It can feel like Netflix just recommends and re-recommends the same handful of original titles—but look a little deeper and you’ll find a treasure trove of cinematic gems.
We’re talking everything from beloved black-and-white stories to British classics, and smaller arthouse oddities from around the world. Lillian Crawford chooses the top 25 feature-length offerings available to Netflix UK subscribers.
An Easy Girl (2019)
Watch on NetflixRebecca Zlotowski’s latest film is a hidden gem on Netflix—a streaming service which does little to celebrate its non-Anglophone and arthouse releases. It’s a stunning reworking of the films of Éric Rohmer, taking control of the male gaze to give its female characters autonomy over their own bodies and how they use them. Certainly one to warm you up during these winter months.
Atlantics (2019)
Watch on NetflixMati Diop’s feature adaptation of her own short film Atlantiques is a chilling ghost story about social oppression in Senegal. With a breathtaking performance from Mama Sane, Atlantics defies genre classification as it refuses to move in the direction you expect. It’s always worth looking through the world cinema section in the Netflix archive.
Babyteeth (2019)
Watch on NetflixBabyteeth was another film to be affected in its release by COVID, and has been tucked away on Netflix. Eliza Scanlen is utterly heartbreaking as terminally-ill Millie in Shannon Murphy’s beautiful directorial debut. With a similarly devastating supporting turn from Ben Mendelsohn as Millie’s father, this is one you’ll want to have a box of tissues at hand for.
Chicken Run (2000)
Watch on NetflixThere’s a sequel in the works, but there will only ever be one Chicken Run. Perhaps Aardman’s best feature film, it’s a hilarious and surprisingly dark take on the PoW-escape genre which dares to tackle the subject of death in ways few children’s movies do. Still, it’s a Christmas staple that remains as entertaining as it was in the year of its release.
The Death of Stalin (2017)
Watch on NetflixThere are plenty of great black comedies available on Netflix, but few are as perfectly executed as Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin. Making a mockery of Soviet high command during the turmoil of their leader’s demise, the film takes a necessary turn for the macabre towards the end that drives home a powerful political message. Simon Russell Beale manages to stand head-and-shoulders above a pretty faultless ensemble of actors.
Disclosure (2020)
Watch on NetflixOne of Netflix’s most powerful documentary productions is Disclosure, which gives voice to trans creatives within the entertainment industry. While time constraints often make the arguments reductive, the film opens up a conversation about representation which highlights the negative impact of the media on trans lives. It’s also a great introduction to trans-positive media—for instance, the Wachowskis’ tremendous series Sense8 is also available to stream on Netflix.
Gypsy: Live From the Savoy Theatre (2015)
Watch on NetflixThough not a ‘film’ as such, Lonny Price’s production of the musical Gypsy is an absolute must see. The legendary Stephen Sondheim passed away in November, and while he didn’t write the music for this one, his lyrics are some of the greatest ever penned. Imelda Staunton brings them to life magically, and her rendition of ‘Everything’s Coming Up Roses’ is one for the history books.
Hannah Gadsby: Nanette (2018)
Watch on NetflixA somewhat controversial choice as stand-up specials aren’t strictly ‘movies’, but Hannah Gadsby’s 2018 special Nanette simply has to be included. It’s utterly hilarious and completely emotionally devastating, one of the most powerful reflections on gender and sexuality ever put to screen. Don’t forget to also check out Gadsby’s other Netflix special Douglas, also streaming now.
Howards End (1992)
Watch on NetflixThere are a lot of costume dramas on Netflix, perhaps bolstered by the success of Bridgerton, but few compare in quality to Merchant-Ivory’s adaptation of Howards End by E.M. Forster. With a stellar British cast led by Emma Thompson and Helena Bonham-Carter, the film deftly takes us through the complex politics of estate management and inheritance. Exactly the sort of classic that begs to be watched over Christmas.
I’m Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
Watch on NetflixDefinitely not for everyone, but if you’re a fan of the twisted mind of writer-director Charlie Kaufman, you’re in for a wild ride. What starts out like a theatre play, starring Jessie Buckley, Jesse Plemons, Toni Collette, and David Thewlis, takes a bizarre turn for the worst in ways that are constantly surprising. This is a movie you’ll want to mull over for a while afterwards.
Jackie (2016)
Watch on NetflixBefore there was Spencer there was Jackie—a stylistically similar but far richer and subtler biopic also directed by Pablo Larraín. Natalie Portman gives a transformative performance as Jackie O, never falling into pale imitation. The film also features one of the greatest scores of all time, composed by Mica Levi.
Little Women (2019)
Watch on NetflixRecently added to Netflix is a perfect winter treat—Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. With an all-star cast led by Saoirse Ronan as Jo March, the film takes a non-linear approach to the source material that draws parallels that might otherwise go undetected. If you’re looking for something to warm the cockles of your heart this Christmas, this is the film for you.
