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Team AA: Our favorite movies you should stream during lockdown
August 24, 2025
Depending on where you live, you might be still dealing with aCOVID-19lockdown. Not being able to go out to restaurants, hit the beach, or even go to a concert can be frustrating. There is a silver lining though: you have tons of time to watch some lockdown movies! As such, we thought we’d put together a list of the best movies to watch during the lockdown as chosen by us, the staff here atAndroid Authority.
This isn’t likeour usual “best” listswhere we pore over tons of content to determine what really is the best ona particular streaming platformwithina particular genre. Instead, these are just our favorite lockdown movies for watching while trapped at home with no particular theme.
Related:How to work from home and find balance during lockdown
We did have two criteria for our picks, though: the movie needed to becurrently streaming on a popular platformand it needed to be something pretty much anyone would enjoy. As such, you won’t find anyarthouse fareorgrim horror filmshere — these are the best streaming movies only the biggest curmudgeon would have a problem with.
If you have a suggestion you’d like to add to this list of the best lockdown movies, hit up the comments!
The best movies to watch during lockdown
Chosen by:Chris Thomas, Head of Product Testing
The 2007 comedy filmHot Fuzzis the second feature in the loosely connected Three Flavours Cornetto trilogy (the first beingShaun of the Deadand the third beingThe World’s End). One of the best movies to watch online right now on any platform, it centers on an ambitious and fussy city police officer (Simon Pegg). He gets reassigned by jealous colleagues to a small English village. There, he and his bumbling partner (Nick Frost) begin investigating a series of strange deaths.
The movie acts as a parody of action film tropes with multiple references to the biggest action flicks of all time, especiallyPoint BreakandBad Boys.
Here’s what Chris had to say about his favorite lockdown movie:
Monty Python’s Life of Brian
Chosen by:Oliver Cragg, Features Editor
SinceMonty Python’s Life of Brianis heralded as such a classic now, it’s easy to forget that the film was incredibly controversial when it came out. In fact, multiple countries outright banned the film for decades. It may have lost its dangerous bite over the years since, but it certainly hasn’t become any less funny, and it is easily one of the best movies to watch on Netflix at the moment.
If you haven’t seen this film somehow, it centers on the titular character Brian who is a Jewish man born on the same day and in the same general vicinity as Jesus Christ. What follows is the usual absurdity you would expect from the Monty Python troupe as Brian makes his way through history.
Here’s what Oliver had to say about his favorite lockdown movie:
The Matrix
Chosen by:John Callaham, News Writer
Even if you somehow aren’t a fan ofThe Matrix, there’s no denying its massive influence on not only film but the cultural zeitgeist. Bullet-time, “hacking The Matrix,” cool-ass sunglasses, and even “Whoa” are all forever tied to this movie.
If you haven’t ever seen this, one of the best movies to watch on Netflix, you are truly missing out. It’s as action-packed as it gets while still taking time to build characters you truly care about — as well as some villains you’ll never forget. Oh, and don’t forgetthe soundtrack, which is pure 90s hard rock electronica bliss.
Here’s what John had to say about it:
Star Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedi
Chosen by:Jimmy Westenberg, Managing Editor
Jimmy is easily the biggestStar Warsgeek on staff here, so it’s unsurprising he pickedStar Wars: Episode VIII — The Last Jedias his favorite lockdown movie. The second film in the sequel trilogy, it finds our hero Rey training with the legendary Luke Skywalker. Meanwhile, antagonist Kylo Ren starts to have doubts about his role as a Sith leader.
If you’re not already a Star Wars fan or feel like you don’t know enough about the series to understand the eighth film in the saga, don’t worry: as long as you understand the basic gist of the fantasy universe, you’ll be able to follow along just fine. Remember that Disney owns Star Wars now, so this is actually one of thebest Disney moviesto watch, as well as one of the best lockdown films.
Here’s what Jimmy had to say about his favorite lockdown movie:
Chosen by:C. Scott Brown, Senior Staff Writer
Before director James Cameron took us out to sea with Titanic, he made a much different film about the ocean. ;The Abyssis probably his least-successful film ever and is often overshadowed by the unbridled successes ofTerminator 2: Judgment Day,Aliens, and of courseAvatar. However, it deserves much more attention!
After a US submarine carrying nuclear weaponry goes down in the deep, a ragtag group of oil drillers is called upon by their country to assist the military operation to recover the weapons and help any possible surVivors. While the mission progresses, the team realizes it isn’t the only group down there. What follows is not only a terrific action/sci-fi film but also a brilliant treatise on humanity and our connection to our planet. It’s truly one of the best movies to watch anywhere!
Here’s what C. Scott Brown (wait, that’s me!) had to say about his favorite lockdown movie:
Chosen by:Adam Molina, Editor
As long as there have been humans, there’s been the desire to climb mountains. The Australian documentary filmMountain, which Adam has chosen as his favorite lockdown movie, uses stunning visuals and poetry readings to tell the story between man and mountains.
Related:These are the best websites to legally watch free movies online
With beautiful orchestral music played by the Australian Chamber Orchestra and Willem Dafoe as narrator, Mountain lets you escape the confines of lockdown and see the beauty of nature as if you were there first-hand. It’s one of the best movies to watch on Netflix right now.
Here’s what Adam had to say about his favorite lockdown movie:
Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened
Chosen by: Matt Horne, Deals Editor
The 2017 Fyre Festival was supposed to be the ultra-elite music festival that put other events to shame. Marketed as a festival just for the wealthy and promoted by influencers, musicians, and celebrities, it turned out that it was actually a fraudulent enterprise created by a conniving “entrepreneur.”Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happenedis a documentary telling the insane story behind the notorious festival.
