Netflix has decided to hit the brakes a bit when it comes to its Netflix Original movies. The streaming service released at least one a week in recent years, but that is becoming less.
Netflix Originals Movies
Netflix chooses to go for quality rather than just quantity. A smart choice, because although Netflix certainly has a few Oscars on its mantelpiece, when you look at the amount of films it releases, it’s actually not that much. That’s because it also comes with a lot of quickly made, somewhat less good films. Now it’s time to stop with that padding and opt for carefully crafted flicks.
Curious what’s already on the streaming service for Netflix Originals? We highlight ten that are worthwhile.
1. I Care a Lot
Rosamund Pike was absolutely brilliant in the thriller Gone Girl and she happily continues that in I Care a Lot. In this film she plays a woman who takes care of the elderly, but does not do so in a very neat way. She takes their money from them, often without their knowledge. It is a daring subject: care is of course mainly about being kind to others and doing it based on a vocation. Marla from this movie does it all just for one thing and that has nothing to do with caring for others. An interesting angle, precisely because it is about a woman in the leading role.
2. Red Notification
Let’s help you out of the dream first: Red Notice is not a good film. But it is a textbook example of a Netflix Original. He has a great cast consisting of Ryan Reynolds, The Rock and Gal Gadot, he’s incredibly entertaining and clearly a lot of money has been put into it. You go along in the Indiana Jones-like adventure and that is sometimes nice. Red Notice is a success story with which Netflix once again emphasized its power. There will even be a second part of the film.
3. Don’t Look Up
In a world that was becoming increasingly divided over the corona virus, Netflix dropped this film. A gem in which Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence shine, among others. They are scientists who see that a comet is on its way to Earth and will destroy the entire planet. But how do you ensure that a message based on scientific evidence is actually delivered in today’s society? In Don’t Look Up you can see how crazy our world has really become, as everyone tries to deal with receiving the news in their own way.
4. Rome
One of the best-known Netflix Originals is Roma, because it won several Oscars and this ensured that the Academy paid more attention to the flicks of streaming services. But also that streaming services were seriously seen as companies that can also make good films. Roma is a drama film by director Alfonso Cuarón (Gravity), which revolves around a Mexican family in the 1970s and stands out because it was shot entirely in black and white. Besides being rock solid, of course.
5. Okay
Okja is a striking film because it is about a fictional animal. It is a live-action film with computer animation. A painful film that reveals a lot about the meat industry, but also about the people who want the beast, Okja, to be well-intentioned. The film was made by Bong Joon-ho, the Korean director who would later become much more famous for his Oscar-winning film Parasite. Don’t expect a too straightforward story either, but also some crazy appearances from Jake Gyllenhaal and Tilda Swinton, in addition to a huge emotional charge that will shake your foundations for a few days.
6. Beasts of No Nation
Another movie that hits hard, that’s Beasts of No Nation. This film is about child soldiers in a civil war and you are not spared as a viewer. Idris Elba plays a fantastic role in it, although the real star of the show is Agu, the boy who is forced to be a child soldier. The things he has to go through, that not only is he too young for, but that no one really should have to go through: but all told in such a way that it becomes clearer than when you turn on the news and hear about these young warriors.
7. Marriage Story
In that respect, Marriage Story is a story in which you can move more easily. This film revolves around a couple: how love blossomed, but also how it died out. There are scenes in this film that are so powerful, but at the same time so painful and recognizable, that it keeps you glued to the tube. You feel the heartbreak in your heart, as if it were about yourself. With super roles from Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver and Laura Dern. It even gave Laura her first Oscar.
8. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
This movie is a strange kind of underdog. The hype around it was huge, the first part was also very good, the cast is very famous and Glass Onion would become a hit. It was, but one appreciates it, while the other doesn’t get very happy. We mention him anyway, because guessing who cooked it all up remains cool. Moreover, it is ultimately a hugely acclaimed film, which is actually very cleverly put together.
9. Tick, Tick…BOOM!
The creator of the popular musical Hamilton has also made a Netflix movie. His directorial debut was Tick, tick…BOOM!, a film about someone who works on musicals and is looking for his own voice. Who is he as an artist? With a great role by Andrew Garfield, who even got an Oscar nomination for it. You completely go along with his story, while you hope that he does indeed have his big break.
10. The Swimmers
One of Netflix’s most painful, impactful movies is The Swimmers. It’s about girls with a great talent for swimming, who live in Syria and have to flee the war. You get to know how such a journey works. This will make you look differently at people in the Netherlands who have fled Syria. Very impressive how this story has been written: it should actually be mandatory reading for everyone. The first half of this movie is especially hard. So you see, Netflix movies are certainly not all about mindless entertainment, although as far as we’re concerned, they can also remain in the Netflix Originals new style phase.
Laura Jenny
When she’s not tapping, she’s traveling around the wonderful world of entertainment or some cool place in the real world. Mario is the man of her life,…
