Top Imdb Movies On Netflix

From Frank Darabont, starring Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler
Rated R

The Shawshank Redemption is a 1994 American drama film written and directed by Frank Darabont, based on the 1982 Stephen King novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. The film stars Tim Robbins as Andrew "Andy" Dufresne, a banker who is sentenced to life in Shawshank State Penitentiary for the murder of his wife and her lover, despite his claims of innocence. Over the following two decades, he befriends a fellow prisoner, Ellis "Red" Redding (Morgan Freeman), and finds himself protected by the guards after the warden begins using him in his money-laundering operation. Andy's integrity and unconventional approach to his time in prison inspire other inmates, and he eventually finds freedom through an ingenious escape plan. The film also stars Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Clancy Brown, and Gil Bellows. The film was a commercial success and has since become a critically acclaimed classic. It has been described by many as one of the greatest films ever made, and it is regularly featured in lists of the greatest films of all time.

From Quentin Tarantino, starring John Travolta, Uma Thurman, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis
Rated R

Pulp Fiction is an American crime classic directed by Quentin Tarantino. It follows the intertwining stories of several characters in the criminal underworld of Los Angeles, including a pair of hitmen, a boxer, a gangster's wife, and a pair of diner bandits. The lives of these characters collide and interweave in unexpected and often violent ways. The film is noted for its non-linear narrative structure, dark humor, and ensemble cast, as well as its extensive use of homage and pastiche. Pulp Fiction won numerous awards, including the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and is widely considered to be one of the greatest films of all time.

From Robert Zemeckis, starring Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Sally Field
Rated PG-13

Forrest Gump is a classic American film directed by Robert Zemeckis and starring Tom Hanks as the titular character. The film follows the life of Forrest, a man with an IQ of 75, who despite all his challenges, overcomes his obstacles, finds true love and friendship, and lives an extraordinary life full of adventures. Through his journey, Forrest meets several historical figures, serves in the Vietnam War, and finds success as a shrimp boat captain, a professional ping-pong player, and a business owner. Along the way, Forrest discovers the true meaning of life, friendship, and love. The film is both a comedy and a drama, showing the optimism and naivety of Forrest, and the triumph of the human spirit.

From Directors: Fernando Meirelles, Kátia Lund, starring Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Matheus Nachtergaele, Phellipe Haagensen
Rated R

City of God is a 2002 Brazilian crime drama film directed by Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund. It is based on the 1997 novel of the same name written by Paulo Lins, and tells the story of the violent transformation of the Cidade de Deus, a crime-ridden favela in Rio de Janeiro, between the end of the 1960s and the beginning of the 1980s. The film follows the lives of various characters as they confront the violence and poverty of the slum. The film is told in a nonlinear narrative, with a modern-day framing device. It stars Alexandre Rodrigues, Leandro Firmino, Phellipe Haagensen, Douglas Silva, Alice Braga, Seu Jorge, and Jonathan Haagensen. The film was a critical and commercial success, and was nominated for four Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Cinematography. It won numerous awards around the world, including the BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language and the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film. It is widely regarded as a classic and one of the greatest films ever made.

From Giuseppe Tornatore, starring Philippe Noiret, Enzo Cannavale, Antonella Attili, Isa Danieli
Rated R

Cinema Paradiso is an Italian romantic drama directed by Giuseppe Tornatore. The film follows the story of Salvatore Di Vita, a young boy in a small Sicilian town in the 1950s who is in love with cinema. He meets Alfredo, a projectionist at the local movie theater and they develop a special bond. After suffering a tragedy, Salvatore returns to the theater as an adult, only to find that Alfredo has retired but left behind a collection of reels that tell the story of their friendship. The film follows the journey of Salvatore as he reconnects with his past and discovers the power of cinema.

From Quentin Tarantino, starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kerry Washington
Rated R

Django Unchained is a 2012 American revisionist Western film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It stars Jamie Foxx as Django, a freed slave who teams up with a German bounty hunter, Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz), to rescue his enslaved wife and exact revenge on the plantation owner. The two travel across the American South, encountering a variety of characters, including Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), the ruthless owner of the Candyland plantation. With the help of a loyal house slave, Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson), Django and Schultz attempt to free his wife and exact justice on Candie and the plantation. The film features violence, language, and racial themes, and has been hailed as a thought-provoking and entertaining exploration of slavery in America and the power of revenge.

