Just picked up a Binge subscription in Australia and wondering what to stream tonight? We’ve got you with our curated list of the best movies on Binge.
When Foxtel launched Binge on May 25th, 2020, the company did so at a time when the market was already quite flooded. Netflix was in its prime, Amazon Prime was finding its feet and Disney+ was starting to make some power moves. Did we really need another streaming service, especially one that just seemed like a distillation of Foxtel Now with a friendlier interface?
RELATED: Best Shows On Binge
The answer was, surprisingly, yes. Binge was an instant hit given the sheer amount of content on the service. In a way, it seemed like the content curators were really overdoing it and taking a more-is-more approach. I know this because I write the Binge monthly release schedule for Boss Hunting and have lost count of the number of times I’ve had to type “Desperate Housewives of…”
Luckily, Binge’s numbers game does pay off. Amongst all those mindless reality shows and middling biopics, you’ll find a great number of good shows and movies on Binge. Here, I focus on big-screen bangers, hence our list of the best movies to watch on Binge.
To break it up a bit, I’ve filtered my top picks for movies on Binge by genre. Consider it your cinematic bucket list so make sure you’ve got a boss home cinema set-up before you stream through the top movies on Binge.
Best Movies On Binge – Table Of Contents
- Best New Movies On Binge Australia
- Best Action Movies On Binge Australia
- Best Thrillers On Binge Australia
- Best Drama Movies On Binge Australia
- Best Comedy Movies On Binge Australia
- Best War Movies On Binge Australia
- Best Horror Movies On Binge Australia
- Best Sci-Fi Movies On Binge Australia
- How Boss Hunting Chose The Best Movies On Binge
- Frequently Asked Questions
Best New Movies On Binge Australia
Triangle of Sadness
This satirical black comedy flips the zeitgeist on its head. Triangle of Sadness comes quite aggressively for over-privileged influencers as it follows a celebrity couple on a luxury cruise where all guests are, shall we say…given more than they bargained for.
Director Ruben Östlund tackles social hierarchy in the smartphone era, providing immensely funny (oftentimes savage) schadenfreude at the 1%’s expense. Woody Harrelson helps bring some weighty charm to the international cast, helping Östlund turn in his most disarmingly funny project to date.
The dramedy is one of our top picks for what to watch on Binge now. And if you need more convincing: it did famously receive an eight-minute standing ovation at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, going on to win the Palme d’Or.
Smile
I watched Smile on a recent flight to Dubai. I tend to save my love of B-grade horror movies for then, so was not expecting Smile to be anything but lightly serviceable for the long haul. Horror movies rarely surprise me nowadays, but I quite liked the concept behind Smile.
The supernatural horror movie tracks in the same vein as It Follows and The Ring, taking a different approach to unpacking trauma and suicide by conceiving them as transmissible contagions. Director Parker Finn makes an impressive directorial debut, as he plays around with lighting and disturbing death scenes that work their way toward a satisfying conclusion.
The Woman King
This historical action-adventure film is largely fictionalised, following an African king who assembles the only female army in Africa. Yet The Woman King is treated with such grounded acting and an overarching sense of realism that it’s easy to mistake Gina Prince-Bythwood’s best film to date as an accurate biopic.
Viola Davis does most of the heavy lifting here, reiterating what a powerhouse she can be on the big screen. It also helps that Prince-Bythwood is at her best, clearly reinvigorated after handling the reasonably intense and underrated The Old Guard for Netflix in 2020.
Everything Everywhere All At Once
Everything Everywhere All At Once was the sleeper hit of 2022. The film won so many awards that hearing its name announced at all the important ceremonies became a bit boring. It is, however, incredibly well-deserving of such praise with directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert cementing their names in Hollywood (following the smaller critical success of Swiss Army Man).
Given the directors worked with the Russo brothers on this, there’s that slight feeling of Marvel movie magic grounded in something domestic that, for many audiences, will hit much closer to home.
Sure, there’s multiversal travel, but this story (about a Chinese-American immigrant who discovers several versions of herself across parallel universes) feels freshly apart from the typical ‘save the world’ hyperbole.
