With the second wave of the Coronavirus still going strong within India, people are back to being confined in their homes. With most people having finished watching some brilliant content on various streaming platforms – many are starting to run out of things to watch and have now entered the “I have got nothing to watch” syndrome. So to help you guys out, we are making our highly anticipated “Best 50” listicles featuring various movies and TV shows on various genres and categories from each of the major OTT platforms currently streaming in India. This week, we are looking at the Best 50 Hollywood Movies currently streaming on Netflix. Check them out:
50. The King (2019)
We start this list of with a brilliant coming of age film The King which is set in a historic war epic. This movie is based on Shakespeare’s group of historical plays which dramatized real British monarchs of the 15th century. In this movie, we follow young Henry V, who after the death of his brother, becomes King of England. He encounters deceit, treachery and war as soon as his reign begins.
49. Troy (2004)
Based on Homer’s Iliad and Quintus Smyrnaeus’s Posthomerica, we follow the reenactment of a decade-long Trojan war, which gets compressed into a battle lasting a couple of weeks. Still, this brilliant film Troy boasts an ensemble cast and some nuanced acting. The movie starts off with the infamous Helen of Troy, who at the time was the Queen of Sparta. She runs off with Paris, a Trojan prince which sparked the legendary Trojan War.
48. The Karate Kid (1984)
The film that sparked a brilliant franchise as well as various other spin-offs, ‘The Karate Kid’ was a brilliant coming-of-age martial arts films for its time. The movie starts off with Johnny Lawrence, who is adept at martial arts bullying Daniel LaRusso in their high school. In order to defend himself, Daniel decides to learn Karate from Mr. Miyagi, his apartment’s handyman.
47. Dolemite Is My Name (2019)
Based on the true story of struggling artist, Rudy Ray Moore, he goes on to create a highly outrageous character named Dolemite, who becomes an underground sensation and star of a kung-fu, anti-establishment film. Eddie Murphy shows us why he is a comedy genius in this biographical comedy drama.
46. Little Women (1994)
This coming of age historical drama is based on the Louisa May Alcott 1868-69 two-volume novel of the same title making it the fifth film adaptation of said novel series. Set in the 19th century America, during the civil war, a father leaves behind his wife and four daughters – Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy (AKA The March sisters), to fight in the Union Army.
45. Split (2016)
Kevin, a man who suffers from dissociative identity disorder and has 23 alter egos, kidnaps three teenagers. They must now convince his friendly personas to let them go free, before the 24th personality, who all the other 23 are deathly scared of, comes out to kill them. This movie is the second film in the ‘Unbreakable’ film series.
44. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
This anthology of six short films takes place in the 19th century, post-Civil War era. Featuring a huge cast and some brilliant acting, this Western flick has gone to be nominated for an Oscar for the Best Adapted Screenplay section.
43. Snowden (2016)
This much watch biographical film is based on true events which was first written in the book series ‘The Snowden Files’ by Luke Harding. The story follows the now infamous Edward Snowden, a CIA subcontractor and whistleblower who leaked highly classified information from the National Security Agency (NSA), back in 2013.
42. The Disaster Artist (2017)
Another film based on a true story, this time we follow Tommy Wiseau as he proceeds to make the “greatest bad film of all time”. The movie shows the events leading up to Tommy making this movie, titled ‘The Room’ as well as the shoot and the events after it. The film is directed by the film’s lead, James Franco.
41. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015)
When one adds the fifth movie of a well-known franchise, either the list is in trouble or the movie series are just that good. When a movie stars Tom Cruise, who is not just “The King of Adrenaline”, but also a prolific actor as well, we can expect that film series to have quite a bit of longevity (and it has). In this film, Ethan Hunt and his team have to race against time to prove the existence of the Syndicate, a highly-skilled terror organization, with the CIA doggedly pursuing them.
40. Uncut Gems (2019)
A rare dramatic film featuring Adam Sandler, we follow a charismatic jeweler who makes a high stakes bet that could be the end of everything if he loses. In this precarious situation, he has to balance business, family and enemies so that he can win.
