It might have been a controversial year for Netflix, thanks to issues around subscriber numbers, account sharing crackdowns, and the proposed introduction of tiered accounts — but in terms of content, the streaming service keeps raising the bar.
2023 saw the company’s creative arm pump out well over a hundred films in a number of different languages. While many are, frankly, forgettable, there were plenty of hidden gems that could be unearthed by using the tech giant’s unwieldy search function. Thankfully for you, we’ve trawled through the movies that they made this year to come up with this ultimate list of the best watches.
If you’re looking for a fresh film to indulge in over the holiday period, then check out our list of the 10 best Netflix movies of 2023!
Leave the World Behind
This post-apocalyptic, psychological thriller is probably the Netflix movie released in 2023 that has the most star power, given that its cast includes Mahershala Ali, Ethan Hawke, and Julia Roberts. Although it definitely isn’t breaking any conceptual ground, Leave the World Behind is astoundingly well acted, and has a plot intriguing enough to keep audiences hooked. The film starts off relatively slowly in terms of pacing, but halfway through you’re in no doubt about what you’re watching, and by the end there’s plenty of action to go around.
Ballerina
Jeon Jong-seo (Burning) stars in this movie as a former bodyguard who seeks justice after her friend is brutalized and extorted by sex traffickers. Again, the script isn’t exactly going to change the world, but the cinematography, action sequences, and an astounding performance by Jeon Jong-seo turn this into a pulsating must-watch for anybody who likes action and revenge films. Plus, the soundtrack will stick in your head for months afterwards.
El Conde
The horrors of Pinochet’s U.S backed-regime are truly awful, but everyone knows the best art can make even the most gruesome and evil ideologies the butt of the joke if it’s done well. El Conde is an example of the power of satire, in that it shows the Chilean dictator as an ancient vampire who is desperately seeking death. The symbolism of a monster backed by capitalists being a blood sucker might seem heavy handed, but the film is so funny and smart that it takes it all in its stride, and gives us an ending that’s indicative of the sort of ghouls who back the Chicago school of economics.
The Killer
This protagonist of this film is probably David Fincher’s second most psychotic subject (after the genocide-causing creep that is Mark Zuckerberg. And, yes, we remember Se7en and Zodiac). The Killer tells the story of an international assassin who messes up a hit, leading him on a violent rampage across the world as he tries to tie up all the loose ends. Michael Fassbender is excellent, and in lesser hands this could be more embarrassing than thrilling, but it really works as a watch.
Fanfic
Poland isn’t exactly known for its rich cinematic history, but this coming of age drama from the Eastern European nation is undoubtedly one of the best Netflix original movies that was released in 2023. The film is especially poignant as Poland has been one of the most reactionary countries with regards to LGBTQ+ freedoms, and Fanfic tells the story of a trans boy who is searching for his identity while falling in love and trying to avoid the ire of his traditional father. A tear jerker of the highest order, full of astounding performances from its young cast.
Mixed by Erry
Back before Spotify ruled the roost, if you wanted music, you had to get a physical copy of it. And, if you wanted it for cheap, you needed a pirate who could rip the music from one tape and put it onto another. Mixed by Erry tells the true story of a trio of brothers from Naples who formed one of Italy’s most notorious (and successful) pirate labels. The three siblings operated between the mid seventies and early nineties, beginning as a smuggling operation and ending with them having a surprisingly amount of sway in the music industry while also being wanted by the cops. Funny and sweet in all the right ways, plus with an exceptional soundtrack, this movie is easy to love.
Blood and Gold
From Das Boot to All Quiet on the Western Front, German films about WW2 usually deliver, and Blood and Gold is no different. Set at the very end of the war, it tells the story of a deserter who finds refuge on a farm, only for the SS to end up following him there, too, as they believe a Jewish family who used to live in the area had large amounts of gold hidden in the ruins of an old house. Gloriously violent but also sensitive in parts, this is a compelling 100 minutes of cinema that will fly by.
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar
The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar is the shortest film on this list at 39 minutes (and technically is only the first of four), but it packs so much into its tight run time. Director Wes Anderson takes on the Roald Dahl source material and utilizes it excellently, helped by the supreme talents of Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the eponymous character. Whimsical, wondrous, and with plenty of charm, this deserves to be on the list of the best Netflix movies of 2023.
May December
Some films manage to take on the toughest subjects with aplomb, and May December does just that. Loosely based on a real life case, the movie tells the story of an actress who goes to interview a woman that she will be playing in an upcoming movie. The reason this woman is famous? She was a teacher who slept with her 12-year old student while in her mid-thirties, before eventually having his children and marrying him. As utterly vile as that premise is, the movie is exceptional, buoyed by performances from its three stars (Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, and Charles Melton).
Kathal
Look: we all love a big Bollywood song and dance number, but even so it’s been good to see Indian cinema branch out and take on all kinds of genres. This political satire shows that the movie-mad country can do comedy that takes aim at the government as well as any other nation, and Kathal isn’t just intelligent and funny but also has some of the best characterization of any film on this list. The story follows a police officer who is made to look for some jackfruits that have gone missing from a politician’s yard, while also attempting to search for a missing girl from a poor family despite all the local resources being pooled towards finding the fruit.