As the inventor of streaming, Netflix has maintained its position as one of the biggest names in contemporary film and television. Netflix continues to be very popular, despite new upstarts like Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video proving to be worthy rivals for the top spot (despite losing a record number of subscribers recently). A Netflix subscription is available to everyone and their dog, and the streaming service is home to some of the best original series available, like Stranger Things. When it first launched in 1997, Netflix’s model was one of a mobile video store, sending DVDs to subscribers through the mail. But as technology advanced, Netflix spotted a chance to take advantage of the streaming business, and the rest is history.
The company started making its own original movies after deciding that buying the rights to already-released movies wouldn’t be enough to replace Blockbuster. Hundreds of these productions are now accessible on Netflix. Some of these original movies had terrible results (like, say, The Ridiculous 6), but some of them also won Academy Awards. You can celebrate Netflix celebrating 25 years old by watching one of the top ten Rotten Tomatoes-rated movies listed below.
‘Calibre’ (2018) – 95%
Calibre is a British thriller that follows two old friends on a hunting expedition in the Scottish Highlands. It is a more understated production than the million-dollar films with A-list stars that Netflix is known for. The two men scramble to find a way out of the neighbourhood after witnessing a horrifying act of violence before their lives are irreparably wrecked.
Anyone who likes their thrillers sleek and harsh, full of shady characters and tight circumstances where escape feels impossibly difficult, will appreciate Calibre. In that sense, it is similar to other thrillers like Fargo and A Simple Plan, albeit with a Scottish twist.
‘Dolemite is My Name’ (2019) – 97%
Dolemite is My Name, a biopic that serves as Eddie Murphy’s comeback vehicle, is based on the life of Rudy Ray Moore, a comedian who popularised the role of Dolemite in both his stand-up routines and filmography. Moore is portrayed by Murphy as the movie follows his career’s highs and lows.
In the lead role, Murphy is superb, oozing the charisma and humour that made him famous in the 1980s. He was nominated for a Golden Globe for what might be his best performance of his career. He followed it with the underwhelming sequel to one of his best movies, Coming 2 America.
‘His House’ (2020) – 100%
His House, the only Netflix original non-documentary film to obtain a perfect rating on Rotten Tomatoes, follows Rial and Bol, a couple of refugees who have escaped the war-torn Sudan. As they attempt to make a life in their new home after arriving in England, the government provides them with a shoddy dwelling. However, the neighbouring walls contain something sinister.
Even though His House has many ghostly horrors, its emphasis on the abuse of immigrants is more upsetting. Rial and Bol are subjected to racial taunts by their new neighbours, and the movie depicts the suffering endured by people who are merely attempting to improve their lot in life.
‘Klaus’ (2019) – 95%
The animation division at Netflix is one area where it thrives. The business found success with Klaus, a story about Jesper (Jason Schwartzman), a greedy and slothful postman who is dispatched by his postal father to a remote community in the snow. He makes a friend there named Klaus (JK Simmons), a recluse toymaker, and the two together brighten the gloomy town.
Klaus is one of the best animated films to add to your yearly Christmas watch list. It is a charming tale that will make you feel all the feels and is equally emotional as it is humorous.
‘Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom’ (2020) – 97%
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, a dramatisation of the life of legendary blues singer Ma Rainey (Viola Davis), centres on a challenging recording session that involves Rainey, her backing band, and numerous executives and support personnel. As the arrogant yet skilled trumpet musician Levee Green, Chadwick Boseman co-stars in the movie.
Even though the movie is focused on a single recording session in 1927, it addresses issues of race and class in ways that have lasting effects. Both Davis and Boseman are outstanding, dazzling the audience as they light up the screen. The two were nominated for Academy Awards, and one of the biggest surprises in Oscars history was Boseman’s defeat to Anthony Hopkins for The Father.
‘Roma’ (2018) – 96%
Roma, a more sombre movie from Gravity and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron, centres on a housekeeper in Mexico. The movie follows Cleo (Yalitza Aparicio), a live-in maid for an affluent family in 1970, as she develops a bond with her employer over the course of a year.
One of the best-reviewed movies of the 2010s, Roma received overwhelmingly positive reviews upon its initial release. It later received 10 Academy Award nominations, winning three for Best Foreign Language Film, Best Cinematography, and Best Director. Additionally, it was the first Netflix original to receive a Best Picture nomination.
‘The Forty-Year-Old Version’ (2020) – 99%
The Forty-Year-Old Version, a semi-autobiographical movie, is based on the life of Radha Blank, who also wrote, directed, and starred in it. Radha, a struggling playwright and teacher, switches to rap in order to express herself in ways she never imagined possible.
The Forty-Year-Old Version is a moving account of the life of a struggling artist and is a personal story. The movie sheds focus on this all-too-common problem that afflicts the creative industries. Blank is a black woman who frequently finds resistance in her job as a playwright when potential producers ask her to incorporate white characters to her writings.
‘The Irishman’ (2019) – 95%
Keep it a secret from the Marvel fans, but one of the most well-liked Netflix movies is Martin Scorsese’s most recent, The Irishman. The movie depicts Frank Sheeran (Robert De Niro), a truck driver who turns becomes a hitman for the mob, and is an homage to the gangster movies that first made him famous. The storyline chronicles Frank’s life up until retirement over a number of decades.
Fantastic actors Al Pacino and Joe Pesci, as well as De Niro, round out the cast. In spite of its lengthy running time and dubious anti-aging effects, Scorsese’s epic criminal drama proves he is still the master of the genre.
‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’ (2018) – 96%
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before proved to be a huge success for Netflix and inspired two sequels, which is one wonderful romance after another. Lara Jean, a quiet teen, writes unsent letters to her crushes as a means to manage her emotions in the first movie, which follows her. Lara has to deal with the romantic fallout after the letters are unintentionally sent.
Although the movie falls into the stereotypical category of youthful romances, its skilled cast and likeable characters propel it to the top of the rom-com heap. In a genre dominated by white performers, the choice of Vietnamese-born actress Lana Condor for the major part further distinguishes the film.
‘Tramps’ (2016) – 96%
Tramps is a quirky romantic comedy that centres on two teenage crooks in New York City who cross paths after being hired for the same dirty deal. The newly acquainted pair are compelled to fix the mistake while becoming closer when the job predictably goes awry. There is nothing better than a criminal offence to arrange a meet-cute.
Tramps steers clear of the tropes and clichés that plague the rom-com subgenre in order to avoid the inherent pitfalls of the genre. Despite the plot’s focus on criminality, Danny and Ellie come across as real people rather than cartoonish stereotypes. This makes the blossoming passion between them seem sincere.
