The 15 best films on Netflix in April

Burt Reynolds speeding down the highway, an animated cat in a cavalier's hat, and Woody Harrelson fighting zombies are all available as Netflix ushers in spring

By Don Lewis | April 7, 2023 | 2:00pm

Film Features Films

Clockwise from Left: Inception (Melissa Moseley/Warner Bros.), Smokey And The Bandit (Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images), American Hustle (Sony Pictures), Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (Dreamworks Animation) Graphic: AVClub

Spring is in the air and Netflix is here for it with a veritable banquet of thrillers, comedies, and Oscar-winning dramas. April sees the Red Envelope going a bit stunt-happy with all three Bourne movies, Christopher Nolan’s head-scratcher Inception, and, buckle your seat belt, the great Smokey And The Bandit.

If that’s not enough couch potato entertainment for you, first of all, why are you so hard to please, and second of all, Netflix also ushers in baseball season with one of the all-time great baseball films and then tips its helmet to high school football with the outstanding, Friday Night Lights. Add to that a pair of Hitchcock classics and a zombie comedy starring Woody Harrelson and you’ve got yourself an April to remember.

Need more streaming suggestions? Check out our latest Hulu and Prime film guides.

Inception (Available April 1)

Inception (2010) Official Trailer #1 - Christopher Nolan Movie HD

As the cinematic world anxiously awaits Christopher Nolan’s newest film, (arriving in July), Netflix is bringing back his story within a story within a film within a film within a … well, you get it, with the outstanding (2010). While certainly less confounding than Nolan’s last offering, (2020), Inception is a film that reveals itself more and more upon each viewing. Making the film easy to revisit—or watch for the first time—is the stellar cast featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Elliot Page, Tom Hardy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cillian Murphy, and Marion Cotillard.

Zombieland (Available April 1)

Zombieland Official Trailer #1

When’s the last time you reacquainted yourself with the rules of surviving a zombie apocalypse via Jesse Eisenberg’s “Columbus” in 2009’s zombie-comedy ? Furthermore, when was the last time you watched Emma Stone in a movie where she wasn’t taking herself so seriously? If the answer to those questions is, “not lately,” Netflix has you covered with Zombieland. So grab a delicious Twinkie while you still can and join the fun alongside Woody Harrelson’s “Tallahassee,” Abigail Breslin’s “Little Rock” and Bill Murray’s “Bill Murray.”

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Smokey And The Bandit (Available April 1)

Smokey and the Bandit Official Trailer #1 - Burt Reynolds Movie (1977)

After Quentin Tarantino’s masterful (2019), the world suddenly had a hankering for older Hollywood fare where men were more manly and not everything onscreen was so PC. This was partly due to Tarantino’s film being heavily influenced by 1977’s . Directed by Hal Needham—who’s also one of the greatest stuntmen of all-time—Smokey and the Bandit is incredibly fun and features Burt Reynolds and his comedy foil Sally Field toplining this story of bootleggers transporting beer across state lines. If Smokey And The Bandit is a film you’ve never seen, you’re seriously missing out and now is the time.

Psycho (Available April 1)

Psycho Official Trailer #1 - Martin Balsam Movie (1960) HD

Well, well, well … look who’s getting all fancy with the classic movies; it’s little ol’ Netflix. Hey, no complaints here as Alfred Hitchcock’s is not only an all-time classic, it’s also the type of film you can watch repeatedly and look at from different angles. For instance, what’s up with all the renderings of birds around Norman Bates’ (Anthony Perkins) hotel room and office? Or maybe this time we’ll focus on the fantastic cinematography by John L. Russell. We haven’t even gotten into all the Freudian stuff! You now have your homework assignment. Go forth and say hello to your mother for me.

Marnie (Available April 1)

Marnie Official Trailer #1 - Sean Connery Movie (1964) HD

In 1964, Alfred Hitchcock filmed his second movie in a row with Tippi Hedren—at the time his latest icy blonde femme fatale—with Marnie which also saw Sean Connery in his first Hitchcock film. hews to classic Hitchcockian tropes as Mark (Connery) marries Marnie (Hedren) a lovely lady who also suffers from severe psychological issues and is also a thief. Often considered Hitchcock’s last good film ( stans disagree) it’s also a bit underappreciated and underseen. Now you can fix that!

Friday Night Lights (Available April 1)

Friday Night Lights Movie Trailer 2004 - TV Spot

Lots of great movies have been made from great books, including Peter Berg’s —based on Buzz Bissinger’s nonfiction work—which comes to Netflix in April. After the film became a critical and box office hit, it then became an enduring television show which gives Bissinger’s chronicle of the Permian High School Panthers football team a trifecta of media awesomeness. The film stars Billy Bob Thornton as head coach Gary Gaines and also features Lea Thompson, Tim McGraw, Derek Luke, and Garrett Hedlund in his first big role.