From Sam Mendes, starring Kevin Spacey, Annette Bening, Thora Birch, Wes Bentley
Rated R

American Beauty is a 1999 American drama film written by Alan Ball and directed by Sam Mendes. The film tells the story of Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), a middle-aged advertising executive who is unhappy with his life and embarks on a journey of self-discovery. Along the way, Lester finds himself attracted to his teenage daughter's best friend, Angela Hayes (Mena Suvari). As Lester's life begins to unravel, he begins to uncover the beauty and wonder of life that he had previously overlooked, even in the midst of his despair. American Beauty was a critical and commercial success, earning five Academy Award nominations and winning Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Original Screenplay.

From Park Chan-wook, starring Choi Min-sik, Yoo Ji-tae, Kang Hye-jeong, Kim Byeong-Ok
Rated R

Oldboy is a South Korean psychological thriller film directed by Park Chan-wook and released in 2003. The story follows the life of Oh Dae-su, a businessman who is inexplicably imprisoned in a mysterious private prison for 15 years. When he is suddenly released without explanation, he embarks on a mission to discover the identity of his captor and the reason for his imprisonment. Along the way, he uncovers a dark family history and a web of betrayal, violence and revenge spanning generations. With the help of a young woman, Mi-do, Dae-su embarks on a bloody journey of revenge, discovering both the power of an old grudge and the limitations of vengeance.

From Milos Forman, starring F. Murray Abraham, Tom Hulce, Elizabeth Berridge, Roy Dotrice
Rated R

Amadeus is a 1984 biographical drama film directed by Milos Forman and based on Peter Shaffer's play of the same name. It follows the life of the famous composer Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, focusing on his rivalry with the court composer Antonio Salieri and the circumstances surrounding Mozart's untimely death. The film stars Tom Hulce as Mozart, F. Murray Abraham as Salieri, and Elizabeth Berridge as Mozart's wife Constanze. The film follows Salieri's obsessive jealously of Mozart's brilliance, his attempt to destroy Mozart's reputation and career, and his ultimate guilt at Mozart's death. Through various flashbacks and conversations, more of Mozart's personal life is revealed, including his passionate relationship with his wife Constanze, his financial struggles, and his love of music. Throughout the film, Salieri's hatred of Mozart and God for allowing such a genius to exist is explored, culminating in his confession to a priest of his role in Mozart's death.

From Quentin Tarantino, starring Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Chris Penn
Rated R

Reservoir Dogs is a 1992 crime film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. The plot follows a group of criminals who are hired to do a jewelry store heist, though the story largely focuses on the events leading up to and following the heist. The film follows the conversations and activities of the criminals as they plan the heist and then deal with the aftermath. After the heist goes wrong, the criminals are forced to confront their own mortality and loyalty to one another. Through dialogue and flashbacks, the characters slowly unravel their past actions and motivations. The film culminates in a violent confrontation between the criminals, law enforcement, and the survivors of the heist.

From Jean-Pierre Jeunet, starring Audrey Tautou, Mathieu Kassovitz, Rufus, Lorella Cravotta
Rated R

Amélie is a whimsical, romantic comedy-drama from French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Set in the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris, the film follows the life of Amélie Poulain, an innocent and imaginative woman living a solitary life. After finding a lost treasure belonging to a former occupant of her apartment, she embarks on a journey of self-discovery. She goes on a quest to help others find happiness by orchestrating seemingly small but significant coincidences. Through her adventures, she also discovers love and discovers that most of all, she needs to be true to herself.

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Malcolm McDowell, Patrick Magee, Michael Bates, Warren Clarke
Rated R

A Clockwork Orange is a 1971 dystopian crime film directed by Stanley Kubrick, based on Anthony Burgess’s 1962 novel of the same name. The film follows Alex (Malcolm McDowell), a charismatic, psychopathic delinquent whose pleasure-seeking and violent tendencies land him in trouble with the law. After Alex is arrested and sent to prison, he agrees to undergo an experimental rehabilitation program that begins to change his behavior and make him a model citizen. But when Alex begins to experience the darker side of his reformation, he must decide if he is willing to give up his freedom for the greater good. The film is a provocative exploration of morality, free will, and the consequences of a totalitarian state’s attempts to manipulate its citizens.

From Robert Mulligan, starring Gregory Peck, John Megna, Frank Overton, Rosemary Murphy
Rated Approved

To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic American drama set in the 1930s in the fictional small town of Maycomb, Alabama. The story follows young Scout Finch, her brother Jem and their father Atticus as they face racism, injustice, and the threat of violence. Atticus is appointed to defend a black man accused of raping a white woman, and the trial serves as a backdrop to the film's themes of courage, compassion and moral integrity. As Scout and Jem come of age, they learn valuable lessons about the power of kindness, justice and standing up for what is right. The film won three Academy Awards and is widely recognized as one of the best films of all time.

