While lectures and assignments help us learn about the world and our history, sometimes a great movie is needed to plunge viewers into the subject. Whether it focuses on war, artifacts, slavery, the internet, or true crime, Netflix has a wide range of movies that will fit into any unit. Check out these six best movies on Netflix for the classroom, and learn more about our rich history.
6. Unknown: The Lost Pyramid (2023)
Our sixth selection for best movies on Netflix for the classroom is Unknown: The Lost Pyramid, a documentary searching for ancient sites. Dropped in the desert sands of Saqqara, the latest hotspot of Egyptian archaeology, two of the world’s most famous Egyptologists are searching for ancient treasures. Dr. Zahi Hawass is hunting for the long-lost pyramid of a forgotten Egyptian king while his rival, Dr. Mostafa Waziri, searches for an unlooted tomb. Who will make a discovery first?
–IMDb score: 6.7
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5. Harriet (2019)
Next on our list of best movies on Netflix for the classroom is Harriet, a biography about Harriet Tubman, one of the most famous American heroes during the Underground Railroad movement. The film explores Tubman’s escape from slavery and transformation into a courageous hero, helping free hundreds of slaves and changing the course of history. Harriet Tubman’s ingenuity and tenacity are worth studying, especially during such a tumultuous time.
–IMDb score: 6.7
4. The Menendez Brothers (2024)
Fourth on our list of best movies on Netflix for the classroom might be suited for forensics or recent events. The Menendez Brothers is a documentary that features the 1996 case where the Menendez brothers stood on trial for killing their parents. Captivating America in the past, the 2024 documentary revisits the events, as well as Lyle and Erik Menendez, who share their side of the story through interviews and bring a fresh take on the events.
–IMDb score: 7.1
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3. The King (2019)
Earning a top three spot on the best movies on Netflix for the classroom is the biography of young Henry V as he becomes the King of England in the 15th century. The King starts with Hal, the wayward prince and reluctant heir to the throne who must return to the life he tried to escape when his tyrannical father passes. The young king must navigate palace politics, chaos, and war, and the emotional strings of his past and present lives pulling taut
–IMDb score: 7.3
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2. Don’t F**k With Cats: Hunting an Internet Killer (2019)
Second on our list of best movies on Netflix for the classroom is Don’t F**k With Cats, a documentary exploring the dark sides of the internet and the crimes committed there. A group of online amateur sleuths come together to find a mysterious guy who posted a video of himself hurting kittens, pulling them deep into a dark underworld. The chase culminates in the man, Luka Magnotta, mortally hurting a Chinese international student.
–IMDb score: 8.0
1. 1917 (2019)
Last but not least, one of our best movies on Netflix for the classroom list is 1917, a drama set during World War I, perfect for students to understand the war effort and the cost of war. It’s April 1917 on the Western Front, and two British soldiers must race against time to deliver an urgent message to an isolated regiment. If they don’t get there in time, the regiment of 1,600 men will walk right into a trap and be massacred, but that means the two must cross through enemy territory at the height of “The War to End All Wars.”
–IMDb score: 8.2
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