Billion-dollar streaming giant Netflix was, at one time, best known for its DVD delivery and bright-red envelopes. But their foray into film production in 2013 kickstarted an industry-wide shakeup. In January 2014, the company released Sundance darling The Square to near-universal acclaim. The documentary detailing the 2011 Egyptian revolution became the first Netflix release to score an Academy Award nomination. This was not only Netflix’s first nod from the Academy but the first for the streaming industry.
Since its first acknowledgment from the Academy 11 years ago, Netflix has scored a whopping 150 Oscar nominations and 23 wins spanning two dozen categories. But these 10 ‘Flix flicks stand above the rest.
Marriage Story (2020)
Marriage Story earned Netflix six Oscar nominations and a Best Supporting Actress win for superstar Laura Dern. The heartwrenching drama from Noah Baumbach stars Adam Driver (Star Wars: The Force Awakens; Girls) and Scarlett Johansson (The Avengers; Lost in Translation) as a married couple navigating their divorce with the help of a lawyer (Dern). While the movie’s widespread acclaim even resulted in a meme or two, Marriage Story is one of those gut-wrenching stories some viewers can only stomach once.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
As if Daniel Craig’s charismatic, quick-witted Benoit Blanc isn’t charming enough to lure audiences back to the franchise, a knockout performance from pop/R&B sensation Janelle Monae solidifies its spot among the top Netflix releases. In Rian Johnson’s follow-up to his 2019 mystery Knives Out, follow Blanc as he sleuths around the Greek private isle of tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) in this gasp-worthy mystery.
Don’t Look Up (2021)
This controversial political satire casts Oscar winners Jennifer Lawrence and Leonardo DiCaprio as two scientists embarking on a PR tour as a last-ditch effort to warn of a comet’s imminent collision with Earth. Helmed by director, screenwriter, producer, and SNL writer’s room alum Adam McKay, the film received a lukewarm critical reception and criticism from climate change deniers, which is kind of on-the-nose.
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If Anything Happens I Love You (2020)
The only short film on the list, If Anything Happens I Love You is a 12-minute-long animation devastating enough to bring even the most stoic audience to their knees. The short, first distributed by Netflix in November 2020, was the debut of the two-person directorial team comprising Will McCormack and Michael Govier. If Anything Happens I Love You won the Oscar for Best Animated Short Film at the 93rd Academy Awards in April 2021.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
Another entry in the Coen Brothers’ mind-blowing filmography, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is more an anthology than a movie. The star-studded film is set in post-Civil War America and comprises six shorts, all employing different casts and storytelling techniques. Viewers vibed with the film’s vignette format, and so did critics. The Old West anthology scored three Oscar nominations at the 91st Academy Awards, including Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Song for “When a Cowboy Trades His Spurs for Wings.”
Uncut Gems (2019)
Often-typecasted actor and SNL alum Adam Sandler shows his serious side in the Safdie brothers’ ultra-stressful crime drama Uncut Gems. Distributed by both Netflix and A24, the movie follows gambling New York jeweler Howard Ratner (Sandler), who plans to steal a priceless gem to repay his debts to merciless loan sharks. A captivating score ups the ante, leaving white-knuckled viewers cringing, cheering, and holding their breath.
Always Be My Maybe (2019)
This quirky rom-com is a whimsical and welcome addition to Netflix’s often sobering filmography. Comedian Ali Wong and actor Randall Park play Sasha and Marcus, two childhood best friends who reunite in adulthood and realize their raw feelings from decades ago didn’t disappear. Great cast chemistry, a nostalgic soundtrack, laugh-out-loud moments, and unexpected celebrity cameos make this Netflix original movie an all-timer.
The Irishman (2019)
Scorcese. De Niro. Pesci. Pacino. That’s it. That’s the blurb.
Inspired by author Charles Brandt’s 2004 novel I Heard You Paint Houses, this out-of-control gangster flick retells the story of real-life Teamster Jimmy Hoffa. Fans, critics, and the Academy hailed the film as a modern-day masterpiece. Though it didn’t take home any gold statuettes, The Irishman the 92nd Academy Awards, snagging 10 nominations across various categories — the second-most noms for a single film that year, just behind Todd Phillip’s Joker.
All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)
All Quiet on the Western Front is the third adaptation of the 1929 anti-war novel Nothing New in the West by German author Erich Maria Remarque. The story details young German Paul Bäumer as he and his friends enlist in the military only to discover the harsh and devastating realities of war. All Quiet on the Western Front scored nine nominations at the 95th Academy Awards held on March 12, 2023. The movie came out with four wins — Best International Feature Film, Best Original Score, Best Production Design, and Best Cinematography.
Beasts of No Nation (2015)
Beasts of No Nation, adapted from Nigerian-American author Uzodinma Iweala’s novel of the same name, was produced by now-Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos and directed by Cary Joji Fukunaga. The film, released in theaters and homes in October 2015, follows young Agu (Abraham Atta) in war-torn West Africa. English star Idris Elba stars alongside Atta as a brutal warlord working to lure Agu to his team of guerrilla soldiers.
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A lifelong gamer raised on classic titles like Crash Bandicoot, Spyro, and Croc, Stephanie brings her expertise of gaming and pop culture to deliver unique, refreshing views on the world of video games, complete with references to absurd and obscure media.
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