Out of all the major streaming service giants of the modern era, few have made such a positive namesake for themselves with their original content as Netflix. Especially with their outings in the realm of film, Netflix has been highly successful in recent years, with a multitude of Best Picture nominations as well as highly beloved and iconic films released under their banner. When at its best, Netflix can release some of the greatest and most beloved movies of the 21st century.
While each website and film community will have its own perspective and opinions on what Netflix’s best films are, the Letterboxd community certainly has one of the most distinct and original voices on the internet. Especially as a community that has sprung up in the modern digital era and social media, Letterboxd acts as the perfect judge for Netflix’s outings, as they also rose to the top thanks to new technologies of the digital era.
10 ‘The Irishman’ (2019)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 3.91/5
Acting as a final chapter and glorious swan song for Martin Scorsese‘s legendary gangster films, The Irishman follows war veteran Frank Sheeran and his unexpected partnership with local mobster Russell Bufalino. After years of friendship and gaining trust with one another, Bufalino sends Frank off to Chicago to help out union leader Jimma Hoffa, creating another friendship that would last for 20 years. However, as time passes and the walls begin to crumble, Frank is forced to make a painful decision.
The Irishman has easily been the defining gangster film of the modern era, bringing together legends of the genre like Al Pacino, Joe Pesci, and Robert De Niro together for one last story of violence and betrayal. The film was massively beloved upon its release, earning 10 Academy Award nominations and cementing itself as one of the first true bonafide epics that Netflix released. The film truly had the scope and scale of a standard massive blockbuster, with its $200 million budget and revolutionary de-aging visuals, complete with a heartfelt and beautiful story to boot.
The Irishman
- Release Date
- November 27, 2019
- Director
- Martin Scorsese
- Runtime
- 209 minutes
- Main Genre
- Crime
- Writers
- Charles Brandt , Steven Zaillian
Watch on Netflix
9 ‘Beasts of No Nation’ (2015)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 3.91/5
One of the first big Netflix original movies to be released on the platform, Beasts of No Nation is a war drama that follows the experience of Agu, a child soldier fighting in a civil war in an unnamed West African country. Agu is forced to face the constant brutality and nightmarish conditions of the war itself, the terrifying commander that controls his life, and the destruction of anything resembling a normal childhood.
Despite being one of Netflix’s first original films, Beats of No Nation still holds a massive legacy as one of the most heartwrenching and disturbing films that the company has ever released. The way that the film holds nothing back in its painful portrayal of child soldiers makes for a powerful and haunting experience, one that has left a massive impact on the Letterboxd community as a whole. If the film hadn’t been completely snubbed at the Academy Awards, it would certainly have an even stronger legacy and be held in a much higher regard.
Beasts of No Nation
- Release Date
- September 11, 2015
- Director
- Cary Fukunaga
- Cast
- Abraham Attah , Emmanuel Affadzi , Ricky Adelayitor , Andrew Adote , Vera Nyarkoah Antwi , Ama Abebrese
- Runtime
- 133
- Main Genre
- Drama
Watch on Netflix
8 ‘Nimona’ (2023)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 3.94/5
One of the most recent massive animation success stories from Netflix, Nimona was originally being developed under Disney and Blue Sky Studios, but was canceled with the closing of Blue Sky. The film was thought to be canceled and never to be seen, but it was miraculously picked up by Netflix and completed in its full, magical glory. The film follows the misadventures of the duo of Nimona, a shapeshifting teenage troublemaker, and Ballister Boldheart, a heroic knight who was framed for the assassination of the queen.
The greatest draw from Nimona comes from its distinct style and voice, from its beautiful stylized animation to its chaotic and rootable characters. There’s a lot to love about the film, with the Letterboxd community especially falling in love with the film’s overt LGBTQ+ themes and characters. The film also features an unexpected emotional ending and great respect for the original graphic novel it was based on.
7 ‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ (2022)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 3.98/5
One of many masterpieces by visionary director Guillermo del Toro, his rendition of Pinocchio combined beautiful stop-motion animation and a darkly gothic tone to create a highly original version of the classic children’s story. The film retells the original story while changing the backdrop to Italy during the rise of fascism and Mussolini, as well as doubling down on the grief and pain felt by Geppetto and the optimism and whimsy felt by Pinocchio.
Especially for a story that has been told and retold a multitude of times in the past, it takes something truly special and extravagant to not only stand out, but be considered one of the best adaptations of the material. Del Toro was able to accomplish this feat with flying colors, transforming and further exploring the world and concepts of Pinocchio with additional layers and powerful themes to each character, combined with beautiful setpieces and character designs. The film was so beloved that it finally broke Netflix’s losing streak at the Best Animated Feature award, giving them their first and only win in the category so far.
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
- Release Date
- December 9, 2022
- Runtime
- 117 minutes
Watch on Netflix
6 ‘I’m No Longer Here’ (2019)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 3.98/5
One of many underrated yet highly beloved international original films on Netflix, I’m No Longer Here follows the adventures and lives of a young Mexican street gang. They spend their days partying and dancing, but after a mix-up with a local cartel, the gang’s leader has no other choice but to migrate to the U.S. for their safety. However, their life in the U.S. proves to be much less exciting than life with the gang, as they quickly long to return home to their friends and true family.
While Netflix has always been relatively hit or miss with their coming of age stories, I’m No Longer Here thrives thanks to its love and passion for the Mexican subcultures that it’s presenting. This is on top of the poignant and relevant themes of gentrification and government mishandling that the film also tackles, creating a highly distinct and personal experience that stands out greatly from other coming-of-age films.
