Best On Netflix

The 17 Cult Movies On Netflix With The Highest Rotten Tomatoes Scores

By Jade Budowski @jadebudowski

Published May 1, 2018, 8:30 a.m. ET

Ranked by their Rotten Tomatoes Critic Scores!Photos: Everett Collection ; Illustration: Dillen Phelps

**Paris is Burning**
**Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 100%
This wildly influential documentary chronicles New York City's drag scene in the 1980s and focuses on the tight knit communities of their "house" culture, and the balls attended by the groups from each house that feature dazzling cues from the world of fashion. A stunning, intimate portrait of the time, the controversial flick continues to spark conversation years later.
[Stream Paris is Burning on Netflix]

**The Iron Giant**
**Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 96%
This animated Cold War-set adventure follows a young boy who strikes up a friendship with a massive, kind-hearted robot from outer space. Unfortunately, the incredibly paranoid government is determined to destroy him - so the two band together to evade the destruction of this friendly giant. This heart-wrenching, thrilling film will move you in unexpected ways.
[Stream The Iron Giant]

**Heathers**
**Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 95%
This teaming up of a reluctant good girl and straight-up sociopath is one that is way more fun to watch than it should be. Starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater as masochistic teenagers with a taste for murder, the off-beat, twisted dark comedy became a true cult classic after its 1988 release - and it's not hard to see why.
[Stream Heathers]Photo: Everett Collection

**Pumping Iron**
**Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 93%
This iconic 1977 docudrama chronicles the battle of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno for the title of Mr. Olympia, and in the wake of its release managed to popularize the fitness craze of the 1980s. Full of much more heart than you might expect, there's a reason this flick is considered a classic.
[Stream Pumping Iron] Photo: Netflix

**Mindhorn**
**Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 91%
Starring Kenneth Branagh, Julian Barratt, Andrea Riseborough, and Steve Coogan, this action-comedy flick follows a has-been actor best known for playing a detective named "Mindhorn" in a 1980s series. While his career has stalled, he finds new purpose when he's forced to work with police to track down a serial killer, as the killer refuses to speak with anyone but Mindhorn (he believes he's a real person). Wacky, charming, and hilarious, *Mindhorn* will sneak up on you.
[Stream Mindhorn]Photo: Everett Collection

**Battle Royale**
**Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 87%
Before there was *The Hunger Games*, *Battle Royale* dumped a bunch of teenagers on an island and forced them to kill each other. Each teen is given a weapon and rations for just a few days, and if they don't off each other, they all die. A few students refuse to allow the status quo to lie, however, and resolve to fight this rule and get off the island.
[Stream Battle Royale]

**Pee-wee's Big Adventure**
**Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 87%
Paul Reubens' classic character is at the helm of Tim Burton's first feature-length film, a comedy following an eccentric, prankster man-child who embarks on a cross-country journey to retrieve his treasured bike from the thieves who took it. Don't sleep on this irreverent comedy - you'll come out armed with the pop culture references of the decade.
[Stream Pee-wee's Big Adventure]Photo: Everett Collection

**Donnie Darko**
**Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 86%
Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Jena Malone, and more, this sci-fi thriller takes place over the course of 28 days and follows a troubled teenager who, after a bizarre (near-fatal) accident, begins to have visions of a man in a giant rabbit suit who urges him to commit a slew of crimes. Strangely funny, scary, and totally compelling, this cult classic is necessary viewing.
[Stream Donnie Darko]

**Field of Dreams**
**Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 86%
"If you build it, he will come." When an Iowa corn farmer named Ray (Kevin Costner) hears voices and decides to build a baseball diamond, he suddenly finds himself visited by the ghosts of the 1919 Chicago White Sox. Ray, driven to finally discover the meaning behind these messages and what his purpose really is, seeks answers - and finds more than he ever bargained for.
[Stream Field of Dreams]

**Trading Places**
**Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 86%
This kooky '80s comedy sees a snobby investor, Louis Winthorpe III (Dan Aykroyd) and a street hustler named Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) forced to trade places in their respective lives after two callous millionaire brothers make a bet. Offering loads of laughs and unexpected commentary on American greed and racism, there's a reason *Trading Places* developed such a cult following.
[Stream Trading Places on Netflix]

**Curse of Chucky**
**Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 83%
The sixth installment of your favorite demonic red-haired doll franchise, *Curse of Chucky* sees Chucky infiltrate a family he has a decades-old grudge with to get revenge. Silly, scary, and totally insane, this flick is proof that sometimes, a franchise can be brought back to life.
[Stream Curse of Chucky on Netflix]

**Teeth**
**Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 80%
Terrified of sexual self discovery? Well, this movie will not do you any favors. High schooler Dawn is just like any other - fairly clueless about her own body. When she begins to become sexually active, however, she discovers that she has quite the weapon down below for any who try to commit acts of violence against her - and it ain't pretty.
[Stream Teeth]

**Bad Santa**
**Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 78%
Starring Billy Bob Thornton, Bernie Mac, and Lauren Graham, this dark comedy sees a con man put on Father Christmas' suit while he bands together with his crew to pull off a particularly special scam during the holiday season. One thing's for sure - this Santa is definitely not making the nice list this year.
[Stream Bad Santa on Netflix]

**The Lost Boys**
**Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 74%
This cult classic horror comedy sees brothers Michael (Jason Patric) and Sam (Corey Haim) move to a small northern California town that they soon discover is a vampire hotspot. Armed with a bumpin' soundtrack and perfect '80s cast, *The Lost Boys* is a ridiculously watchable romp.
[Stream The Lost Boys on Netflix]

**Piranha 3-D**
**Rotten Tomatoes Score:** 73%
Bringing together all of your favorite franchise stars (including Richard Dreyfuss, Christopher Lloyd, and more), this bananas horror comedy follows an unlikely group of strangers as they fight for survival from a massive group of prehistoric man-eating fish.
[Stream Piranha 3-D on Netflix]

*Hellraiser* (1987)
**Rotten Tomatoes Score:**67%
Sean Chapman plays Frank, a man who buys a mysterious puzzle box, only to find that it opens a portal to Hell. When Frank is resurrected by his brother Larry's blood, he enlists Larry's wife (and his own ex-mistress) to help collect human sacrifices to sustain his newfound life.
[Stream *Hellraiser*]Everett Collection

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Sometimes, a movie is released ahead of its time, isn’t given the love by critics it deserves, or flops at the box office. They could easily be forgotten, but luckily, these kinds of movies have now found new life on streaming – our beloved cult classics aren’t forced to collect dust on the shelves of closed Blockbusters. Your underrated faves are getting a second chance over on Netflix, and that is worth celebrating.

Under the the streaming giant��s “Cult Movies” category, there’s just about anything you can imagine. Campy horror (Curse of Chucky, Piranha 3D, Teeth), dark, thought-provoking flicks (Donnie Darko, Heathers), and quirky comedies (Pee-wee’s Big Adventure, Trading Places) all round out a plethora of unexpected selections that may very well become your favorites. It’s the perfect chance to indulge in lesser-known titles and experience a documentary you might have missed, comedy you’ve forgotten, or weird drama that may have flown under the radar. Cult classics are what make movies so great – they’re full of surprises, and they’re often innovative in the most wonderfully creative ways.

Wondering where to begin? We’ve gone through Netflix‘s vast catalogue to find the best of the best. These are the 20 best cult movies on Netflix, ranked by their Rotten Tomatoes Critic Scores.