The Lure (2015)
Watch on NetflixAnother arthouse pick tucked away in the Netflix library is a Polish musical about lesbian mermaids. If that brief description hasn’t sold it to you already, the effects are astonishing and the songs menacingly catchy, topped off by a melancholy sincerity that hits hard towards the climax. There certainly isn’t another film on Netflix quite like it.
Mank (2020)
Watch on NetflixMank is a gorgeous black-and-white fable about the writing of Orson Welles’s Citizen Kane which launched directly to streaming during the COVID pandemic. The film marks a tonal shift for director David Fincher and his musical collaborators Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. It also features some career-best performances from Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, and Tuppence Middleton, which aren’t to be missed.
Morvern Callar (2002)
Watch on NetflixThere are many great films directed by women on Netflix, of which Morvern Callar is a standout. Lynne Ramsay’s second feature is a darkly comedic drama about the titular woman (played by Samantha Morton) navigating the fallout of her partner’s death. With a killer soundtrack and stunning cinematography, Morvern Callar is possibly the best British film on Netflix.
The Other Side of the Wind (2018)
Watch on NetflixThank God for Peter Bogdanovich and the team who restored this long-lost masterpiece by Orson Welles. Taking a radically experimental approach to the self-reflexive genre, The Other Side of the Wind puts legendary auteur John Huston in the spotlight as a fictional director throwing a party on the last day of his life. Be sure to watch it on the biggest screen you can, and revel in that stunning jazz score by the late great Michel Legrand.
Roma (2018)
Watch on NetflixTurning away from his late blockbuster career, director Alfonso Cuarón revisits his Mexican roots in this tender portrait of a domestic worker during the 1970s. Based on his own memories of childhood, the film uses its black-and-white cinematography perfectly to capture the sizzling atmosphere of the time, with a cracking soundtrack to boot. And if that doesn’t convince you, Yalitza Aparacio’s performance is an all-timer.
Shirley (2019)
Watch on NetflixQuite a few of the best films on Netflix arrived without fanfare, including this haunting tale directed by Josephine Decker. The film is a fictional account of the inspiration for the novel Hangsaman by Shirley Jackson, played exquisitely by Elisabeth Moss. Be sure to listen out for the cacophonous score by Tamar-kali which does so much for the film’s unsettling atmosphere.
Spirited Away (2001)
Watch on NetflixThis spot belongs to all the Studio Ghibli animated films collectively available on Netflix in the UK, more accessible than ever before. Available in the original Japanese and English-dubbed versions, Spirited Away remains a shining masterpiece for director Hayao Miyazaki, who has recently come out of retirement (again) to make another feature. If you haven’t seen any Ghibli films yet, this is a great place to start.
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Watch on NetflixIt’s worth shouting out another great musical from the mind of Maestro Sondheim. Tim Burton’s 2007 adaptation of Sweeney Todd is one of the director’s greatest efforts, his own macabre sensibility lending itself perfectly to the horrifying subject of Sondheim’s musical. With wall-to-wall show-stopping bangers, Sweeney Todd is a musical treat not to be missed.
Tamara Drewe (2010)
Watch on NetflixStephen Frears’s modern take on Thomas Hardy’s Far From the Madding Crowd is a non-stop romp. Gemma Arterton takes on the titular 21st-century Bathsheba Everdeen who struggles to choose between a trio of suitors, played by Luke Evans, Dominic Cooper, and the formidable Roger Allam. There’s also a moving supporting role for Tamsin Grieg which adds to weight to the outlandish antics.
Taylor Swift: Miss Americana (2020)
Watch on NetflixIf you aren’t already a Swiftie, Miss Americana is the documentary to convert you. It’s a refreshingly honest and frank film about Taylor Swift in which she discusses the toll of fame on her mental health and wellbeing. It also reveals the power of music-making and how Swift’s art resonates with so many people throughout the world.
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Watch on NetflixWith Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest flick Licorice Pizza on the way, it’s worth revisiting his earlier masterpieces. There Will Be Blood remains one of his most brilliant films, an adaptation of the novel Oil! which marked Anderson’s first collaboration with actor Daniel Day-Lewis. It was also the first of his film’s to be scored by Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood, whose groaning strings pervade the landscape of the film.
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011)
Watch on NetflixFollowing the death of the great crime writer John Le Carré, it’s well worth revisiting this adaptation of his finest novel, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. With a chilling score by Alberto Iglesias, Gary Oldman brings an enigmatic quietness to his turn as George Smiley as he attempts to uncover a mole in British intelligence. Quite a different take on the genre to your average Bond film.
Wuthering Heights (2011)
Watch on NetflixAnother great literary adaptation currently available on Netflix is Andrea Arnold’s take on Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë. Focusing solely on the first half of the book, the film is more an atmospheric evocation of the novel’s themes rather than an objective translation, evoking the fog, wind, and rain of the moors. You can also stream Arnold’s bleak drama Fish Tank on the service now.
