Top 10 Original Netflix Movies | The Big Picture

Molly's Game 2017

Not a Netflix production, but found a second life on the service, which the hosts say explains a lot about what draws filmmakers there in the first place.

Spenser Confidential 2020

Watched by more people than 'Tiger King' per Netflix's own earnings call, despite pacing and tone problems the hosts say plague a lot of these movies.

The Irishman 2019

Cited as part of the awards-season case for Netflix, alongside 'Marriage Story' and 'American Factory.'

Marriage Story 2019

American Factory 2019

Beasts of No Nation 2015

Netflix's first feature, five years old at the time of this taping. Amanda: 'I remember thinking, wow, this feels weirdly unfinished.'

Set It Up 2018

Amanda's pick for what Netflix could have led with instead of 'Beasts of No Nation': a movie about a workplace romance at a sports-media company that hits close to home for two Ringer employees.

The Cloverfield Paradox 2018

The surprise Super Bowl drop the hosts cite as the bad version of Netflix swooping in to rescue a stalled studio project.

The Lovebirds 2020

Paramount's pandemic-era release-date casualty, picked up by Netflix in the same kind of rescue move that landed 'Triple Frontier.'

Triple Frontier 2019

Financed by Netflix rather than rescued, which Sean insists still counts.

Roma 2018

Named as proof the prestige and awards push is still very much alive alongside the teen-rom-com side of the business.

Circus of Books 2019

Documentary about the L.A. LGBTQ bookstore, released the same week as 'The Willoughbys.'

The Willoughbys 2020

Amanda keeps mistaking the trailer for a British period drama; it's an animated kids' movie.

Extraction 2020

Directed by stuntman-turned-director Sam Hargrave, produced by the Russo brothers. Amanda's husband ended up watching the whole thing while she cooked dinner and narrating the kills to her; both call it a convincing, disposable action movie built around a 12-minute one-take-style shootout. Compared unfavorably in rewatch value to '6 Underground.'

Roma 2018

In immediately, no debate, along with 'The Irishman' and 'Marriage Story': the three the hosts agree deserve their own wing but get folded in anyway.

The Irishman 2019

One of the three locks.

Marriage Story 2019

The third lock. Disqualifies 'The Meyerowitz Stories' under the one-film-per-director rule, over Sean's objections.

Shirkers 2018

Sandi Tan's documentary about a lost film she made as a teenager and rediscovered decades later. Amanda's find. She made her husband watch it the same night.

American Factory 2019

Called an uncomplicated choice.

To All the Boys I've Loved Before 2018

Wins the one-slot showdown with 'Set It Up.' Amanda argues it did more to build a teen audience and a new genre for the service, even though she personally prefers 'Set It Up.' Their producer's vote breaks the tie.

Okja 2017

Traded in for 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs' in a mid-show negotiation. Amanda loves it; Sean says he 'didn't feel complete' watching it, despite Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Giancarlo Esposito.

Triple Frontier 2019

Sean will not let this one go: 'are we the only people left on Triple Frontier Island?'

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 2018

The Coen brothers movie Sean insisted on, traded for Okja's spot.

Icarus 2017

Covers the Oscar-bait/documentary case generally: the hosts use it to justify cutting '13th,' 'Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution,' and 'What Happened, Miss Simone?' from the final 10.

Happy as Lazzaro 2018

Alice Rohrwacher's film. Both agree it's very good but a tough home watch. Amanda calls it more of an 'event' movie.

Atlantics 2019

Mati Diop's film. Sean argues it deserves more of a case than 'Happy as Lazzaro' but it gets bumped anyway.

Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution 2020

Produced by the Obamas' Higher Ground; both find it well made and educational but not quite at 'American Factory' level.

The Two Popes 2019

Sean recalls a Telluride crowd predicting a Best Picture win; it didn't happen.

Fyre 2019

Chris Smith's documentary, discussed alongside the competing Hulu Fyre Festival doc. Sean: 'this is kind of like watching eight really good YouTube videos in a row.'

Velvet Buzzsaw 2019

Dan Gilroy's art-world horror. Sean: 'imperfect,' with 'a very strange Jake Gyllenhaal performance.'

13th 2016

Ava DuVernay's documentary. Called hugely important to Netflix's history ('there is no Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution without 13th'), but it loses its spot to Icarus.

Mudbound 2017

Dee Rees's film, which Amanda never actually finished.

Private Life 2018

Tamara Jenkins's film, starring Kathryn Hahn and Paul Giamatti. Both call it underseen and well-reviewed, but not representative enough of the broader Netflix slate to make the cut.

The Perfection 2019

Starring Allison Williams. Sean: 'disruptive and fucked up and also fascinating.'

The Highwaymen 2019

Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson hunting Bonnie and Clyde, directed by John Lee Hancock.

Wine Country 2019

Amy Poehler's comedy.

War Machine 2017

Brad Pitt's first movie for a streaming service, called an important precedent for the industry even though the film itself landed poorly.

The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) 2017

Sean's preferred Baumbach film, disqualified once 'Marriage Story' takes the one-per-director slot.

I Lost My Body 2019

The animated film, called good but not worthy of a spot.

High Flying Bird 2019

Soderbergh's iPhone-shot film. Called the more 'important' of his two 2019 Netflix movies, and briefly pinned before losing its place.

The Laundromat 2019

Soderbergh's other 2019 release.

Gerald's Game 2017

Mike Flanagan's Stephen King adaptation with Carla Gugino. Called phenomenal but not top-10 material.

Win It All 2017

Joe Swanberg's film with Jake Johnson.

They'll Love Me When I'm Dead 2018

Documentary about the making of Orson Welles's 'The Other Side of the Wind.'

Dolemite Is My Name 2019

Eddie Murphy's comeback vehicle.

What Happened, Miss Simone? 2015

Nominated for the Best Documentary Oscar the same year as 'Amy,' called possibly the first Netflix Oscar nomination.

6 Underground 2019

Michael Bay's film, used as the yardstick for how much less coherent 'Extraction' feels by comparison.

Tigertail 2020

Alan Yang's directorial debut. Both admire the craft but feel its influences (Edward Yang, Wong Kar-wai) show through more than the movie's own voice.

Miss Americana 2020

The Taylor Swift documentary. Amanda brings it up as a late add to acknowledge Netflix's music-doc lane; Sean rules it out immediately.