We’re already four months into the new year, and there are still a ton of movies yet to arrive on Netflix. Some, we hope, will be added to this list in the near future. For now, here’s our list of the best original movies on Netflix in April 2023.
Here are our picks of the best Original movies on Netflix:
25. The Lost Daughter
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Genre: Drama | Language: English, Italian, Greek | Runtime: 121 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.5 | IMDb Rating: 6.7
Released on Netflix: December 31st, 2021
Picture: The Lost Daughter – Netflix / Endeavor Content
What happens when you get an academy award-winning actress and the directorial debut of a talented new filmmaker? You get a fantastic new drama that was nominated for 3 academy awards. Emmy and Academy Award Winning actress Olivia Colman gave a stellar performance, and Maggie Gyllenhaal was very impressive in her debut as a director.
A woman’s seaside vacation takes a dark turn when her obsession with a young mother forces her to confront secrets from her past.
Accolades
- 38 award wins | 3 Oscar nominations
- 107 nominations
24. Dolemite is My Name
Director: Craig Brewer
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama | Language: English | Runtime: 118 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.6 | IMDb Rating: 7.2
Released on Netflix: October 11th, 2019
Picture: My Name is Dolemite – Netflix / Davis Entertainment
After several disappointing roles and movies in the early 2010s, Eddie Murphy took several years off before returning with style as the legendary Rudy Ray Moore. Back to his very best, Murphy has gone from strength to strength as his career gets back on track.
Dolemite Is My Name was one hell of a comeback for comedy legend Eddie Murphy, who at this point in his career had taken a significant amount of time off after a handful of disappointing roles and movies. His time away did the trick, as Murphy was back to his very best as the legendary Rudy Ray Moore.
The story of Rudy Ray Moore, who created the iconic big screen pimp character Dolemite in the 1970s.
Accolades
- 30 award wins
- 67 Nominations
23. Don’t Look Up
Director: Adam McKay
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi | Language: English | Runtime: 138 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.1 | IMDb Rating: 7.2
Released on Netflix: December 24th, 2021
Picture: Don’t Look Up – Netflix / Hyperobject Industries
Treated extremely unfairly by the media, Adam McKay’s Don’t Look Up was not afraid to take aim at the absurdity of politics, the media, and billionaires in the face of a world-ending crisis.
Two low-level astronomers, upon discovering that a meteor will strike the Earth in six months, go on a media tour to try to warn the world but find an unreceptive and unbelieving populace.
Accolades
- 20 award wins
- 89 nominations | 4 Oscar nominations
22. The Platform
Director: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
Genre: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller | Language: Spanish, Italian | Runtime: 94 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.3 | IMDb Rating: 7.0
Released on Netflix: March 20th, 2020
Picture: The Platform – Netflix / Basque Films
One of the best, but deeply unsettling Spanish films on Netflix, The Platform takes aim at modern society, using the entire story as an allegory of the difference in fortune between those at the very top of society, and those below.
A mysterious place, an indescribable prison, a deep hole. An unknown number of levels. Two inmates living on each level. A descending platform containing food for all of them. An inhuman fight for survival, but also an opportunity for solidarity…
Accolades
- 12 award wins
- 24 nominations
21. The Meyerowitz Stories
Director: Noah Baumbach
Genre: Comedy, Drama | Language: English| Runtime: 112 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.7 | IMDb Rating: 6.9
Released on Netflix: October 13th, 2017
Picture: The Meyerowitz Stories – Netflix / IAC Films
A great ensemble cast, with a fantastic performance from Adam Sandler. Once again proving that his acting talent goes beyond just comedy. The film also stars Adam Driver, who has since collaborated with Noah Baumbach twice, in Marriage Story and White Noise.
An estranged family gathers together in New York for an event celebrating the artistic work of their father.
Accolades
- 5 award wins
- 8 nominations
20. Da 5 Bloods
Director: Spike Lee
Genre: Adventure, Drama, War | Language: English, Finnish, French, Vietnamese | Runtime: 154 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.5 | IMDb Rating: 6.5
Released on Netflix:
Picture: Da 5 Bloods – Netflix / 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks
Spike Lee’s Da 5 Bloods was one of Chadwick Boseman’s last films, putting on yet another impressive display alongside fellow MCU alumni Jonathan majors.
Four African American Vietnam veterans return to Vietnam. They are in search of the remains of their fallen squad leader and the promise of buried treasure. These heroes battle forces of humanity and nature while confronted by the lasting ravages of the immorality of the Vietnam War.
