The 20 Best Netflix Original Films, Ranked
It has been 10 years since Netflix released its first original series — the Steve Van Zandt-fronted Lilyhammer — in 2012. Today, the streaming giant spends billions of dollars on original content each year, releasing hundreds of its own feature films, documentaries, specials, and TV series annually.
In many ways, Netflix’s investment in original content has paid off. The company’s movies have earned accolades from all of the major awarding bodies, including at the Academy Awards, BAFTA Awards, Emmys, Golden Globes, Grammys, SAG Awards, and more. It’s also the biggest streaming service on the globe, boasting more than 221 million users worldwide.
It should be no surprise, then, that Netflix has released some highly-regarded films. In the following list, we’ve highlighted the service's 20 best original movies, ranging from crime thrillers to psychological dramas to period pieces to animated flicks.
Many of these movies have been nominated for or received major awards, feature performances from hugely popular actors, and have been created by accomplished directors, writers, and producers. For instance, last year’s Western drama The Power of the Dog is the latest film to win Best Director at the Oscars (from a total of 12 nominations).
All of the titles have Metascores of 80 and higher, indicating generally favorable reviews or universal acclaim. No matter what type of films you like to watch, you’ll almost certainly find one (or more) movies on the list that appeal to you.
Here, Metacritic highlights Netflix’s best-reviewed original films, ranked by Metascore. Documentaries and films with fewer than 7 reviews from professional critics are excluded.
All photos courtesy of Netflix.
Based on the 1929 novel of the same title, Passing is the story of childhood friends Irene Redfield (Tessa Thompson) and Clare Kendry (Ruth Negga), two light-skinned Black women who can “pass” as white. However, despite having this in common, their lives are vastly different after Irene married a Black man and Clare married a white man (who doesn’t know about her real racial background). Wanting to get back in touch with her roots, Clare begins spending time with Irene, as well as her family and friends — until Irene regrets letting her friend back into her life. After spending years as an actor, Passing was Rebecca Hall’s first feature-length film in the director’s chair. The black-and-white film was released in 2021.
“By turns stifling and lucid with seduction, Hall’s debut is impressive, even when its atmosphere sometimes overtakes its pace.” —Shayna Warner, The Film Stage
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