Netflix is one of the leading streaming services around, with an ample selection of a variety of titles both with TV shows, movies, and even games. But what are the best original Netflix movies that you should check out? These titles are exclusive to Netflix, so if you’re debating on grabbing a membership, let these movie options be the sign to start a trial. From historical dramas to animated adventures, these are the best original Netflix movies that you should watch if you need a suggestion.
6. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
A personal favorite and one of the best original Netflix movies is The Trial of the Chicago 7, a historical legal drama starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Sacha Baron Cohen, Daniel Flaherty, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Michael Keaton, Frank Langella, and many more.
The film follows the Chicago Seven, a group of anti-Vietnam War protestors charged with conspiracy and crossing state lines to incite riots at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago. The movie was actually planned to be released by Paramount Pictures, but distribution rights to the film were sold to Netflix due to the pandemic in 2020.
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5. The Irishman (2019)
If you want more an an action-filled movie, one of the best original Netflix movies is the epic gangster film, The Irishman. The 2019 movie produced and directed by Martin Scorsese stars Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci, and is based on the 2004 book by Charles Brandt.
The film follows Frank Sheeran, a truck driver who becomes a hitman involved with mobster Rusell Bufalino and his crime family before later working for the powerful Teamster Jimmy Hoffa. The epic three-hour film is one of the best movies around right now and is a must-see if you have a Netflix subscription.
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4. Marriage Story (2019)
Switching from crime dramas to romantic drama, we have Marriage Story, a 2019 film starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver.
It’s one of the best original Netflix movies, following the two characters playing a couple going through a bi-coastal divorce complicated by custody issues surrounding their son. The divorce pushes them to their personal and creative extremes and is an incisive and compassionate look at a marriage breaking up, yet with a family staying together.
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3. The Battered Bastards of Baseball (2014)
This 2014 documentary is a must-watch if you have a Netflix subscription and enjoy learning more about sports. The film is about the Portland Mavericks, a defunct minor-league baseball team in Oregon. They played five seasons in the Class A-Short Season Northwest League from 1973 to 1977 and were owned by actor Bing Russell.
The Mavericks were an independent team, without the affiliation of a parent team in the major leagues. The group of outcasts and misfits was turned into an unlikely overnight success. This sports documentary is by far one of the best original Netflix movies you can watch.
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2. Klaus (2019)
It doesn’t have to be the Christmas season to get into the spirit, and Klaus is the perfect option if you’re looking for a wholesome, beautiful movie. The animated Christmas comedy was written and directed by Sergio Pablos as his directional debut and features voices from Jason Schwartzman, J.K. Simmons, Rashida Jones, Will Sasso, Pablos, and many more.
The movie is an alternate origin story of Santa Claus using a fictional 19th-century setting, revolving around a postman stationed in an island town to the far North who befriends a reclusive toymaker named Klaus. It’s an adorable film to watch with the kids and is one of the best original Netflix movies out there.
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1. 13th (2016)
One of the best original Netflix movies that everyone needs to see is 13th, the 2016 documentary film that explores the prison-industrial complex and the intersection of race, justice, and mass incarceration in the United States. The title refers to the 13th amendment adopted in 1865 which abolished slavery throughout the United States, except as punishment for convicted criminals.
The film argues that this exemption has been used to continue the practice of involuntary servitude in the form of penal labor. Everyone with a Netflix subscription should take the time to watch this amazing documentary and think about the questions that it poses.