Netflix original films have become so good that any are Oscar contenders and have scored impressive ratings on Letterboxd.
More than any other streaming service, Netflix continues to put out original films, including the recently released Do Revenge and A Jazzman's Blues. Not all of them are critical darlings, with many getting viewed by millions despite lackluster reviews. A handful of these movies manage to get sparkling reviews though.
They end up going down as the best films in the history of the streaming platform. Some are modern animated classics, others are Academy Award contenders, and a few are international darlings that deserve to have more eyes on them. They all scored an impressive rating from the users of Letterboxd as well.
This Italian film tells one of the most gripping and emotionally powerful stories to ever hit the streaming service. On My Skin focuses on the final days in the life of Stefano Cucchi, a man who died in preventive custody as a victim of police brutality.
Cucchi was beaten by officers, not allowed to choose his own lawyer, and his family wasn't allowed to visit him, making the tale even more tragic. On My Skin won a slew of accolades, including three major ones at the David di Donatello Awards.
These days, Netflix original movies come out every few weeks but back in 2015, they were few and far between. It was Beasts of No Nation, based on the novel of the same name, that really managed to stand out and let the world know that Netflix films could be something great.
Directed and written by Cary Joji Fukunaga, this film follows an African child who is forced to become a soldier during his country's civil war. It debuted to huge critical acclaim, with Idris Elba and Abraham Attah winning trophies at the Golden Globes, Venice Film Festival, and Film Independent Spirit Awards.
The news that Martin Scorsese was making a new gangster movie had fans of his iconic work everywhere excited in the back half of the 2010s. Add in that he was teaming up again with the likes of Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci and expectations were through the roof.
For the most part, The Irishman delivered as it was a sprawling epic that ran over three hours. Scorsese's direction was praised as were the performances, though some weren't a fan of the pacing and effects used to de-age cast members. Still, it scored 10 Oscar nominations.
Lin-Manuel Miranda is basically everywhere these days from starring in the film version of Hamilton to writing music for Encanto to making his directorial debut with tick, tick…BOOM! This Netflix original is based on the stage play of the same name.
It tells the story of the life of Jonathan Larson, the brilliant mind behind Rent, one of the most popular stage plays ever. Miranda's fantastic directorial style was showcased, while the incredible lead performance of Andrew Garfield helped make this into a special film. Tick, tick…Boom also had great musical numbers, a strong supporting cast, and highly emotional scenes.
Every once in a while, an animated movie finds a way to come from out of nowhere and impress subscribers on Netflix. In 2021, there were a few and one to score an impressive rating was Hilda and the Mountain King.
Based on the Hilda graphic novel and continuing season 2 of the animated series, this film was beloved by fans of the franchise. Praise went to the 2D animation style and the voice acting, leading to a couple of Annie Award nominations. Hilda and the Mountain King was seen as a fitting conclusion to the story.
It seems like the release of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse changed everything for Sony Pictures Animation. The studio didn't always put out well-received movies but after that one, they started nailing them, including The Mitchells vs. The Machines.
The film focuses on a dysfunctional family that comes together to help fight against a robot uprising. The unique animation style immediately stood out, as did the collection of quirky characters, and the stellar voice acting. It landed a Best Animated Feature nomination at the Academy Awards.
The second international film to rank among Netflix's best is I'm No Longer Here, which is a Mexican movie. An expanded version of a short story, the plot centers on the leader of a young street gang who is forced to head to the United States to avoid a local cartel.
Though it is little-seen compared to most of the other high-ranking films, I'm No Longer Here was met with widespread acclaim and won several awards at the Cairo and Morelia International Film Festivals. It's the kind of thing that you might not know but should seek out.
As soon as the names involved in Marriage Story were mentioned, movie lovers everywhere knew they were in for something stellar. Noah Baumbach was writing and directing the film while Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Ray Liotta, and Merritt Weaver were just a few of the actors to star.
Telling the heartbreaking tale of a couple going through a cross-country divorce, this was a critical darling. It was nominated for six Oscars, with Dern taking home the prize for Best Supporting Actress. It might be too emotional for multiple viewings but that just makes it more powerful.
At this point, it seems like every kind of Christmas movie has been made but Klaus proved that to be wrong. The movie makes the bold decision to tell an origin story for Santa Claus that starts simply enough when a mailman is sent to work in a town filled with bitter people.
While there, he meets a toymaker named Klaus and the rest is history. Another Best Animated Feature nominee, many believe this should've won over Toy Story 4. The animation style was different and the voice cast including J.K. Simmons and Rashida Jones was fantastic.
Netflix originals performed well at the Emmys and Oscars but it wasn't until Alfonso Cuarón's Roma that it felt like they had a legitimate shot to win Best Picture. The black and white film tells a touching story, features strong acting, and looks beautiful.
While it didn't win the coveted award, it won Best Foreign Language Film, Best Director, and Best Cinematography. Roma did take home Best Picture at several other award ceremonies, helping to cement its legacy.
Born and raised in New York City, Kevin Pantoja eventually went on to attain his Bachelor’s Degree in Creative Writing for Entertainment at Full Sail University as Valedictorian. He has written for various websites covering celebrities, pop culture, sports, movies, television, and wrestling. You can always find him on his Twitter, @the_kevstaaa.
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