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Netflix is fantastic because it has all of the biggest, loudest, and most talked-about films right now. The streaming service is always at the forefront of what audiences want and demand, whether it’s from Originals like Rebel Moon and The Killer or outside productions like Dumb Money and Aftersun. However, what about the other films in this enormous digital collection? What about those who receive less affection? The ones who were unjustly made fun of when they were released? Or simply didn’t get the kind of publicity that a big-budget film typically receives? Netflix has a ton of them films. However, it might be challenging to determine which ones are truly worth seeing.

I’m here to assist, though. I’ve selected ten films from Netflix’s vast library that answer any of the three questions I posed above. These are the films that we have either forgotten about or never gave much thought to. These are films that push the boundaries of what is typically expected of cinematic narratives, inspire, enchant, and engage us, and make us try new things. I can almost assure you that each of the ten films listed below will look and feel very different from your typical moviegoing experience, even if you don’t enjoy them all. Once you’ve given these ten films a chance, I hope you’ll be as passionate about them as I am.

Baby Boy (2001)

Since his passing in 2019, John Singleton has continued to be underappreciated in the film industry, which is why I feel like I write about him all the time. He had so far established one of Hollywood’s more varied careers, creating highly tension, visually striking stories across a wide range of genres, from romances (Poetic Justice) to hood movies (Boyz n the Hood) to full-on blockbusters (2 Fast 2 Furious). However, I would contend that his 2001 hit, Baby Boy, which follows a young man as he battles to find his place in the world of adult expectations in the heart of South Central Los Angeles, was his best work and one of the greatest films ever made. Tyrese Gibson plays Jody, the aforementioned 20-year-old who struggles with fatherhood, relationships, and personal development. His mother’s tough-love boyfriend, Melvin (played by Ving Rhames), and his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Yvette (played by Taraji P. Henson), complicate the film’s central journey. Gibson’s performance is Oscar-worthy. Intimately relatable characters navigate the perilous terrain of their urban settings and the unsettling imagery that haunts their dreams in Singleton’s film, which offers a raw and powerful narrative about a young black man’s quest for identity and maturity. The film offers an unapologetic look at the cycles of poverty and violence.

Elena (2011)

The fact that this movie was available on Netflix astonished me. While attending film festivals in 2011, I came across this odd, unearthly metadocumentary that was unlike anything I had ever seen. I was watching hundreds of screeners from any studio that would send them to me. Director Petra Costa sets out on a quest to learn more about the life and enigmatic disappearance of her older sister, Elena, in the moving and intensely personal film Elena. Costa, who vulnerably self-expresses the hopes and disappointments of an aspiring artist, creates a haunting portrait of a young woman who dreamed of becoming an actress in New York City but was ultimately consumed by her ambitions and inner demons through a combination of home videos, family photos, and intimate narration. The movie turns into a meditation on memory, loss, and the eternal ties of sisterhood as Costa follows Elena’s path again (now that I think about it, it’s very similar to Sophie’s trek in Aftersun). An enduring tale that endures long after the screen goes black, Elena is a visually gorgeous and emotionally stirring examination of loss and the pursuit of meaning in the midst of catastrophe.

(2018) The Perfection

Over the past ten years, Allison Williams has subtly emerged as a titan of horror films. Naturally, there was Get Out, when she gives a subtly insane performance. She also gave us M3GAN, a ridiculous horror movie that delivers thrills and frights without compromising its message about technology and connection. To be completely honest, though, I would rank her performance in The Perfection as the best of all of them. This mostly forgotten 2018 Richard Shepard film, which has a strong, unmistakably eerie atmosphere that subtly pulsates throughout, exposes dark secrets and sinister motives in the world of elite classical music, leaving you in a state of constant dread and apprehension for what is unavoidably to come. Williams plays Charlotte, a troubled musical prodigy who goes in search of Lizzie (played by Logan Browning), the new star pupil of her former mentor, in this amazing horror-thriller. Their encounter starts a series of startling incidents that leave you feeling horrified for days and full of crazy turns you never saw coming. As the deceit is revealed, the film’s compelling and unpredictable narrative layers gradually come to light as it combines intense tension with unsettling images. I never get tired of going back to The Perfection because it’s such a special, great experience.

