Dive into the wonderful world of cinema.
How often do you find yourself scrolling through the infinite scroll of online-streaming platforms and only seeing movies you’ve seen before, others you have no real interest in seeing and more that are just fillers all thanks to the algorithm that knows what you like? (Featured image: @jonasleupe)
It’s a bubble of our own making and though it can be cosy by making life quick and simple when you just want to throw something on and forget about your day, there is a universe of movies out there, especially on Netflix which is releasing a new movie every week this year.
And, there are some absolute stonewall classics on Netflix so we’ve compiled a list of some of the most critically acclaimed movies on Netflix Australia for you.
From screaming ”Here’s Johnny” to exclaiming ”Any fool with a dick can make a baby, but only a real man can raise his children”, here are some of the top movies on Netflix Australia just waiting patiently for you to stream them.
1. Back To The Future (1985)
The greatest sci-fi movie of all time? Very possibly. Join Marty McFly and Doc on this journey back in time to discover truths about the past and make sure his parents get together like they’re supposed to. It’s a whirlwind, and it’s a Robert Zemeckis masterpiece.
2. The Blues Brothers (1980)
This wonderful musical comedy tells the tale of Jake (John Belushi) joining forces with his brother Elwood (Dan Aykroyd) to save an orphanage they grew up in, which they must raise using the power of their music.
3. Black Swan (2010)
A stunning, Oscar-winning performance from Natalie Portman sees her portray the contrasting roles of the black and white swan in a performance of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Flittering between the grip of reality when challenged by another performer, what unwraps is a bumpy and sensational ride, making Black Swan one of the most essential viewings of the last decade.
4. Inception (2010)
This bizarre Christopher Nolan picture goes deep inside the mind. Inception stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a thief who takes information from targets by entering their dreams.
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5. Trainspotting (1996)
Follow Renton (Ewan McGregor) and his gang as you dive deep into the deep struggles of heroin addicts and the difficulty of “choosing life” in Edinburgh during the 1980s.
6. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
A classic tale starring Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep, depicting the fallout in a marriage that turns sour – and the issue of their son’s custody.
7. Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)
Indiana Jones’ (Harrison Ford) first appearance on the big screen, and boy was it quite something. Follow Indy as he heroically restores biblical artefacts using his trusty whip.
8. The Shining (1980)
Perhaps the finest adaptation of a Stephen King story to date, The Shining – with the help of Kubrick’s marvellous gaze – follows a family who go to live in a deserted hotel in the middle of nowhere. What starts happening to the mind of Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) is as mind-blowing at it is twisted, and presents a terrifying situation for wife (Shelley Duvall) and son (Danny Lloyd).
9. The Dark Knight (2008)
Widely regarded as the finest edition of Batman on the big screen. Watch Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) take on the legendary portrayal of the Joker from the late Heath Ledger, this mind-melting Christopher Nolan picture around Gotham City.
10. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1980)
This musical horror-comedy is one of the most beloved of its kind, dragging you into the world of the wonderful and the weird. A couple break down and find shelter at this bizarre hotel, and the following events are truly magical.
11. Boyz N The Hood (1991)
With a star-studded cast including Ice Cube and Laurence Fishburne, Boyz N The Hood focuses in on childhood friends in South-Central Los Angeles chasing their dreams while grappling with their neighbourhood filled with violence.
12. The Godfather (1972)
Claimed by many to simply be the greatest piece of American cinema to date, Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather is a mammoth of a journey into the world of Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), who grants his son control of his mafia empire.
13. Scarface (1983)
A fine performance from Al Pacino sees him take on the role of Tony Montana, a Cuban refugee who creates a drug empire in Miami. It’s a rollercoaster of a tale with many a bullet to be fired through the course of viewing.
14. The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)
What more can be said about The Wolf Of Wall Street? If you haven’t seen it, gather up the snacks and flick this Scorsese marathon onto your screens as soon as you can. You’ll be taken on a whirlwind adventure through the rise and fall of stockbroker Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) as he attempts to scam and lie his way to greatness while trying to maintain the party lifestyle.
15. American Gangster (2007)
This Ridley Scott biographical drama is fictionally based on the life of Frank Lucas, a heroin smuggler who got his supply into the country on returning planes from the Vietnam war. Lucas (Denzel Washington) is pursued and faces the trial of detective and lawyer Ritchie Roberts (Russel Crowe).
16. Sorry To Bother You (2018)
A glorious directorial debut from Boots Riley follows Cassius Green (Lakeith Stanfield) who works at a corporate telemarketing job which he initially uncomfortable with. He must then choose between money and his activist friends in this rollercoaster of a comedy film.
17. The Handmaiden (2016)
The Handmaiden is a Korean psychological thriller, set during the era of Japanese colonial rule. It closely follows a con-man (Kim Tae-ri) attempting to seduce Japanese heiress Lady Hideko (Ha Jung-woo) out of her inheritance.