Best Action Movies On Binge Australia
The Dark Knight
When we look back at Christopher Nolan’s legacy, in say 10 years, many will probably refer to Oppenheimer as his signature. And who could blame them? The 2023 box office smash is one of the most fiercely intelligent, historically sensitive and beautifully conceived blockbusters that I have personally ever seen.
Yet, we’re kidding ourselves if we don’t acknowledge The Dark Knight as the movie that transformed Nolan from a really good director into one who’s very nearly always mythologised each time he releases a new project. What can I say? The man knows how to make a thoroughly entertaining big-budget film that’s also quite smart and thoughtful.
That’s The Dark Knight wrapped up in a nice sentence. It thinks big but acts small, leaning heavily on Heath Ledger’s deep, damaged and deranged portrayal of the Joker as he builds a cat-and-mouse game with Christian Bale’s Batman.
Despite Marvel’s success in its ongoing rivalry with DC, there’s no denying that The Dark Knight sits atop the throne when it comes to modern superhero films that balance style with substance.
Top Gun: Maverick
In case we forgot that Tom Cruise is really cinema’s last remaining megastar, Top Gun: Maverick flies through to remind us of the actor’s consistency. The box office rainmaker is at his most charming in this flick, as he slinks back into the role that made him famous in 1986.
You may not be able to watch Top Gun: Maverick on the biggest screen possible anymore but if you’ve got a decent home cinema set-up, a good soundbar and the right lighting, you can dial in the mind-blowingly brilliant qualities of Top Gun: Maverick anytime you want (with a Binge subscription, of course).
Jurassic World Dominion
The original and vastly superior Jurassic Park is also on Binge but I thought I’d highlight the supposed final instalment in the epic franchise. That’s mostly because many cinemagoers found Jurassic World: Dominion a very disappointing end to what has been one of modern cinema’s most iconic brands.
Director Colin Trevorrow isn’t Spielberg. Yet, I think Safety Not Guaranteed director does a fine job splitting the new generation with the old and making this dinosaur epic really feel like closure for fans of the series. Yes, it’s not perfect, and a lot of the scenes drag on, leaving not much room for the more exciting sequences (which mostly involved new and interesting dinosaurs). Yet, there’s still more than enough entertainment value to make this a worthwhile Sunday night binge.
Gladiator
One of the greatest ‘sword and sandal’ pictures ever made, Gladiator (helmed by legendary director Ridley Scott) really pushed for historical epics to be the new blockbusters of modern cinema. And it works very well, with Russell Crowe putting on a fine performance as Maximus; supported by an equally solid list of talent that includes Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen and Richard Harris.
I don’t expect you to have never seen Gladiator before. It’s been essential viewing ever since it was released in 2000. But with Binge’s strong lineup of movies, it’s nice to know I can just sit back and revisit this epic film, and Hans Zimmer’s immense score, anytime I want.
The Fast And The Furious
The first The Fast and the Furious film may not be the best in the series, but it’s still a great watch all these years later. The increasingly ridiculous franchise has come so far that it’s worth going back to where it all began and enjoying a time when these characters were a bit more grounded in reality.
The Batman
The Batman came at a time when Marvel’s light was starting to fade. All DC really needed was a gritty, realistic hit that could capture at least some of the magic of Christopher Nolan’s iconic Batman trilogy and they’d have this confected brand war in the bag.
Matt Reeves delivered that ten times over, helping Robert Pattinson turn in some of the finest work to date as he suits up as a more cynical, grounded Batman who is both reckless and incredibly flawed, as well as deeply committed to ridding Gotham City of crime.
By turning in a Batman that was more visceral and violent than pretty much any iteration of the iconic superhero to date, Reeves successfully kickstarted a trilogy that could very well stand on equal footing with Nolan’s masterpieces.
The Northman
After his role as Eric Northman (just a coincidence) in HBO’s diminishing-returns vampire series, True Blood, many thought Alexander Skarsgård would be the next big thing in Hollywood. Everyone was wrong, and so Skarsgard had a few hits but mostly lumbered around mildly successful project after mildly successful project.
