6 Best Netflix Movies to Watch on Memorial Day

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, and if you’re looking for meaningful movies on Netflix to honor those who died in service, we’ve got some recommendations. It’s an important day to remember and pay respects to fallen service members and their families, and watching a film can be a good way to do that.

Although Memorial Day is an American holiday, Netflix has a great selection of war films worth watching. These include the gripping 1917, which follows two British soldiers on a dangerous mission, and the critically acclaimed All Quiet on the Western Front. Atonement is another top-notch war movie you shouldn’t miss. You can also find excellent films like Beasts of No Nation, Operation Mincemeat, and Mosul on the platform.

6) Unbroken (2014)

Before becoming known for intense roles in films like 28 Years Later and Sinners, Jack O’Connell starred in Unbroken, a film directed by Angelina Jolie and written by the Coen brothers. The movie is based on a true story and a controversial book by Laura Hillenbrand (which even led to calls for it to be banned in Japan). Unbroken tells the incredible story of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic athlete who amazingly survived 47 days adrift at sea after his plane crashed during World War II. He then faced brutal conditions as a prisoner of war in Japan until he was finally liberated. O’Connell gives a strong performance in this powerfully moving and ultimately hopeful depiction of wartime endurance.

5) The Six Triple Eight (2024)

Tyler Perry, known for his Madea films, recently shifted gears to tell a largely untold story of World War II with The Six Triple Eight. The film, starring Kerry Washington, Dean Norris, and Ebony Obsidian, is based on a true story and recounts the vital, yet often overlooked, mission of the 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion – an all-Black, female unit tasked with delivering mail to soldiers overseas. The story is sparked by a personal tragedy, motivating one woman to join the battalion and help tackle the massive backlog of undelivered letters and packages. While it’s not a traditional war movie focused on combat, The Six Triple Eight highlights an essential and previously underrepresented piece of American history.

4) Father Soldier Son (2020)

Memorial Day is a time to thoughtfully remember those who died while serving in the US military, and documentaries can offer a raw and honest depiction of the realities of war. While Tim Hetherington and Sebastian Junger’s Restrepo, a film about the Afghan War, is considered essential viewing, it’s not currently available on streaming services. Father Soldier Son is another powerful film that focuses on the often-overlooked struggles of veterans – the ways war changes them even after they come home. The film follows Brian Eisch, a soldier deployed to Afghanistan, over nine years, providing a crucial look at the ongoing impact of war and the importance of remembering those affected long after the fighting stops.

3) Sand Castle (2017)

Despite not receiving much positive attention from critics, Fernando Coimbra’s Sand Castle is a surprisingly good film. Featuring strong performances from Nicholas Hoult, Henry Cavill, and Logan Marshall-Green, it’s based on screenwriter Chris Roessner’s time in the Iraq War. Like the acclaimed Black Hawk Down, it offers a tense and often bleak portrayal of war, focusing on the strength and spirit of those facing overwhelming challenges and the harsh realities of combat. While it doesn’t break new ground in the war movie genre, the film is well-made and definitely worth seeing.

2) Da 5 Bloods (2020)

Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods is a powerful film, brilliantly starring Delroy Lindo, that examines how war continues to shape people’s lives long after it’s over. The story follows a group of Black Vietnam War veterans who return to the country decades later to find gold they hid during a mission. Joined by a questionable French businessman (Jean Reno), they confront not only the challenges of recovering the treasure but also the lingering trauma of their past. As you’d expect from a Spike Lee film, it tackles themes of racism and shared experience, offering a bold and nuanced look at complex characters.

1) Glory (1989)

As a film critic, I always look for movies that truly mean something, especially around Memorial Day. And honestly, you can’t talk about films reflecting the Civil War without mentioning Glory. It’s a powerful true story, focusing on the 54th Massachusetts Infantry – one of the first African American regiments in the Union Army. The acting is phenomenal, and it’s the film that really cemented Denzel Washington as a star, earning him an Oscar. Matthew Broderick is solid as the officer in charge, Robert Gould Shaw, and you’ve got fantastic support from Morgan Freeman, Cary Elwes, and the always-brilliant Andre Braugher. Just a heads-up: it’s leaving Netflix in a few days, so if you haven’t seen it, or want to revisit this classic, now’s the time!

2026-05-25 16:10