Amazingly-Directed Netflix Movies

There Will Be Blood (2007)

Adapting Upton Sinclair’s book Oil!  proved to be an arduous task. P.T. Anderson studied the oil industry as it was in the early 20th century and took several trips to Bakersfield, CA to learn more about oilmen of the time period. While the movie is based on the novel, Anderson created something all on its own, but the novel became more of a collaborator than a direct source. The result is one of the few films of the 21st century that can genuinely be called a masterpiece.

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The Death of Stalin (2018)

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The Florida Project (2017)

Disney may not want anyone filming at their parks and resorts without their permission, but that didn’t stop Sean Baker from doing so. He used an iPhone 6S Plus and a minimal crew to film some scenes at the resort, and it’s truly intriguing to watch how they kept the aesthetic of the film during those portions. It’s not just a gimmick, either. The idea of Disney World ties into the themes of childhood and how children are uniquely qualified to create their own form of happiness.

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The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

What makes a good horror film? You may not think The Killing of a Sacred Deer is horror on its surface, but the way it churns the stomach is similar to what you would get watching any gore fest. You know these characters are heading for oblivion, and all you can do is watch as you recognize their lives are taking a dramatic turn for the worse at every corner.

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The Master (2012)

Out of all of PT Anderson’s films, The Master might be the most engrossing. That’s in part due to a trio of incredible performances from Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Amy Adams.

While the film’s critique of cults of personality may have its sights set on Scientology, The Master is more broadly about humans’ need for belonging and stability. It’s PT Anderson’s masterpiece and about as perfect as a film can get.

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The Bling Ring (2013)

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Sweeney Todd (2007)

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street is one of Tim Burton’s best films. The macabre subject matter of this musical is brilliantly filmed and its surreal qualities are ideally suited to the director’s sensibility.

Burton blends musical performance and horror tropes splendidly. Instead of adopting the style of other musicals, Burton takes creative license wherever possible to align Sweeney Todd’s source material with his own singular vision.

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Taylor Swift: Miss Americana (2020)

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Frances Ha (2013)

Frances Ha is content to move at its own pace. While the film’s narrative may wander, you never really mind because Greta Gerwig is utterly charming as the titular character. Frances moves along trying to make something out of life, before discovering what she needs to do to actually have a life in the first place.

It’s one indie comedy that has grown better with age. As millennials like Frances get over and grow discontent with drifting through life, they may also need to make some concessions. Frances Ha is at times funny and others heartbreaking.

Netflix Original Movies

Atlantics (2019)

List of Best Netflix Original Movies

Love Wedding Repeat (2020)

The romantic comedy is alive and well on Netflix. The platform has made a name for itself as a home where original comedies can thrive, which is great because then we get Love Wedding Repeat. It’s a wedding-gone-wrong picture but with an intriguing fantasy twist. What makes the story work so well is that even when you think everything will go according to plan, it still manages to squeeze out conflict and have you wondering how everything will shake out.

Coraline picked up the torch from The Nightmare Before Christmas and delivered an entertaining, albeit sometimes frightening, stop-motion animation film. It’s visually stunning, complemented by frames of utter beauty and significant terror.

You don’t need to have a kid to cue up Coraline on Netflix one night. The film has enough emotional weight to ring true with any audience. It’ll remind you of the horrors of childhood while also filling you with hope for the future.

You didn’t expect to find Tremors on this list, did you? When you want plain good B-movie fun on a Friday night, Tremors is where it’s at. The film pokes fun at the tropes of creature features without ever tipping over into self-parody. And not only does it establish a serious set of rules—it actually follows them.

All of this results in one of the best monster movies of the 1990s. And if you like what you see, you’ll be happy to learn it has a plethora of sequels, each one more insane than the last.

Documentaries are interesting to create. You may set out with one idea in mind but change the film’s focus halfway through production. The filmmakers behind American Factory had that happen as they decided during the editing process to focus on the experiences of average workers at an Ohio plant during a takeover from a Chinese business. The decision was a good one. The film would go on to win Best Documentary Feature at the Academy Awards.

Netflix Original Documentaries

Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution 

Directors Nicole Newnham and James LeBrecht wanted to create an experience as though the viewer was being transported to Camp Jened while watching Crip Camp. They expected people to feel uncomfortable at first but slowly realize how joyous of a camp it is. An audience will get to witness a teen disability summer camp up close and personal, providing an enlightening look at the struggle the disabled community has had in the fight for civil rights.

