30 Best 2023 Movies on Netflix Canada

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Updated November 1, 2023 • Staff

If the double-feature success of Barbenheimer proves anything, it's that 2023 just might usher in another golden age of cinema. It's no longer just superhero or comic book films that are dominating screens, it's a wealth of different stories. There are family tales and individual journeys, personal triumphs and communal struggles. The magic of movies is that they can be about anything, and so they've never been more diverse than they are today.

They've also never been more accessible, seeing as many of the critically acclaimed and widely enjoyed films of the year can just as well be found on streaming platforms than in theaters. That, of course, includes the all-mighty Netflix which, despite growing competition, remains to be the top streaming service in Canada. In this article, we've gathered the best 2023 movies you can stream right now on Netflix Canada. We'll update this list as we go along the year, so be sure to check in regularly.

It Ain’t Over (2023)

Nowadays, more people might know the cartoon character Yogi Bear or the saying “It ain’t over ‘till its over,” more than they know Yogi Berra, the larger-than-life baseball player who originated the character and the phrase. But in his prime, Berra was one of the most recognizable faces of major league baseball. He was so beloved that he appeared in countless commercials and effortlessly won the hearts of Americans. It Ain’t Over, however, makes a case about Berra being more than just a public figure and how he was one of the best players of all time. The documentary, which is equal parts stats, archival footage, and anecdotes, is convincing without ever being forceful or desperate about its arguments. Berra’s innate warmth and charm carry over in this biography, regardless of whether he’s telling the stories himself or his friends and family regale us with tales of the icon. You don’t have to know much about baseball to enjoy Berra’s life story unfold; having a basic appreciation of storytelling and kindhearted people will suffice.

Our staff rating: 7.4/10

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Billy Crystal, Bob Costas, Derek Jeter, Hank Aaron, Lindsay Berra, Willie Randolph, Yogi Berra

Director: Sean Mullin

Rating: PG

Go to Netflix Canada

29.

Love at First Sight (2023)

Watching Love at First Sight, there are times you catch it almost falling into eye-rolling clichés, like when Hadley loses Oliver’s number or when their first kiss is interrupted by someone suddenly opening the door. But the film’s self-assured and self-aware charm subverts conventions and saves it from being just another cheesy rom-com you’d sooner skip on Netflix. The statistic-heavy narration by Jameela Jamil manages to be both amusing and romantic, and casting Jamil as an omnipresent chameleon who is fate-personified is an inspired move that helps the film move along smoothly. Though they lack sensual chemistry, Richardson and Hardy are individually, abundantly charming. It’s hard not to be moved by their stories, as common as they may be in movies like this. Love at First Sight is fluffy and familiar, but it is also the sort of heartwarming fare you’ll want to watch again and again, especially at Christmastime, when the movie is set.

Our staff rating: 7.5/10

Genre: Drama, Romance

Actor: Andromeda Godfrey, Anthony Warren, Ben Hardy, Dexter Fletcher, Doña Croll, Haley Lu Richardson, Ibinabo Jack, Jameela Jamil, Jessica Ransom, Katrina Nare, Kerry Howard, Philip Bird, Rob Delaney, Sally Phillips, Sam Booth, Tom Taylor, Tracy Wiles

Director: Vanessa Caswill

Rating: PG-13

Go to Netflix Canada

28.

Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam (2023)

Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam might not immediately make sense to audiences new to director Lijo Jose Pellissery, but it’s still an interesting film that depicts Tamil culture. Also known as Like an Afternoon Dream, the contemplative bilingual film is centered around a prejudiced Malayali tour guide who wakes up as another man, specifically someone fluent in Tamil, and walks into the nearby village. Through vignettes focused on the village inhabitants, the film slowly unravels the dynamics between each of the villagers, flitting back to the tour bus on occasion to see how they’re faring. While some of the comedy goes over viewer’s heads, especially for people unfamiliar with the state, the slow-paced film feels like a fond memory from Pellissery. The film doesn’t explain anything at all, in the same way strange dreams refuse to do.

