There are plenty of hidden gems in the Netflix catalog. I decided I’d share a few that I really enjoyed. All of these are currently available to stream, but some of them may expire in a month or so.
Black Narcissus
An enchanting Powell and Pressburger film. The great cinematography by Jack Cardiff is legendary and not to be missed. It’s available to stream, but the print quality on Netflix is a little below average. To fully appreciate the beauty of the movie, check out the Criterion Blu-Ray. (1947; 1 h. 41 min.)
Raising Arizona
A quirky comedy from the Coen Brothers. Nic Cage is hilarious. (1987; 1 h. 34 min.)
Everything Must Go
A bittersweet dramedy from first-time director, Dan Rush. Will Farrell’s performance is mature and very impressive. Christopher Jordan Wallace (son of Notorious B.I.G.) is well-cast and his scenes with Farrell are delicious. Those two make it worth seeing. (2010; 1 h. 37 min.)
Bill Cunningham, New York
The best documentary of 2011. This is a life-affirming movie that filled me with more joy and happiness than any movie ever has. (2011; 1 h. 24 min.)
Senna
A gripping documentary about the greatest formula-one racer who ever lived. It’s devastating, it’s exciting, it’s stirring. Whether or not you care about racing, this is a must-see. (2010; 1 h. 46 min.)
Certified Copy
A pleasant European puzzler by Abbas Kiarostami. This film holds one of the strangest plot twists out there. It also made my list of the best films of 2010 (2010; 1 h. 46 min.)
Brother’s Keeper
A documentary that is part murder mystery, part character study, part courtroom drama . This is a fascinating look at the lives of four illiterate farming brothers who have lived in a small shack their entire lives. (1992; 1 h. 45 min.)
The Red Balloon
An enchanting children’s short that seems to capture the heart of every one who watches it. Because it’s short and sweet, it’s easier to find the time to watch it. (1956; 34 min.)
Kes
A heart-felt film by Ken Loach. The story is fairly simple, but the movie is rich in emotion. Those who love The 400 Blows might find something to like here. This film isn’t talked about enough in the U.S., probably because of the thick British accents. (1969; 1 h. 54 min.)
The Men
An underrated anti-war film that marks the feature debut of Marlon Brando. The message of the movie has gotten lost over time, but it is an essential for Brando fans. (1950; 1 h. 25 min.)
Hour of the Wolf
Ingmar Bergman’s only horror film implements dark, gothic themes into the director’s recognizable style. It is as complex as any movie Bergman ever made and it is considerably entertaining. (1968; 1 h. 27 min.)
Cinema Paradiso
A sensationally touching movie about a fatherless young boy and an elderly projectionist who takes him under his wing. Many have fallen in love with this one. (1988; 2 h. 54 min.)
Driving Miss Daisy
A patient, likable drama with two great leading performances by Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman. It might not have the impact of other Best Picture winners, but it’s one that I love to revisit every now and then. (1989; 1 h. 39 min.)
Arthur
A comedy starring Dudley Moore in one of his most popular roles. It’s very funny, but its theme song makes it feel a little dated. It was remade last year, but I didn’t get around to seeing it. (1981; 1 h. 37 min.)
Alice
A strikingly original vision of Alice in Wonderland using stop-motion animation. Puppets, dead animals, and live bones haunt this dark adaptation. If you thought Burton’s film was too pleasant, try Svankmajer’s. (1988; 1 h. 31 min.)
Cinema Train 
Nice list (if only I had Netflix)! The only film I’ve seen is Raising Arizona, but there’s a few on there I’m curious about (particularly Black Narcissus, Cinema Paradiso and Alice). Great idea for a list though, hopefully this will be of use to a few people!
Thanks!
This is a great list — I haven’t seen at least half of these. Thanks!
Thank you! I’m glad to know you like it.
Great picks – I didn’t realize that Bill Cunningham was available, will have to add that one.
Yeah, I strongly recommend that you do.
I’ve only seen Raising Arizona and Arthur on the list. I’m going to have to watch The Red Balloon soon, and I’m interested in Cinema Paradiso.
Cinema Paradiso is a movie that every film lover should see at some point. Thanks for commenting!
Helpful suggestions and I appreciate the descriptions, too.
Thanks! I’m glad you found it helpful.
Great post, I will try and watch some of these.
Thanks! They’re all definitely worth the time.
Great selection! Cinema Paradiso reminds me of the old, crumbling movie palaces of my childhood. Hour of the Wolf was the first time I understood what Bergman was saying. It marked the end of me and Bergman, except for The Seventh Seal — still one of my top 5. So many other movies, not nearly enough time. Great list especially for those of us that have Netflix!
Thanks so much for commenting and then reblogging! I’m glad to know that most people have enjoyed and/or agreed with the list. I hope you found it helpful and entertaining!
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Reblogged this on Serendipity and commented:
Great Selection!
Some of these I already have in my Instant Queue, but there are so many hidden gems in Netflix! See, I knew not only cheesy Asian horror films and “new releases” such as Iron Man was on there 🙂
There sure are plenty of gems on Netflix instant! Thanks for commenting!
Thanks to my wife I actually own a DVD copy of The Red Balloon. Wonderful, charming little film!
Awesome! It really is a wonderful movie.
Great list here. That Arthur(1981) film always makes me laugh with Dudley Moore, Liza Minnelli, and Sir John Gielgud.
Hobson: Thrilling to meet you, Gloria.
Gloria: Hi.
Hobson: Yes… You obviously have a wonderful economy with words, Gloria. I look forward to your next syllable with great eagerness.
Haha! Arthur is full of funny lines, especially from Hobson. Thanks!
I totally agree with your list except that I haven’t seen Certified Copy or Brother’s Keeper and now need to seek them out. Thank you for liking and following mine! I am enjoying reading yours!
Definitely try to see those films when you can, they’re great. Thanks so much!
Svankmajer’s Alice!! BEST Alice there is. We had a taped version of it from when it aired on TVO in like 1995. Great list, man.
Thanks very much. Alice is just an extraordinary telling of the story, so original and you’re right, probably the best Alice there is.
Fond of many of these…but I am absolutely wild about “Certified Copy”! That is a without-a-doubt must-see! ML
It certainly is! 😀
Thanks for pointing these out…I have Netflix Streaming, so I’ll take a look. I’ve often wondered about ‘Hour of the Wolf’, and with so many excited comments about ‘Certified Copy’, I’ll definitely have to visit that one soon.
Great! I hope it helps. Hour of the Wolf is a solid Bergman film, not his best, but it is intriguing. Certified Copy comes highly recommended from me and I suggest that you see it knowing as little about it as possible. It just works better that way. 🙂
I’ve just added Certified Copy to my Netflix queue, and I will NOT be reading up on it beforehand! Of course, Hour of the Wolf is not available to stream, so I’ll wait until I switch back over to ‘discs by mail’ in July and check for its availability then. Thanks again, Garrett!
You’re welcome! I’d love to hear what you thought of Certified Copy. I think a select few of these films, like Hour of the Wolf, have expired for streaming, but all or most of them should be at least available on DVD also.
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