Must Watch Netflix Originals

Tigertail (2020)

Themes of family can be found in Alan Yang’s other Netflix work, Master of None. Tigertail is his feature-length debut as a director, and he’s carried those themes with him into this new film about an intergenerational family’s experiences with trying to attain the American Dream. It’s a quiet  yet fleshed-out look at what it means to be an immigrant with all of the characters getting a chance to shine.

Best Movies on Netflix From 2018

Burning (2018)

American Honey proves one thing: Shia LaBeouf is one hell of an actor. LaBeouf starred in a stint of popcorn films that rarely gave him much room to showcase his talent, but his range has been on full display for several years now, and that renaissance arguably began with American Honey.

American Honey is a different kind of coming-of-age film, set against a backdrop of partying and debauchery. It’s a challenging film for sure, but if you can make it through its nearly three-hour runtime, you’ll be rewarded.

It’s hard to find a good parody movie these days. So many give into “reference” jokes where you just mention a pop culture thing and expect it to give a laugh. The reason films like The Naked Gun work well is that they stand up as their own movies. They have plots and characters you like, and they just happen to poke fun at other movies. But at their core, you can also sense a respect for the genre. The filmmakers obviously love police movies, and you can see that love on display, which is something you can’t say for something like Disaster Movie, Epic Movie, or any other “Insert Word Here” Movie.

Older Movies on Netflix

Malcolm X (1992)

Malcolm X provides an excellent template for screenwriters on how to write a biography. It’s epic enough in scope to properly mythologize the man but also personal enough to where he feels human. Spike Lee and Denzel Washington is a collaboration made in movie heaven, and Malcolm X remains top tier on their respective filmographies.

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Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)

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Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond (2017)

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The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)

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Cargo (2018)

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To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018)

There’s one thing To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before does incredibly well where other rom-coms fall short. The lead, Lara Jean, never changes who she is as a person. Instead, she discovers new aspects of herself while remaining ultimately the same person. There’s growth, but there’s also a message about how you don’t have to change who you are to find love. It’s a great message for teens, and it makes this a refreshingly unique rom-com.

List of Top Rated Netflix Movies

Road to Perdition (2002)

Before Sam Mendes directed a pair of James Bond films and the Oscar-winning 1917, he directed Road to Perdition, an exciting film that looks at how children process family. It’s precisely this idea that attracted Mendes to the project in addition to the fact there were no moral absolutes. Practically everyone in the film is compromised in some way, and the audience is left to deal with it all in the murky grays.

Netflix Movies Based on a True Story

The Runaways (2010)

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is noteworthy for being the last film the late Heath Ledger starred in. (Ledger passed away before the crew finished filming, so director Terry Gilliam had to bring on Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell to finish his parts.) Considering all that went on behind the scenes, it’s impressive to see how all these moving parts mostly came together.

Though slightly disjointed, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus is visually stunning. Discovering this overlooked gem is a great way to pay tribute to one of the finest actors of the 2000s.

The Lab of Madness consists of Jeremy Saulnier, Christopher Sharp, and Macon Blair who shot films together back in the 1980s. After they had plenty of experience under their belts, they shot their first feature Murder Party even with no budget in place. The minimal budget aesthetic adds to the gonzo nature of the film, and while it’s not recommended for those with weak stomachs, avid horror fans will find a new gem.

Sin City is noteworthy because three directors ultimately shared credit: Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller, and Quentin Tarantino. Their kinetic directorial styles combined with a fierce devotion to filming the sources material as closely as possible led to a thriller roller coaster ride that’s just as pretty to look at today as it did in 2005.

You have to give credit to Horns for really shooting for the moon. Daniel Radcliffe stars as a man wanted for the murder of his girlfriend. He inexplicably grows horns, which compels him to admit to his greatest sins and submit to his basest impulses.

Many people may not realize that Ip Man is based on a true story. The real Ip Man was a master of Wing Chun, and from that story came an amazing franchise with stunning fight choreography. Donnie Yen kills it in the title role, and when you watch the first one, you’ll immediately want to binge the rest, which also happen to be on Netflix.

The 1980s spawned plenty of classic horror films, but none have aged quite as well as Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead. Its sequels may have darted in more comedic directions, but the original remains a masterclass in blending pitch black humor with full-blown horror.

The premise is simple: A group of friends escape to a cabin in the woods and come face to face with demonic spirits. But The Evil Dead unfolds at a kinetic pace that’s rarely been matched, with each shot meticulously composed and carefully placed. It’s a rollercoaster ride of terror, and one that’s still scarier than most horror movies being released today.