Our staff rating: 7.5/10

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy

Actor: Ashokan, Ashwanth Ashokkumar, Mammootty, Rajesh Sharma, Ramachandran Durairaj, Ramya Pandian, Ramya Suvi

Director: Lijo Jose Pellissery

Go to Netflix Canada

27.

Fair Play (2023)

Making a good erotic thriller out on Wall Street is no easy feat, but Fair Play has just the right ratio of wit, sex, and sleaze to spice up a Friday night viewing. There's also undeniable pleasure in watching a fairytale love story corrode, especially under the influence of money and power—here's one for the romantic capitalists! And even if the script feels a bit uneven and Emily's character a bit too silent until the film's third act, it's a heightened yet realistic depiction of exactly how solidified heteronormative standards still are: in bed, at home, at the workplace. Who would have guessed that's where the true horror lies?

Our staff rating: 7.5/10

Genre: Drama, Thriller

Actor: Alden Ehrenreich, Buck Braithwaite, Eddie Marsan, Filip Todorovic, Geraldine Somerville, Ivona Kustudić, Jamie Wilkes, Jelena Stupljanin, Jim Sturgeon, Katarina Gojković, Laurel Lefkow, Leopold Hughes, Linda Ljoka, Patrick Fischler, Phoebe Dynevor, Rich Sommer, Sebastian de Souza, Sia Alipour

Director: Chloe Domont

Go to Netflix Canada

26.

Sister Death (2023)

Remember the creepy blind nun from the Spanish horror film Veronica? While many nun-related horror films have nuns as its horror element, this time it’s the nun that gets spooked in Sister Death. The new release expands on her backstory, taking the story back in history, in her start as a novitiate in the former convent, a location that’s been changed after the terrors inflicted towards the nuns during the Spanish Civil War. While the film doesn’t delve that deeply, focusing instead on the slowly building up the film’s terror, there is something here about the hidden violence and covered-up trauma that still haunt the Catholic church in Spain, especially to those that have taken vows. Director Paco Plaza meticulously frames each terrific sequence with the isolating doubt in one’s faith that Narcisa experiences.

Our staff rating: 7.5/10

Genre: Drama, Horror

Actor: Almudena Amor, Aria Bedmar, Chelo Vivares, Consuelo Trujillo, Luisa Merelas, Maru Valdivielso, Sandra Escacena

Director: Paco Plaza

Go to Netflix Canada

25.

Pete Holmes: I Am Not for Everyone (2023)

If Pete Holmes's new stand-up special comes off more like the comedian just trying out a bunch of random material instead of communicating coherent, overarching ideas, his writing is so strong that it hardly matters. You can tell Holmes is an incredibly confident performer in the way he deploys a wide range of techniques to get his jokes across: exaggerated voices, feeding off of the audience, even messing up his own jokes and rolling with the punches. But his turns of phrase are really the stars of the show here, as he gives even the most ridiculous anecdote a sense of imagination and unique visual texture. This is classic (if somewhat unsurprising) stand-up, with every idea leading into the next with ease.

Our staff rating: 7.5/10

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Pete Holmes

Director: Oren Brimer

Go to Netflix Canada

24.

Jaane Jaan (2023)

Jaane Jaan is one of those thrillers where you hope that the main characters would get away with murder. Based on the 2005 Japanese novel, the Hindi adaptation still has the cat-and-mouse dynamic between the relentless detective and math genius protecting the suspect, along with their elaborate chess-like mind games. However, the film changes a major plot point from the novel, and without spoiling too much, it turns the math teacher, now named Naren, into a less sympathetic character. Given today’s sensibilities, it’s easy to understand why the change was made. After all, just because someone’s a genius, it doesn’t mean that they’re someone to be admired. Jaane Jaan still keeps up the exciting thrills and suspense of the original novel, but in making its changes, it becomes unclear who the film is rooting for.

Our staff rating: 7.6/10

Genre: Crime, Thriller

Actor: Jaideep Ahlawat, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karma Takapa, Saurabh Sachdeva, Suhita Thatte, Ujjwal Chopra, Vijay Varma

Director: Sujoy Ghosh

Rating: R

Go to Netflix Canada

23.