No one seemed to know how to use him until Robert Eggers came along and picked him up for the lead role in the brutal, visually stunning The Northman. The historical Viking epic was one of the best films of 2022, leaning heavily on Skarsgard’s hulking presence and presenting him as a behemoth of righteousness and revenge.
Shakespeare’s Hamlet is turned into a deliciously dark and relentless story of vengeance, culminating in what may be one of the greatest battle scenes in cinematic history.
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
The ongoing debate on whether or not the Bond movies are better than the Mission Impossible movies seems a bit biased when you consider the quality coming from Tom Cruise’s primary action vehicle. The long-running series has given us some of the most influential and exciting spy films in history, and it says a lot that the past few entries have been the best to date.
Rogue Nation, the fifth film in the series, is easily one of Cruise’s best films with the requisite edge-of-your-seat stunts and a well-paced plot that sees Ethan Hunt take on a network of highly skilled operatives out to establish a new world order. It’s not the most inventive storyline the series has thrown at us, but the combination of draw-dropping action sets, beautiful on-location shooting and smart action beats makes Rogue Nation a top choice for any Sunday night binge.
Top Gun
While Maverick is good enough to steal all the glory from the original, few movie moments can compare to watching Top Gun for the first time. If you haven’t seen Tony Scott’s finest work before then chuck it on Binge before you load up Maverick for the sixteenth time. Watching them back-to-back just makes the whole experience resonate more deeply, with some great contrasting moments that really illustrate the character developer for Cruise’s Pete Mitchell.
Best Thrillers On Binge Australia
Mulholland Drive
David Lynch is still one of the most unique and visionary filmmakers of our time. And if Twin Peaks didn’t prove it, then the excellent Mulholland Drive will. The dreamy interpretation of Los Angeles really elevates the entire plot, which is a seemingly straightforward shot at the amnesiac trying to discover their true identity.
Se7en
No one does thrillers quite like David Fincher. The masterful director really earned his chops with Se7en, springing to life a cat-and-mouse serial killer plot with an inventive MO and several very dark, didn’t-see-it-coming twists.
The memorable ending ties it all together with Kevin Spacey particularly valuable as the villainous John Doe who could put any DC bad guy to shame.
Zodiac
Another David Fincher gem.
Plenty of people debate whether Zodiac or Se7en is the defining thriller of our time. And there are definitely arguments for both sides. I find it too tough of a choice but Zodiac definitely has an edge with fantastic, intimate and intelligent performances from both Robert Downey Jr and Jake Gyllenhaal.
Best Drama Movies On Binge Australia
The Godfather Part II
The greatest crime drama ever made and a truly seismic moment for modern cinema. Little can be said about Francis Ford Coppola’s masterpiece that hasn’t already been said. Between fantastic performances from the likes of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, and the endlessly engaging, brilliantly paced plot (which tracks the rise of the Corleone crime empire in 1960s America) there’s no denying this sequel is one of the greatest movies of all time.
The streaming service struck gold when it picked up the rights to show The Godfather Part II. You also have the original and Part III on Binge as well so you can thread together a bit of a marathon if you’re feeling up to it.
12 Years A Slave
One of Steve McQueen’s greatest cinematic masterpieces. 12 Years a Slave gets over mostly because of some truly fantastic performances from leads Chiwetel Ejifor and Michael Fassbender. It’s a harrowing watch, especially if scenes of slavery and gross human indecency leave your squeamish, but Solomon Northup’s journey (and eventual freedom) are inspirational even beyond the context of African American history.
Joker
When Todd Phillips created his visionary take on a Joker origin story, I don’t think he would have expected to spark such a massive debate in the context of the ongoing culture wars. Having such a deep, smart and incisive film examining how social context can transform ordinary people into monsters (something well-documented in the field of psychology) was apparently an existential threat to progressivism.
Phillips’ attempt at a more nuanced, sympathetic portrayal of Joker, taken to dizzying heights by Joaquin Phoenix, may have been widely derided by some, but it was met with just as much praise. Believe the former; Joker is a smart, confident and stylish film that borrows from intense character studies like Taxi Driver.
Schindler’s List
Liam Neeson has always had a tendency to play forthright, fiercely courageous protagonists and the pigeon-holing began with Schindler’s List.
