Over the past few years, Netflix has managed to consistently produce some amazing original films, so much so it’s extremely hard to whittle this list down to just seven.
But with the aid of reviews aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, here are the seven most highly ranked movies ever to be produced by the streaming service.
Unfortunately, a lot of the incredible productions didn’t make the cut - but from comedy to drama, horror to music, here is a definitive list of THE best films on Netflix...ta-dum.
Mixtape – Rotten Tomatoes rating: 100%
Set in 1999 just months before the turn of the new millennium, a 12-year-old girl called Beverly Moody (played by Gemma Brooke Allen), sets out on a mission to fix her parent’s mixtape after her Walkman destroys it.
Moody’s parents died in a car accident when she was just two, which has left her living with her grandmother ever since, so she desperately wants to discover the story behind each of the songs to keep her connected to her parents, who were only 16 years old when she was born.
There are heartwarming moments, others that are guaranteed to make you cry and of course awesome music, there’s no surprise that this movie is highly rated on Rotten Tomatoes.
His House – Rotten Tomatoes rating: 100%
Even just from watching the trailer for this film it makes you instantly scared, but instantly want to watch the whole movie at once.
A refugee couple arrive in the UK as asylum seekers after they fled war-torn South Sudan, but their fresh start isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
They are housed in a random housing estate with nothing but concrete around them, but the property is not a lot better – maggots in the leftover food isn’t even the worst part about it.
Once the lights go out, an evil being starts to terrorise the couple, sending them crazy and starting to turn them against each other.
This film is worth its 100% rating just from the trailer alone.
Lionheart – Rotten Tomatoes rating: 100%
This movie marks the first Nigerian Netflix Original movie, and what a success it was, reaching 100% on the ratings website.
After Adaeze’s father’s health takes a turn for the worse, it’s up to her, despite her uncle being appointed to step up, to run their company Lionheart which she discovers has racked up tons of debt; and she only has a matter of weeks to find the money before the business is no longer.
And if that wasn’t enough, she’s taking on the challenge in a male-dominated industry which brings up issues of its own, so Adaeze has to go above and beyond to prove herself, especially given her father initially chose his brother over her to run the company.
The film does try to put a light-hearted twist on this though, it is meant to be a comedy film after all!
The Forty-Year-Old Version – Rotten Tomatoes rating: 98%
When a playwright-turned-teacher starts getting criticised by her own students for not producing anything of note in her life, despite winning a 30 under 30 award 10 years prior, she begins to rethink her life.
Radha desperately wants to catch her big break, which sees her reinventing herself as rapper RadhaMUSPrime to rap about what being 40 means to her.
A hybrid of hiphop and theatre whilst complaining about her 40s ultimately helps her breakthrough in the industry.
Not only is this an enjoyable watch but it’s teaching us that it’s never too late to switch up your life – you’ve got to love a move with a message.
The Half of It – Rotten Tomatoes rating: 97%
This coming-of-age film sees shy and introverted Chinese American student Ellie Chu write her classmates’ essays for them while charging a fee, but despite this it doesn’t make her very popular.
But when the school jock wants her help, the unexpected happens and the two start to fall in love – it seems opposites do attract.
This appears to be just like any other American high school drama we’ve seen many times before, but it must have that something special to be given a 97% score.
*Goes straight to the Netflix search bar and cancels plans.*
Dolemite is My Name – Rotten Tomatoes rating: 97%
Filmaker Rudy Ray Moore, portrayed by Eddie Murphy, is at the centre of this biopic, but more specifically his obsense and kung-fu fighting alter-ego Dolemite.
Originally starting out as a comedian and a rap pioneer, Moore wanted to prove his doubters wrong by creating Dolemite, who went on to become a 1970’s sensation in the Blaxploitation movement.
This movie is poignant but definitely has its share of laughs – it is Eddie Murphy, what do you expect?
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom – Rotten Tomatoes rating: 97%
The late and great Chadwick Boseman plays a horn player for the legendary Mother of the Blues Ma Rainey in this film set in a recording studio Chicago in 1927.
Tensions rise between him, Rainey (Viola Davis) and their white management company when they try to control the highly influential blues artist.
Even on paper this is a recipe for disaster, but Boseman and Davis do what they normally do and knock their performances out of the park and really bring this film to life, but what else would we expect from these incredibly talented actors?
97% - not high enough for this film.
Words by Lucy Roberts for Female First, who you can follow on Twitter, @Lucy_Roberts_72.
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