Netflix has been releasing original films over its streaming service in a greater capacity with each passing year. Beginning with the critically lauded Beasts of No Nation in October of 2015, Netflix has gone on to substantially diversify its library of original films. From Oscar-winners like Roma to blockbusters such as Army of the Dead, the streamer has something for everyone.
Netflix's library even includes some truly outlandish films that audiences wouldn't find at most modern multiplexes. This has led to some exciting movies from filmmakers who aren't so constrained by the studio system. In fact, these niche movies needed Netflix to exist, as it's unlikely they'd be greenlit elsewhere.
1922 (2017)
Netflix's other Stephen King adaptations have received far more buzz, but 1922 may very well be the best. However, its relative anonymity is understandable given that, for a King tale, 1922 is very niche.
In the film, Thomas Jane delivers a career-best performance as Wilfred James, a Nebraska farmer with murder on his mind. With the help of his son, he plans to kill his wife, sell their farm, and move to Omaha with newfound prosperity. However, actions have consequences, and Wilfred is soon pursued by ghosts and a horde of rats.
The Discovery (2017)
The Discovery features Robert Redford as a scientist who has proven the existence of the afterlife. A hook like a proven afterlife should be a surefire thing, but the film spends the majority of its runtime focusing on the topic of suicide.
While sci-fi tends to observe serious everyday issues, the consequence of suicide is a weary theme after 100 minutes. Furthermore, the movie plays with the complex topic of alternate realities. With all that happens in the movie, it's surprising that the outlandish and ambitious shooting script got the greenlight.
Death Note (2017)
The title of 2017's Death Note (a loose adaptation of Japanese manga series) refers to a particularly special notebook. The possessor of the notebook writes down the name of a person they want dead and how they want it done. From there, the person dies in reality. Add in a demon voiced by Willem Dafoe and Death Note is a surprising addition to Netflix's original film lineup.
Death Note was actually highly sought after due to the popularity of the source material. However, critics and fans alike had a mixed reaction at best. Fans, in particular, took issue with the movie's many departures from the manga series.
Little Evil (2017)
In 2017's Little Evil, Adam Scott stars as the stepfather to a child who may be the spawn of Satan himself. While some ludicrous comedies have been made over the past decade, it's still surprising a film with that concept was shot.
Still, with a subtle tone that works more often than not, Little Evil feels like a cult movie (metaphorically speaking) that could find its audience thanks to Netflix.
Bright (2017)
Bright was a big movie for Netflix, even if it was critically reviled. What's most surprising about Bright getting greenlit is the narrative on paper. A buddy cop movie is a fine enough sell, and hardcore fantasy does decent business, but merging the two is fairly unorthodox.
In the end, David Ayer's movie doesn't quite pull it off. Throughout its entire runtime, it feels both redundant and extremely corny.
A Futile And Stupid Gesture (2018)
David Wain's A Futile and Stupid Gesture focuses on the life of National Lampoon co-founder Doug Kenney. Kenney isn't a household name, but this adaptation of Josh Karp's eponymous book is still well worth checking out.
The movie follows Kenney, played by Will Forte, and his creative partner Henry Beard, played by Domhnall Gleeson, from the time they revolutionized comedy with the National Lampoon magazine all the way to Kenney's tragic death at the age of 33.
The Perfection (2019)
The Perfection contains some of the more grotesque imagery to be featured in a Netflix original. While horror films have been doing especially well in theaters the past few years, this more graphic movie feels tailor-made for Netflix's catalog.
With its slow-burn plot and gut-wrenching payoff, The Perfection is a movie that could only exist in the age of streaming services, and it's particularly no surprise that a streamer more open to dark subject matter like Netflix greenlit the project.
Velvet Buzzsaw (2019)
Nightcrawler director Dan Gilroy and Jake Gyllenhaal's second collaboration, Velvet Buzzsaw, was an even tougher sell. Its satirical focus on the contemporary art industry is niche enough, but add in grisly horror, and Velvet Buzzsaw becomes one of 2019's weirdest movies.
Netflix has established itself as a home for films that audiences wouldn't typically find in theaters, and a movie where Toni Collette, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Rene Russo die at the hands of art certainly fits the bill.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga (2020)
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga ended up being a big movie for Netflix, due in part to the inclusion of Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams. It also boasted an assortment of fun songs, including the Oscar-nominated "Husavik."
With or without the big stars though, centering a movie around the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) was no easy marketing task in the United States. Furthermore, the movie's critical reception was mixed, but it received a warm response from the Eurovision crowd. In any case, it certainly wasn't expected for such a Eurovision movie to ever see the light of day.
Vampires Vs. The Bronx (2020)
Vampires vs. the Bronx is a charming horror comedy that also serves as a commentary on gentrification. With a title like Vampires vs. the Bronx, a theatrical release doesn't seem likely. A streaming service like Netflix, however, can get a smart The Monster Squad-esque movie like this to a wide audience.
The story follows a group of Bronx teenagers who must band together and save their neighborhood from an encroaching vampire horde, blending social messaging with scares that harken back to horror classics of years past.