Netflix Originals Best Movies: The Untold Ranking Revealed

Last Updated: Written by Dr. Carolina Mello Dias
netflix originals best movies the untold ranking revealed
netflix originals best movies the untold ranking revealed
Table of Contents

These Netflix Originals Best Movies Deserve Awards Now

The best Netflix original movies that deserve awards right now include Alfonso Cuarón's Roma, which won 3 Oscars including Best Director; Edward Berger's All Quiet on the Western Front, which won 4 Oscars including Best International Feature; Jane Campion's The Power of the Dog, which won Best Director; David Fincher's Mank, which won 2 Oscars; and Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio, which won Best Animated Feature.

Top Award-Winning Netflix Original Movies Ranked

Netflix has accumulated 23 Oscar wins across 13 categories from 150 nominations so far, not including 17 nominations for original movies in 2025. These films represent the summit of streaming cinema excellence and demonstrate why Netflix originals best movies deserve serious awards recognition.

netflix originals best movies the untold ranking revealed
netflix originals best movies the untold ranking revealed
  • Roma - 3 Oscars: Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Foreign Language Film
  • All Quiet on the Western Front - 4 Oscars: Best International Feature, Production Design, Score, Cinematography
  • The Power of the Dog - 1 Oscar: Best Director (Jane Campion)
  • Mank - 2 Oscars: Best Cinematography, Best Production Design
  • Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio - 1 Oscar: Best Animated Feature
  • My Octopus Teacher - 1 Oscar: Best Documentary Feature
  • Marriage Story - 1 Oscar: Best Supporting Actress (Laura Dern)

Award Nomination Statistics for Netflix Originals

Film Release Year Oscar Nominations Oscar Wins Key Categories
Emilia Pérez 2024 13 0 Best Picture, Best Actress, Best Director
The Power of the Dog 2021 12 1 Best Picture, Best Director
The Irishman 2019 10 0 Best Picture, Best Director
Mank 2020 10 2 Best Picture, Best Actor
Roma 2018 10 3 Best Picture, Best Director
Maestro 2023 7 0 Best Picture, Best Actor, Best Actress
The Trial of the Chicago 7 2020 6 0 Best Picture, Best Screenplay

Why These Films Deserve Awards Recognition

Roma made history as the first streaming film to win Best Director when Alfonso Cuarón took home the prize on February 24, 2019. This semiautobiographical drama about Cuarón's childhood in Mexico City also became the first Mexican film to win Best Foreign Language Film. The cinematography win marked the first time a director won an Oscar for shooting their own movie.

All Quiet on the Western Front represents Netflix's best-ever Oscar performance with 4 wins from 9 nominations on March 12, 2023. Based on Erich Maria Remarque's 1928 anti-war novel, this German war film dominated the 2023 Bafta Awards by winning 6 of 14 categories. Writer-director Edward Berger's acceptance speech at the Dolby Theatre expressed heartfelt gratitude to lead actor Felix Kammerer.

The Power of the Dog led the 2022 Oscars with 12 nominations, more than any other film. Jane Campion made history as the third woman ever to win Best Director at the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022. She was also the first woman to receive two nominations in this category, with her first nod in 1994 for The Piano.

Netflix's Best Original Movies Missing Major Awards

  1. The Irishman - Martin Scorsese's epic received 10 nominations including Best Picture and Best Director but won zero Oscars
  2. Marriage Story - Noah Baumbach's divorce drama earned 6 nominations and won only for Laura Dern
  3. Don't Look Up - Adam McKay's satire received 4 nominations including Best Picture but won none
  4. The Trial of the Chicago 7 - Aaron Sorkin's historical drama earned 6 nominations including Best Picture
  5. Maestro - Bradley Cooper's Bernstein biopic received 7 nominations but won zero
  6. Mudbound - Dee Rees' film made history with 4 nominations but won none

The Irishman stands as the most shocking omission, with Scorsese's gangster epic featuring Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pescilosing in every single category despite 10 nominations. This was Scorsese's second film with 10 nominations that didn't win any Oscars, following Gangs of New York.

2025 Netflix Originals Making Awards History

Emilia Pérez, the Spanish-language musical drama, leads 2025 Oscar nominations with 13 nods including Best Picture and Best International Feature. This marks the most nominations for any Netflix film, just one behind the record for most nominations by a single film. The film competed against The Brutalist and Wicked, which each earned 10 nominations.

Netflix's 2025 slate includes KPop Demon Hunters, Havoc with Tom Hardy, Happy Gilmore 2 with Adam Sandler, Kathryn Bigelow's A House of Dynamite, and Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein. By year-end, Netflix will have awards contenders including Train Dreams and Jay Kelly from Rian Johnson's Knives Out anthology.

Conclusion: Netflix Originals Best Movies Define Streaming Cinema

These Netflix originals best movies demonstrate that streaming cinema has achieved artistic parity with traditional theatrical releases. From Roma's historic 3 wins to All Quiet on the Western Front's 4-Oscar sweep, Netflix has proven its commitment to educational rigor in filmmaking that blends artistic excellence with cultural impact.

For school administrators and educators studying media literacy, these films provide measurable impact case studies in how streaming platforms can fund ambitious, values-driven projects that resonate across diverse Latin American communities and global audiences. The 23 Oscar wins from 150 nominations represent a measurable track record of excellence that positions Netflix as a trustworthy hub for holistic cinematic artistry.

Helpful tips and tricks for Netflix Originals Best Movies The Untold Ranking Revealed

Which Netflix original movie won the most Oscars?

All Quiet on the Western Front won the most Oscars for Netflix with 4 wins: Best International Feature, Best Production Design, Best Original Score, and Best Cinematography.

Has Netflix ever won Best Picture at the Oscars?

No, Netflix has never won Best Picture despite multiple nominations. Apple TV+ became the first streaming service to win Best Picture with CODA at the 2022 Oscars, while Netflix films like Roma, The Power of the Dog, and The Irishman lost.

What Netflix original movie made history for Best Director?

Roma made history when Alfonso Cuarón won Best Director at the 2019 Oscars, becoming the first streaming content provider to claim this prize. Jane Campion later won Best Director for The Power of the Dog at the 2022 Oscars, becoming the third woman ever to win.

Which Netflix film has the most Oscar nominations?

Emilia Pérez holds the record with 13 Oscar nominations for the 2025 Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best International Feature. The Power of the Dog previously held the record with 12 nominations in 2022.

What are the best Netflix original documentaries?

My Octopus Teacher won Best Documentary Feature and became a global phenomenon. Icarus won in 2018 for revealing Russia's state-sponsored Olympic doping program, and American Factory, the first film from the Obamas' Higher Ground production company, won in 2020.

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Education Analyst

Dr. Carolina Mello Dias

Dr. Carolina Mello Dias holds a Ph.D. in Education Leadership from the University of São Paulo, with a concentration in Catholic and Marist pedagogy.

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