You’ve gotta ask yourself one question: “Do I feel lucky?”
Netflix has established itself as a serious contender during award seasons with R-rated films like The Irishman, The Power of the Dog, and Don't Look Up. The platform still keeps its competitors close by housing non-Netflix Original rated R films right beside its original content. Films often get slapped with R ratings for varying degrees of violence, language, sexual content, and more.
There are movies like The Gentlemen that get it right with well-produced and timed violence and language. Films like Netflix's latest attempt at The Texas Chainsaw Massacre throw so much violence at a wall, hoping it sticks, but it doesn't. Whether you're looking for looking raw, real dialogue or a horror movie with a tasteful level of violence, these films hit the mark with critics and audiences, elevating them to the top of the stream list.
With a drastic difference between audience and critic reviews, Uncut Gems is a career-bending role for comedic icon Adam Sandler. New York jeweler Howard Ratner (Sandler) is in deep with the sharks, and his debt collectors are knocking down his door. In a last-ditch gamble, Ratner risks it all to try and come out on top. Directed by Benny and Josh Safdie, this thrilling drama places Sandler in rarely-treaded cinematic territory.
Robbed of any acknowledgment from the Golden Globes or Academy Awards, this film is still an epic installment in Sandler's career, demonstrating he can do more than raunchy comedy with repeat castmates. The R-rated movie is available on Netflix through May 24, and it's one not to miss out on.
A Netflix original rom-com, The Lovebirds pairs Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani as a dissolving couple that accidentally steps into a murder mystery they must solve to clear their names. Hitting the middle of the road with critics and receiving a less favorable tone with streamers, this R comedy is worth the stream for its star power.
With a quick one-hour and twenty-six-minute runtime, the Michael Showalter-directed film packs a lot of comedic conspiracy into its brief screentime. The realistic growth of Leilani (Rae) and Jibran (Nanjiani)'s relationship brings heart along with the humor. Audience members come for the leads and stay for their chemistry, making The Lovebirds a worthy watch next time you sit down with your partner.
Charlize Theron's first Oscar nomination and only win, Monster is a classic crime film to watch while finding a home on Netflix. Based on the real-life story of Aileen Wuornos (Theron), Monster chronicles Wuornos's time as a Florida prostitute and eventual transition into a serial killer.
Written and directed by Patty Jenkins, the film hosts other stars like Christina Ricci and Bruce Dern. Before the internet was fascinated with serial killers, there was Monster, the original serial killer biography that opened the doors for the genre. Theron's physical and psychological transformation drew in critics and viewers, continuing to do so for first-time watchers during its tenure on the streaming platform.
A fascinating spectacle of a film, Sorry to Bother You is a thoroughly original genre-blending film that will stick in the mind of first-time viewers. Telemarketer Cassius Green (LaKeith Stanfield) discovers the key to success by stepping into an alternate Oakland present-day reality, where he becomes consumed with material greed. The film is a lot to take in but hit high marks with critics and viewers.
Sorry to Bother You is the feature directorial debut for writer Boots Riley. The film takes viewers on a surreal rollercoaster ride through its less than two-hour runtime, satirizing America's capitalism and corporate greed. Co-starring Tessa Thompson, Danny Glover, and David Cross (Cassius's White voice), this socially conscious film is definitely worth the R-rated stream.
Another excellent demonstration of writer and director Taylor Sheridan's storytelling ability, Wind River captures the devastating nature behind crimes against Native American women. Cory Lambert (Jeremy Renner) is an experienced hunter and tracker. When called upon to assist with an FBI investigation by agent Jane Banner (Elizabeth Olson), he'll do everything he can to solve the mysterious death of a young Native American woman on a Wyoming reservation.
Left out of any serious award contention due to its production by the Weinstein Company during the height of the #MeToo movement, critics and audiences found renewed interest in Sheridan's work. The film's intensity and subject garnered the R-rating but certainly deserves a stream while it finds a place on Netflix's platform.
A car with supernatural powers, Christine is a classic 80s horror film that is a perfect find for a Netflix horror night. When a nerdy teen Arnie Cunningham (Keith Gordon) buys a strange 1958 Plymouth Fury, he names it Christine before realizing the car comes to life with malicious intent. The result of a Stephen King novel and John Carpenter's directing, the film earned stable support from critics and audiences.
A well-structured and campy '80s film, Christine will resonate with new viewers just as much as its original audience. It's not the scariest King adaptation to grace the screen, but it's an iconic genre installment that provides a high entertainment value for his loyal fanbase.
Before the astounding performance in Ozark, Jason Bateman donned his serious face in The Gift. After running into an old classmate, Simon's (Bateman) life takes an intense turn when Gordo (Joel Edgerton) begins dropping by unannounced, leaving mysterious gifts for Simon and his wife Robyn (Rebecca Hall).
Edgerton is a triple threat in this film; he serves as the film's antagonist (or protagonist, depending on your opinion), the writer, and the director. Praised by audiences and critics, this edge-of-your-seat thriller houses intense performances that keep the viewers engaged until the very last moment of the almost two-hour runtime.
Aaron Sorkin's second directorial feature, The Trial of the Chicago 7, falls in line with the classic Sorkin film founded on historical context. The film is the story of seven individuals on trial for various charges surrounding the uprising outside the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
With a star-studded cast of Eddie Redmayne, Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Rylance, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and more, The Trial of the Chicago 7 is a Netflix original drama sure to enthrall viewers and critics with its roots in activism and free speech. The film would earn six nominations at the 93rd Academy Awards, including Best Original Screenplay for Sorkin, but would take none home. Nonetheless, this historic cinema film deserves a watch by any fan of Sorkin's work and those new to his writing.
A limited-release film, Freaks is a hidden gem on Netflix's vast library of sci-fi/horror films. Living in fear of the outside world, Chloe (Lexy Kolker), a young girl, discovers there's more to her father's (Emile Hirsch) paranoia. Written and directed by Zach Lipovsky and Adam B. Stein, the film succeeds in enthralling viewers as the story is told mainly from Chloe's perspective until the audience is enlightened to the real story behind the dystopian outside world.
With solid performances by Kolker and Hirsch, the leads are joined by acting legend Bruce Dern, adding another level of hype to the film. Flying under the radar, this R-rated thriller finds homes in both sci-fi and horror without being defined solely as one or the other, earning the attention of fans of both genres.
It doesn't get more classic Hollywood R-rated cop movie than Clint Eastwood in Dirty Harry. With the Scorpio-Killer (Andrew Robinson) menacing the streets of San Francisco, police inspector "Dirty" Harry Callahan (Eastwood) will stop at nothing to take him down. Another iconic role for the legend, Eastwood delivers another epic, gritty character while director Don Siegel brings audiences a top-notch action film.
A genre-defining film, the tough-cop character fits Eastwood like a glove, enthralling audiences, and critics for generations. With various streaming platforms competing to house classic Hollywood films, Dirty Harry has earned a stable home on Netflix for new viewers to discover a movie that's become ingrained in the cinematic landscape.
Writing from downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Ali’s either watching movies or growing her list to watch. Her blog, peskethings, is about film reviews and whether to see it or skip it. She has a Bachelor’s in English and minor in creative writing. When she’s not writing for Collider, or her blog, you can find her exploring Wisconsin with friends and family.
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