Accolades
- 41 award wins
- 198 nominations | 1 Oscar nomination
19. Hustle
Director: Jeremiah Zagar
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sport | Language: English, Serbian, Spanish| Runtime: 117 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.6 | IMDb Rating: 7.3
Released on Netflix: June 8th, 2022
Picture: Hustle – Netflix / Happy Madison Productions
Sandler’s love for Basketball is well known, so it comes as no surprise that a drama based around the sport with him involved would eventually be released. Easily one of Sandler’s most enjoyable roles to date, hopefully, we’ll see more like Hustle from Sandler in the near future.
After discovering a once-in-a-lifetime player with a rocky past abroad, a down-on-his-luck basketball scout takes it upon himself to bring the phenom to the States without his team’s approval. Against the odds, they have one final shot to prove they have what it takes to make it in the NBA.
Accolades
- 7 nominations
18. His House
Director: Remi Weekes
Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller | Language: English, Dinka | Runtime: 93 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.5 | IMDb Rating: 6.5
Released on Netflix: October 30th, 2020
Picture: His House – Netflix / Vertigo Entertainment
There haven’t been many horror movies to ride home about on Netflix, however, His House certainly left a long-lasting chilling impression that we won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
After making a harrowing escape from war-torn South Sudan, a young refugee couple struggle to adjust to their new life in a small English town that has an unspeakable evil lurking beneath the surface.
Accolades
- 8 award wins
- 37 nominations
17. Matilda The Musical
Director: Matthew Warchus
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Family | Language: English | Runtime: 117 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.6 | IMDb Rating: 7.1
Released on Netflix: December 25th, 2022
Picture: Matilda The Musical – Netflix / TriStar Pictures
There was a lot of apprehension over the idea of a brand new Matilda movie, but that all went out the window with the release of the musical. Matilda went viral by the end of 2022, with millions of people impressed by the talent of its young cast.
An extraordinary young girl discovers her superpower and summons the remarkable courage, against all odds, to help others change their stories, whilst also taking charge of her own destiny. Standing up for what’s right, she’s met with miraculous results
Accolades
- 3 award wins
- 8 nominations
16. The Sea Beast
Director: Chris Williams
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy | Language: English | Runtime: 115 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.5 | IMDb Rating: 7.0
Released on Netflix: July 8th, 2022
Picture. The Sea Beast – Netflix
Netflix has stepped up its output of animation immensely over the past few years, which has paved the way for incredible new movies like The Sea Beast. The start of an exciting new franchise for Netflix, The Sea Beast is also getting a sequel!
The life of a legendary sea monster hunter is turned upside down when a young girl stows away on his ship.
Accolades
- 12 nominations – 1 Oscar nomination
15. The Pale Blue Eye
Director: Scott Cooper
Genre: Crime, Horror, Mystery | Language: English | Runtime: 128 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.1 | IMDb Rating: 6.6
Released on Netflix: January 6th, 2023
Picture. The Pale Blue Eye – Netflix / Cross Creek Pictures
Harry Melling gave an extremely memorable performance as Edgar Allen Poe, showcasing that he is one of the most talented actors to come out of the Harry Potter franchise.
A seasoned detective investigates a series of murders at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point in 1830. He is assisted in his investigation by an intelligent and eager young cadet named Edgar Allan Poe, who will go on to become one of America’s most influential authors and the originator of the detective genre.
Accolades
- 1 award win
- 1 nomination
14. The Power of the Dog
Director: Jane Campion
Genre: Drama, Romance, Western | Language: English | Runtime: 126 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.7 | IMDb Rating: 6.8
Released on Netflix: November 19th, 2021
Picture: The Power of the Dog – Netflix / See-Saw Films
Opinion of The Power of the Dog is split in half among subscribers. Love it, or hate it, that didn’t stop director Jane Campion from winning the Oscar for Best Achievement in Directing, while also earning a further 11 Oscar nominations.
Charismatic rancher Phil Burbank inspires fear and awe in those around him. When his brother brings home a new wife and her son, Phil torments them until he finds himself exposed to the possibility of love.
Accolades
- 274 award wins | 1 Oscar
- 315 nominations | 11 Oscar nominations
- Jane Campion – Academy Award for Best Achievement in Directing
13. Beasts of No Nation
Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga
Genre: Drama, War | Language: English, Akan | Runtime: 137 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.8 | IMDb Rating: 7.7
Released on Netflix: October 16th, 2015
Picture: Beasts of No Nation – Netflix / Participant Media
The first film Netflix released as an original, director Cary Joji Fukunaga did not pull any of his gut-wrenching punches, in one what is one of the most powerful films currently in the Netflix library.
A drama based on the experiences of Agu, a child fighting in the civil war of an unnamed, fictional West African country. Follows the journey of Agu as he’s forced to join a group of soldiers. While Agu fears his commander and many of the men around him, his fledgling childhood has been brutally shattered by the war raging through his country, and he is at first torn between conflicting revulsion and fascination. Depicts the mechanics of war and does not shy away from explicit, visceral detail, painting a complex, difficult picture of Agu as a child soldier.
