Though the summer movie season may be starting to wind down, theaters still have plenty of entertaining films on offer, especially for those whose tastes run toward family-friendly popcorn flicks that land on the fluffier side when it comes to content.

But those who wish to partake in something more substantial, and aren’t interested in leaving the house, are blessed with plenty of options as well. Streamers like Netflix and HBO Max are well-stocked with award-winning movies that have received lavish critical praise, including these three 10/10 masterpieces.

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The Deer Hunter (Netflix)

The great Christopher Walken won his first and only Oscar for his harrowing performance in The Deer Hunter, playing a Vietnam War vet whose PTSD sends him spiraling into a sordid underworld of gambling, drugs and professional Russian Roulette.

The sprawling Deer Hunter won five Oscars overall, including Best Picture, and Best Director for the late Michael Cimino. Its incredible cast includes icons Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep, as well as legendary character actor John Cazale, who famously appeared in only five feature films during his too-short life, all of which were Oscar-nominated for Best Picture.

The ability to hit the pause ʙuттon may be appreciated by anyone tackling The Deer Hunter over the weekend, as the film runs over three hours, and is so searingly intense that a mental health break might be in order. Walken’s haunting performance alone makes the film worth testing one’s attention span for.

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Black Bag (Peacock)

Steven Soderbergh’s best movie since Logan Lucky, Black Bag offers the irresistible team of Cate Blanchett and Michael Fᴀssbender, playing husband-and-wife intelligence officers who become embroiled in a high-stakes cat-and-mouse game, in which each suspects the other of turning traitor.

The story’s twists and turns are guaranteed to keep even the savviest of viewers guessing all the way until the deeply satisfying payoff. Complicated as the film’s plot may be, one never feels lost, thanks to Soderbergh’s ᴀssured directorial hand. The entertainment never flags either, thanks to a loaded cast that includes Naomie Harris, Regé-Jean Page, and Pierce Brosnan.

Black Bag only reaffirms Soderbergh’s status as one of the best current directors of thrillers that engage the mind while still delivering all the fun anyone could ask for. Critics ate up this offbeat, Sєxy spy movie, which sits at 96% on RT, making it one of 2025’s highest-rated films so far.

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Silver Linings Playbook (HBO Max)

Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence play an unlikely couple in David O. Russell’s charmingly prickly romantic-comedy. The Oscars lavished eight nominations on Russell and Silver Linings Playbook, including Best Picture. It won in only one category, with Lawrence snagging the Best Actress award.

Lawrence’s performance is indeed awards-worthy, as she plays a young widow who enters into a very complicated relationship with Cooper’s character, who has bipolar disorder. Cooper’s own performance is the equal of Lawrence’s, and the supporting cast includes fellow Oscar nominees Robert De Niro and Jacki Weaver.

Silver Linings Playbook may loosely be characterized as a rom-com, but it’s really a dark-tinged character piece, featuring a stellar cast guided by Russell’s skillful directorial hand. The movie serves as a great reminder of Lawrence’s talent for playing charming characters with some sharp edges, at a time when her star seems to have temporarily dimmed.