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Matthew Modine, R. Lee Ermey, Vincent D'Onofrio, Adam Baldwin
Rated R

Full Metal Jacket is a 1987 war drama film directed by Stanley Kubrick. It stars Matthew Modine, Adam Baldwin, Vincent D'Onofrio, R. Lee Ermey, Dorian Harewood, Arliss Howard, Kevyn Major Howard and Ed O'Ross. The film follows a platoon of US Marines through their training and deployment to Vietnam. During their training, the men must face the harsh realities of military life and the psychological pressures of war. The story is divided into two parts. In the first part, the men are trained by their drill instructor, Gunnery Sergeant Hartman (Ermey). Through a series of strict discipline and psychological manipulation, Hartman attempts to break the men down and build them back up into efficient fighting machines. In the second part, the men are sent to Vietnam where they must face the horrors of war and the enemy. The film follows Joker (Modine), Animal Mother (Baldwin) and the rest of the platoon as they fight in the Battle of Hue City. The film is a powerful and haunting look at war and its effects on the minds of those who fight it. Through its unflinching look at the harsh realities of war, Full Metal Jacket

From Stanley Kubrick, starring Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester, Daniel Richter
Rated G

2001: A Space Odyssey is a science fiction masterpiece directed by Stanley Kubrick that follows a voyage to Jupiter with a crew of astronauts aboard the Discovery One spacecraft. The voyage is monitored by the computer HAL 9000, which develops a sinister intent of its own. Along the way, a mysterious black monolith appears, altering the course of the mission. The journey is paralleled with a prehistoric journey on Earth where a group of apes discovers the use of tools as weapons. Eventually, as the spacecraft approaches Jupiter, a mind-bending finale of space and time unfolds. The film is renowned for its pioneering special effects, revolutionary soundtrack, and unforgettable images.

From Quentin Tarantino, starring Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, Eli Roth, Mélanie Laurent
Rated R

Inglourious Basterds is a 2009 war film written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Quentin Tarantino. The film follows a group of Jewish-American soldiers in Nazi-occupied France during World War II. Led by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt), the "Basterds" embark on a mission to take down the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. Along the way, they meet a young Jewish woman, Shosanna (Mélanie Laurent), who is planning her own revenge for the Nazi's murder of her family. Meanwhile, a Nazi officer named Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) is tasked with hunting down the Basterds. In a climactic moment, the Basterds and Shosanna simultaneously take their revenge, leading to a chaotic and bloody conclusion. In the end, it is the Basterds who emerge victorious, and the Nazi's reign of terror is put to an end.

From Brian De Palma, starring Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
Rated R

Scarface is a 1983 crime drama directed by Brian De Palma and starring Al Pacino. The film follows the story of Cuban refugee Tony Montana, who arrives in 1980s Miami and quickly rises to power as a drug lord. With the help of his friend Manny and his girlfriend Elvira, Tony builds an empire by ruthlessly eliminating anyone who stands in his way. However, his ambition and recklessness soon lead to his downfall. The film is an exploration of the American Dream and its darker side, as Tony's quest for power and wealth eventually leads him to a tragic end.

From Fritz Lang, starring Brigitte Helm, Alfred Abel, Gustav Fröhlich, Rudolf Klein-Rogge
Rated Not Rated

Metropolis is a silent film from 1927 directed by Fritz Lang. The story is set in a futuristic, dystopian city where a class struggle exists between the wealthy elite, who live in the high-rise towers, and the working class who toil away in the underground factories. When the son of the city’s ruler, Freder, meets a beautiful woman named Maria, he is inspired to help the downtrodden workers. However, his father, in an effort to protect his power, creates an artificial version of Maria to manipulate the workers into rebelling against the elite. In the end, Freder and Maria are able to save the city from the chaos and establish a better balance between the classes.

From Thomas Vinterberg, starring Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen, Annika Wedderkopp, Lasse Fogelstrøm
Rated R

The Hunt is a psychological thriller directed by Thomas Vinterberg, which follows the story of Lucas (Mads Mikkelsen), a kindergarten teacher in a small Danish village who is falsely accused of child molestation. Lucas is ostracized by his community as they struggle to cope with their own paranoia and fear. As Lucas fights to prove his innocence, he is met with hostility and suspicion from his friends and neighbours. He soon finds himself in a desperate fight for his life and dignity as the situation spirals out of control. The Hunt is a powerful exploration of the dangers of mob mentality and the consequences of false accusations.

