Winona Ryder – 10 Best Movies

By Vlad Zakh · October 6, 2025

Heathers defined her as a particular kind of dark, dry teen icon, and Stranger Things, decades later, introduced her to a new generation as a frantic, protective mother. Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands and Reality Bites are the early highlights, Little Women (1994) is a warm, well-cast lead, Girl, Interrupted and The Age of Innocence are other standouts, Mermaids is an early warm family dramedy, and Black Swan adds a small pivotal role.

Mermaids (1990)

TMDB ★ 6.6

Winona Ryder stars in a quirky, warm family dramedy from early in her career.

Directed by Richard Benjamin · 1h 50m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Stranger Things (2016)

TMDB ★ 8.6

Horror-tinged nostalgia that balances real scares with genuine warmth.

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Black Swan (2010)

TMDB ★ 8.0

A dedicated ballerina's grip on reality unravels as she competes for the lead in Swan Lake.

Directed by Darren Aronofsky · 1h 48m · Rated R

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Little Women (1994)

TMDB ★ 7.4

In this adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's classic, Christian Bale plays Laurie, a close friend of the March sisters.

Directed by Gillian Armstrong · 1h 55m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Age of Innocence (1993)

TMDB ★ 7.3

A wealthy New York lawyer's passion for his fiancee's scandalous cousin threatens to unravel his carefully ordered world.

Directed by Martin Scorsese · 2h 18m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Girl, Interrupted (1999)

TMDB ★ 7.3

A troubled young woman institutionalised at a psychiatric hospital befriends a manipulative fellow patient.

Directed by James Mangold · 2h 07m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Reality Bites (1994)

TMDB ★ 6.5

Ben Stiller, who also directed, appears in a defining Gen-X romantic comedy.

Directed by Ben Stiller · 1h 38m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Beetlejuice (1988)

IMDb ★ 7.4 RT 83% Metacritic 71

A recently deceased couple hires a chaotic bio-exorcist to scare off their home's new owners.

Directed by Tim Burton · 1h 32m · Rated PG

Won 1 Oscar7 wins & 11 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

IMDb ★ 7.8 RT 92% Metacritic 74

A gentle artificial man with blades for hands tries to find a place in ordinary suburbia.

Directed by Tim Burton · 1h 45m · Rated PG-13

Nominated for 1 Oscar11 wins & 25 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus, Hulu, fuboTV, YouTube TV, FXNow · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Heathers (1988)

TMDB ★ 7.2

A popular clique's casual cruelty turns fatal once a new boyfriend starts staging their deaths.

Directed by Michael Lehmann · 1h 43m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Philo, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

Winona Ryder – 10 Best Movies

Mermaids (1990)

Stranger Things (2016)

Black Swan (2010)

Little Women (1994)

The Age of Innocence (1993)

Girl, Interrupted (1999)

Reality Bites (1994)

Beetlejuice (1988)

Edward Scissorhands (1990)

Heathers (1988)

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