Inside Man (Available April 1)

Inside Man Official Trailer #1 - Christopher Plummer Movie (2006) HD

Since winning a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for (2018), we’ve been re-appreciating the incredible filmography of Spike Lee. The man can do anything. Comedies, war movies, dramas, romances and, of course, thrillers. The best of the latter is Denzel Washington and Clive Owen’s 2006 bank heist nailbiter . This is not only a taut film, it’s also a spectacular character study with a major dose of social commentary intertwined throughout. Few filmmakers can maintain their political stance while still being as thoroughly entertaining like Spike Lee.

The Hateful Eight (Available April 25)

The Hateful Eight Official Teaser Trailer #1 (2015) - Samuel L. Jackson Movie HD

Look, no filmmaker has made a great movie every single time but Quentin Tarantino comes pretty damn close. That being said, since every ranking of an artist’s work has to have something that finishes last, it’s hard to argue that his 2015 Agatha Christie inspired Western is low on the list. We see a group of truly lousy people trapped in a remote cabin during a snowstorm, and each person has a previous beef with someone else in the cabin, leading to characters getting knocked off. Whodunit? We won’t spoil it. (Note: Netflix is also bringing back the extended and serialized version of the film on April 25.)

American Hustle (Available April 1)

American Hustle Official TRAILER 1 (2013) - Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence Movie HD

Before getting understandably canceled right around 2015, filmmaker David O. Russell had a really great run going with , and the latter of which comes to Netflix on April 1. The film is a majorly star-studded drama with Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Amy Adams, and Jeremy Renner all intertwined in a con game involving the FBI and the mob. Those never end well but usually one lucky person walks away rich. The film nabbed 10 Oscar noms, including one for each actor named above (sans poor Jeremy Renner). It won zero but, hey, American Hustle is still a great film.

Puss In Boots (Available April 1)

Puss in Boots (2011) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers

2011’s animated spinoff was a bit of a surprise hit for Sony. While they were busy wringing every last dollar out of their incredibly popular Shrek franchise, many thought the Antonio Banderas-voiced character was a weak choice for an offshoot franchise (Admit it, you wanted a Gingerbread Man movie!). These haters were proved wrong as Puss In Boots was solid entertainment while the 2022 sequel was so good it was nominated for a Best Animated Feature Oscar. So check out the OG Puss In Boots; it’s fun and jaunty and also features voice performances by Salma Hayek and Zach Galifianakis.

A League Of Their Own (Available April 1)

Official Trailer: A League of Their Own (1992)

The 2023 Major League Baseball season is here and what better way to get your passion for America’s pastime going than by revisiting 1992’s charming and ever watchable . Directed by the late, great Penny Marshall, the film stars Tom Hanks as the alcoholic manager of an all women’s professional baseball team during World War II. Geena Davis is the star player and her supporting lineup includes Madonna, Lori Petty, and Rosie O’Donnell. A League Of Their Own pays homage to a real-deal chapter in baseball history and, even better, is a pure joy.

Hotel Transylvania (Available April 1)

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA (3D) - Official Trailer - In Theaters 9/28

The Genndy Tartakovsky-directed (2012) was pretty great. Yes, each installment since has been increasingly worse, but we’ll always have the first one. The fantastic cast features Andy Samberg as a normal American kid who stumbles into a castle and is immediately smitten by the lovely Mavis (Selena Gomez), who just happens to be Dracula’s daughter. Adam Sandler voices Dracula and he’s joined by Kevin James, Steve Buscemi, CeeLo Green, David Spade, and Molly Shannon as Dracula’s ghoulish pals. A family friendly animated film with a positive message on parenting.

Born On The 4th Of July (Available April 1)

Born on the Fourth of July (1989) - Original Trailer

There was a time when Tom Cruise was crushing some heavily dramatic roles. In fact, there’s a theory that after being nominated three times for a Best Actor Oscar and never winning, he gave up on dramatic roles to further become the greatest action star of all-time. While Cruise can be a polarizing figure, his roles in , , and particularly were all-timers. That being said, fellow polarizing figure Oliver Stone won Best Director for Born On The 4th Of July and it’s a film that still packs a punch to this day.

The Bourne Identity (Available April 1)

The Bourne Identity Official Trailer #1 - Brian Cox Movie (2002) HD

Way back in 2002 Matt Damon made the leap to blockbuster action star with the outstanding . Not only is the film a non-stop thrill ride, it’s also got a great storyline in which an injured man (Damon) wakes up with amnesia and a bunch of bad guys looking for him. Who is this guy? He’s Jason Bourne, CIA assassin. Damon went on to lead two more Bourne movies ( (2004) and (2007) and all of them are not only solid thrillers, they’re all on Netflix in April.

Conan The Destroyer (Available April 1)

Conan The Destroyer (1984) - Official® Trailer 1 [HD]

After the smashing success of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 1982 sword and sandals epic there was nary a doubt Arnie wouldn’t unsheath his sword for a sequel. And he did just that with 1984’s equally successful and ridiculously fun and campy . After losing his love Valeria (Sandahl Bergman) Conan has been sad. But luckily, witchy Queen Taramis of Shadizar (Sarah Douglas) can bring her back from the dead. All Conan needs to do is transport a virgin princess (Olivia D’Abo) to a mystical island fortress. Spoiler alert: it’s not at all that simple.