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From romcoms to dramatic biopics, there are plenty of options ready to stream. The 19 best movies on Starz to watch again and again

From rom-coms to dramatic biopics, there are plenty of options ready to stream.

The 19 best movies on Starz to watch again and again

From rom-coms to dramatic biopics, there are plenty of options ready to stream.

By Ilana Gordon

Ilana Gordon is an entertainment, culture, and comedy writer originally from Connecticut. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

EW's editorial guidelines

and Kevin Jacobsen

on October 7, 2025 2:26 p.m. ET

Russell Crowe as Maximus in 'Gladiator'; Matthew McConaughey as David Wooderson in 'Dazed and Confused'; Julia Roberts as Anna Scott in 'Notting Hill'. Credit:

Jaap Buitendijk/DreamWorks; Universal; Ronald Siemoneit/Sygma via Getty

Wondering what film to watch? The answer is written in the Starz. The platform has curated an impressive collection of the best films from the 20th and 21st centuries, and the only thing standing between you and a quality movie is a login screen.

Also struggling with decision-making fatigue? Don't sweat it — we here at EW have curated a list of our favorite features from nearly every genre. Here are the 19 best movies streaming on Starz.

Big Daddy (1999)

Cole or Dylan Sprouse as Julian and Adam Sandler as Sonny Koufax in 'Big Daddy'.

Ronald Siemoneit/Sygma/Sygma via Getty

In the '90s, Adam Sandler's brand mostly consisted of singing silly songs on *Saturday Night Live* and making movies about characters stuck somewhere along the spectrum of arrested development. *Big Daddy* begins in a similar fashion: Sonny Koufax (Sandler) is a 32-year-old law school graduate and toll booth worker primarily living off a lawsuit settlement. That all changes when a strange child (played by twin brothers Dylan and Cole Sprouse) arrives on his doorstep and, through a series of events, becomes Sonny's problem.

A charming film about growing up, stepping up, and finding family in all places, *Big Daddy* isn't the usual Sandler laugh-fest, but as EW's review at the time notes, the film is "a slapstick testament to fatherhood as second childhood." *—Ilana Gordon  *

Where to watch *Big Daddy*: Starz

**Director:** Dennis Dugan

**Cast: **Adam Sandler, Joey Lauren Adams, Jon Stewart, Rob Schneider, Cole Sprouse, Dylan Sprouse, Leslie Mann

Bring It On (2000)

Kirsten Dunst as Torrance Shipman in 'Bring It On'.

Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection

Before Netflix's *Cheer* docuseries broke down the athleticism and grit required to cheer in college, *Bring It On* provided a sneak peek into the world of competitive cheerleading. This turn-of-the-century teen comedy stars Kirsten Dunst as Torrance Shipman, the newest captain of a national title-winning cheerleading squad at a San Diego high school. But Torrance's quest for another title comes into question when she discovers the squad's former captain stole all their routines from their rivals, the East Compton Clovers.

Torrance is determined to prove her squad can win without cheating — but with a boyfriend in college, a new crush on the horizon, and a cheerleading team that isn't sure they can trust her, does she even have a chance? Dunst and Gabrielle Union carry this film as opposing cheer captains who learn to respect each other, and Eliza Dushku brings the sarcasm and backbone as a gymnast and newest member of the Rancho Carne Toros. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Bring It On*: Starz through Oct. 31

**Director:** Peyton Reed

**Cast: **Kirsten Dunst, Eliza Dushku, Jesse Bradford, Gabrielle Union

Dazed and Confused (1993)

Rory Cochrane as Ron Slater and Matthew McConaughey as David Wooderson in 'Dazed and Confused'.

Gramercy Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection

During the summer of 1992, Richard Linklater gathered all the up-and-coming talent in young Hollywood and shipped them off to Texas to make a film about the last day of the 1976 school year. *Dazed and Confused *was the vehicle that launched Matthew McConaughey's career, but truthfully, his performance would have been lost without the movie's strong, mostly undiscovered ensemble.

