The never-ending story: Instead of watching a good movie after work, you waste your time clicking through the streaming giant’s movies. To save you from that in the future, we’ve put together the ultimate selection list of the best movies currently available on Netflix.
Walk the Line
Moving Johnny Cash biopic with Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon, 2005
Walk the Line tells the fascinating story of the life and career of one of the most famous musicians ever: Johnny Cash. The film stars Joaquin Phoenix as Cash and Reese Witherspoon as June Carter, who sang all the songs in the film themselves. Witherspoon, by the way, won the Oscar for Best Actress for her performance.
District 9
Extraordinary science fiction film by Neil Blomkamp, 200
Probably no one had expected this success: The story about a refugee camp in Johannesburg inhabited by aliens not only convinces with a dirty, realistic look and an exciting story but also with a story about racism and xenophobia that is still relevant today.
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch
Netflix interactive movie with multiple endings, 2013
Stefan (Fionn Whitehead) is an ambitious hobby programmer in his 80s who wants to implement the fantasy novel “Bandersnatch” is an interactive video game. A video game developer supports him in the implementation. But the more Stefan gets involved in the project, the more his sense of reality slips away. Soon he believes he is also just a game character. The hit series Black Mirror didn’t invent interactive film, but it did take it to the next level. Bandersnatch’s congenial narrative concept blurs the boundaries between fiction and reality. In doing so, the film plays with a multitude of meta-levels. While protagonist Stefan loses his sense of reality, we viewers lose it too.
Ziemlich beste Freunde
French film comedy with Omar Sy and Anne Le Ny, 2011
Coming from different worlds, the main characters, a paralytic and his nurse form one of the best bromances ever in this touching and critically acclaimed comedy. The two leads harmonize wonderfully and that’s why Pretty Best Friends is so light-hearted and original.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Touching directorial debut by Chiwetel Ejiofor, 2019
The literary adaptation is based on the memoir of the same name by Wiliam Kamkwamba, a native of Malawi. The film tells the story of how Kamkwamba tries to save his village from famine with the help of his intelligence and perseverance. Chiwetel Ejiofor, known from 12 Years A Slave, celebrated his directorial debut with this film.
The Imitation Game
Moving biopic during the 2nd World War with Benedict Cumberbatch
England during World War II: Winston Churchill uses the autistic computer scientist Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch) as a British codebreaker to solve the German encryption system “Enygma”. Cracking the code should bring a decisive turn in the war against the Nazis. This film combines thriller with drama and history. Benedict Cumberbatch in the heroic and at the same time tragic role of Alan Turing is an absolute highlight.
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Fantasy action thriller with Arnold Schwarzenegger, 1991
This is action cinema: The sequel to the original, which won four Oscars, should definitely not be missing from our list. Arnold Schwarzenegger aka the “Terminator” comes from the future to protect young John Connor from shapeshifters. I wonder if this will work out? The result is definitely an action classic that far surpasses its predecessor.
Shutter Island
Shooting thriller with Leonardo DiCaprio, 2010
This gripping flick by legendary director Martin Scorsese not only strains the nerves, but also the mind. An incredibly exciting psychological thriller with a top cast that every film fan must have seen.
Django Unchained
Western with Christoph Waltz and Jamie Foxx, 2012
The former slave Django travels together with his liberator and bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz through America to save Django’s wife Mathilde from a cruel plantation owner. In the best Tarantino style, the film shines with ingenious dialog, stark images, electrifying actors, and brilliant camera work.
Interstellar
Fantasy blockbuster by Christopher Nolan with Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey, 2014
Since there is not much left on Earth in the year 2050, Matthew McConaughey flies with a group of space experts through the vastness of the universe to search for an Earth-like alternate planet. Christopher Nolan is known for extraordinary cinema. Here, too, he captivates the audience with thought experiments and theories at the limits of imagination. The focus this time: the questions about space and time. The result is a film that is almost unparalleled in terms of suspense. The soundtrack by Hans Zimmer does the rest.
Ex Machina
Gripping sci-fi thriller with Alicia Vikander, 2015
The minimalist Ex Machina, starring Alicia Vikander, Domhnall Gleeson, and Oscar Isaac, tells the story of a mysterious Turing test, but that’s all we can say here. In addition to fantastic acting and great direction by Alex Garland, the film also convinces with exciting philosophical questions that stay with you long after you’ve finished watching it.
The Grand Budapest Hotel
Weird comedy by Wes Anderson, 2014
With The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wes Anderson delivered another hit in his already remarkable career. The adventures of Looby Boy Zéro and his boss Gustave are not only funny and exciting but also, as usual for Anderson, captured in beautiful images.
I, Tonya
Bitter biopic with lots of dry humor, 2017
Tonya Harding was probably one of the most notorious athletes in the U.S. for a long time. Why? Find out in this crazy and weird biopic, in which Margot Robbie shines as Harding. She is joined by Sebastian Stan and Allison Janney, the latter of whom won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Harding’s mother.
The Nice Guys
Casual comedy with Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling, 2016
In 1970s Los Angeles, two disparate private detectives investigate the murder of a porn actress. Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling complement each other wonderfully in this firework of cool sayings. The Nice Guys is an intelligent comedy that nevertheless does without any pretensions and just wants to be fun.
The Dark Knight
The Ultimate Batman Movie, 2008
There’s not much more to say about The Dark Knight. The fact is that this Batman film will forever be one of the best superhero films of all time. There are many reasons for this: Director Christopher Nolan, Christian Bale’s Batman or of course the incredible acting performance of Heath Ledger in the role of the Joker.
Black Swan
A gripping psychological thriller by Darren Aronofsky, 2010
Who would have thought that the world would be so taken in by a film about ballet? In Black Swan, Natalie Portman fascinates as an ambitious ballerina who increasingly loses herself in her delusion of wanting to be the best. Portman’s acting won her an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role.
The Boys in the Band
Touching film adaptation of the play about homosexual men, 2020
The now second film adaptation of the play of the same name by Mart Crowley tells of a birthday party where gay men are confronted with their past and their own prejudices. Besides the touching story, the biggest highlight is probably Jim Parson, who shows that he can do much more than just play the peculiar nerd in The Big Bang Theory.
Best Netflix Originals Movies
- The Irishman,2019. (Mafia epic starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.)
- Marriage Story, 2019. (Drama with Adam Driver)
- Extinction, 2018. (Sci-fi horror with Natalie Portman)
- The Black Diamond, 2019. (Gripping thriller from the Safdie brothers starring Adam Sandler)
- Beast of No Nation, 2015. (War film directed by Cary Fukunaga with Idris Elba and Ama Abebres)
- The Shaft, 2020. (Experimental psychological thriller from Spain)
- To the Bone , 2017. (Drama directed by Marti Noxon and starring Keanu Reeves and Lily Collins)
- War Machine US, 2017. (Political satire by David Michôd starring Brad Pitt and Tilda Swinton)
- Okja, 2017. (Drama by Joon-ho Bong with Seo-Hyeon Ahn and Tilda Swinton)
- The Meyerowitz Stories US, 2017. (Tragicomedy directed by Noah Baumbach with Adam Sandler and Ben Stiller)
Read more: Best Classic Movies to Watch For Free Now