There shouldn’t be any complaints there; Neeson has never been better than as the suave, slightly caddish Oskar Schindler: a German factory owner whose capitalistic instincts gradually give way to a higher calling protecting Jewish workers from the ravages of the Holocaust.
It’s one of the most iconic films of all time, and Steven Spielberg’s 1993 epic pulls no punches when it comes to its examination of the cruelty and destruction envisioned on ordinary people by the Nazi regime.
The Shawshank Redemption
Another iconic film and a strong statement from Binge. The Shawshank Redemption is Frank Darabont’s greatest achievement, worked as a profound, endlessly engaging epic about the endearing relationship between two imprisoned men.
Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman may have gone on to turn in some genuinely incredible performances over the years, but nothing across either career really compares to The Shawshank Redemption.
Good Will Hunting
This 1997 feature film was the start of Hollywood’s obsession with both Matt Damon and Ben Affleck. Throw in a chiselled, warm and fantastic performance by Robin Williams and there’s little wonder why Gus Van Sant’s timeless tale about a precocious janitor still resonates so deeply. Watch this if you need some weakened inspiration to fight off the Sunday scaries.
Best Comedy Movies On Binge Australia
BlacKkKlansman
John David Washington and Adam Driver are both brilliant in Spike Lee’s BlackKkKlansman. Lee goes straight for the jugular when it comes to lampooning the KKK in this undercover detective drama: landing some truly playful laugh-out-loud scenes that are at their most brilliant when Washington and Driver are working together on-screen.
Marcel The Shell With Shoes On
Poignant, life-affirming and arrestingly optimistic, Marcel The Shell With Shoes fills the need for that animated indie darling that will leave you trying to hide a few happy tears on a Sunday. The less said about this brilliant film the better, just know that mistaking the cute voice acting and twee plot for simplicity means you’ll miss out on one of the most enriching films of the past few years.
Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy
Wicked funny, endlessly quotable and still one of the greatest comedies of our time.
Anchorman is Will Ferrell at his best with creative, honest jokes that land hard and a stacked ensemble cast who know how to mix idiocy and good-natured performances together with charm.
Happy Gilmore
Happy Gilmore came at a time when Adam Sandler was at his creative best. And while Waterboy and Billy Madison were also products of the same era, way before Happy Madison Productions was created, it’s this singular send-up of the sport of golfing that showed the man was capable of firing on all cylinders.
I’m not even going to pretend that anyone reading this list of the best movies on Binge hasn’t seen it before. But upon rewatch, it remains and insanely good time. Strap in and give this a re-spin on Sunday night.
Clueless
Mean Girls is also on Binge and still holds up quite well, though if I’m honest, I’m rocking with its spiritual predecessor, Clueless, much more.
A contemporary send-up of Jane Austen’s Emma, the film is driven mainly by Alicia Silverstone’s performance as the well-meaning (if slightly ditzy) young woman at the centre of the plot, Cher.
A young Paul Rudd only adds to the charm of this colourful Beverley Hills dramedy, but its Silverstone’s sensitive and genuinely funny performance (a riposte to the negative stereotype of the dumb blonde) that helps make Clueless such a timeless comedy.
Best War Movies On Binge Australia
Full Metal Jacket
Unhinged, unrestrained and brilliantly orchestrated by director Stanley Kubrick. Full Metal Jacket has stood the test of time and holds up extremely well against all the epic war movies that came after it. Not only did Kubrick bring a slick sense of style and rawness to the plot (which takes place during the Vietnam War) but manages to coax some incredible performances from his astute cast, including Adam Baldwin, Matthew Modine and an unmissable Vincent D’Onofrio.
Saving Private Ryan
Yes, it’s a bit of an investment when it comes to time but the overlong duration of Saving Private Ryan is swiftly rewarded with a brutal, harrowing story about the mission to, well, save Private James Francis Ryan. This was a film that really stuck with me even after its runtime, thanks mostly to the graphic wartime scenes and unrelenting violence Steven Spielberg portrays with a sensitive yet slightly aggressive touch.
