The best 6 Netflix movies of all time

Although streaming service Netflix is primarily known for its good series, it also offers its subscribers an enormous range of original films. However, these tend to fade into the background, which is a shame because there are some treasures hidden among them. We have tracked down six of them for you and compared them with the IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes reviews. Et voilá, here are the 6 best Netflix films of all time:

The 6 best Netflix movies of all time

Nothing New in the West (2022)

Drama | IMDb rating: 7.8/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 90%

This remake of the classic is a gritty, suspenseful movie set in World War I. All Quiet on the Western Front is a haunting Netflix adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s novel of the same name.

The award-winning film tells the story of young soldier Paul Bäumer, who enlists at the front during the First World War full of idealism. He is soon confronted with the brutal reality of war, which destroys his innocence and his belief in honor and heroism. With breathtaking images, a gripping production and an impressive acting performance, the film vividly captures the cruelty and senselessness of war. All Quiet on the Western Front is a timeless and universal warning about the horrors of war that is both emotionally and visually deeply moving.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)

Comedy, Drama, Western | IMDb rating: 7.2/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 89%

This unique anthology film from the Coen brothers tells six stories in the Wild West that couldn’t be more different. Presented exclusively on Netflix, the film offers a masterful blend of black humor, tragedy and surreal elements embedded in the iconic landscapes of the American West. Each episode explores a different facet of life and death in this harsh era, carried by Coen’s signature themes of fate, greed, morality and the absurdities of human existence.

The film begins with the eponymous story of Buster Scruggs, a singing gunslinger whose charming demeanor stands in grotesquely brutal contrast to the violence he unleashes. Other episodes range from a tragic gold prospecting adventure in which a man conquers nature alone, to a dark tale about a carriage ride that serves as a profound reflection on life and death. In between, there is a romance on a settler’s trek that tells of loss and hope, and the story of a traveling showman who shows the bitter reality of exploitation.

With a top-class cast, including Tim Blake Nelson, Liam Neeson, James Franco and Zoe Kazan, the characters are portrayed with great depth and diversity. The impressive landscape shots and the harmonious musical score lend the film a visual and emotional intensity that both entertains the audience and makes them think.

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is far more than a simple western tale – it is a philosophical journey that takes on new themes and perspectives with each story. The film combines the grotesque with the poetic and is a must-see for fans of the Coen brothers as well as anyone who appreciates stories that weave humor and tragedy in a unique way.

Beasts of No Nation (2015)

Drama, War | IMDb rating: 7.7/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 92%

A moving war drama about a boy named Agu who joins the civil war as a child soldier: The setting is initially a West African village where Agu lives with his family. One day, when the village is overrun and conquered by militias, he manages to escape into the jungle, while his father and older brother are executed. His escape soon comes to an end when he is picked up by a mercenary unit and trained as a child soldier. The rebel unit is led by a man whom everyone refers to only as “Commandant”. Using numerous brutal means, he forces Agu and many other children to learn about the horrors and mechanisms of war.

“Beasts of No Nation” is not for the faint-hearted, as the film takes the viewer on an emotional rollercoaster ride of suffering and hope, pure emotion and ice-cold horror. However, it is not about blunt violence, but about the horror behind it and the effects of war on children and those involved.

Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018)

Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi | IMDb rating: 7.2/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 72%

“Black Mirror: Bandersnatch” is a separate movie to the Netflix sci-fi series of the same name, which is known for its dark, dystopian scenarios about people, media and technology. The film is set in 1984 and tells the story of the young programmer Stefan, who wants to publish a novel called “Bandersnatch” as a video game. The book has an interactive structure, meaning that it repeatedly presents the reader with decisions and – depending on this – allows them to jump to certain pages in order to read the rest of the plot.

The exciting thing here is that the movie works in exactly the same way as the novel, but instead you “flip pages” on Netflix. At various points in the movie, options are displayed that the viewer can select. But beware: your decisions change the plot and the outcome of the movie! Wrong decisions that would end the movie prematurely take the viewer back to the starting point to give the plot a more meaningful twist. With over 300 hours of footage, the movie has a considerable number of parallel storylines and twists. It becomes clear that Bandersnatch is not a movie to sit back and relax, but requires constant concentration from its viewers. The story itself is not exactly simply constructed, which is reinforced by the many decision options. However, anyone who has no problem with this and is enthusiastic about interactive stories should definitely give Bandersnatch a try.

The Black Diamond (2020)

Crime, Comedy, Thriller | IMDb rating: 7.6/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 92%

New York jeweler Howie Ratner (masterfully played by Adam Sandler) is always on the lookout for the next big score. His life never stands still: he races from one deal to the next, haggling over dizzying sums and risking his hard-earned money for even higher profits. However, his deals rarely turn out well for him, which is why Ratner has accumulated a huge pile of debt over the years. This could soon change when he comes across an extremely valuable black gemstone that has been smuggled into the USA from the diamond mines of Ethiopia in a not entirely legal manner. He senses a deal worth millions, the decisive coup with which he can satisfy his creditors and get his life back on track. But when basketball player Kevin Garnett (played by himself) finds out about the black opal and negotiates a deal with Ratner, things take a sinister turn.

One of the latest additions to the Netflix repertoire that should not be missed – because “The Black Diamond” (originally “Uncut Gems”) is one of Sandler’s best films of all time.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

Comedy | IMDb rating: 7.1/10| Rotten Tomatoes: 91%

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is the highly anticipated sequel to the acclaimed crime thriller Knives Out, once again directed by Rian Johnson. The film takes viewers to an extravagant private island in Greece, where eccentric detective Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig, has a tricky new case to solve. At the center of the story is billionaire tech entrepreneur Miles Bron, who invites an illustrious group of friends and acquaintances to a luxurious weekend. What begins as a supposedly harmless party game soon turns into a deadly mystery.

With a top-class cast including Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kate Hudson and Dave Bautista, a clever, twist-filled plot full of intrigue, secrets and surprising revelations unfolds. The film shines with its sharp-witted humor, pointed dialogues and a modern satire on power, greed and human vanity. Like the titular “Glass Onion” itself, the story reveals new truths layer by layer and keeps viewers on the edge of their seats until the very end.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a visually stunning and wittily directed crime thriller that combines the spirit of classic detective stories with contemporary themes. With its distinctive characters and masterfully constructed mystery, the film is a worthy sequel and a real highlight for fans of the genre.

The Irishman (2019)

Biopic, Crime, Drama | IMDb rating: 7.9/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

You’ll need a little more time for “The Irishman”, as the gangster film runs for an impressive 209 minutes. But it also features Hollywood greats such as Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, who – let’s be honest – should not be missing from any gangster movie. The film tells the biographical story of mafia hitman Frank Sheeran, who is also known as “the Irishman” because of his Irish heritage. Frank has been working for mafia boss Russell Bufalino for many years. On his recommendation, he comes into contact with the union leader James Riddle “Jimmy” Hoffa, who has links to the Costa Nostra. A deep, long-standing friendship and partnership develops between Frank and Hoffa. In the course of the story, Frank rises to the top of the Bufalino mafia family through his professional work. One day, however, Bufalino orders him to assassinate Hoffa – and confronts Frank with a difficult decision.

“The Irishman” is the film adaptation of the true crime novel “I Heard You Paint Houses” by Charles Brandt, which deals with the true crime case surrounding Frank Sheeran. With its top-class cast and absolutely fantastic direction, this movie should definitely be on your to-do list.