Linklater used *Dazed and Confused *to continue developing his signature style — as seen in his first feature, *Slacker* (1990) — for making naturalistic movies crammed with contemporary dialogue, some of which was improvised by his cast. The film flopped upon release, but Linklater's ability to capture the nostalgia and hopefulness of this particular life period earned *Dazed and Confused* the third slot on EW's list of the 50 best high school movies. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Dazed and Confused*: Starz

**Director:** Richard Linklater

**Cast: **Jason London, Joey Lauren Adams, Milla Jovovich, Rory Cochrane, Adam Goldberg, Cole Hauser, Parker Posey, Matthew McConaughey, Ben Affleck

The Five-Year Engagement (2012)

Emily Blunt as Violet Barnes and Jason Segel as Tom Solomon in 'The Five-Year Engagement'.

Glen Wilson/Universal

Proposals are supposed to serve as the preamble to marriage, but in the romantic comedy *The Five-Year Engagement*, one couple's extended engagement ends up pushing them farther apart. After Tom (Jason Segel) and Violet (Emily Blunt) get engaged, marriage and a happily ever after spent in San Francisco seem inevitable. But when Violet's career forces the couple to move to Michigan, the engagement — and Tom's mental health — begin to unravel.

Directed by Nicholas Stoller and co-written by Stoller and Segel (the duo behind *Forgetting Sarah Marshall*), this is a Judd Apatow film through and through. EW's review calls it a "lively, original, and scattershot-hilarious ramble," but more than that, *The Five-Year Engagement* is a smart, funny interrogation of love, sacrifice, and how people and relationships grow and adapt. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *The Five-Year Engagement*: Starz through Oct. 31

**EW grade: **B+

**Director: **Nicholas Stoller

**Cast: **Jason Segel, Emily Blunt, Rhys Ifans, Chris Pratt, Alison Brie

Gladiator (2000)

Russell Crowe as Maximus in 'Gladiator'.

Universal/Getty

The 1960s were known for "sword-and-sandal movies" — splashy epics like *Ben-Hur* and *Spartacus* that centered Roman Republic heroics against backdrops of sand dunes and ancient architecture. In 2000, Ridley Scott revived the genre, casting Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix as opposing forces in a battle for political control. Crowe plays Roman general Maximus Decimus Meridius, a family man with a fierce aptitude on the battlefield. When Commodus (Phoenix) learns his father, the emperor, plans to make Maximus his successor, Commodus has his father and Maximus' family killed.

Maximus' quest to avenge his loved ones takes him on a journey from soldier to an enslaved fighter, forced to do battle in the arena in the hopes of securing his freedom and justice for his family. Winning five Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actor, *Gladiator* is the rare critical and commercial success that has held up for more than two decades. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Gladiator*: Starz

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** Ridley Scott

**Cast: **Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, Richard Harris

The Holiday (2006)

Jude Law as Graham Simpkins and Cameron Diaz as Amanda Woods in 'The Holiday'.

Simon Mein/Columbia

*The Holiday *is set during the Christmas season, but the film's early-aughts nostalgia is comfortable and entertaining any time of year. Amanda Woods (Cameron Diaz) and Iris Simpkins (Kate Winslet) are two career women struggling with their love lives 6,000 miles apart. After deciding to swap houses online, Iris heads to sunny Los Angeles and Amanda jets off to London to spend the holiday, depressed, in a new location.

But when Amanda falls for Iris' brother (played by Jude Law) and Iris bonds with one of Amanda's co-workers (Jack Black at his most charming), the season suddenly takes a turn for the sparklier. Director Nancy Meyers doesn't do anything revolutionary with the form here, but she remains the queen of rom-com aesthetics and has a gift for getting the best work out of her actors. *—I.G*.

Where to watch *The Holiday*: Starz

**EW grade:** B

**Director: **Nancy Meyers

**Cast:** Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Jack Black

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes (2023)

Tom Blyth as Coriolanus Snow and Rachel Zegler as Lucy Gray Baird in 'The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes'.

Murray Close/Lionsgate

Suzanne Collins famously only writes when she believes she has something to say, and for a decade, she was quiet. Then, in 2020, she released *The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes*, a prequel to the original trilogy that serves as President Coriolanus Snow's (Tom Blyth) origin story. The film adaptation of the book isn't a musical, but music does feature prominently, thanks to the vocal prowess of Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler), a tribute who is mentored by Snow during his time at school.

