One of the first things I do when I come across a movie or show I find interesting is to check its reviews. And one of the parameters I check is the title’s Rotten Tomatoes score. Netflix has several highly rated titles, scored by both critics and general audiences.
These five Netflix Original movies have over 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and include a war drama and a dark psychological thriller that make you squirm in your seat. Here’s all you need to know about each movie.
May December
A study in controversy
One of the most gripping psychological thrillers I’ve watched on Netflix to date is May December. Led by a strong duo of lead actresses (Natalie Portman and Julianne Moore), this dark story follows actress Elizabeth Berry (Portman), who travels to Georgia to study the life and nature of Gracie Atherton-Yoo (Moore), whom she is set to play for an upcoming film.
Gracie is a sex offender who became the subject of a national scandal because of her relationship with Joe (Beef’s Charles Melton); their 24-year relationship began when he was 13 years old, and she was 36. Decades later, the couple is trying to live a seemingly normal suburban life with their children. But Elizabeth’s arrival disrupts their seemingly peaceful dynamic, while Elizabeth herself slowly crosses the boundaries of every person in Gracie’s life.
May December is a pretty uncomfortable watch, but the lead cast’s performance paints character portraits that are difficult to look away from.
Rotten Tomatoes score (Tomatometer): 91%
May December
Release Date
December 1, 2023
Runtime
113 Minutes
Director
Todd Haynes
Da 5 Bloods
Spike Lee’s unique take on war dramas
For this week’s dose of epic war drama, try this unique pick. Da 5 Bloods follows four Black Vietnam War veterans who return to Vietnam decades later to recover the remains of their former squad leader, Norman, as well as a stash of buried gold they left behind during the war.
As they travel deeper into the jungle, old tensions resurface, and the mission slowly spirals into something perilous. Spike Lee mixes war drama, political commentary, and personal character study in a way that makes the story feel constantly tense. The film also features one of Chadwick Boseman’s final performances and is his last film to be released during his lifetime.
Da 5 Bloods received numerous accolades, including nominations for the Academy Award for Best Original Score and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.
Rotten Tomatoes score (Tomatometer): 92%
Da 5 Bloods
Release Date
June 12, 2020
Runtime
154 minutes
Director
Spike Lee
The Lost Daughter
A twisted story of two mothers
The Lost Daughter, Maggie Gyllenhaal’s feature directorial debut, is a beautifully shot and well executed psychological drama. It is based on the 2006 novel by Elena Ferrante and is packed with a strong cast, including Olivia Colman, Dakota Johnson, Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, and Dagmara Domińczyk.
It tells the story of Leda, a college professor who travels alone to a quaint beach town in Greece for a holiday that quickly becomes emotionally unsettling. After observing a young mother, Nina, and her daughter on the beach, Leda begins reflecting on her own years as a mother. Soon, the film unravels Leda’s character as she and Nina become entangled in a twisted way.
The Lost Daughter was received well by critics and audiences alike. At the 94th Academy Awards, the film received three nominations: Best Actress (Colman), Best Supporting Actress (Buckley), and Best Adapted Screenplay.
Rotten Tomatoes score (Tomatometer): 94%
The Lost Daughter
Release Date
December 17, 2021
Runtime
121 minutes
Director
Maggie Gyllenhaal
I Lost My Body
An eerie story of finding the way back home
If you haven’t watched an animated movie in a while, I Lost My Body can be a great (albeit unsettling) watch. The French movie follows a severed hand escaping from a laboratory’s refrigerator and making its way across Paris in search of the body it once belonged to. Simultaneously, the film focuses on the hand’s owner, Naoufel, a lonely young man struggling with grief and regret. Told in flashbacks, the hand continues its journey, outlining Naoufel’s life from childhood to the present day.
The film was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 92nd Academy Awards. I Lost My Body is a strange yet fascinating watch, with storytelling and animation that is sure to engage you for its entire run.
Rotten Tomatoes score (Tomatometer): 97%
I Lost My Body
Release Date
October 19, 2019
Runtime
81 Minutes
Director
Jérémy Clapin
Athlete A
A powerful story about one of the biggest sports controversies
Athlete A is a powerful and well-told Netflix documentary that becomes more upsetting the deeper it goes. The film follows the investigative journalists at The Indianapolis Star who uncovered the abuse scandal surrounding former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. The documentary kicks off with a newspaper article that reveals Steve Penny, president of USAG (USA Gymnastics), worked to cover for abusive coaches, as victims reach out, one by one.
Alongside the journalists’ strong reporting, the documentary allows survivors space to share their experiences and explain how powerful institutions swept years of complaints under the rug and allowed abuse to occur. The title of the docufilm refers to gymnast Maggie Nichols, who was referred to as “Athlete A” to protect her identity while investigations into her sexual abuse by Nassar were ongoing.
Rotten Tomatoes score (Tomatometer): 100%
How to find more Netflix movies
To find more highly rated Netflix movies and shows, you can always use the review aggregation websites like Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, IMDb, and Letterboxd (audience scores might be a bit more accurate and detailed than critic reviews in some cases).
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Simultaneous streams
Two or four
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