3 award-winning Netflix movies to watch this weekend (September 25-27)

Published Sep 25, 2026, 3:30 PM EDT T.M. Amrita is a writer and tech enthusiast with experience as a news reporter covering technology, artificial intelligence, and gadgets. A journalist at heart, she found a soft spot for technology reporting during her tenure as a reporter at The Hindu Businessline, where she covered topics like the economy, data, and personal finance. She has published more than 250 news stories, tech guides, and opinion articles. Outside of technology, she is a passionate poet and brings her interest in learning new things to her work as a writer. Amrita is also a student of design and interface development, and likes to take on passion projects in her free time. Sign in to your How-To Geek account Netflix's collection of movies spans years and genres, and I always find myself digging through its catalog for interesting additions to my watch list. This time around, I found three award-winning, widely acclaimed movies that are worth every second. All three are streaming on Netflix U.S. right now, and one of them is (unfortunately) leaving at the end of the month. My top pick, though, is my favorite watch of the bunch, and it's one I still think holds up really well. Here's all you need to know. 3 Beginners A rocky drift between the present and past Beginners might be a heavier watch, but it's also one I recommend before you miss the chance to catch it. Beginners follows Oliver (Ewan McGregor), a graphic designer trying to make sense of his life after his father, Hal, dies. Their relationship changed a lot a few years earlier when Hal, at 75, came out as gay after the death of Oliver’s mother. Instead of giving into the throes of old age, he throws himself into a new chapter of his life by dating and living openly. The film shifts between Oliver’s memories of his father and his present-day relationship with Anna (Mélanie Laurent), an actress he meets at a costume party. Despite wanting the relationship to work, years of watching his parents’ rocky marriage means he has some baggage he has yet to sort out. Christopher Plummer is one of the highlights of Beginners as Hal, adding depth and nuance to his storyline. The role earned Plummer both the Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Supporting Actor. If this has been sitting somewhere on your Netflix watch list, now is the time to move it up. Beginners is currently on Netflix U.S. but is scheduled to leave after September 30. Beginners Release Date June 9, 2011 Cast Ewan McGregor, Christopher Plummer, Mélanie Laurent, Goran Visnjic, Kai Lennox, Mary Page Keller Runtime 104 minutes Director Mike Mills Writers Mike Mills 2 The Deer Hunter Fighting an uphill battle If you're a fan of war films, The Deer Hunter is a great catch for your watch list. The story kicks off with Mike (Robert De Niro), Nick (Christopher Walken), and Steven (John Savage) in their Pennsylvania steel town. Here, they work, drink, and hunt together before gathering for Steven’s wedding. Then, it's off to war, when life is flipped upside down. Once they reach Vietnam, the film becomes much harder to watch. Their capture and imprisonment leave them with deep trauma, and the second half follows what happens when some of them return home while others struggle to find their way back. Meryl Streep also stars as Linda, whose relationship with both Mike and Nick becomes part of the story as they wait for them back in Pennsylvania. At just over three hours, this is definitely the biggest commitment here, and it is not a casual, quick watch. But it gives you the whole picture of the characters before, during, and after the war instead of bringing only the action, making its runtime worth it. The Deer Hunter received nine Oscar nominations and won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director for Michael Cimino, Supporting Actor for Christopher Walken, Film Editing, and Sound. The Deer Hunter Release Date February 23, 1979 Cast Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Cazale, John Savage, Meryl Streep, George Dzundza, Rutanya Alda, Pierre Segui, Amy Wright, Richard Kuss, Joe Grifasi, Dennis Watlington, Shirley Stoler, Chuck Aspegren, Mary Ann Haenel, Mady Kaplan, Paul D'Amato, Christopher Colombi Jr., Victoria Karnafel, Jack Scardino, Joe Strnad, Helen Tomko, Charlene Darrow, Jane-Colette Disko, Michael Wollet Runtime 183 minutes Director Michael Cimino Writers Deric Washburn, Louis Garfinkle, Michael Cimino, Quinn K. Redeker Producers Barry Spikings, John Peverall Main Genre Drama Studio(s) EMI Films Distributor(s) Universal Pictures 1 The Prince of Egypt A royal return to the past My top pick this week is The Prince of Egypt, and this choice is carried a bit by my love for old-school animation and a bit by nostalgia. The animated musical retells the story of Moses, who grows up alongside Rameses as a prince of Egypt before learning that he was born among the enslaved Hebrews. This shocking discovery pulls him away from his family and puts him on a different path. I love that much of the story rests on the critical relationship between Moses and Rameses. They begin as brothers who cause trouble together around the palace, so watching them slowly end up on opposite sides gives the narrative so much weight that a linear story would have missed. Val Kilmer voices Moses, while Ralph Fiennes plays Rameses, with Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Goldblum, Helen Mirren, and Patrick Stewart filling out a ridiculously stacked voice cast. Plus, Hans Zimmer’s score is almost like a lead character of the film, as is often the case with many of his works. The animation has aged well too, especially for the larger set pieces, which still look neat after nearly three decades. The Prince of Egypt received two Oscar nominations and won Best Original Song for When You Believe, written by Stephen Schwartz. It returned to Netflix U.S. this September and is currently streaming. The Prince of Egypt Release Date December 18, 1998 Cast Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Goldblum, Danny Glover, Patrick Stewart, Helen Mirren, Steve Martin, Martin Short, Bobby Motown, Eden Riegel, Ofra Haza, James Avery, Aria Noelle Curzon, Stephanie Sawyer, Francesca Marie Smith Runtime 99 Minutes Director Steve Hickner, Brenda Chapman, Simon Wells Writers Nicholas Meyer, Philip LaZebnik Main Genre Animation Budget $70 Million Studio(s) DreamWorks Pictures, DreamWorks Animation Distributor(s) DreamWorks Pictures Streaming Joseph: King of Dreams Find your style on Netflix Want to search for titles that fit your streaming vibe? You can explore Netflix's discoverability tools (my favorite one being the Tudum lists) to find new titles and also use the platform's secret codes to filter and find the best titles for your watch list.​​​​​​​ Subscription with ads Yes, $8/month Simultaneous streams Two or four Stream licensed and original programming with a monthly Netflix subscription. Live TV No Price Starting at $8/month