Right now is the perfect time to stream the film, as Collins released her newest *Hunger Games* book, *Sunrise on the Reaping*, in March 2025. (You can catch the film adaptation in theaters in November 2026.) *—I.G. *

Where to watch *The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes*: Starz**

**Director: **Francis Lawrence

**Cast: **Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage, Hunter Schafer, Josh Andrés Rivera, Jason Schwartzman, Viola Davis

The King's Speech (2010)

Colin Firth as King George VI and Helena Bonham Carter as Queen Elizabeth in 'The King's Speech'.

Laurie Sparham/The Weinstein Company/Courtesy Everett

Colin Firth won his Academy Award for Best Actor playing Prince Albert, the man who shocked the world when he became King George VI, and who surprised himself when he learned to speak as the voice of his people. A historical biopic that grounds its story in the relationship between Bertie (Firth) and his nontraditional speech therapist Lionel (Geoffrey Rush), *The King's Speech *is the story of one man's quest to overcome his lifelong stutter, with global consequences.

Helena Bonham Carter is excellent as Bertie's wife, Queen Elizabeth, but the film soars because of Firth. EW's critic writes, "he endows Albert-turned-George with a poignant dignity even while exposing his past as a lonely little boy who grew up stammering in the shadow of his imperious father and dashing brother." *—I.G. *

Where to watch *The King's Speech*: Starz through Oct. 31

**Director: **Tom Hooper

**Cast: **Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, Guy Pearce, Timothy Spall, Derek Jacobi, Jennifer Ehle, Michael Gambon

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom (2013)

Idris Elba as Nelson Mandela in 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom'.

Keith Bernstein

It's impossible for anyone to fully capture Nelson Mandela's impact, and the biggest issue in *Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom* is that the film tried. Released only a few months before the activist's death at the age of 95 in December of 2013, *Mandela *is a comprehensive remembering of his story, starting with his political awakening and incarceration, and ending with his rise to power as South Africa's president in a postapartheid world.

Idris Elba doesn't look like Mandela, but he doesn't need to: His towering performance captures the former president's spirit and convictions. Released around the same time as *12 Years a Slave*, *Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom *doesn't pack the same emotional punch, but it remains an important biography of a once-in-a-lifetime leader. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom*: Starz

**Director: **Justin Chadwick

**Cast: **Idris Elba, Naomie Harris, Tony Kgoroge, Riaad Moosa, Lindiwe Matshikiza, Jamie Bartlett, Terry Pheto, Deon Lotz

Neighbors (2014)

Zac Efron as Teddy Saunders in 'Neighbors'.

New neighbors are moving in — and they're bringing beer. In 2014's bromantic comedy *Neighbors*, Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne star as Mac and Kelly, thirtysomething parents whose suburban existence is upended when a fraternity moves in next door. The boys of Delta Psi Beta — led by Teddy (Zac Efron in his first grown-up breakout role) and Pete (Dave Franco) — have dreams of hosting a party that will live on in fraternity legend for years to come, but when Mac and Kelly start pushing back on their late-night antics, a prank war breaks out between the two homes.

Rogen and Efron keep the laughs coming as their prank war escalates, but Byrne is the movie's secret weapon: Deadpan, dirty-mouthed, and down to retaliate, the film lets her character have just as much fun as Rogen's. *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Neighbors*: Starz

**Director: **Nicholas Stoller

**Cast: **Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Rose Byrne, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Dave Franco

Night of the Living Dead (1968)

Duane Jones as Ben in 'Night of the Living Dead'.

Courtesy Everett Collection

We have *Night of the Living Dead* to thank for our modern idea of zombies and the many tropes attached to the subgenre. Legendary director George Romero was inspired by the 1954 novel *I Am Legend* for this independent horror classic, which centers the action on a farmhouse overrun by ravenous, undead "ghouls." The film's allusions to then-current events (as EW's critic writes, "flesh-eating zombies as a Vietnam-era metaphor for America devouring itself") just make it all the more resonant. *—Kevin Jacobsen*

Where to watch *Night of the Living Dead*: Starz

**Director: **George Romero

**Cast: **Duane Jones, Judith O'Dea, Karl Hardman, Marilyn Eastman, Judith Ridley, Keith Wayne, Kyra Schon

Notting Hill (1999)

Julia Roberts as Anna Scott in 'Notting Hill'.

