Netflix has confirmed its slate of new movies for May 2025, and it’s a pretty exciting list, including several highly-regarded films that span different genres.
Every month, I sort through the new to Netflix list and pick out the cream of the crop, and this month, there’s been plenty of competition from the emotionally devastating but essential drama “Past Lives” to one of the best modern zombie movies ever made, “Train to Busan.”
All the picks on this list have scored at least 90% or higher on Rotten Tomatoes, and while that is technically a score made up of subjective opinions, it’s a good baseline for judging a movie’s overall reception.
Here are five new to Netflix movies you need to watch this month.
‘American Graffiti’ (1973)
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May marks the annual celebration of all things “Star Wars” with the appropriately named Star Wars Day, celebrated on May 4. And while Netflix isn’t adding any movies set in a galaxy far, far away this month, the streaming service will get George Lucas’ pre-”Star Wars” nostalgia trip, “American Graffiti.”
This hazy slice of Americana cinema was nominated for Best Picture, and is often argued to be Lucas’s best ever movie, topping even the sci-fi titan. It stars Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard (who would go on to direct a Star Wars movie, “Solo”), Paul Le Mat, Charles Martin Smith and Candy Clark.
Set in 1962 on the last day of summer vacation after high school graduation, it’s an easygoing coming-of-age comedy that follows a group of adolescent friends as they enjoy their final day of freedom, cruising the streets of their small-town California home to their favorite music.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%
Stream it on Netflix now
‘Past Lives’ (2023)
“Past Lives” still has a hold on me, even almost two years on from its theatrical debut in the summer of 2023. That’s the mark of a powerful romantic drama, and this tender and soulful movie has the rare ability to both break your heart and fill it.
The directorial debut of Celine Song, it’s a semi-autobiographical tale of two childhood friends who are reunited in adulthood and explore the paths they have and could have traveled.
This heart-achingly romantic drama follows protagonists Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae (Teo Yoo) over more than two decades as they grow apart, come back together and reflect on the choices they’ve made (and didn’t make) over the course of a fateful week in New York. The performances, particularly from Lee, are spell-binding, and the movie’s tone manages to be understated but impactful. “Past Live” is something very special.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%
Stream it on Netflix now
‘Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit’ (2005)
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Earlier this year, Netflix debuted the latest adventure of beloved British duo “Wallace & Gromit,” and now the streamer is circling back to add the pair’s first feature-length flick. And if you enjoyed “Vengeance Most Fowl,” you’re in for a treat because “The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” is even better.
The handcrafted animation is a visual delight, and the humor is the series’ trademark British wit with a core story worthy of its longer runtime.
A loving parody of classic monster movies, “Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit” sees the eponymous pair start their own pest control business. Scoring a job from the high-class Lady Tottington, Wallace and his canine companion are tasked with discovering who’s been destroying the town’s prize vegetables. This soon becomes a hunt for a nocturnal oversized bunny that is causing all sorts of mischief throughout the town.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%
Stream it on Netflix now
‘Train to Busan’ (2016)
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“Train to Busan” is a titan of the zombie genre. While it’s not quite a decade old, having been released in 2016, its impact has already been felt, and I’m sure many Netflix subscribers will be delighted to see it pop up on the streaming service.
(Netflix is also adding its standalone sequel, “Peninsula,” but “Train to Busan” demands a top spot in your watchlist.)
The movie sees Soek-Woo (Gong Yoo) board a high-speed train from Seoul to Busan with his daughter. As they make their way to their destination, an apocalyptic event breaks out, and flesh-eating zombies emerge. The train journey becomes a non-stop nightmare as passengers face a battle for survival against threats both inside and outside the train. Bursting with intensity, “Train to Busan” is a wild ride providing first-class thrills.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 95%
Stream it on Netflix now
‘The Wild Robot’ (2024)
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If you thought only Pixar movies could make you bawl like a baby, think again. Dreamworks’ “The Wild Robot” is on a par with anything from Disney’s animated crown jewel. It’s so much more than a colorful kids’ movie.
Young ones will enjoy the vibrant art style and the whimsical characters, but grown-ups will be captivated by the compelling story of unexpected friendship and finding family in the most unlikely places.
The movie opens with a robot washing up on the shores of a mysterious island, and as they take in their surroundings, they are forced to adapt to survive in the harsh conditions. Initially feared by the island’s animal inhabitants, the robot, nicknamed Roz (voiced by Lupita Nyong’o), eventually becomes a mother to an orphaned gosling with some help from a wily fox (Pedro Pascal). But I warn you, bring some tissues, because this one gets emotional.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 96%
Stream it on Netflix from May 24