The documentary gives you a full behind-the-scenes look at how the festival came to be through interviews with the people involved. It also gives direct accounts of the derelict “festival” that people found when they arrived at the quickly canceled event. It’s all quite shocking but acts as a perfect send-up of the wealth disparity and obsession with elitism we have as a society.
Here’s what Matt had to say about his favorite lockdown movie:
Chosen by:David Imel, Senior Reporter/Producer
Sometimes, an acting performance is so good that it elevates a film to dizzying heights. The performance of J.K. Simmons inWhiplashis one such example of this. Even though the film itself is a pretty straightforward story, Simmons’ role as an absolutely brutal music teacher is something acting classes will be talking about for decades. Without him, this film very likely wouldn’t be on this list of the best lockdown movies we here atAndroid Authoritylove.
All that shouldn’t detract from the film itself, though. The writing and direction are top-notch and Miles Teller’s turn as the jazz drummer who faces the bulk of Simmons’ brutality is also incredible.
Check out what David had to say about his favorite lockdown movie:
The Social Network
Chosen by:Ryan-Thomas Shaw, Producer
When director David Fincher announced that he would be making a film telling the story of Facebook with Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails in charge of the score, people were dumbfounded. Fincher is known for his meticulously dark style and Reznor is equally famous for his brutal intensity. What were these two artists doing making a Facebook movie?
OnceThe Social Networkcame out, though, all was made clear. Not only was it some of the best work from literally everyone involved in its creation, but it succeeded in pulling back the veil on Facebook and social media in general, exposing the dirty truths behind our global obsession.
This isn’t just one of the best streaming movies on this list, but one of the best films ever made.
Here’s what Ryan-Thomas had to say about his favorite lockdown movie:
Chosen by:Joe Hindy, Apps Editor
One of the most annoying tropes in the movie industry is “the sports film.” You know the one: a young sports player who has the odds stacked against them tries their hardest to make the team/win the championship, and that they do.Rocky,The Karate Kid,Rudy— the list goes on forever.
Thankfully,Moneyballis the rare sports film that gives you all the feel-good emotions you expect from the tired formula while also delivering a great film that even people who hate sports will love. Even if you ignore the incredible (true!) story, the acting here is absolutely stellar. The fact that Jonah Hill didn’t win an Oscar for his performance here is a true crime as his subdued acting pretty much single-handedly elevates this film.
Here’s what Joe had to say about his favorite lockdown movie:
The Art of Racing in the Rain
Chosen by: Adamya Sharma, Editor
At this point, the terms “feel-good film” and “dog movie” are essentially synonymous.The Art of Racing in the Rainknows how to tug on your heartstrings like any good dog movie does, but it thankfully doesn’t descend into campiness or saccharine overload.
Our own Adamya Sharma is a big fan of dog films. Here’s what she had to say about her favorite lockdown movie:
Avengers: Endgame
Chosen by:Eric Zeman, Reviews Editor
When you have a film series with more than 20 movies, dozens of television episodes, and decades of comic book lore behind it, how do you close it out? That was the predicament the creators ofAvengers: Endgamefaced, and they surprisingly pulled it off.
Granted, if you haven’t been following along with the Avengers and their world-saving saga, you might be a bit lost here. However, if you just want tons of action and awesome special effects, you’re able to’t go wrong with this one. If you’re feeling ambitious, though, you could just runthe whole Marvel Cinematic Universe seriesand then cap it off with this. If you’re in lockdown, you’ve certainly got the time!
Here’s how Eric very succinctly sums up his favorite lockdown movie:
DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story
Chosen by: David Nguyen, Affiliate lead
Remember “the sports film” trope mentioned in the Moneyball section? It can be fun when movies satirize the predictability of those films, and that’s exactly whatDodgeBall: A True Underdog Storydoes.
Granted, the humor in DodgeBall is over-the-top and might not be for everyone. However, if you’re a fan of Vince Vaughan, Ben Stiller, and the irreverent comedy of films likeAnchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,Wedding Crashers, andBalls of Fury, you’ll absolutely love this one.
Here’s what David had to say about his favorite lockdown movie:
Chosen by: Sam Moore, Editor
You probably have a favorite film with some great lines. You know the one: that film where there are certain bits of dialog that are ingrained in your brain. Well, for a lot of people, the full 96 minutes ofClueare exactly that.
Based on the board game of the same name, Clue is a murder mystery farce that is so well-written, so well-acted, and so drop-dead funny that it needs to be seen to be believed. You need to pay attention though since the jokes come fast and they are dry as a bone. If you don’t listen and watch intently, you could miss them.
Here’s what Sam had to say about his favorite lockdown movie:
Have a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics
Chosen by: Sarah Clary, Campaign Media Operations
Despite the lack of legal status for psychedelic drugs, more and more research suggests there could be incredibly beneficial qualities to things like “magic” mushrooms and LSD. In the documentaryHave a Good Trip: Adventures in Psychedelics, host Nick Offerman talks with dozens of celebrities about their first trips.
With the help of animation, some of the trip stories are visualized on screen as they’re described. It’s not only an interesting look at psychedelics but also a cool behind-the-scenes look at the personal lives of some mega-famous people.
Here’s what Sarah had to say about her favorite lockdown movie
Looking for other suggestions? Check out some of our more conventional best streaming movies lists below!
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