Accolades
- 31 award wins
- 59 nominations
12. Okja
Director: Bong Joon Ho
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama | Language: English, Korean, Spanish | Runtime: 120 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.7 | IMDb Rating: 7.3
Released on Netflix: June 28th, 2017
Picture: Okja – Netflix / Plan B Entertainment
Before directing his academy award-winning feature Parasite, Bong Joon Ho has audiences in tears worldwide with Okja. One of the best films of 2017, Bong Joon Ho deserved a nomination for best director, but both he and the film were snubbed by the Academy.
A young girl named Mija risks everything to prevent a powerful, multi-national company from kidnapping her best friend – a massive animal named Okja.
Accolades
- 7 award wins
- 21 nominations
11. The Trial of the Chicago 7
Director: Aaron Sorkin
Genre: Drama, History, Thriller | Language: English | Runtime: 129 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.7 | IMDb Rating: 7.7
Released on Netflix: October 16th, 2023
Picture: The Trial of the Chicago 7 – Netflix / Paramount Pictures
As far as ensemble casts go, The Trial of the Chicago 7 is one of the best on Netflix. Wonderfully acted, and directed, the feature just missed out on the 6 academy awards it was nominated for.
What was supposed to be a peaceful protest turned into a violent clash with the police. What followed was one of the most notorious trials in history.
Accolades
- 58 award wins
- 191 nominations | 6 Oscar nominations
10. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Director: Rian Johnson
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama | Language: English | Runtime: 139 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.7 | IMDb Rating: 7.2
Released on Netflix: December 23rd, 2023
Picture: Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery – Netflix / T-Street Productions
Netflix spent hundreds of millions of dollars to acquire the rights to Rian Johnson’s Knives Out franchise. Daniel Craig returned emphatically as Benoit Blanc, a role that you can tell he is having the world’s best time with.
World-famous detective Benoit Blanc heads to Greece to peel back the layers of a mystery surrounding a tech billionaire and his eclectic crew of friends.
Accolades
- 48 award wins
- 122 nominations | 1 Oscar nomination
9. The Fundamentals of Caring
Director: Rob Burnett
Genre: Comedy, Drama | Language: English | Runtime: 97 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.5 | IMDb Rating: 7.3
Released on Netflix: June 24th, 2016
Picture: The Fundamentals of Caring – Netflix / Worldwide Pants
Released within Netflix’s first year of original films, The Fundamentals of Caring is still one of the streaming service’s best movies to date. Paul Rudd is at his comedic best, with two great performances also coming from Craig Roberts and Selena Gomez.
Having suffered a tragedy, Ben becomes a caregiver to earn money. His first client, Trevor, is a hilarious 18-year-old with muscular dystrophy. One paralyzed emotionally, one paralyzed physically, Ben and Trevor hit the road on a trip into the western states. The folks they collect along the way will help them test their skills for surviving outside their calculated existence. Together, they come to understand the importance of hope and the necessity of true friendship.
Accolades
- 4 Nominations
8. Klaus
Director: Sergio Pablos, Carlos Martínez López
Genre: Animation, Comedy | Language: English | Runtime: 96 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 4.1 | IMDb Rating: 8.2
Released on Netflix: November 15th, 2019
Picture: Klaus – Netflix / Sergio Pablos Animation Studios
Not only is Klaus one of the best-animated movies on Netflix, but it is also one of the best Christmas movies ever made.
When Jesper distinguishes himself as the Postal Academy’s worst student, he is sent to Smeerensburg, a small village located on an icy island above the Arctic Circle, where grumpy inhabitants barely exchange words, let alone letters. Jesper is about to give up and abandon his duty as a postman when he meets local teachers Alva and Klaus, a mysterious carpenter who lives alone in a cabin full of handmade toys.
Accolades
- 11 award wins
- 26 nominations | 1 Oscar nomination
7. Tick, Tick Boom!
Director: Lin-Manuel Miranda
Genre: Biography, Comedy, Drama | Language: English | Runtime: 120 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.9 | IMDb Rating: 7.5
Released on Netflix: November 19th, 2021
Picture: Tick, Tick… Boom! – Netflix / Imagine Entertainment
It’s probably a surprise to many that Tick, Tick Boom! was the feature directorial debut of Lin-Manuel Miranda, the man behind the smash hit musical Hamilton. Not only was the feature an extremely impressive directing debut, but Andrew Garfield also gave an astounding performance as the late Jonathan Larson.
On the cusp of his 30th birthday, a promising young theater composer navigates love, friendship, and the pressures to create something great before time runs out.
