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The streaming juggernaut Netflix constantly produces and creates some compelling and exciting original movies that keep subscribers wanting more. Their extensive and diverse library is packed full of fresh and intriguing content that helps make it one of the leading entertainment platforms, and their ever-growing film selection is continually attracting new and eager viewers. In recent years, Netflix has steadily established its status as a successful creator of both critically-acclaimed television series and films, with lucrative distribution agreements and partnerships propelling its popularity and value. Many famous faces have inked deals with the streamer, such as esteemed producer and showrunner Shonda Rhimes and Shondaland (Grey’s Anatomy), comedic genius Adam Sandler, and most recently the charming Ryan Reynolds.
Netflix has already released some thrilling content so far this year, with a slew of gifted performers appearing in their original projects. Tyler Perry brought his beloved Mabel “Madea” Simmons out of retirement for the much-needed A Madea Homecoming, while Game of Thrones alum Nikolaj Coster-Waldau battles the chilly elements in Greenland for the historical survival drama Against the Ice. These are the best Netflix original movies to stream from this year.
8 The Weekend Away
The edgy thriller The Weekend Away stars Leighton Meester as Beth, a woman accused of murdering her best friend when their getaway to Croatia takes a tragic turn into a girls' trip gone wrong; she sets out to clear her name and undercover the truth of the weekend’s events, and in the process discovers a painful secret. The taut mystery is based on the successful Sarah Alderson novel, and upon its release Netflix subscribers spent 9 million hours worldwide watching the movie during its first seven days.
While audience reactions were divided on The Weekend Away, it garnered a lot of attention and streams, with RogerEbert.com calling it, “the best kind of purposely preposterous potboiler. The scenery is gorgeous, the twists keep the adrenaline pumping, and the performances are memorable. Even though you might not remember everything that happens, you’ll have a good time while it lasts.”
7 A Madea Homecoming
After originally planning to retire the beloved Madea character in 2019’s A Made Family Funeral, writer, producer, and star Tyler Perry decided to revert these plans and once again don the famous persona in 2022’s A Madea Homecoming. The comedy follows the no nonsense Mabel “Madea” Simmons, as she prepares to celebrate her great-grandson’s college graduation but finds the occasion complicated as family drama and hidden secrets threaten the exciting homecoming. The gifted creator decided to revive the hilarious character because he thought that everyone needed and deserved a good laugh, telling People magazine, “I was looking at the state of the world and how polarized it is…nobody’s laughing. Nobody’s getting the chance to bell-laugh anymore. And I’m like, ‘What tool do I have in my arsenal that can bring that kind of laughter?’”
6 Against the Ice
Game of Thrones star Nikolaj Coster-Waldau headlines the historical survival film Against the Ice, which centers on two men exploring Greenland’s vast landscape for a lost map, who must fight for survival when they are left behind while on their expedition. In the riveting drama, Coster-Waldau portrays Danish explorer and author Captain Ejnar Mikkelsen, who attempted to disprove the United States’ claim to North Eastern Greenland in 1909 by proving that the country is one island.
Mikkelsen, along with his inexperienced crew member Iver Iversen must battle fatigue, hunger, and the elements in order to stay alive and await their rescue. During production, the crew was once stranded on a glacier in Iceland during a storm and were forced to take cover in a hut to avoid the hurricane-force winds. Against the Ice was watched for 30.73 million hours in its first five days of release, placing second on Netflix’s Top Ten.
5 Windfall
Featuring the impressive cast of Jason Segel, Jesse Plemons, and Lily Collins, the Netflix thriller Windfall tells the story of a robber who breaks into a tech billionaire’s empty vacation home, but finds his plans thwarted when the arrogant mogul and his wife arrive for a last-minute getaway. Segel not only stars in the thriller but also helped co-write it, drawing inspiration from the pandemic by creating an isolated atmosphere for the layered characters.
He revealed, “I think what this movie explores and the character of ‘Nobody’ represents is this part of us that knows, can see with our own eyes that something is fundamentally unfair and there seems to be no way to address it…that some people are going to have infinite money and some people are going to struggle for every dollar. ” The dark and twisty picture is propelled by the killer cast and their phenomenal performances, and is sure to keep audiences on the edge of their seats.
4 Texas Chainsaw Massacre
The ninth installment of the iconic horror franchise, Netflix’s slasher flick Texas Chainsaw Massacre picks up several decades after the original and focuses on the notorious serial killer Leatherface as he targets a group of teenagers, and is confronted by the vengeful survivor of his previous murders. The movie serves as a direct sequel to the 1974 classic horror movie, and depicts the disturbed villain as a 60-year-old, similar to the approach Blumhouse took with their Halloween films.
Filmmaker David Blue Garcia wanted the production of the slasher to take an “old school” approach to the project, utilizing vintage lenses and practical effects for the gore. Texas Chainsaw Massacre garnered widespread interest from Netflix subscribers, amassing more than 29 million hours of viewership in its first week and sparking talks of a follow-up due to its successful numbers.
3 The Adam Project
Hollywood superstar Ryan Reynolds stars in the sci-fi adventure film The Adam Project, appearing as time-traveling fighter pilot Adam Reed who accidentally crash lands in 2022 and must team up with his 12-year-old self for a mission to save the future. With an additional cast of dazzling performers including Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner, and Zoe Saldaña, the exciting movie follows the two Adams as they embark on a journey to find their father while healing the wounds and loss that have shaped them.
Reynold’s performance and interactions with Ruffalo’s character were influenced by his memories of his own late father, having told Collider, “All I had to do is look at Mark and feel everything, every unrequited moment I’ve ever had with my own father in real life. Truly, I felt so lucky to be working with someone like Mark Ruffalo, who is as good, if not better than everyone already knows him to be.” The Adam Project was a smash hit for Netflix, attracting 3 million viewers over its debut weekend.
2 Home Team
Viewers in search of some lighthearted entertainment need look no further than the sports comedy Home Team led by Kevin James, which is inspired by the true story of New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Peyton who, during his one-year suspension from the NFL, coached his 12-year-old son’s football team. Peyton was suspended the entire 2012 season for his perceived role in the Saints’ bounty scandal, under which “bounties” were allegedly paid for contact that would try to injure players on opposing teams.
The flick was co-produced by frequent James collaborator Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions, and features the additional talent of funnyman Rob Schneider, Taylor Lautner and Jackie Sandler. The esteemed NFL coach even had a cameo in the comedy, appearing in the final scenes at the Saints training facility as Lionel the janitor.
1 Munich – The Edge of War
Based on the Robert Harris novel, the German/British drama Munich – The Edge of War focuses on a British diplomat who travels to Munich in the lead-up to World War II, where he crosses paths with a former classmate of his from Oxford who is working for the German government. British civil servant Hugh Legat and German diplomat Paul von Hartmann travel to the capital for an emergency conference, but as negotiations unfold as to how to handle the impending war, the two old friends find themselves at the center of a political ploy.
The enthralling picture stars esteemed actors like Jeremy Irons, George MacKay and Jannis Niewöhner and was praised for its commanding performances, thrilling pace and intriguing what-if twist on wartime history. The Guardian commended the compelling film, writing, “It all rattles along easily enough, with some nice spycraft set pieces. As with Frederick Forsyth’s The Day of the Jackal, the fact that you know what happens in the end is no bar to enjoyment…none of this stops it from being an ingenious, elegant counterfactual drama.”