If you want to find the movies that balanced high-gloss Hollywood production with actual directorial soul, you have to look at the best Netflix Original Movies. As the streaming giant has evolved into a major studio player, Netflix Films has increasingly invested in prestige projects that champion the “Pro Toolkit”: surgical blocking, tactile world-building, and scripts that don’t just rely on spectacle to keep the audience leaning in. These are the films that feel like they were made by human beings with a specific visual point of view, consistently pushing creative boundaries and delivering cinematic impact directly to your screen.
Finding the best Netflix Original Movies means cutting through their vast library to discover the films that define technical mastery and artistic vision. We’ve scoured the Netflix Films archives to find 10 high-craft picks that we have **never mentioned** in any of our previous 40+ blogs—no repeats from major studios like Sony, Paramount, or Warner Bros. These are fresh, pro-level essentials that every cinephile needs to see if they care about the evolution of the modern studio system and what streaming has brought to the table. Let’s get into the high-confidence winners.
Best for: Cinephiles looking for Netflix studio hits and independent masterpieces that offer elite cinematography, surgical editing, and pro-level directing.
Common cinephile pain points this list solves: Wasting time on “committee-led” blockbusters / Weightless CGI / Poor sound mixing in modern films / Not knowing which Netflix masterpieces actually offer a directorial soul.
Related Lists: The Best Studio Movies Worth Watching / Movies That Set the Standards in Cinema / Editor’s Picks: The Best Movies / Handpicked Movies Worth Watching
What to watch for
When you jump into these Netflix Original classics, pay attention to the **Scene Economy.** A great Netflix film uses its budget to make every frame count—look for how the directors use blocking to show character power shifts and how the sound design builds a physical sense of space. Notice the **visual intentionality**; these films won by using the full frame to tell the story, which is the hallmark of high-quality filmmaking.
10 best Netflix Original Movies
1. Roma (2018) 🇲🇽
Director/Creator: Alfonso Cuarón
Plot: A year in the life of a middle-class family in Mexico City in the early 1970s, seen through the eyes of their devoted domestic worker, Cleo.
IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why it’s a classic: Cuarón’s intimate epic is a monumental achievement in **visually authored cinematography** and **tactile world-building**. Shot in stunning black and white, every frame is meticulously composed, creating a profound sense of place and time. The **surgical sound design**, utilizing Dolby Atmos to immerse viewers in the bustling city, is as crucial as the visuals. Through long takes and precise **blocking**, Cuarón crafts a deeply personal narrative with universal resonance, a true pro-level masterpiece.
2. The Irishman (2019) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Martin Scorsese
Plot: Hitman Frank Sheeran recounts his life of crime and his involvement with the Bufalino crime family and Teamster leader Jimmy Hoffa.
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why it’s a classic: Scorsese’s sprawling crime saga is a masterclass in **epic script economy** and **surgical blocking**. With a runtime that allows for generational scope, the film features legendary performances framed by Scorsese’s signature **visually authored direction**. The **tactile world-building** of mid-20th century American organized crime feels utterly authentic, while the contemplative **rhythmic pacing** allows for a profound meditation on loyalty, mortality, and regret, solidifying its place as a pro-level late-career triumph.
3. Marriage Story (2019) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Noah Baumbach
Plot: A stage director and his actor wife struggle through a grueling coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal and creative limits.
IMDb Rating: 7.9/10
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why it’s a classic: Baumbach delivers an emotionally raw and incisive drama, driven by **surgical script economy** and intensely intimate **character blocking**. The film’s **visually authored approach** uses careful framing to emphasize both connection and alienation, while the **dialogue pressure** between the leads creates incredibly potent, often heartbreaking scenes. The **rhythmic editing** highlights the escalating tension and fragmented emotions of a relationship’s unraveling, making it a powerful, pro-level study of love and loss.
4. Mank (2020) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: David Fincher
Plot: In 1940 Hollywood, alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz races to finish the script for *Citizen Kane*, clashing with Orson Welles and navigating the political intrigues of the studio system.
IMDb Rating: 7.1/10
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why it’s a classic: Fincher’s love letter to old Hollywood is a triumph of **visually authored period detail** and **surgical sound design**. Shot in stunning black and white, the film meticulously recreates the era, using **tactile world-building** that extends from the detailed sets to the specific camera techniques of the time. The **rhythmic editing** and precise **blocking** serve a complex narrative that critiques power and authorship, making it a truly pro-level, immersive experience for cinephiles.
