Best New Movies on Netflix, Filmmaker Playlist (November 2020)

Written and Directed by Stanley Kubrick

Starring Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Michael Bates and Warren Clarke

A Clockwork Orange follows a sociopath named Alex as he engages in criminal activity throughout a dystopian England. The film has developed a contentious rhetoric in the near-50 years since its release, with some calling for its censorship and others calling for mandatory viewings.

There’s no doubt about it: A Clockwork Orange is messed up – like messed up as in psychological torture messed up. But when viewed through a satirical lens, the film proves to be a clear indictment of fascist governments and a commentary on the nature of autonomy. Oh, and the production design of the film is just about second to none.

Written by Joel Cohen and Ethan Cohen, Directed by Joel Cohen

Starring Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Harve Presnell, and Peter Stormare

Fargo is about a Minnesota police chief who becomes embroiled in a convoluted murder plot. Fargo is widely regarded as one of the best Coen brothers movies – which is saying something, considering the duo has directed some of the most acclaimed features of the past 30+ years.

Frances McDormand won her first of two Best Actress Oscars for Fargo – her other win was for Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. There’s no doubt about it: Fargo is one of the best new movies on Netflix.

Written and Directed by John Singleton

Starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Ice Cube, Morris Chestnut, Nia Long and Laurence Fishburne

Boyz n the Hood is a classic gangster movie that offers insight into the setting of south-central LA in an era of rampant drug trading, rioting, gentrification and police brutality.

Is a man a product of the environment or is the environment a product of the man? This is the question at the heart of John Singleton’s masterful 1991 film Boyz n the Hood – a near two-hour sermon on love, life, and death – delivered in good measure by Laurence Fishburne in the role of Furious Styles.

Ensemble Heist

Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

Written by Ted Griffin, Directed by Steven Soderbergh

Starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Andy Garcia, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts

Danny Ocean and his ten accomplices attempt a $150 million dollar robbery in this Steven Soderbergh classic; one of the best heist movies of all-time.

I’ve long maintained the stance that Ocean’s Eleven is the perfect casual viewing for cinema lovers. It’s breezy enough to watch with a group but it’s incredibly well-acted – and I’d argue that the film is perhaps Soderbergh’s best work.

Written and Directed by Oliver Stone

Starring Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, and Forest Whittaker

Platoon is a 1986 war film that demonstrates the Vietnam conflict through the eyes of a young idealistic private named Chris Taylor.

There are more than a few great Vietnam war movies, including but not limited to: Full Metal Jacket, Apocalypse Now, Born on the Fourth of July and The Deer Hunter. But for many, Platoon remains a standout of the subgenre – and it won Oliver Stone his first Academy Award for Best Director.

Tragedy in Paradise

The Impossible (2012)

An Unforgettable Drama

Fruitvale Station (2013)

Written and Directed by Ryan Coogler

Starring Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer and Melonie Diaz

On New Year’s Day 2009, a young man named Oscar Grant was shot by police officer Johannes Mehserle at Fruitvale Station in Oakland, California. This tragic event serves as the basis for Ryan Coogler’s feature directorial debut Fruitvale Station.

Michael B. Jordan delivers a career performance portraying Grant, offering emotional depth and raw fury with his words. Fruitvale Station is an incredibly well-directed film and helped establish Coogler as one of the best young directors working in Hollywood.

Written by Jack Thorne, Directed by Harry Bradbeer

Starring Millie Bobby Brown, Sam Claflin, Henry Cavill, and Helena Bonham Carter

Enola Holmes, a new feature from Harry Bradbeer, stars Millie Bobby Brown in the title role of Sherlock’s younger sister who goes on a quest to find her mother after she mysteriously disappears.

We’ve seen a lot of actors play Sherlock Holmes over the years, but none quite like Henry Cavill, whose stoic demeanor seems so miscasted that it’s hard not to laugh. But Cavill does a good job of supporting the star of the picture, Bobby Brown, who is given much more room to act than she is in Stranger Things.

Written and Directed by Jeff Nichols

Starring Joel Edgerton, Ruth Negga, Martin Csokas, Nick Kroll and Michael Shannon

In 1967, the United States Supreme Court voted in favor of Mildred and Richard Loving, declaring that the rejection of interracial marriages was unconstitutional. The 2016 film Loving looks back at this landmark case and the events leading up to it – including Mildred and Richard’s infamous imprisonment for cohabitation.

The film was directed by the great Jeff Nichols, who has stealthily established himself as one of the best young filmmakers in the world. Not to mention, Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga deliver powerhouse performances in the leading roles.