Best Horror Movies On Binge Australia
Jaws
The horror genre hasn’t really been the same since Spielberg made Jaws in 1975. As the very first summer blockbuster, this terrifying tale of a vengeful shark that stalks the waters around Amity Island is firmly embedded in cinematic history. It’s not every day a movie causes such a seismic cultural shift that an entire generation suddenly develops a deep fear of the ocean.
Scream
This is technically Scream 5, but for whatever reason, directors Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett went ahead with a title that suggests ‘origin story’. Thankfully, it’s more akin to a relaunch. It’s a grown-up, unflinching take on the classic slasher, with yet another serial killer slicing their way through Woodsboro in the name of Ghostface.
The choice to kill off a core character is what makes Scream 5 such a successful entry into the franchise. I wasn’t quite a fan of Scream 4, but the follow-up is very much worth your time.
The Black Phone
A young boy is kidnapped by a mask-wearing villain (in a career-best performance by Ethan Hawke) and talks to his captor’s past victims through a broken black phone. That’s largely the plot of the movie, and yet The Black Phone is so much more than a barebones tale of child abduction. The gimmick can get tired in the second act, but by and large, this atmospheric horror film offers many more thrills than you’d initially expect.
It actually reminded me a bit of Don’t Breathe. In that, I didn’t go in with any expectations but walked out thoroughly impressed. It’s got a similar ballsy direction by Scott Derrickson, who has worked with Hawke before on Sinister and is clearly very good at making claustrophobic set pieces feel dynamic and limitless.
The Shining
Binge has plenty of award winning films in its stable, so it’s no surprise to see The Shining sitting amongst the collection. Stanley Kubrick’s tense horror masterpiece, set in the abandoned overlook hotel, will never go out of style. Not when you have some of the most interesting scenes ever put to the big screen, elevated by a virtuoso Jack Nicholson who does a fantastic job illustrating the horrors of isolation, paranoia and insanity.
Best Sci-Fi Movies On Binge Australia
Dune
The greatest novel in the science-fiction genre has now become the greatest film in the science-fiction genre. If that sounds like too big of a statement then you clearly haven’t sat down to watch this 2021 epic, where Denis Villeneuve puts his best foot forward and makes excellent use of on-location sets across Budapest, Jordan, Norway and Abu Dhabi.
You could even look at Dune as an incredible piece of travel marketing: taking a bigger-is-better approach to visuals without compromising on intimate human details; and filling every frame with terrific performances from the likes Timothée Chalamet, Josh Brolin, Stellan Skarsgård and co.
If you enjoyed my round-up of the best movies on Binge then check out Boss Hunting’s other streaming content:
- Best movies on Netflix Australia
- Best shows on Netflix Australia
- Best movies on Amazon Prime Video
- Best shows on Amazon Prime Video
- Best shows on Stan
- What’s new on Netflix Australia?
- What’s new on Stan Australia?
- What’s new on Amazon Prime Video?
How Boss Hunting Chose The Best Movies On Binge
At Boss Hunting, we’re lucky enough that part of our jobs is to actually experience what we’re writing about. Watching TV isn’t necessarily a perk of the job, but watching it with the feeling like you’re actually being productive is rare. As such, each of us set out to watch all, or at least a decent chunk, of the above TV shows on Binge. That is if we hadn’t seen them already.
This list is then put together by some good ol’ fashioned office banter. We regularly talk about what we’re watching, what we enjoyed and what we didn’t. The shows we didn’t enjoy aren’t included on this list; the ones we did are. It’s as simple as that.
For more information on how we handle content at Boss Hunting click through to our Editorial Policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some of the best movies to watch on Binge?
Some of the best movies to watch on Binge include Jaws, The Godfather Part II, Dune, The Dark Knight and Good Will Hunting.
How much is a Binge subscription?
A Binge subscription will cost you $10 per month for the Basic package, $16 a month for the Standard package, and $18 a month for the premium package.
What is the difference between Binge's Basic package and its Premium package?
If you’re going for the Bsic package on Bonge then you’ll also get served ads from time to time. You can also only stream on 1 device at a time. With the Premium package, you won’t get any ads plus you’ll be able to steam on up to 4 devices at once.
