3 award-winning Netflix movies to watch this weekend (October 2-4)

Published Oct 2, 2026, 2:00 PM EDT T.M. Amrita is a writer and tech enthusiast with experience as a news reporter covering technology, artificial intelligence, and gadgets. A journalist at heart, she found a soft spot for technology reporting during her tenure as a reporter at The Hindu Businessline, where she covered topics like the economy, data, and personal finance. She has published more than 250 news stories, tech guides, and opinion articles. Outside of technology, she is a passionate poet and brings her interest in learning new things to her work as a writer. Amrita is also a student of design and interface development, and likes to take on passion projects in her free time. Sign in to your How-To Geek account A major win at an awards show is a good reason to put a movie on your radar. However, what you feel like watching can change from week to week. You may want an emotional story that lingers after the credits roll, and other times, you crave a high-tension, heavy-action thriller. These three Oscar-winning movies bring variety to your watch list, with a Best Picture winner serving as my top recommendation. If you’re looking for something to watch on Netflix this weekend, here are three picks streaming on Netflix U.S. worth making time for. 3 The Bourne Ultimatum Bourne is back on the run If you love a good fast-paced thriller, The Bourne Ultimatum, the last film in the Bourne movie series, is a great addition to your list this weekend. Matt Damon returns as Jason Bourne, the former assassin still trying to uncover the truth about his identity and the people responsible for turning him into a weapon. Getting answers, however, proves difficult when the CIA is tracking his every move and would much rather keep secrets buried. Directed by Paul Greengrass, the third Bourne movie takes that search across cities, with surveillance operations and high-stakes fights keeping the pressure on. Julia Stiles and Joan Allen return, while David Strathairn joins the cast as a CIA official determined to stop Bourne. Start with The Bourne Identity and The Bourne Supremacy (both of which are currently streaming on Netflix U.S.) so you can binge the trilogy to get the full context. The Bourne Ultimatum won three Oscars: Best Film Editing, Best Sound Editing, and Best Sound Mixing. The Bourne Ultimatum Release Date August 3, 2007 Cast Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn, Scott Glenn, Paddy Considine, Edgar Ramirez, Albert Finney, Joan Allen, Tom Gallop, Corey Johnson, Daniel Brühl, Joey Ansah, Colin Stinton, Dan Fredenburgh, Lucy Liemann, Bryan Reents, Arkie Reece, John Roberson, Russ Huards, Mark Bazeley, Sinead O'Keeffe, Charles Venn, Scott Adkins, Branko Tomović, Laurentiu Possa Runtime 115 minutes Director Paul Greengrass Writers Tony Gilroy, George Nolfi, Scott Z. Burns, Robert Ludlum Producers Frank Marshall, Patrick Crowley, Paul Sandberg Prequel(s) The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy Sequel(s) The Bourne Legacy, Jason Bourne Franchise(s) Jason Bourne Main Genre Action Budget $70 million Studio(s) Universal Pictures Distributor(s) Universal Pictures Executive Producer(s) Donna Langley, Doug Liman, Henry Morrison, Jeff Kirschenbaum 2 Dallas Buyers Club A true story about a man who fought against the system Being told he has only 30 days to live doesn’t stop Ron Woodroof from looking for another option. Inspired by true events, Dallas Buyers Club stars Matthew McConaughey as Ron, a Texas man whose life changes when he’s diagnosed with HIV. Not willing to accept his prognosis, Ron starts seeking alternative treatments outside the United States, bringing back drugs that haven’t been approved for use back home. His search eventually leads him to establish a buyers’ club, giving other people access to the treatments through paid memberships. Helping him is Rayon (Jared Leto), a transgender woman living with HIV, whose partnership with Ron challenges the prejudices he carries into their relationship. Jennifer Garner also stars as a doctor involved in his