Brawl in Cell Block 99: (2017)

Looking back, I think it inexcusable that I spent so many years of my life not seeing a single S. Craig Zahler’s flick. Zahler is a singer and heavy metal dramatist, a writer of crime novels, horror stories, and westerns, and a cameraman who made his way into directing with his first movie, a Western starring Kurt Russell. I mean, everything about Zahler sounds amazing and fascinating to me. It should come as no surprise that I have enjoyed learning about his distinct style in movies. From his first movie, Bone Tomahawk, to Dragged Across Concrete, to Brawl in Cell Block 99, which is, in my opinion, his best work. The protagonist of this strikingly simple tale, which has a slow rhythm and a heavy emphasis on character, is a former boxer who becomes a drug courier and faces the battle of his life in prison. Bradley Thomas, played by Vince Vaughn, gets incarcerated when a heroin deal goes awry and is thrust into a harsh world of survival where he must fight his way through the prison’s underbelly in order to rescue his loved ones elsewhere. A harsh and visceral experience that blends raw action with intensely emotional stakes is produced by Zahler’s gritty direction and Vaughn’s powerful performance, in addition to outstanding performances by Jennifer Carpenter, Don Johnson, and the famous Udo Kier. You feel this movie, not just watch it. Something strange and entirely new happens to you.

The Red Door: Insidious (2023)

As far as I can tell, the movie came and went with absolutely little fanfare, which is why I’m including it. It doesn’t help that the general moviegoing population was uninterested in this particular film (it currently has a 5.5 rating on IMDB) and that critics were generally critical of it (it currently has a 38% rating on Rotten Tomatoes). However, as a huge lover of the horror genre, and especially of intelligent horror films where the evil forces and demons that always lurk are combined with the fear, anxiety, and overwhelming tension of daily life, I found Insidious: The Red Door to be incredibly moving. The Lambert family is followed as they venture deeper into the terrible world of the Further in this intriguing tale, which is directed by Patrick Wilson, the primary character of the Insidious franchise in his directorial debut. The film’s eerie atmosphere and unrelenting suspense are ideal for its thematic explorations, providing a shocking-yet-compassionate look at our troubled relationship with memory, how we overcome the trauma that plagues our past, that haunts our present, and that prevents us from confidently stepping into the future. Josh Lambert (Wilson) and his son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) are both haunted by their past encounters, and they must unlock hidden memories to defeat the evil lurking behind the “red door.” This is the pinnacle of humanitarian terror.

Blackhat (2015)

I’m a little embarrassed to say that I wasn’t a big Heat fan for a long time. I mistook filmmaker Michael Mann’s narrative and creative choices for being cliched, boring, and—I hate to admit it—downright trite. This was a movie that would inspire countless crime fans for years to come. However, now that I’ve seen practically every film in Mann’s discography, I can see Heat and films like Thief, Collateral, and Miami Vice for what they are: perceptive examinations of moral ambiguity, loneliness, and loneliness in life, replete with philosophical queries supported by atmospheric lighting and flowing movement. Overall, his richly nuanced stories offer insightful insights into the existential aspects of our daily lives—and the same is true of the widely criticized Blackhat. Chris Hemsworth plays Nicholas Hathaway, who is freed from prison to assist in catching a cybercriminal who targets nuclear power facilities in this movie, which has gained a cult following since its premiere. Hathaway sets off on a high-stakes pursuit around the world with a squad that includes federal agents and a former lover (the ensemble is amazing and includes Ritchie Coster, Tang Wei, and Viola Davis). A key component of the film’s character-driven thematic focus is its realistic, true portrayal of cybersecurity and computer hacking, which raises issues such as: What is the meaning of identity in the digital age? What impact does technology have on how we perceive control and power? And in a linked society, how can we strike a balance between security and privacy? Blackhat contains everything, much like Mann’s earlier classics.

