From its humble beginnings as a pioneering movie-by-mail rental service in the late ’90s and early 2000s to its market dominance today, Netflix isthe biggest entertainment streaming service in the world. With hundreds of millions of active users logging in every day, the prevalence of Netflix in the entertainment industry has (for better and worse) set a precedent for the future of at-home entertainment and video streaming.
Being the titan of the industry, it’s no surprise that Netflix has ventured into the creation of original content for its extensive media library. There have been hundreds of Netflix original movies and television shows developed since the company’s very first original programming,House of Cards, in 2013. Over a decade later, it’s time to look back andmake a selection of the best Netflix Original movies that the service has to offer. This list will rank them based on their overall quality and how much they have contributed to Netflix’s reputation.
10’The Stranger' (2022)
Directed by Thomas M. Wright
A circumstantial conversation between two strangers on a bus leads to a sturdy friendship between Mark (Joel Edgerton) and Henry (Sean Harris). The latter is a rugged and damaged soul who finds comfort in the friendship of Mark. However, neither man is completely honest about who they really are, and eventually, their deepest secrets begin to surface.
Not onlya massively underrated moviein its own right,The Strangeris an impressive genre movie that stands out as one of the best in recent memory.Edgerton and Harris both deliver career-best performances— the evolution of their friendship and what develops from it keeps the narrative rooted firmly in strong character writing. Like the best crime thrillers,The Strangerkeeps the viewer guessing,delivering some shocking twistsand indulging in a consistently grim atmosphere.
The Stranger
9’Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio' (2022)
Directed by Guillermo del Toro
A darker telling of the beloved children’s tale,Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchiobegins with a wish to bring a wooden marionette named Pinocchio (Gregory Mann) to life. With his father, Geppetto (David Bradley), and Sebastian J. Cricket (Ewan McGregor), Pinocchio learns what it means to be human in his pursuit of a purpose.
The marriage of the timeless source material and visionary directorGuillermo del Toro’sdistinct and imaginative flair is one that was bound for success. Not only isGuillermo del Toro’s Pinocchioimmaculately presented, but itbreathes new and exciting life into a story that could’ve felt familiar. This fairy taleisn’t afraid to challenge even its youngest viewerswith some intense and daunting themes,yet the movie never lacks fun and colorful spectacle. It was a long wait, butGuillermo del Toro’s Pinocchiowas certainly worth it.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
8’All Quiet on the Western Front' (2022)
Directed by Edward Berger
Another telling of the 1929 novel of the same name, as well as a cinematic update of the 1930 movie from Lewis Milestone,All Quiet on the Western Frontis every bit as powerful as its predecessor. The movie follows Paul Baumer (Felix Kammerer), a 17-year-old German student who is eager to enlist in the Imperial German Army alongside his classmates. Baumer’s patriotism is stifled as he is deployed onto the front lines and comes into direct contact with the horrific violence and brutality of warfare.
Almost 100 years separated from the original, Netflix’s adaptation ofAll Quiet on the Western Frontisjust as gritty, terrifying and visceralas it should be. While the production is considerably glossier and larger-scale, the narrative remains compact andfocuses on the emotional damage war inflicts.All Quiet on the Western Frontisa relentlessly bleak war movie, but it remains a potent cautionary tale anda warning that should be heeded.
All Quiet on the Western Front
7’Marriage Story' (2019)
Directed by Noah Baumbach
Theatre director Charlie Barber (Adam Driver) and his actress wife Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) are amidst an exhaustive and grueling divorce. As tensions between them grow, the means by which they emotionally harm each other only get more intense. The holy bonds of marriage aren’t always an easy one to sustain.
Marriage Storyis a simplybrilliant piece of humanist filmmakingthat is often profoundly powerful. Acclaimed writer and directorNoah Baumbachoutdid himself here;Marriage Storyisone of the most passionate romance movies of the 21st century. Both Driver and Johansson are at the top of their games, embodying their complex characters witha level of finesse and grace that is all too uncommon.Marriage Storyisn’t always easy to watch, but it is always engrossing and thoroughly impactful.
Marriage Story
6’tick, tick… BOOM!' (2021)
Directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda
In 1990 New York, Jonathan Larson (Andrew Garfield) is a young, aspiring theatre composer who’s on the brink of giving up on his passion. With his 30th birthday quickly approaching, Jonathan believes that his window is closing as he struggles to manage his career obligations and fierce ambition. Sometimes, disillusion and doubt can provoke the most brilliant of ideas.
tick, tick… BOOM!is anespecially exciting and rousing docudramathat benefits from a career-best performance fromthe often underappreciatedAndrew Garfield. There’s just something inherently compelling when it comes to movies about the creation of art, and Broadway legendLin-Manuel Mirandawas simply the perfect choice to helm a project such as this.tick, tick… BOOM!is anenergetic, electrifying and utterly heartfeltode to the power of inspirationand the rewards that ambition can yield.
tick, tick… BOOM!