Sly (2023)

The mythology surrounding Sylvester Stallone: the action hero is so big and successful that many people, including myself, often forget about Sylvester Stallone: the prolific writer. He failed to bag roles as a young actor in the 1970s, so he whipped out a script (in a span of three days!) that became the iconic film Rocky. Later on, after witnessing the power of elderly entertainers, Stallone rewrote a screenplay that would become the ongoing franchise The Expendables. He’s a hunk in many people’s eyes, nothing more and nothing less, but Sly successfully steers you away from that one-dimensional reputation and reintroduces you to the dramatist and artist Stallone has been all along. The film begins as an immigrant story (Stallone hails from Italy), then turns into a rags-to-riches story (he grew up in a tough New York neighborhood without formal education) before finally transforming into an honest and earnest meditation on superstardom and artistry. Going in, I was wary that this would be just another puff piece on a Hollywood has-been. And while it does have its fair share of schmaltz, I now believe it's a well-deserved and long overdue ode to Stallone’s unwavering commitment to the power of movies.

Our staff rating: 7.6/10

Genre: Documentary

Actor: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Frank Stallone, Henry Winkler, Jennifer Flavin Stallone, John Herzfeld, Quentin Tarantino, Sage Stallone, Scarlet Rose Stallone, Sistine Rose Stallone, Sophia Rose Stallone, Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire

Director: Thom Zimny

Rating: R

Go to Netflix Canada

22.

Wham! (2023)

For a short while in the ‘80s, the pop scene benefited from the sheer musical joy created by George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley, known together as Wham! With confectionary hits like “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” and “Last Christmas,” the British duo sang about the escapism that a generation desperately sought out. Their songs were dismissed by pundits as shallow (“How can the country be in love with these two idiots?”), but as young people flocked to their concerts in droves, it was clear that Wham! struck a chord with the worn-out youth.

They were no Beatles or Bowie, not heavyweight enough to make a lasting impression in our collective pop culture memory, but theirs is a story rich with meaningful lessons. Wham!, the film, is as much about the personal lives of the duo as it is about the difficulty of making it as independent artists; about the saving grace of music; and about the importance of authenticity.

Our staff rating: 7.7/10

Genre: Documentary, Music

Actor: Andrew Ridgeley, Aretha Franklin, Bono, Boy George, David Bowie, Elton John, Freddie Mercury, George Michael, Helen DeMacque, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney, Sting, Terry Wogan

Director: Chris Smith

Rating: NR

Go to Netflix Canada

21.

El Conde (2023)

After Jackie and Spencer, the dark satire El Conde is a surprise new entry in Pablo Larraín’s stacked filmography. Already, the film has prominent differences– it’s shot in black and white, starting with narration from an unseen and posh Englishwoman that makes the film’s events feel like entries in Bridgerton’s scandalous newsletter. The subject is far from the beloved wives of presidents and princes– it’s centered around a notorious Chilean dictator who remains unpunished for his crimes. However, as his fictional vampire version deals with his rightfully ruined legacy, El Conde proves to be a witty satiric twist to Larraín’s usual themes. Through familial squabbles over ill-gotten wealth, confessions and exorcism conducted by a nun, and certain foreign interventions, El Conde paints an everlasting greed that continues to haunt Larraín’s homeland.

Our staff rating: 7.7/10

Genre: Comedy, Fantasy, Horror

Actor: Aldo Parodi, Alfredo Castro, Antonia Zegers, Catalina Guerra, Diego Muñoz, Eyal Meyer, Francisca Walker, Gloria Münchmeyer, Jaime Vadell, Marcial Tagle, Patricia Rivadeneira, Paula Luchsinger, Stella Gonet

Director: Pablo Larraín

Rating: R

Go to Netflix Canada

It Ain’t Over (2023)

Love at First Sight (2023)

Nanpakal Nerathu Mayakkam (2023)

Fair Play (2023)

Sister Death (2023)

Pete Holmes: I Am Not for Everyone (2023)

Jaane Jaan (2023)

Sly (2023)

Wham! (2023)

El Conde (2023)

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