Watch on Netflix
5 ‘All Quiet on the Western Front’ (2022)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 3.98/5
A modern, German remake of the classic Best Picture-winning war film, All Quiet on the Western Front follows plucky young Paul Baumer and his friends, who, in a wave of heroism and excitement, enlist in the German army to fight in World War I. However, it doesn’t take long before the harsh realities and atrocities of war catch up to Paul, as he firsthand experiences the soul-crushing horror that war can have on someone.
All Quiet on the Western Front most spectacularly excels at bringing to life the terrors and nightmares of war as described in the original novel to life with the advent of modern technology and effects. Much like other modern war films, the highlight of the film comes from these heartbreaking sequences, which double down and fully emphasize all the horrors and painful conditions of war as a whole. In terms of recognition and awards success, All Quiet on the Western Front is Netflix’s biggest Oscar winner yet, taking home 4 wins at the Academy Awards.
Watch on Netflix
4 ‘Marriage Story’ (2019)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 4.00/5
Easily one of Netflix’s biggest tearjerkers, Marriage Story follows the story of Charlie and Nicole Barber, a stage director and an actress who are having incredible difficulties going through the motions of their divorce. Between their young child that they are both caring for and the fact that they live across the country from one another, the divorce as a whole has been nothing short of tension and anger. It soon finds a way to bring both of them to their absolute limits as they reach their emotional breaking points.
Noah Baumbach‘s masterful relationship drama has made massive waves as one of Netflix’s premiere original dramas, showing just how powerful and dynamic its original storytelling can be in the hands of a true auteur. The film easily strikes an emotional chord with audiences around the world, with its heartbreaking and realistic portrayal of a relationship’s final legs. The film was beloved enough to also earn 6 nominations at the Academy Awards, including Best Picture, where it would end up winning the award for Best Supporting Actress.
Marriage Story
- Release Date
- September 28, 2019
- Director
- Noah Baumbach
- Runtime
- 136
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Writers
- Noah Baumbach
Watch on Netflix
3 ‘Roma’ (2018)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 4.11/5
Roma follows the story of two domestic workers working in 1970s Mexico City, doing what they can to help a mother of four while her husband is away for an extended period of time. The film’s beautiful black and white visuals combined with its emotional and deeply intimate story of poverty and just barely scraping by has made for one of the strongest dramas that Netflix has ever created. With director Alfonso Cuarón at the helm, Roma is a distinct and powerful cinematic vision that acts as a true work of art from beginning to end.
Roma touches and reflects upon stories that are rarely told in the medium of cinema, acting as a powerful voice to tell its emotionally moving and resonating story. The film received massive critical acclaim and a multitude of awards nominations and wins, including wins for Best Cinematography and Best Director. The film was also considered the unanimous frontrunner to win Best Picture, before it was infamously snubbed in favor of Green Book.
Roma
A year in the life of a middle-class family’s maid in Mexico City in the early 1970s.
- Release Date
- August 25, 2018
- Director
- Alfonso Cuarón
- Cast
- Yalitza Aparicio , Marina de Tavira , Diego Cortina Autrey , Carlos Peralta , Marco Graf , Daniela Demesa
- Runtime
- 134
- Main Genre
- Drama
- Writers
- Alfonso Cuarón
Watch on Netflix
2 ‘Klaus’ (2019)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 4.12/5
One of the most beloved and acclaimed modern Christmas movies, Klaus follows the story of Jesper, a reject of the Postal Academy who has coasted through life without a single day of honest work. He is soon sent off to Smeerensberg, a small arctic village that has absolutely no need for a postman, leaving Jesper completely alone and out to dry. However, he soon hatches a scheme to give him more work, unintentionally setting into motion the holiday tradition known as Christmas.
Klaus stands out compared to Netflix’s other animated features thanks to its revolutionary modern blending of 3d and 2d animation, creating a distinct visual style that is unlike any other animated movie out there. Especially after 3D animation has dominated the realm of film for nearly the entirety of the 21st century, seeing a movie using modern technology for a 2D animated film is highly refreshing and exciting. Combined with some great vocal performances from Jason Schwartzman, J. K. Simmons, and Rashida Jones, Klaus rightfully has earned a powerful legacy as one of the company’s best original movies.
Klaus
- Release Date
- November 8, 2019
- Director
- Sergio Pablos
- Runtime
- 97
- Writers
- Zach Lewis , James Michael Mahoney , Sergio Pablos
Watch on Netflix
1 ‘Society of the Snow’ (2023)
Letterboxd Average Rating: 4.12/5
Based on the legendary true story, Society of the Snow follows the group of passengers on Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, who on October 13th 1972, crash into a glacier in the heart of the Andes. With an entire rugby team aboard, the passengers are forced to find a way to stick together and fight against the dreadful conditions if they have any hope of making it back to society. Seemingly stuck and without any way of getting home, their hopes begin to crumble as they fight for their lives day after day.
While a multitude of disaster movies about groups of survivors living in harsh conditions have been done before, what makes Society of the Snow, so exceptional is its focus on the humanity and dread of it all. The film certainly has great setpieces and visual effects, but what has singlehandedly made it such a massive hit on Letterboxd is its ability to delve into the dread and lack of humanity that such a disaster can cause. Combined with a multitude of twists and turns, Society of the Snow has surprisingly skyrocketed to be the highest rated Netflix Original movie on Letterboxd, at least for now.
Society of the Snow
- Release Date
- December 23, 2023
- Cast
- Enzo Vogrincic , Esteban Bigliardi , Simon Hempe , Matías Recalt
- Runtime
- 144 minutes
- Main Genre
- Survival
- Writers
- J.A. Bayona , Nicolás Casariego , Jaime Marques
Watch On Netflix