The Hulk (2003)

Everyone is furious right now because Morbius, Madame Web, or any other Phase Four release in the Marvel Cinematic Universe doesn’t live up to their expectations. However, in my day, Hulk was the superhero movie that seemed to receive more criticism from comic book fans than any other. I’ve never been a fan of superhero movies, especially those that are part of the current MCU, but I’ve always found this strange and brash success by Ang Lee—yes, the man who brought us classics like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Brokeback Mountain, and the wildly underappreciated Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk—to be fascinating. It embraces comic book aesthetics like no other film before or after. In the 2003 film, Eric Bana plays Bruce Banner, who is exposed to gamma radiation and turns into a hideous green monster who is unable to control his rage. In my opinion, this is still the best portrayal of the character to date. Bruce is threatened by the military and, of course, by his own history as he tries to manage his angry alter ego. Hulk stands out among superhero movies due to its unique blend of genres, which include energetic action, science fiction, and psychological drama, as well as its amazing attention to character development and inventive spectacular effects. You can’t dispute that you’ve never seen anything like Lee’s method, even if you don’t like it.

Holidate (2020)

I can’t help but wonder why another contemporary romantic comedy didn’t receive the same level of love after witnessing the critically acclaimed, box office-winning, and audience-enthused response to Anyone But You—which, don’t get me wrong, is a fantastic take on the rom-com formula, offering compelling characters amid an absurd premise. Of course, I’m referring to Holidate, a Netflix Original starring Emma Roberts and Luke Bracey, two lovers of underappreciated romantic comedies. In this affectionate, endearing, and humorous picture, which was directed by John Whitesell, Roberts plays Sloane and Bracey plays Jackson. In order to avoid the stress of finding true love, they decide to go on all vacation dates together. Despite how absurd it may sound, I adore how relatable it is in the end because it speaks to the usual social constraints of being single around the holidays and feeling compelled to present a united front when you may actually be feeling incredibly alone. The warmth between Sloane and Jackson increases with their friendship, resulting in surprising romantic events that make them face their deepest fears. Any lover of romantic comedies will notice and enjoy the incredible chemistry between Roberts and Bracey.

Burning (2018)

Despite the current boom in South Korean film, it appears that only the Best Picture winner Parasite has managed to make a significant impact on the general public. However, a separate picture that was chosen as the greatest Korean film of all time by a survey of more than 150 critics from 28 different nations may be held in much higher regard by critics and moviegoers. Burning is the title of that film. A young man’s life in a small South Korean village takes an intriguing turn when he befriends a fascinating woman and her affluent, reclusive companion. Starring Yoo Ah-in as Jong-su, who becomes involved in a perplexing relationship with Hae-mi (played by Jeon Jong-seo) and Ben (Steven Yeun), this work of cinematic poetry was directed by Lee Chang-dong, the guy behind the incredibly human movies Secret Sunshine, Poetry, and Peppermint Candy. Chang-dong’s careful pacing, his eerie use of visual metaphor, and his incorporation of literary influences—particularly Haruki Murakami’s short story “Barn Burning”—all contribute to the film’s exploration of class disparity, jealousy, and existential uncertainty as Jong-su’s obsession deepens. Burning is a well-planned, atmospheric thriller that deftly combines social commentary and psychological depth to analyze the rising isolation and disillusionment that consistently ensnare South Korea’s youth.

(2017) On Body and Soul

This final film is for the genuinely daring—those who don’t mind a film that deviates entirely from the formulaic Hollywood blockbusters and the same, same old tales that are constantly being produced by the film industry today. On Body and Soul is not your typical film—and for good reason—it is utterly naturalistic in its approach, intensely preoccupied with visual poetry and symbolism through its dreamy framework, and sparingly stocked with minimalist language. Entering the sterile setting of a slaughterhouse, two employees find they have the same nightmares every night in this completely strange movie that asks you to pay special attention to details. Directed by Ildikó Enyedi, who also gave us Simon, the Magician, and My 20th Century, this moody film follows the relationship between the reserved financial director Endre (Géza Morcsányi) and the shy quality inspector Mária (Alexandra Borbély) as they share nocturnal experiences. Despite their disagreements and personal hardships, their special friendship develops into an uncommon romance that is unheard of in movies. The focus on healing and transformation in On Body and Soul implies that even the most isolated people can find connection and transformation through the most surprising of ways, as these two characters’ journeys towards one another and their shared dream experiences act as catalysts for emotional healing and personal growth.