From Gus Van Sant, starring Robin Williams, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Stellan Skarsgård
Rated R

Good Will Hunting is an Academy Award-winning drama film written by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon and directed by Gus Van Sant. It tells the story of Will Hunting (Matt Damon), a young, South Boston genius with a troubled past and a troubled present who is struggling to make something of himself. Will is discovered by a professor at MIT, who helps him take on the challenge of his life: to accept the opportunities presented to him and turn his life around. It also stars Robin Williams as Sean Maguire, Will's therapist, and Stellan Skarsgard as Lambeau, the MIT professor. The story follows Will as he learns to accept help from those around him and begins to open up to the possibility of finding his place in life. The film was well-received by critics and audiences, and won two Academy Awards, for Best Supporting Actor (Williams) and Best Original Screenplay (Affleck and Damon).

From Clint Eastwood, starring Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, Morgan Freeman, Richard Harris
Rated R

Unforgiven is a classic western directed by Clint Eastwood. The story follows a retired gunslinger, William Munny (Eastwood), who is persuaded to take on one last job to seek vengeance for a prostitute who was brutally disfigured by a group of cowboys. Along with his partner Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) and a hired gun, The Schofield Kid (Jaimz Woolvett), they journey to the small town of Big Whiskey, Wyoming to confront the local sheriff (Gene Hackman) and the cowboys responsible for the attack. The film features a powerful moral dilemma as Munny struggles between his desire for revenge and his own morals and inner-conflicts. The film is regarded as one of Eastwood's finest Westerns, receiving four Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Eastwood.

From James McTeigue, starring Hugo Weaving, Natalie Portman, Rupert Graves, Stephen Rea
Rated R

V for Vendetta is a 2005 dystopian political thriller film directed by James McTeigue and written by the Wachowskis, based on the 1988 DC/Vertigo Comics limited series of the same name by Alan Moore and David Lloyd. The film stars Hugo Weaving as V, an anarchist freedom fighter who attempts to ignite a revolution through elaborate terrorist acts and Natalie Portman as Evey, a young working-class woman caught up in V's mission. Set in a future British totalitarian state, V seeks to bring down a corrupt and oppressive government by waging a one-man war on their system. V's mission is complicated by the fact that Evey's loyalty to him is tested when she discovers his true identity, as well as her own involvement in his plans. The film depicts the struggle of an individual to fight against a tyrranical government, as well as the power of love and compassion to overthrow oppression.

From Quentin Tarantino, starring Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Daryl Hannah, Michael Madsen
Rated R

Kill Bill: Volume 1 is a 2003 action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. The story follows a former assassin, known as "The Bride," seeking revenge on her former boss and his group of assassins, the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, who tried to kill her and her unborn child four years prior. The Bride eventually makes her way to Japan to confront her former master, Bill, and the rest of the Deadly Vipers. Along the way she kills numerous people who are in her way, while also facing off with a number of formidable opponents. The film features an extensive array of action sequences, as well as a unique blend of Japanese and American cultures. Kill Bill: Volume 1 is the first of two films which make up the Kill Bill saga, and is widely considered to be one of Tarantino's best works.

From Ridley Scott, starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, Edward James Olmos
Rated R

Blade Runner is a 1982 sci-fi film directed by Ridley Scott. It is set in a dystopian future Los Angeles in 2019, where human-like androids called "replicants" are manufactured to work as slave labor on off-world colonies. When several of these replicants escape to Earth and go into hiding, a police officer called Rick Deckard is commissioned to hunt them down and "retire" them, or kill them. However, during the course of his mission, Deckard discovers that the replicants have become more human-like than he expected, and begins to empathize with them. In the end, he decides to help the replicants escape and start a new life. The film features Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Young, and Edward James Olmos, and was nominated for two Academy Awards.

From Danny Boyle, starring Ewan McGregor, Ewen Bremner, Jonny Lee Miller, Kevin McKidd
Rated R

Trainspotting is a 1996 British black comedy-drama film directed by Danny Boyle, based on the novel of the same name by Irvine Welsh. Set in Edinburgh, Scotland, it follows a group of young working-class heroin addicts who deal with the struggles of drug addiction, poverty, and violence. The film focuses on the lead character, Mark Renton, played by Ewan McGregor, and his attempts to live a normal life amidst the chaos and destruction of drug addiction. The film was a huge success and is widely acclaimed for its bold, kinetic style, and its darkly humorous take on the drug lifestyle. The film’s soundtrack, which includes the classic song “Lust for Life” by Iggy Pop, also achieved great success and is widely considered one of the best soundtracks of the 1990s.