MCA/Courtesy Everett

When it comes to '90s romantic comedies, *Notting Hill* checks every box. The film is set in a charming London neighborhood, stars Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, and there's a klutzy meet-cute and an eccentric best friend (Rhys Ifans) who can be relied upon for lighthearted laughs. What distinguishes *Notting Hill *from other films in the genre is the role reversal: Here, the woman is the powerful, successful catch, and the man is the one fumbling over himself to keep her attention.

Roberts plays Anna Scott, a beloved American actress who stumbles upon a nerdy British bookstore clerk (Grant) and ends up liking him enough to hang around and meet his quirky circle of friends and family. An odd couple comedy about a privileged star who has everything but privacy and the normal guy who woos her with his everyday charm, *Notting Hill *is the perfect film for those who loved *Four Weddings* *and a Funeral* or *America's Sweethearts*. *—I.G.***

Where to watch *Notting Hill*: Starz**

**EW grade:** A–**

**Director:** Roger Michell **

**Cast: **Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant, Hugh Bonneville, Emma Chambers, James Dreyfus, Rhys Ifans, Tim McInnerny, Gina McKee

Out of Sight (1998)

Jennifer Lopez as Karen Sisco and George Clooney as Jack Foley in 'Out of Sight'. Merrick Morton

This comedic crime caper remains one of the best usages of stars George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez. Clooney plays Jack Foley, a bank robber who breaks out of prison and finds himself in the getaway car's trunk with a U.S. Marshal, Lopez's Karen Sisco. Foley and Sisco are unexpectedly drawn to each other, but with Foley planning another heist and Sisco intending to arrest him, calling their relationship status "it's complicated" would be an understatement. "*Out of Sight* is so light it barely stays with you," writes EW's critic, "but it's more fun around the edges than most movies are at their centers." *—K.J.*

Where to watch *Out of Sight*: Starz through Oct. 31

**EW grade: **B+

**Director: **Steven Soderbergh

**Cast: **George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, Dennis Farina, Albert Brooks

Pitch Black (2000)

Vin Diesel as Richard B. Riddick in 'Pitch Black'.

In the early aughts, Vin Diesel was more franchise than man. A year before *The Fast and the Furious* premiered, the actor starred in *Pitch Black*, a sci-fi action horror film that kicked off *The Chronicles of Riddick* series. The first of three films — with the fourth installment, *Riddick: Furya*, expected to be released at some point — the franchise follows Richard B. Riddick (Vin Diesel), an infamous criminal whose surgically modified eyes make him highly sensitive to light.

When a spaceship transporting Riddick and several other passengers crashes onto a planet inhabited by photosensitive, murderous creatures who emerge every 22 years to hunt during an eclipse — which, inconveniently, is expected to occur while the group is still trapped on the planet — it's up to Riddick to help the surviving members of the group escape. A lean sci-fi thriller that prioritizes storytelling over production value, *Pitch Black* is Vin Diesel at his most intense...and that's saying something. *—I.G.  *

Where to watch *Pitch Black*: Starz through Oct. 31

**Director: **David Twohy

**Cast: **Vin Diesel, Radha Mitchell, Cole Hauser, Keith David

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)

Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim and Jason Schwartzman as Gideon in 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'. Everett Collection

How hard are you willing to fight for love? For 22 year old musician Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera), the answer is very. After meeting and falling for Ramona Flowers, Scott discovers that to win her hand, he must first defeat her seven evil exes in combat. A romantic action comedy film based on the graphic novel series and told using video game and comic-like imagery, *Scott Pilgrim vs. the World *may have Sex Bob-Ombed at the box office, but the film has since developed a loyal cult following — and rightly so.

With an ensemble cast featuring some of the best twentysomething comedic talent the early-2010s had to offer, *Scott Pilgrim* is a unique comedy with a style that's all its own. *—I.G.*****Where to watch *Scott Pilgrim vs. the World*: Starz******Director: **Edgar Wright******Cast: **Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin, Anna Kendrick, Alison Pill, Brandon Routh, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman, Johnny Simmons, Chris Evans

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Tom Holland as Peter Parker in 'Spider-Man: No Way Home'.