5. All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) 🇩🇪🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Edward Berger
Plot: A young German soldier’s terrifying experiences and distress on the Western Front during World War I.
IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why it’s a classic: Berger’s unflinching adaptation is a visceral and harrowing achievement in **tactile world-building** and **surgical sound design**. The film’s **visually authored cinematography** plunges viewers directly into the muddy, brutal trenches of WWI, making every explosion and bullet feel physically impactful. The relentless **rhythmic pacing** and relentless **blocking** convey the dehumanizing nature of war, creating an utterly immersive and devastating pro-level cinematic experience that sets a new standard for war films.
6. The Power of the Dog (2021) 🇬🇧🇨🇦🇳🇿🇦🇺🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Jane Campion
Plot: A charismatic but cruel rancher wages a war of intimidation on his new sister-in-law and her sensitive son, until secrets from his past come to light.
IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why it’s a classic: Campion’s atmospheric Western drama is a masterclass in **visual intentionality** and **surgical pacing**. The film’s breathtaking **cinematography** captures the vast, often hostile, beauty of the Montana landscape, which acts as a character itself. The **tactile world-building** extends to the ranch life, creating a sense of isolation and simmering tension. Through subtle **blocking** and a taut **script economy**, Campion builds profound psychological drama, a pro-level exploration of masculinity, repression, and longing.
7. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022) 🇺🇸🇲🇽
Director/Creator: Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson
Plot: A darker, musical stop-motion retelling of the classic tale, set during the rise of fascism in Mussolini’s Italy.
IMDb Rating: 7.6/10
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why it’s a classic: Del Toro’s stop-motion marvel is an extraordinary achievement in **tactile world-building** and **visual intentionality**. Every frame bursts with meticulously crafted detail, making the characters and their fascist-era Italian setting feel physically real and alive. The **surgical animation** and **rhythmic pacing** create an emotionally resonant and visually rich narrative, demonstrating how animation, when crafted with such pro-level precision, can deliver complex themes with unparalleled artistry and soul.
8. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Joel and Ethan Coen Plot: An anthology of six tales about the American Old West, featuring a variety of eccentric characters and darkly comedic, often violent, events.
IMDb Rating: 7.3/10
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why it’s a classic: The Coen Brothers’ Western anthology is a triumph of **surgical script economy** and **visually authored storytelling**. Each segment is a perfectly crafted short film, demonstrating masterful **blocking** and a distinct visual style. The **tactile world-building** evokes the harsh beauty and brutal realities of the frontier, while the **rhythmic editing** expertly handles diverse tones, from slapstick comedy to grim tragedy. It’s a pro-level demonstration of genre versatility and unparalleled cinematic precision.
9. Beasts of No Nation (2015) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Plot: Follows a young boy, Agu, who is forced to become a child soldier in an unnamed West African country during a brutal civil war. IMDb Rating: 7.7/10
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why it’s a classic: Fukunaga’s harrowing drama was a groundbreaking early Netflix Original, a masterclass in **tactile world-building** and **visceral cinematography**. The film’s **visually authored approach** immerses viewers in the brutal realities of war-torn West Africa, with every sound and image contributing to a sense of danger and desperation. The **surgical pacing** and raw performances, particularly from Abraham Attah and Idris Elba, create an intensely impactful narrative, proving that high-craft, challenging cinema could thrive on streaming platforms.
10. The Killer (2023) 🇺🇸
Director/Creator: David Fincher
Plot: An anonymous assassin, methodical and cold, begins to crack under pressure after a botched hit, leading him on an international manhunt against his former employers.
IMDb Rating: 6.8/10
Where to Watch: Netflix
Why it’s a classic: Fincher’s latest is a sleek, clinical exercise in **surgical pacing** and **visual intentionality**. The film’s **tactile world-building** of the assassin’s meticulous routine, juxtaposed with bursts of brutal violence, is expertly crafted. The **sound design** is paramount, emphasizing the protagonist’s internal monologue and the precision of his actions. Through deliberate **blocking** and a minimalist **script economy**, Fincher crafts a chilling, pro-level character study that dissects the psychology of a killer with his signature unflinching gaze.
What to watch next
Next category: TV Shows That Hook You From Episode One (because once you’ve cleared the best Netflix Original Movies, you’ll want a high-momentum series that matches that studio-level craft).