Netflix has confirmed its slate for May 2026, and it includes the usual assortment of new originals as well as a healthy stream of older movies to bolster its already vast library.
I’ve combed through the new additions over the next month to pick out the gems. But of course, taste is subjective, so I’m turning to review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. Naturally, just because a movie gets a high score doesn’t guarantee it’ll appeal to your specific tastes, but it’s a useful way to get an overall feel of how a movie was received.
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‘Schindler’s List’ (1993)
Schindler’s List 25th Anniversary – Official Trailer – In Theaters December 7 – YouTube
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Trying to pick the very best Steven Spielberg movie is a thankless task, but I reckon most critics and movie fans would have “Schindler’s List” in contention. Winner of Best Picture at the 66th Academy Awards, it’s an epic war drama that was extremely worthy of cinema’s highest honor. It’s a harrowing, moving exploration of the horrors of the Holocaust, with Liam Neeson giving the best performance of his career as Oskar Schindler.
Schindler is a German businessman operating a factory in Krakow, Poland. He employs primarily Jewish workers for pragmatic reasons, but when the Nazi party begins its mass extermination of Jews, Schindler fights to protect his workers and turns his factory into a refuge for those escaping persecution. “Schindler’s List” is a powerful reminder that even during the darkest times, there will always be people willing to push back against great evil. It’s a rare movie that I believe should be mandatory viewing; it’s the definition of essential.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 98%
Stream “Schindler’s List” on Netflix now
‘National Lampoon’s Animal House’ (1978)
Animal House Official Trailer #1 – Tom Hulce, John Belushi Movie (1978) HD – YouTube
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“Animal House” is the quintessential college comedy. Directed by John Landis and with John Belushi in one of his most iconic roles as John “Bluto” Blutarsky, “Animal House” has influenced American comedies and college culture in general for almost five decades. Upon release, it received a mixed reception from critics, but over time, its reputation grew, and it’s now regularly cited as one of the finest (and funniest) comedies of all time.
Set in the 1960s at the fictional Faber College, it follows a pair of freshmen (Thomas Hulce and Stephen Furst) eager to pledge to a fraternity. Turned away by the uppity Omega Theta Pi House, they have to settle for the less desirable Delta Tau Chi House. But trouble is brewing, as the college dean (John Vernon) has a grudge against the Deltas and is looking for any excuse to kick them off campus. All they need to do is not cause a scene, but with a motley crew of members, keeping a low profile proves a lot harder than it sounds.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%
Stream “Animal House” on Netflix now
‘Dead Man’s Wire’ (2025)
Dead Man’s Wire – Official Trailer – YouTube
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If you enjoy thriller movies, particularly ones based on true stories, then Netflix is adding a movie later this month that you’ll definitely want in your watchlist. This crime thriller is based on the real-life hostage standoff, and with its themes of the little guy pushing back against corporate greed, it feels quite relevant for our current times, even despite its 1970s setting.
On Tuesday, February 8, 1977, Tony Kiritsis (played here by Bill Skarsgård) walked into the office of his mortgage broker and took a hostage, Richard Hall (Dacre Montgomery), the son of the company’s CEO. Attaching a dead man’s wire to his victim, and with a shotgun pointed directly at his chest, Tony wants retribution for what he perceives to be wrongdoing. Skarsgård is excellent in the central role, and the introduction promises an intense watch to come, but “Dead Man’s Wire” frustratingly spins its wheels in an uneventful second act.
Rotten Tomatoes score: 91%
Stream “Dead Man’s Wire” on Netflix starting May 28
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