Accolades
- 35 Award Wins
- 111 Nominations | 2 Oscar Nominations
6. Mudbound
Director: Dees Rees
Genre: Drama, War | Language: English | Runtime: 134 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.7 | IMDb Rating: 7.4
Released on Netflix: November 17th, 2021
Picture: Mudbound – Netflix / Elevated Films
One of the best films on Netflix, Mudbound, surprisingly, can often go unnoticed by subscribers. Without a doubt, Mudbound should be one of the first Originals that subscribers should be adding to their watch lists.
In the post–World War II South, two families are pitted against a barbaric social hierarchy and an unrelenting landscape as they simultaneously fight the battle at home and the battle abroad.
Accolades
- 36 Award Wins
- 118 Nominations | 4 Oscar nominations.
5. ROMA
Director: Alfonso Cuarón
Genre: Drama | Language: Spanish | Runtime: 135 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 4.0 | IMDb Rating: 7.7
Released on Netflix: November 30th, 2018
Picture: Roma – Netflix / Espectáculos Fílmicos El Coyúl
A labor of love and passion for director Alfonso Cuarón, he was well rewarded for his incredible work on the film ROMA with 3 Academy Awards.
In 1970s Mexico City, two domestic workers help a mother of four while her husband is away for an extended period of time.
Accolades
- 252 award wins | 3 Oscar wins.
- 219 Nominations | 7 Oscar nominations.
- Academy Award Best Foreign Language Film of the Year
- Alfonso Cuarón – Academy Award for Best Achievement in Directing
- Alfonso Cuarón – Academy Award for Best Achievement in Cinematography
4. The Irishman
Director: Martin Scorsese
Genre: Biography, Crime, Drama | Language: English | Runtime: 209 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 3.9| IMDb Rating: 7.8
Released on Netflix: November 27th, 2019
Picture: The Irishman – Netflix / TriBeCa Productions
At the time of release, The Irishman was Netflix’s most expensive movie to date, and also one of the longest movies in the library. While The Irishman doesn’t earn the same plaudits as other Scorsese movies, it’s still one of the best crime dramas in the Netflix library.
Pennsylvania, 1956. Frank Sheeran, a war veteran of Irish origin who works as a truck driver, accidentally meets mobster Russell Bufalino. Once Frank becomes his trusted man, Bufalino sends him to Chicago with the task of helping Jimmy Hoffa, a powerful union leader related to organized crime, with whom Frank will maintain a close friendship for nearly twenty years.
Accolades
- 73 award wins
- 357 nominations | 10 Oscar nominations.
3. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Genre: Animation, Drama, Family | Language: English | Runtime: 117 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 4.1 | IMDb Rating: 7.6
Released on Netflix: December 9th, 2022
Picture: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio – Netflix / ShadowMachine
Of the three Pinocchio films to be released in 2022, without a doubt in our minds that Guillermo del Toro’s dark reimagining of the Italian fable was the best.
A wooden puppet embarks on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy.
Accolades
- 63 award wins.
- 124 nominations | 1 Oscar nomination.
2. Marriage Story
Director: Noah Baumbach
Genre: Drama, Romance | Language: English | Runtime: 137 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 4.0 | IMDb Rating: 7.9
Released on Netflix: December 6th, 2019
Picture. Marriage Story – Netflix / Heyday Films
A raw and incredibly acted story that saw Adam Driver and Scarlet Johansson put in award-winning performances but just narrowly missing out. Quite easily the best film by Noah Baumbach to date.
A stage director and an actress struggle through a grueling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal extremes.
Accolades
- 128 award wins | 1 Oscar win.
- 275 nominations | 5 Oscar nominations.
- Laura Dern – Academy Award Winner for Best Supporting Actress.
1. All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)
Director: Edward Berger
Genre: Action, Drama, War| Language: German | Runtime: 148 Minutes
Letterboxd Rating: 4.0 | IMDb Rating: 7.8/10
Released on Netflix: October 28th, 2022
Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front Netflix / Amusement Park
One of the best war films since Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan, Edward Berger’s great retelling of the German story does an awe-inspiring job of showing the audience the horror of warfare, and its psychological impact on soldiers on the front line. There’s also a chance that All Quiet on the Western Front could make history by becoming the first story to win the Academy Award for Best Film twice, 87 years apart.
Paul Baumer and his friends Albert and Muller, egged on by romantic dreams of heroism, voluntarily enlist in the German army. Full of excitement and patriotic fervor, the boys enthusiastically march into a war they believe in. But once on the Western Front, they discover the soul-destroying horror of World War I.
Accolades
- 29 award wins.
- 76 nominations | 9 Oscar nominations.
Netflix Synopsis: "When 17-year-old Paul joins the Western Front in World War I, his initial excitement is soon shattered by the grim reality of life in the trenches."