18. Hereditary (2018)
A chilling, terrifying stormer of a horror movie. Ari Aster and A24 combine beautifully to create perhaps the best movie in its genre of the 2010s. Hereditary portrays the haunting of each family member in different ways as they grieve a lost relative, coming together to form a shocking, revelatory experience.
19. American Psycho (2000)
An iconic adaptation of Brett Easton Ellis’s novel, Mary Harron’s American Psycho is best known for the overpowering performance of Christian Bale, who plays the stalking, smirking, slashing character of Patrick Bateman. Sit back and watch as he attempts to keep his psychopathic tendencies a secret from those around him.
20. Prisoners (2013)
This dark and brooding Dennis Villeneuve thriller places Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal) in charge of a child abduction investigation after a young girl is taken in broad daylight. Meanwhile, the despaired father (Hugh Jackman) decides to follow several leads of his own.
21. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
An unflinching look at the Vietnam war from Stanley Kubrick. Full Metal Jacket tackles the gruelling toll taken on soldiers in their training, before having even set foot overseas, and the horror that ensues once they do.
22. Merku Thodarchi Malai (2018)
This Tamil Indian language film is the tale of a farmer (Antony) and a group of landless workers facing challenges against local law enforcement after commercialisation creates conflict in the village.
23. Forrest Gump (1994)
One of the most famous walk-throughs of America’s recent history, following the life of Forrest (Tom Hanks) talking through his life experiences and tragic events. It’s as unequivocally heart-breaking as it is uplifting and lives by the mantra “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you’re going to get.”
24. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
This magnificent Ang Lee picture is a tale of destiny, as a Chinese warrior (Chow Yun-Fat) steals a legendary sword in the late years of the Qing dynasty. He then trusts the sword with Yu Shu Lien (Michelle Yeo), who must deliver the precious item to Governor Yu (Li Fazeng).
25. Goodfellas (1990)
This Martin Scorsese epic follows the life of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) as he works his way up the organised-crime ladder. You’ve got hysterical laughter, wise-cracks, and digging graves with Robert De Niro all in the streets of Brooklyn. What more could you need from one of the greatest films ever made?
26. Snatch (2000)
A hilarious and gritty British comedy-drama from Guy Ritchie comes in the form of Snatch. Follow Brad Pitt, Vinnie Jones, Jason Statham and the crew in the world of underground boxing, petty crime and more.
27. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)
The last of the eighties trio of Indiana Jones movies, and what a fine way to bow out until 2008. Indy (Harrison Ford) must take a journey to save his absent father (Sean Connery) and repair their relationship in the process after he is kidnapped by a group of Nazis.
28. Spirited Away (2001)
The magnum opus of the fine set of Studio Ghibli movies. Spirited Away follows Chihiro, or Sen, which her name becomes when she is searching for her missing parents who were turned into pigs in the spiritual world of the wicked witch, Yubaba.
29. Seven (1995)
A chaotic and mysterious David Fincher movie, following Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt investigating a killer using the seven deadly sins as themes in their murders.
30. The Invisible Guest (2016)
A dark, mysterious story of a man waking up next to his dead partner, with seemingly no recollection of what has happened. Or, so he says… It follows the complex investigation that follows the murder, with many a twist and turn along the bumpy road to the truth.
31. My Neighbour Totoro (1988)
Another glorious Studio Ghibli picture that simply warms the heart, no matter how many times you’ve seen it. My Neighbour Totoro shows Mei and Satsuki befriending the spirits around their house when their mother is in hospital, and find their way to a magical world.
32. Vertigo (1958)
Considered by many to be Hitchcock’s finest hour, Vertigo follows Scottie (James Stewart), an old detective who is forced to retire after an incident at work leads him to suffer from Acrophobia. However, the story descends into mystery once Scottie is hired to investigate an acquaintance’s wife…
33. The Matrix (1999)
A mind-bending picture that pits Neo (Keanu Reeves) against powerful computers in a world of The Matrix that threatens existence. With the help of Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), Neo confronts the evil forces in an iconic showdown with bending bullets.
34. Searching (2018)
A unique picture that’s filmed entirely on the point of view of a father’s computer screen, who must try and uncover the mystery of where his daughter has disappeared to after she doesn’t return home. Despite the filming limitations it sets itself, Searching is the exact level of nail-biting that we all crave in a thriller.
35. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
After having a curse placed on her to turn her into an old lady, Sophie stumbles into the magical but messy world of Howl the wizard. However, the darkness manages to follow them around, and she must help Howl get out of a sticky situation.
36. Ten Years (2015)
This Hong Kong picture is a dystopian vision into the year 2025, in which the government rapidly takes away human rights and freedoms.