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.
Maggie Gyllenhaal made her feature-length directorial debut with 2021’s The Lost Daughter, a film based on Elena Ferrante’s 2006 book. It revolves around Leda Caruso (Olivia Colman), a college professor on vacation in Greece, who meets Nina (Dakota Johnson), a young mother who has lost her daughter on the beach. As she helps reunite them, she reflects on her past decisions with her own daughters and remembers the difficulties she faced as a new mother. The Lost Daughter was well-received by critics and awarding bodies, earning three Academy Award nominations and a pair of Golden Globe nominations.
“A perfect storm that yields an astute portrait of the painful expectations of womanhood.” —Aurora Amidon, Paste Magazine