Best New Movies on Netflix, Ranked for Filmmakers (June 2020)

De Niro - Dark Thriller

1. Cape Fear (1991)

Den of Thieves is a movie that has its head set in the clouds of the heist movies of yore. That’s not a bad thing -- it’s always good to shoot for the stars, but the film relies far too much on tropes to have much original to say.

The cast features Gerard Butler, Pablo Schreiber, and O’Shea Jackson Jr. Although Den of Thieves wasn’t a huge-hit with critics, reports say that a sequel is already in development.

Soul Surfer follows the incredible true story of Bethany Hamilton, a professional surfer who miraculously survived a shark attack. But although Hamilton survived, she lost her left arm.

It’s a bit disappointing that Soul Surfer is so reliant on Hollywood cliches, because Hamilton’s story is anything but typical. In the end, the film is more concerned with manufacturing an inspirational message than it is with recreating the story.

June is shaping up to be Spike Lee month on Netflix. Not only is his acclaimed 2006 heist-drama Inside Man joining the service, but his new movie Da 5 Bloods (June 12) is launching on the platform as well.

Inside Man is a great film that features a near ‘hall of fame’ cast, including: Denzel Washington, Clive Owen, Jodie Foster, Christopher Plummer, Willem Dafoe, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Is The Patriot a good movie? Not particularly. Is The Patriot a responsible movie? Not at all. Is The Patriot fun to watch? Oftentimes, yes.

Mel Gibson and Heath Ledger star in The Patriot as a father-son duo who become directly involved in the American Revolutionary War. It sounds pretty interesting, and at times it is. But it’s important to remember, that many, myself included, were introduced to The Patriot in school. Now, there’s a few problems with that. Not only is The Patriot averse to historical accuracy, it purposefully neglects key aspects of history to build a sense of patrioti-- nay, nationalism.

Cracking the Ciphers

9. Zodiac (2011)

Zodiac is one of the greatest thrillers of the 21st century. It’s everything a thriller should be -- tense, taut, and totally unsettling. The video above does a great job of exploring framing decisions in its best scene. If you haven’t seen Zodiac before, check it out, then come back to watch the video later.

With a cast that features Jake Gyllenhal, Robert Downey Jr., and Mark Ruffalo, the acting in Zodiac is masterclass from start to finish.

Sinister was a huge hit in theaters, bringing in a return of its budget at the box office twenty-nine times. Film studios are always looking for the next horror movie to make a big profit, so for anyone looking to break into the genre, there’s lots to learn from Sinister.

Ethan Hawke stars in the film as a down on his luck writer that moves his family to a cursed home.

Adam Sandler was in the midst of a real bad-streak when Don’t Mess With the Zohan was released. But his performance as the Israeli super-spy Zohan really livened things up for him.

I’d love to have been a fly on the wall during the pitch meeting for Don’t Mess With the Zohan. Here’s the film’s official tag: ‘An Israeli Special Forces Soldier fakes his death so he can re-emerge in New York City as a hair stylist.’

Based on the Broadway play of the same name, West Side Story is one of the most famous musicals of all-time. Critics have long praised the 1961 film for its wardrobing, set design, and performances.

For all its accolades though, it’s hard to say West Side Story is an enduring film. Fans of musicals will surely find lots to love, but for everybody else, there’s not much to go on.

The Gunpowder Plot

15. V for Vendetta (2006)

Helen Mirren steals the show as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen. Few biopics in recent memory have been celebrated as much as The Queen for its historical detail and performances. Queen Elizabeth II admired Mirren’s performance so much that she invited her to Buckingham Palace.

For her work in the film, Mirren was given the Academy Award for Best Actress. Composer Alexandre Desplat delivered an excellent score for The Queen, which is still recognized for its quality today.

Period Piece Drama

19. The Help (2011)

The Help was a huge box-office success, grossing more than $215,000,000 on a $25,000,00 budget. It was also a hit with the Academy, receiving four nominations at the 2012 Oscars, including a win for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role (Octavia Spencer).

Not everybody was so fond of The Help though. Some critics suggested the story was too sentimental, and either ignored or altered historical facts.

The Silence of the Lambs cleaned up at the Oscars in 1992, winning five awards for: Best Picture, Best Director (Jonathan Demme), Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins), Best Actress (Jodie Foster), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Ted Hally).

Much has been said about Hopkins winning the award for Best Actor because he only appeared in 16 minutes of the film’s 138 minute run-time. But it’s hard to argue that his performance wasn’t the best of the year -- critics still cite Hopkins’ Hannibal Lecter as one of the best movie villains of all time.

Fans of cinema history are sure to find a lot to love in Trumbo; a story of the Blacklist, HUAC, and one of the greatest screenwriters of the Hollywood golden age.

Despite being blacklisted from Hollywood for his supposed Communist sympathies, Dalton Trumbo worked for years under pseudonyms. That is until Kirk Douglass put his name on the line to re-integrate Trumbo back into the industry.

Tommy Wiseau’s The Room is one of the most infamous movies ever made. Despite being universally panned by critics, it developed a cult-following and became a midnight cinema hit -- largely in part to the enigmatic qualities of its writer/director/star/producer/financier Tommy Wiseau.

The Disaster Artist brings us behind the scenes of the making-of The Room. James Franco portrays Wiseau and does an incredible job of nailing his one-in-a-million accent. There’s no doubt about it, The Disaster Artist is one of the best new movies out on Netflix.

SNL alums Tina Fey and Amy Poehler team-up on this 2008 comedy about a businesswoman who wants a child and the irresponsible surrogate mother who’s carrying it.

Baby Mama isn’t consistently funny but there are more than a couple of sharply written scenes. If you’re looking for a classic 2000’s comedy, then Baby Mama is worth checking out.

Frost/Nixon expertly recreated the famed interview between David Frost and Richard Nixon. The cast is stacked with talent, including the likes of Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Rebecca Hall, Sam Rockwell, and Frank Langella.

Langella is captivating as Nixon, even if he looks and sounds nothing like him. Ron Howard directs the picture with an incredible attention to historical detail.

Coming of Age

29. Lady Bird (2018)