Dive into the wonderful world of cinema.
While the world still very much seems like an uncertain place after a year of living with the Covid-19 pandemic, one thing is for sure. Those Netflix accounts aren’t going anywhere and settling down in front of a great movie will always be one of the best ways to pass the time. [Featured Image: freestocks, Unsplash].
And, there’s some absolute stonewall classics on here. Sometimes only the best will do, eh? So, we’ve compiled a list of some of the most critically acclaimed movies on Netflix for you to kill the time with. From screaming “I’m not fuckin’ leaving” to exclaiming “Say hello to my little friend”, here are some wonderful critically-acclaimed movies on Netflix out there just waiting patiently for you to stream them, and then quote them.
1. Seven (1995)
A chaotic and mysterious David Fincher movie, following Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt investigating a killer using the seven deadly sins as themes in their murders.
2. Sorry To Bother You (2018)
A glorious directorial debut from Boots Riley follows Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) who works at a corporate telemarketing job which he initially uncomfortable with. He must then choose between money and his activist friends in this rollercoaster of a comedy film.
3. Spirited Away (2001)
The magnum opus of the fine set of Studio Ghibli movies. Spirited Away follows Chihiro, or Sen, which her name becomes when she is searching for her missing parents who were turned into pigs in the spiritual world of the wicked witch, Yubaba.
4. No Country For Old Men (2007)
A masterful Coen Brothers adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s novel of the same title, No Country For Old Men is a neo-western thriller with plenty of derailing twists. The film’s true marvel is owed in a large part to the spectacular performance of Javier Bardem, who plays the antagonist Anton Chigurh – menacing across the screen as he prowls the desert searching for a stash of money.
5. Hereditary (2018)
A chilling, terrifying stormer of a horror movie. Ari Aster and A24 combine beautifully to create perhaps the best movie in its genre of the 2010s. Hereditary portrays the haunting of each family member in different ways as they grieve a lost relative, coming together to form a shocking, revelatory experience.
6. Snatch (2000)
A hilarious and gritty British comedy-drama from Guy Ritchie comes in the form of Snatch. Follow Brad Pitt, Vinnie Jones, Jason Statham and the crew in the world of underground boxing, petty crime and more.
7. The Handmaiden (2016)
The Handmaiden is a Korean psychological thriller, set during the era of Japanese colonial rule. It closely follows a con-man (Kim Tae-ri) attempting to seduce Japanese heiress Lady Hideko (Ha Jung-woo) out of her inheritance.
8. 12 Years A Slave (2013)
Steve McQueen’s masterful biographical piece, based on the memoirs of Solomon Northup, a free born African American man from New York who comes to realise he has been kidnapped into slavery in Washington D.C. It went on to sweep up accolades, including 2014 Academy Awards for best picture, best adapted screenplay and best supporting actress (Lupita Nyong’o).
9. The Invisible Guest (2016)
A dark, mysterious story of a man waking up next to his dead partner, with seemingly no recollection of what has happened. Or, so he says… It follows the complex investigation that follows the murder, with many a twist and turn along the bumpy road to the truth.
10. Prisoners (2013)
This dark and brooding Dennis Villeneuve thriller places Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) in charge of a child abduction investigation, after a young girl is taken in broad daylight. Meanwhile, the despaired father (Hugh Jackman) decides to follow several leads of his own.
11. Easy Rider (1969)
A cross-country tale on Harley-Davidsons, riding through America to New Orleans after a drug deal in California. Along the way, they come across many different characters, not all sharing the same life views as them…
12. Merku Thodarchi Malai (2018)
This Tamil Indian language film is the tale of a farmer (Antony) and a group of landless workers facing challenges against local law enforcement after commercialisation creates conflict in the village.
13. American Psycho (2000)
An iconic adaptation of Brett Easton Ellis’s novel, Mary Harron’s American Psycho is best known for the overpowering performance of Christian Bale, who plays the stalking, smirking, slashing character of Patrick Bateman. Sit back at watch as he attempts to keep his psychopathic tendencies a secret from those around him.
14. My Neighbour Totoro (1988)
Another glorious Studio Ghibli picture that simply warms the heart, no matter how many times you’ve seen it. My Neighbour Totoro shows Mei and Satsuki befriending the spirits around their house when their mother is in hospital, and find their way to a magical world.
15. The Green Mile (1999)
Adapted from Stephen King’s novel of the same name, The Green Mile follows a death row correction officer (Tom Hanks) during the Great Depression who starts to witness supernatural events after a new inmate arrives.
16. Ten Years (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46OjIXuF1f4
This Hong Kong picture is a dystopian vision into the year 2025, in which the government rapidly takes away human rights and freedoms.
17. Nightcrawler (2014)
Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), a night-time stringer who records violent crime scene events in Los Angeles balances the fine-line of ethical reporting in this neo-noir picture. The content builds and builds as the overwhelming desire to provide footage to news channels consumes Lou.
18. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
After having a curse placed on her to turn her into an old lady, Sophie stumbles into the magical but messy world of Howl the wizard. However, the darkness manages to follow them around, and she must help Howl get out of a sticky situation.
19. 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)
A brooding phycological thriller with typically sinister edges. 10 Cloverfield Lane starts with what seems like an act of kindness, with a man taking two strangers into his bunker as the world seemingly begins to implode from an Alien invasion. But is he telling the truth, or are there more eerie motives at play?
20. American Gangster (2007)
This Ridley Scott biographical drama is fictionally based on the life of Frank Lucas, a heroin smuggler who got his supply into the country on returning planes from the Vietnam war. Lucas (Denzel Washington) is pursued and faces the trial of detective and lawyer Ritchie Roberts (Russel Crowe).
21. The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)
What more can be said about the The Wolf Of Wall Street? If you haven’t seen it, gather up the snacks and flick this Scorsese marathon onto your screens as soon as you can. You’ll be taken on a whirlwind adventure through the rise and fall of stockbroker Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he attempts to scam and lie his way to greatness, while trying to maintain the party lifestyle.
22. Scarface (1983)
A fine performance from Al Pacino sees him take on the role of Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee who creates a drug empire in Miami. It’s a rollercoaster of a tale with many a bullet to be fired through the course of viewing.
23. The Social Network (2010)
A shocking tale of a the birth of a multi-billion dollar idea, betrayal and lies that led up to the creation of what we know as Facebook. Underscored by an iconic Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross soundtrack, David Fincher plays out the tale from the platform that went from an exclusively Harvard chat service to one of the most recognisable applications ever.
24. Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977)
This list wouldn’t be complete without a Spielberg sci-fi epic, would it? Close Encounters follows electrician Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) and how his and his family’s life changes after an encounter with a UFO.
25. The Blues Brothers (1980)
This wonderful musical comedy tells the tale of Jake (John Belushi) joining forces with his brother Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) to save an orphanage they grew up in, which they must raise using the power of their music.
26. Inception (2010)
This bizarre Christopher Nolan picture goes deep inside the mind. Inception stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a thief who takes information from targets by entering their dreams.
27. The Great Escape (1963)
An epic war film telling the true story of a group of allied soldiers escaping from their confinement in a German “escape-proof” prison camp.