39. The Terminal (2004)
This film follows an Eastern European man, Viktor Navorski, who gets stranded at an airport when a war breaks out in his country. He is forced by the officials to stay at the airport until his original identity can be confirmed.
38. Mudbound (2017)
This American historical drama is based on the 2008 novel of the same name by Hillary Jordan. The film focuses on two families – the McAllens and the Jacksons during World War II. Both families have a young son each who fought in the war and came back. Now they have to face the demons at home.
37. Hugo (2011)
Based on Brian Selznick’s 2007 book The Invention of Hugo Cabret, the film tells the story of a boy, Hugo, who lives alone in the Gare Montparnasse railway station in Paris in the 1930s. He has his late father’s automaton and is on a mission to find the key that will get it working.
36. GoodFellas (1990)
This movie is the film adaptation of the 1985 nonfiction book Wiseguy by Pileggi. The book is based on the life of Henry Hill, a Mafia gangster who turned into an informant. Considered among one of the greatest gangster movies ever made, ‘GoodFellas’ follows Young Henry Hill, who with his friends Jimmy and Tommy, climb the ranks in the streets of New York to become renowned gangsters.
35. The Social Dilemma (2020)
The first documentary on this list, we get a terrifying look at the behind-the-scenes work of tech companies. This docudrama gives us an in-depth analysis on how social media is designed to nurture an addiction for the same, while manipulating people and governments, as well as spreading conspiracy theories and disinformation.
34. Minority Report (2002)
In a future where cops can catch criminals before the crime is committed, head of the Cre-Crime, a specialized police unit, John Anderton is accused of one such crime and he sets out to prove his innocence. This Steven Spielberg movie is loosely based on the 1956 short story of the same name by Philip K. Dick.
33. A Star is Born (2018)
Jackson, a well-known musician, falls in love with a struggling artist, Ally. As he gets her to follow her dreams, he battles his own inner demons as well as a slowly raging alcohol addiction.
32. Moneyball (2011)
This sports drama is based on the American baseball GM, Billy Beane, and Peter Brand, an economics graduate, who challenge the conventional way of baseball. Using statistics and programming algorithms, they find a way to build a baseball team with one of the lowest budgets in the league and make history.
31. True Grit (2010)
Adapted from the 1968 novel of the same name by American author Charles Portis, a 14-year-old girl and the U.S. Marshall she hires is joined by a Texas ranger as she pursues the man who killed her father. Their grit is tested when they embark on this journey for justice. There has already been a previous film adaptation of ‘True Grit’, which was released back in 1969.
30. Watchmen (2009)
In a world which outlawed unlicensed Superheroes, Rorschach, a vigilante sets out to investigate the mysterious murder of his ex-colleague. When he gets to the bottom of the murder, he discovers a few disturbing secrets. This Zack Snyder Superhero movie is adapted from the D.C. Comic series of the same name.
29. 300 (2006)
A fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae within the Persian Wars, this movie is adapted from the 1998 Frank Miller comic series of the same name. Another Zack Snyder flick, this movie follows King Leonidas who leads 300 Spartans into battle against the Persian “God-King” Xerxes and his invading army of over 300,000 soldiers.
28. The Social Network (2010)
Based on some of the true events that lead to Mark Zuckerberg’s creation on Facebook, we follow Zack as he and his best friend, Eduardo, create one of the biggest social networking sites on the planet and how they sever ties with several people along the way, including themselves.
27. Into the Wild (2007)
This adventure drama follows a young graduate, Christopher McCandless, who decides to renounce all his possessions and hitchhike across America. On his journey, he encounters several situations, which change him as a person. The film is based on the 1996 non-fiction book by Jon Krakauer, which was based on true events.
26. Nightcrawler (2014)
This neo-noir thriller follows Louis Bloom, a thief who goes on to become a stringer AKA freelance journalists who records violent events late at night in Los Angeles and sells the footage to a local television news station. As the work starts to become more cut throat, Louis starts to make his own violent incidents.
