It’s no secret that Netflix is losing steam, with the streaming giant losing subscribers by the hundreds of thousands. There are many reasons for this, including competition from other streaming sites and people spending less time at home. It remains to be seen how much these losses will prompt Netflix to shake up the production and distribution side. Indeed, Netflix’s original content can be a decidedly mixed bag. They’ve leaned into throwing out many movies and shows targeting niche audiences. Not all of them stick the landing.
Nevertheless, they’ve also had their fair share of successes through numerous awards and widespread acclaim for some of their high-quality films. Even as their position as the dominant streaming platform seems doubtful, their original productions prove they can keep pace with Hollywood, with the top 10 Netflix movies on IMDb being their must-see offerings.
25
‘Da 5 Bloods’ (2020)
IMDb rating: 6.5/10
Directed, produced, and co-written by Spike Lee, the war drama film marks Chadwick Boseman’s last movie released during his lifetime. Da 5 Bloods tells the story of four Vietnam War veterans Paul (Delroy Lindo), Otis (Clarke Peters), Eddie (Norm Lewis), and Melvin (Isiah Whitlock Jr.), who return to Vietnam in search of the remains of their former squad leader, Norman (Boseman), and to hunt the gold that they had buried there when they were serving.
Da 5 Bloods is technically war-adjacent and does not feature any active war. However, the struggle and trauma depicted by the veterans and everyone involved make for a moving narrative. With the dramatic and intellectual vigor that defines Spike Lee’s storytelling style, Da 5 Bloods takes a searing look at the Vietnam War. The Netflix original leaves a lasting impact with emotional character arcs and powerful cast performances, amplified by Terence Blanchard’s resonating score. —Maddie P
Da 5 Bloods
- Release Date
-
June 12, 2020
- Runtime
-
154 minutes
24
‘Annihilation’ (2018)
IMDb rating: 6.8/10
Led by Natalie Portman, Annihilation follows cellular biology professor and former U.S. Army soldier Lena (Portman), who, following her husband, Kane’s (Oscar Isaac) disappearance, leads an expedition into an anomalous zone known as the Shimmer, caused by a fallen meteor. When they enter the quarantined zone, Lean and her team of scientists encounter a fascinating but sinister phenomenon caused by an extraterrestrial presence.
Written and directed by Alex Garland, the sci-fi horror film is loosely based on the eponymous 2014 novel by Jeff VanderMeer, and explores themes of grief, depression, and the self-destructive nature of humans. Annihilation has been rated highly by critics for its challenging themes and immersive narrative, and is considered a traditional and genre-defying film. It is also often regarded as a contemporary classic. A visually stimulating film, Annihilation is terrifying, challenging, and trance-inducing, all at once, which can leave you pondering over the questions like an engaging brainteaser. —Maddie P
Annihilation
- Release Date
-
February 23, 2018
- Runtime
-
115 Minutes
23
‘Mank’ (2020)
IMDb rating: 6.8/10
A biographical drama directed by David Fincher, Mank recounts the controversies surrounding the life of screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz and his development of the screenplay for the 1941 film Citizen Kane. Starring Gary Oldman as the titular screenwriter, Mank takes a look back at 1930s Hollywood through the eyes of the alcoholic, unabashed, and witty writer as he rushes to finish Citizen Kane, against everyone’s skepticism.
Mank has been widely acclaimed for Fincher’s direction, concept, and screenplay, supported by the theatrical performances of Gary Oldman as Mank and Amanda Seyfried as Marion Davies. Brilliantly shot in black and white, the film offers gorgeous period art and era-authentic music, which earned the biopic ten Academy Award nominations, winning Best Production Design and Best Cinematography. A captivating and sharply written film, Mank can be called part expressionist horror, and part drawing room comedy, wrapped into a compelling piece of work that could someday become a classic. —Maddie P
Mank
- Release Date
-
December 4, 2020
- Runtime
-
131 minutes
22
‘Leo’ (2023)
IMDb Rating: 7/10
Adam Sandler‘s animated comedy musical, Leo, is a sentimental movie about a classroom pet, Leo, (Sandler) who, after learning he only has one year left to live, decides to make an escape to live in the wild. When the class gets a horrible substitute teacher, the kids are assigned to take Leo home, where he gets caught up in giving each student life advice, which ultimately backfires on the friendly reptile.
Leo is a charming animated film that features the voice talents of other notable stars, including Bill Burr, Jason Alexander, and Rob Schneider. The movie has been credited as one of the best animated films in recent years and even topped Disney’s 100th animated feature, Wish. Even though the movie is full of Sandler’s classic humor, Leo is equally full of heart and sentiment, which makes it a wholesome family film as well as one of Netflix’s best original movies.
Leo
- Release Date
-
November 17, 2023
- Runtime
-
102 minutes
-
-
-
Cecily Strong
Mrs. Malkin (voice)
-
Jason Alexander
Jayda’s Dad (voice)
21
‘The Devil All the Time’ (2020)
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Netflix’s The Devil All the Time is a Southern Gothic psychological thriller based on the 2011 novel by the same name written by Donald Ray Pollock. The movie intricately intertwines the stories of two groups of characters, one living in Southern Ohio and the other in West Virginia, where they must protect their families from corrupt and sinister outsiders.