5’May December' (2023)
Directed by Todd Haynes
In the picturesque Savannah, Georgia, the middle-aged Gracie (Julianne Moore) lives a quiet life with her husband Joe (Charles Melton). But it wasn’t always so quiet; two decades prior, Gracie was the teacher of the underaged Joe, and the emotional turmoil of the tabloid controversy still lingers. Hollywood actress Elizabeth Berry (Natalie Portman) is cast to portray Gracie in a movie adaptation of the events and stays with Gracie as a means of studying for the role.
May Decemberis arich, contemplative and thoroughly engaging melodramathat packs a strong melancholic punch. Moore and Portman are exceptional, complimented by the sharp screenplay and precise direction from established directorTodd Haynes.Few movies walk a tonal tightrope as effectively.May Decemberis a quiet triumph, but a triumph nonetheless, andamong the very best original content that Netflixhas ever put out.
May December
4’Okja' (2017)
Directed by Bong Joon Ho
Throughout a decade, young girl Mija (An Seo Hyun) has been the caretaker and friend to Okja, a scientific marvel known as a “super pig.” The lovable beast and Mija have formed an inseparable bond, but their friendship is jeopardized when Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton), the CEO of the genetics company that created Okja, wishes to take the creature back to New York. Mija will stop at nothing to ensure that her friend returns home with her.
Okjais asoulful, endearing and fiercely original piece of filmmakingthat finds visionary Korean auteurBong Joon Hoat his most playful. As fun and charming asOkjacan be, the movie never loses sight of its passionate messaging.Netflix allowing Bong Joon Ho the creative freedomto make something as strange and unique asOkjawas an idea that could never fail, and the result isa movie that entertains just as often as it warms hearts.
3’Roma' (2018)
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
Set in 1970s Mexico City, Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio) is a housekeeper working for a wealthy family. Cleo forms a close bond with the children, the other housekeeper, Adela (Nancy Garcia), and especially the mother of the household, Sofia (Marina de Tavira). Hers is a story of love, loss, and finding hope in the darkest of times.
Romais a semiautobiographical depiction of directorAlfonso Cuarón’s upbringing in Mexico City’s Colonia Roma district, and that personal touch only enhances what is an undeniably powerful movie.Romais a beautiful and consistently moving memoirthat finds Cuarón at his most tender as a filmmaker;every frame is lovingly captured and achingly nostalgic. The results speak for themselves—Romawould go on to win Best Foreign Language Film at the 2019 Academy Awards, and Cuarón would receive his second Best Director win.
2’The Power of the Dog' (2021)
Directed by Jane Campion
Phil Burbank (Benedict Cumberbatch) is a charismatic rancher who consistently fascinates those he comes into contact with. What many wouldn’t know about Phil, however, is the thick veil he uses to cover up a history of pain and deep sorrow. When his brother George (Jesse Plemons) brings home a new wife and son, Phil’s abusive tendencies eventually give way to profound self-realization.
In a movie as dense and thematically rich asThe Power of the Dog, no stones are left unturned. It’sa bold, creative endeavor that intrigues just as often as it disturbs. With enthralling drama and striking visuals, directorJane Campioncrafts a movie that shares a similar DNA to genre classics of oldbut offers a timely and fresh perspective.The Power of the Dogearned Campion her first Best Director Oscar, and few would argue that it wasn’t wholly deserving.
The Power of the Dog
1’The Irishman' (2019)
Directed by Martin Scorsese
War veteran turned hit-man for the Bufalino crime family, Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro) reflects on a life that earned him wealth but cost him the connections with those who he cared for most. His heaviest burden is his involvement in the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa (Al Pacino), President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters and one of Frank’s closest friends.
The Irishmanfeels like the conclusion to an entire genre. Introspective and weighty yet still slickly entertaining,The Irishmanis a monumental achievement that doubles asa love letter to a bygone era of filmmaking. It’s impossible not to be giddy with excitementwatchingDe Niro andJoe Pescishare the screenagain.The Irishmanis theAvengers: Endgame(2019)of mob movies:epic, elegantly presented, and a product of pure passion.