25. John Wick (2014)
Keanu Reeves makes a successful comeback to the action genre with this brilliant flick. We follow John Wick, a man who has just lost his wife to a terminal illness. To cope with his grief, his wife gets him a dog which his wife before she passed away. When the dog is killed in a home invasion, John suits up to take revenge.
24. Zodiac (2004)
The film talks about the real life story about the huge manhunt of the Zodiac Killer, a serial murderer who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Based on the 1986 non-fiction book of the same title by Robert Graysmith, we follow Robert, a cartoonist by profession who finds himself obsessing over the Zodiac killer. He starts fitting the tiny clues and puzzles together to reveal the identity of the killer.
23. Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
After his wife, Joanna leaves him due to a mental breakdown, workaholic Ted Kramer is forced to look after his son, Billy. Eventually they start to bond and start to heal together. However, Joanna soon returns, for the full custody of their son.
22. The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
Based on the infamous 1969 trial of seven defendants who were charged by the federal government with conspiracy and more, which arose from the countercultural protests in Chicago at the 1968 Democratic National Convention. This film features a strong cast and is helmed by “dialogue king” Aaron Sorkin.
21. The Irishman (2019)
This brilliant Martin Scorsese film is based on the 2004 nonfiction book ‘I Heard You Paint Houses’ by Charles Brandt. This book is based on the true events that happened in the life of Frank Sheeran, an alleged mafia hitman who worked for the Bufalino crime family. Set in the 1950s, the film follows truck driver Frank Sheeran as he climbs the ranks of the Bufalino family to become a top hitman.
20. Edge of Tomorrow (2014)
Set in an alternate universe, where the world is being invaded by an alien species – the human race has joined forces to create one huge army. After insubordination, Major William Cage loses his rank and is sent into the barracks to fight the aliens for one last final battle, as a Private. Due to some events in the battle, he finds himself stuck in a time loop and finds out that the battalion he is a part of is rushing into a slaughter.
19. Marriage Story (2019)
Inspired by real life divorces, the film follows a theatre director and his actor wife struggling to maintain their marriage, while living in New York. When his wife is offered a job in Los Angeles, they decide to part ways in an amicable manner. But the fact they have to now share their son from coast-to-coast, begins to cause a strain to that amicable nature.
18. The Imitation Game (2014)
Based on the real life of Alan Turing, a British mathematician, we follow Turing as he and his colleagues try to decrypt the German enigma code. With the help of his fellow mathematicians, he builds the world’s first “computer” to crack the codes.
17. The Revenant (2015)
This Leonardo DiCaprio starring American epic Revisionist Western film is based on the novel of the same name written by Michael Punke, which was based on a series of events in the life of American frontiersman, Hugh Glass. This film follows Glass, who becomes injured in a bear attack and is then abandoned by his hunting crew. Through sheer persistence and will, along with his skills, Glass manages to survive and take revenge on the companion who betrayed him.
16. My Octopus Teacher
The second and final documentary on this list, we follow Craig Foster forge a relationship with a wild octopus in a South African kelp forest. The Octopus acts as Foster’s mentor (according to Foster) and teaches him about the fragility of life.
15. No Country for Old Men (2007)
Set in 1980 Texas, a hunter finds his life take a huge turn for the better when he discovers two million dollars in the aftermath of a drug deal gone wrong. He is immediately pursued by a psychotic killer who wants the money for himself.
14. Shutter Island (2010)
This psychological thriller film follows US marshals, Teddy Daniels and Chuck Aule, who are sent to an asylum on a remote island in order to investigate the disappearance of a patient. During their investigation, Teddy uncovers a shocking truth about himself and the asylum.
13. Inglourious Basterds (2009)
No “Top Whatever-the number-may-be” Hollywood film list is complete without a Tarantino movie. And this list has two, including this one. We follow the exploits of a few Jewish American soldiers who are on an undercover mission to bring down the Nazi Government and bring the end to a war. In the meantime, a young woman plans to take revenge for the death of her family.