Matt Kennedy/Sony Pictures Releasing/Marvel Entertainment/Courtesy Everett Collection

Tom Holland's third solo Spider-Man movie, *Spider-Man: No Way Home*, ties up some loose ends and touches hearts while doing it. The film's actors and production team were vigilant about keeping spoilers under wraps, and almost five years later, it's still worth protecting some of the movie's most special moments. Suffice it to say that a number of characters return, fans and critics loved the film, and Holland continues to take impeccable care of Peter Parker during his Marvel tour of duty. EW's critic applauds the ending, writing "what seems at first like pure fan service turns out to be some of the best and by far the most meta stuff Marvel has done, tender and funny and a little bit devastating." *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Spider-Man: No Way Home*: Starz

**EW grade: **B+

**Director: ** Jon Watts

**Cast: **Tom Holland, Zendaya, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jacob Batalon, Jon Favreau, Jamie Foxx, Willem Dafoe, Alfred Molina, Benedict Wong, Tony Revolori, Marisa Tomei

This Is the End (2013)

Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, and Craig Robinson as themselves in 'This Is the End'. Suzanne Hanover/Sony Pictures/Everett

World destruction has never been funnier than in *This Is the End*, a meta-comedy about Hollywood, the Rapture, and who deserves to survive. What starts out as a party at James Franco's house — featuring a who's who of early 2010s comedy talent — quickly devolves into a dystopian hellscape, played with the utmost gravitas by the stars who manage to survive the fiery chaos.

Directors Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg flawlessly satirize the actors' public personas to deliver a movie that they claim is 85 percent improvised. The jokes might be off-the-cuff, but the premise is rock solid and pristinely executed. As EW's critic notes, "It's the wildest screen comedy in a long time, and also the smartest, the most fearlessly inspired, and the snort-out-loud funniest." *—I.G. *

Where to watch *This Is the End*: Starz

**EW grade:** A

**Directors:** Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg

**Cast: **James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson, Michael Cera, Emma Watson

Wanderlust (2012)

Paul Rudd as George Gergenblatt and Jennifer Aniston as Linda Gergenblatt in 'Wanderlust'. Gemma La Mana/Universal

Manhattan real estate is the real enemy in *Wanderlust*, a rom-com about a yuppie couple who find themselves accidentally living on a hippie commune after being priced out of their New York City apartment. Disillusioned by their careers and lackluster marriage, George and Linda (Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston) find solace in the commune's nontraditional lifestyle, but can their relationship survive the temptation posed by the group's eccentric residents?

A whimsical ensemble comedy featuring a cast that only gets more impressive as the years pass, *Wanderlust* is a delightful reminder that Aniston is so much more than just Rachel Green. As EW's reviewer says, "It's a pleasure to see Aniston thrive in her comedy zone, secure in the knowledge that for every inch of propriety she's willing to cede, Paul Rudd is ready to get 10 times as crazy." *—I.G.*

Where to watch *Wanderlust*: Starz through Oct. 31

**EW grade:** A–

**Director: **David Wain

**Cast: **Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston, Justin Theroux, Alan Alda, Malin Akerman, Ken Marino, Joe Lo Truglio, Kathryn Hahn

War of the Worlds (2005)

Tom Cruise as Ray Ferrier in 'War of the Worlds'.

Aliens are coming, and they do not hold humans in high regard. An action-adventure film adapted from H.G. Wells' 19th-century science fiction novel, *War of the Worlds* stars Tom Cruise as an estranged father of two who is determined to help his kids survive an invasion and reunite them with their mother.

A Steven Spielberg-directed attack-of-the-aliens disaster film rife with lightning bolts, property damage, and the constant threat of annihilation, *War of the Worlds* doesn't quite incite the same level of panic as the eponymous 1938 radio broadcast that convinced listeners that Martians were actually invading. But the 2005 version far outpaces the remake released in 2025; Spielberg knows how to tap into the human fear of an extinction event, and mine that terror for all it's worth.* —I.G.   *

Where to watch *War of the Worlds*: Starz

**EW grade: **A–

**Director:** Steven Spielberg

**Cast: **Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Miranda Otto, Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman

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