care, adding to McConaughey's and Leto's strong performances. This biographical thriller was handpicked by McConaughey for a couple of reasons, including his connection to Dallas' culture, his strong pull towards the interesting yet wild character of Woodroof, and his love for the script. And the Interstellar actor really gave it his all for this role, losing almost 50 pounds to play Ron. Dallas Buyers Club won three Oscars: Best Actor for McConaughey, Best Supporting Actor for Leto (making this the first movie since Mystic River and the fifth film ever to win both awards), and Best Makeup and Hairstyling. At the 71st Golden Globe Awards, the movie grabbed both its acting nominations: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama (McConaughey) and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in any Motion Picture (Leto). Dallas Buyers Club Release Date November 1, 2013 Cast Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto, Denis O'Hare, Steve Zahn, Michael O'Neill, Dallas Roberts, Griffin Dunne, Kevin Rankin, Donna DuPlantier, Deneen Tyler, J.D. Evermore, Ian Casselberry, Noelle Wilcox, Bradford Cox, Rick Espaillat, Lawrence Turner, Lucius Falick, James DuMont, Jane McNeill, Don Brady, Matthew Thompson, Tony Bentley, Sean Boyd, Rachel Wulff Runtime 117 minutes Director Jean-Marc Vallée Writers Craig Borten Producers Cassian Elwes, David L. Bushell, Holly Wiersma, Rachel Rothman, Robbie Brenner, Nicolas Chartier, Nathan Ross, Zev Foreman, Joe Newcomb, Logan Levy Budget $5 million Studio(s) Focus Features Distributor(s) Focus Features 1 Moonlight The story of a lifetime My top pick on this list, Moonlight, is one of the most recognizable and iconic LGBTQIA+ films in Hollywood. It follows Chiron, a young Black boy growing up in Miami, through three stages of his life: childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Directed by Barry Jenkins, the coming-of-age drama explores his struggle with his sexuality and identity, alongside the expectations of the people around him. As Chiron grows up, his relationships shape the person he becomes. Alex Hibbert, Ashton Sanders, and Trevante Rhodes play Chiron in different parts of his life, driving home his character and vulnerabilities through their strong performances. The supporting cast includes Mahershala Ali (whose performance in this film is one of my personal favorites), Naomie Harris, and Janelle Monáe, whose characters are also important parts of Chiron's journey. If you enjoy character-driven emotional movies, Moonlight is a beautiful watch. It is based on Tarell Alvin McCraney's unpublished, semi-autobiographical play In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue. The film won three Oscars: Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor for Ali. Moonlight also won the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Drama. Moonlight Release Date October 21, 2016 Cast Andre Holland, Trevante Rhodes, Janelle Monae, Ashton Sanders, Jharrel Jerome, Alex R. Hibbert, Jaden Piner, Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Shariff Earp, Duan Sanderson, Herman 'Caheei McGloun, Kamal Ani-Bellow, Keomi Givens, Eddie Blanchard, Rudi Goblen, Edson Jean, Patrick Decile, Herveline Moncion, Fransley Hyppolite, Jesus Mitchell, Larry Anderson, Tanisha Cidel, Stephon Bron, Don Seward Runtime 111 minutes Director Barry Jenkins Writers Barry Jenkins, Tarell Alvin McCraney Producers Dede Gardner, Adele Romanski, Jeremy Kleiner, Andrew Hevia, Veronica Nickel Budget $1.5–4 million Studio(s) A24 Distributor(s) A24 Executive Producer(s) Brad Pitt, Sarah Esberg, Tarell Alvin McCraney New titles are coming your way This October, Netflix is bringing quite a few new and old (licensed) movies, shows, and documentaries to its platforms. Make sure to keep an eye on the fresh releases by enabling Netflix's app notifications for mobile or desktop and regularly checking the "New and Popular" tab. Subscription with ads Yes, $8/month Simultaneous streams Two or four Stream licensed and original programming with a monthly Netflix subscription. Live TV No Price Starting at $8/month