12. Scarface (1983)
Pretty much every movie from now on is a must-watch. This Al Pacino movie follows Tony Montana and his close friend Manny as they build a strong drug empire in Miami. However, as his power grows, so does his ego and his enemies. Eventually his paranoia causes the destruction of his empire.
11. Django Unchained (2012)
Django, a slave, teams up with a bounty hunter to rescue his wife, who has been enslaved by Calvin, a cruel plantation owner. Another Tarantino film, this movie has some brilliant direction and features an ensemble cast.
10. La La Land (2016)
This romantic comedy is a musical romanticizing Hollywood and the showbiz (somewhat). We follow Sebastian and Mia, who are drawn to one another by their desire to do what they love. But as success comes for both of them, they are faced with decisions that can make or break their relationship while destroying their budding careers.
9. Back To The Future (1985)
No list can be complete without this 1985 classic. Marty travels back in time using a time machine created by Doc Brown. Now, he has to make his parents fall in love in order to exist in the present.
8. Gladiator (2000)
Inspired by Daniel P. Mannix’s 1958 book Those About to Die, we follow Maximus Decimus Meridius, A Hispano-Roman general. He gets demoted after a new king, Commodus, takes power. He ends up as a slave and eventually transforms himself into a renowned gladiator.
7. The Prestige (2006)
Similar to Tarantino, no list such as this can be made without a Christopher Nolan film. And this list has four of them, including this one. We follow two magicians in this movie, who become bitter rivals after a sudden catastrophe. As they devote more of themselves into this rivalry, they make sacrifices that bring them fame and misfortune.
6. Interstellar (2014)
Another one of Nolan’s masterpieces, this movie is set 40-50 years into the future, where the Earth is slowly becoming a hostile place to live on. We follow Joseph Cooper, a farmer and ex-NASA pilot who is given a mission to take a spacecraft through space and explore a wormhole that opened up within their solar system; hopefully, to find a new planet for colonization.
5. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Set during World War II, we follow Captain John Miller and his team, who are assigned the task of searching for Private James Ryan, whose three brothers have already been killed in the war. We follow the team as they storm Normandy and venture deeper into hostile territory, searching for the young Private.
4. Inception (2010)
Christopher Nolan proved his mettle as a story teller with this complex, beautiful film. This film follows Cobb, an information extraction expert who takes information from his targets using their dreams. A Japanese businessman, Saito offers to wipe clean Cobb’s criminal history if he can plant an idea in the mind of his competitor’s son.
3. Schindler’s List (1993)
Based on true events that happened during World War II, we follow Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist and member of the Nazi party. After witnessing the persecution of Jews in Poland and the atrocities committed by the Nazi party, Oskar decides to save his Jewish employees from the Nazi abuse.
2. The Dark Knight (2008)
Surprisingly, the second best movie in this list is a Batman movie. Usually that means this list is bad, or the film is just that good. The film was directed by Christopher Nolan, so make a wild guess. The film follows the exploits of The Batman as he cleans up Gotham and terrorizes the city’s various crime organizations. With the help of Gordon and the new District Attorney Harvey Dent, they have managed to create a revolution for justice in Gotham. This forces the mob to hire Joker, a psychopathic criminal mastermind, who takes on Batman and forces the entire city to fall at his feet.
P.S: This movie is the second part in a trilogy of films. All three films could have made this list, but we didn’t want more than one film per franchise on this list. So check out all three films.
1. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Widely considered by many as the greatest film to be ever made, we follow Andy Dufresne, a successful banker as he is arrested for the murders of his wife and her lover. After losing the case, he is sentenced to life imprisonment at the Shawshank prison. The prison soon finds out that they have a very unconventional new prisoner.
We’re hiring!
We are hiring two full-time junior to mid-level writers with the option to work remotely. You need to work a 5-hour shift and be available to write. Interested candidates should email their sample articles to [email protected]. Applications without a sample article will not be considered.
