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.
Originally released in French (followed by an English dub version), I Lost My Body is a 2019 animated film that depicts the journey of a severed hand that escapes from a Paris laboratory and tries to reunite with the rest of its body. As the audience learns through flashbacks, the hand belongs to a man named Naoufel (Hakim Faris in the French version and Dev Patel in the English one), a pizza delivery person who falls in love with one of his customers. In 2020, I Lost My Body was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards.
“A highly original and rather touching account of loss, both physical and emotional.” —Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter
| Stream On |
|