Taylour Paige, Riley Keough, Nicholas Braun, Ari'el Stachel, Colman Domingo

Zombieland (2009)

Emma Stone as Wichita, Woody Harrelson as Tallahassee, Jesse Eisenberg as Columbus, and Abigail Breslin as Little Rock in 'Zombieland'.

Glen Wilson/Columbia/Courtesy Everett Collection

A fusion of zombie rom-com and road movie, *Zombieland *offers a little something for everyone. The film stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin as survivors of a national epidemic who meet up on the road and agree to head west together.

Known only to each other by their cities of origin, Columbus (Eisenberg), a former college student; Tallahassee (Harrelson), a zombie-killing aficionado; and sisters Wichita (Stone) and Little Rock (Breslin) find themselves breaking all of their apocalypse rules and trusting each other as they head to California in search of a zombie-free space. As EW’s critic at the time writes, “*Zombieland* is a polished, very funny road picture shaped by wisenheimer cable-TV sensibilities.”* —I.G.*

Where to watch *Zombieland*: Netflix

**EW grade:** B+

**Director:** Ruben Fleischer

**Cast: **Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin

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