The Devil All the Time is a uniquely twisted movie that follows an alluring plot set post-World War II that leaves very little to the imagination. While the film received some criticism for its dark tone, critics praised the overall performances of the exceptional cast, notably Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson, who both deliver riveting performances. The Devil All the Time has its gruesome and unbearable moments, but it is a compelling testament to examining the immense damage done by a simple, single action of one person.
20
‘The Unforgivable’ (2021)
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Sandra Bullock stars in The Unforgivable as Ruth Slater, a woman who is paroled after serving two decades behind bars for murder and is determined to reunite with her younger sister who has been living with an adopted family. As Slater tries to pick up the pieces of her former life and reintegrate into society, her struggles are only worsened by those around her who refuse to forgive and forget her violent past.
Known for her girl-next-door and romantic comedy roles, Bullock gives a solid performance in the against-type role in The Unforgivable, making it a must-see Netflix original. The movie centers around the controversial subject of second chances as well as the everlasting impact and domino effect one person’s impulsive choice can have on others, especially their family and friends. While The Unforgivable doesn’t sugar-coat or downplay the severity of Bullock’s character’s crime, it does convey a level of compassion for those who have to live with their crimes for the rest of their lives.
19
‘Black Mirror: Bandersnatch’ (2018)
IMDb rating: 7.1/10
Directed by David Slade, this interactive sci-fi film serves as a special episode of the sci-fi anthology series Black Mirror, where viewers can interact with the plot and characters’ decision-making, leading to different outcomes, impacting the end of the story. Set in 1984, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch follows Stephan (Fionn Whitehead), a young programmer, who is adapting a dark fantasy novel called Bandersnatch into an interactive videogame. As he continues to develop the game, preoccupying himself, Stephan begins to feel that he is also under someone’s control, i.e., the viewer.
The film also serves as a prequel to the episode “Plaything” of Black Mirror Season 7. For fans of Black Mirror and similar shows in the genre, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch is the perfect follow-up film. A brilliantly conceptualized film, Bandersnatch makes for an atmospheric film where the audience enjoys the thrill of controlling the narrative, blending the characters’ reality and fiction. —Maddie P
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
- Release Date
-
December 28, 2018
- Runtime
-
90 minutes
-
-
Craig Parkinson
Peter Butler
-
-
Asim Chaudhry
Mohan Thakur
18
‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ (2022)
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Rain Johnson returns with another entertaining who-dun-it mystery, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, which stars Daniel Craig reprising his role as the eccentric detective, Benoit Blanc, who finds himself mistakenly invited to a small get-together on a private island owned by a tech billionaire (Edward Norton). Despite the mix-up, Blanc is offered to stay and as the day turns into night, one of the guests winds up dead under mysterious circumstances.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a thrilling modern tribute to a classic Agatha Christie murder mystery and features a grand cast of stars including Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, and Kathryn Hahn. The film follows a neatly laid plot with several unexpected twists and turns that effectively hooks audiences into Blanc’s tedious and slightly humorous investigation. While the initial murder might be solved by viewers early on, Glass Onion‘s explosive finale is one that is guaranteed to leave jaws dropping.
17
‘Dolemite Is My Name’ (2019)
IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
Eddie Murphy stars in Dolemite Is My Name, as Rudy Ray Moore, an actor and comedian who grew to notoriety with his character, Dolemite, who was featured in Moore’s stand-up and several blaxploitation films in the mid-1970s. The film follows Moore’s early days of struggling to get his foot in show business and the ultimate success of his character, as well as the influential impact he had on the world of cinema as an underground sensation.
Murphy’s performance in Dolemite Is My Name was considered to be a monumental comeback for the star and is credited as one his best performances in recent years. The film shines a brash spotlight on a lesser-known figure in cinema and the rise of the blaxploitation film craze, which doesn’t get as enough credit as it deserves. Murphy conveys the perfect balance of Moore’s stranger-than-fiction life with his own comedic take that makes Dolemite Is My Name an impossible-to-resist Netflix original.
16
‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’ (2018)
IMDb Rating: 7.2/10
A unique entry from the Coen brothers, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is a Western anthology film comprising six separate stories. Each storyline takes place in the Old West, and ranges from deliciously dark comedic narratives to surprisingly poignant drama. The centerpiece is of course the one featuring the titular character, Buster Scruggs (Tim Blake Nelson), who is a cheerful singing cowboy clad in white and exceptional at shooting.
As expected from the renowned directors, the movie has a remarkable visual style, as it’s filled with gorgeous landscapes and fantastic attention to period detail. It tells some fascinating stories, which fans of the Western genre will appreciate. While The Ballad of Buster Scruggs‘ segments are not all equally entertaining, the film is worth watching as a whole for its unconventional structure and creative take on a classic genre.
