70 Hidden Gem Movies on Netflix
(Photo by © RADiUS-TWC /courtesy Everett Collection)
We know people are burning through their Netflix queues at a cracking pace right now, bingeing the buzziest movies and series as they drop and finally getting to those things you’ve been putting on the backburner for months. To help out – and calm the stress that you could run out of things to watch (ah!) – the Rotten Tomatoes team trawled through the streaming service’s movie offerings with one mission: to find some not-so-obvious hidden gems to help keep your watchlist topped up.
How did we define “hidden gems”? A little broadly, we’ll admit. The collection below is made up of movies with impressive Tomatometer scores that have gone criminally under-seen (Slow West, I Don’t Feel At Home In This World Anymore., Under the Shadow); movies that made a splash when they debuted but which you may have forgotten since (1922, My Life As A Zucchini, Obvious Child); under-appreciated gems – according to the RT staff (Good Burger, Kingping, The Foreigner); and some bigger movies you may be surprised to see are available on Netflix (The Adventures of Tintin, Hot Rod). And we threw in a few surprise nostalgic favorites, too. Yes, even some Rotten ones.
We broke out the selections into five categories to help you find what you’re specifically looking for: Action and Adventure, Horror and Suspense, Drama, Comedy, and Kids and Family. If you’re after even more Netflix movie suggestions, check out our guides to the 250 Best Movies on Netflix, the Best Comedies on Netflix, the Best Romantic-Comedies on Netflix, and the Best Horror Movies on Netflix.
Found a hidden gem on Netflix that’s not on our list? Let your fellow fans know in the comments.
#70
Adjusted Score: 69.594%
Critics Consensus: The Foreigner adheres strictly to action thriller formula, but benefits from committed — and out of character — performances from its talented veteran stars.
Synopsis: The Foreigner, starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan, is a timely action thriller from the director of Casino Royale. The… [More]
#69
Adjusted Score: 86.811%
Critics Consensus: MMA star and first-time actress Gina Carano displays ample action-movie chops in Haywire, a fast-paced thriller with a top-notch cast and outstanding direction from Steven Soderbergh.
Synopsis: This dynamic action-thriller directed by Steven Soderbergh boasts a talented cast that includes Channing Tatum, Ewan McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Antonio… [More]
#68
Adjusted Score: 79.875%
Critics Consensus: Hostiles benefits from stunning visuals and a solid central performance from Christian Bale, both of which help elevate its uneven story.
Synopsis: Set in 1892, Hostiles tells the story of a legendary Army Captain (Christian Bale), who after stern resistance, reluctantly agrees… [More]
Directed By:
#67
Adjusted Score: 83.36%
Critics Consensus: A well-crafted retelling of an epic true story, Kon Tiki is a throwback to old-school adventure filmmaking that’s exciting and entertaining in spite of its by-the-book plotting.
Synopsis: Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl crossed the Pacific ocean in a balsa wood raft in 1947, together with five men, to… [More]
#66
Adjusted Score: 90.364%
Critics Consensus: A bloody thrill ride designed to test the limits of more squeamish viewers, The Night Comes for Us wields a stylishly violent, action-packed punch.
Synopsis: The Night Comes For Us follows Ito (played by Joe Taslim), a former triad enforcer, and his mission to protect… [More]
#65
Adjusted Score: 98.545%
Critics Consensus: Beautifully filmed and inventively choreographed, Shadow is a thrilling and visually sumptuous wuxia epic that finds director Zhang Yimou near peak form.
Synopsis: With SHADOW, director Zhang Yimou (HERO, HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS) once again pushes the boundaries of wuxia action to create… [More]
#64
Adjusted Score: 96.549%
Critics Consensus: Slow West serves as an impressive calling card for first-time writer-director John M. Maclean — and offers an inventive treat for fans of the Western.
Synopsis: At the end of the nineteenth century, 16-year-old Jay Cavendish (Kodi Smit-McPhee) journeys across the American frontier in search of… [More]
#63
Adjusted Score: 90.88%
Critics Consensus: Thanks to director Zak Hilditch’s patient storytelling and strong work from lead Thomas Jane, 1922 ranks among the more satisfying Stephen King adaptations.
Synopsis: 1922 is based on Stephen King’s 131-page story telling of a man’s confession of his wife’s murder. The tale is… [More]
#62
Adjusted Score: 89.353%
Critics Consensus: The Autopsy of Jane Doe subverts the gruesome expectations triggered by its title to deliver a smart, suggestively creepy thriller that bolsters director André Ovredal’s growing reputation.
Synopsis: It’s just another night at the morgue for a father (Brian Cox) and son (Emile Hirsch) team of coroners, until… [More]
#61
Adjusted Score: 101.136%
Critics Consensus: Smart, stripped-down, and thrillingly grim, Blue Ruin proves that a well-told revenge story can still leave its audience on the edge of their seat.
Synopsis: BLUE RUIN is a classic American revenge story that recently won the FIPRESCI International Critics Prize at the Cannes Film… [More]
#60
Adjusted Score: 96.514%
Critics Consensus: Smart and suspenseful, CAM is a techno-thriller that’s far more than the sum of its salacious parts — and an outstanding showcase for Madeline Brewer in the leading role.
Synopsis: CAM is a technology driven psychological thriller set in the world of webcam porn. It follows Alice, an ambitious camgirl,… [More]
#59
Adjusted Score: 90.48%
Critics Consensus: Cargo takes a refreshingly character-driven approach to the zombie genre that’s further distinguished by its Australian setting and Martin Freeman’s terrific lead performance.
Synopsis: Stranded in rural Australia in the aftermath of a violent pandemic, an infected father desperately seeks a new home for… [More]
#58
Adjusted Score: 48.209%
Critics Consensus: Intermittently effective if not wholly successful, Eli offers horror fans a handful of jump scares in search of a truly terrifying story.
Synopsis: ELI is the story of a young boy plagued with an unknown, debilitating illness that requires him to live completely… [More]
#57
Adjusted Score: 81.097%
Critics Consensus: The Eyes of My Mother uses a shocking trauma to fuel a hauntingly hypnotic odyssey whose nightmarish chill lingers long after the closing credits.
Synopsis: In their secluded farmhouse, a mother, formerly a surgeon in Portugal, teaches her daughter, Francisca, to understand anatomy and be… [More]
#56
Adjusted Score: 93.484%
Critics Consensus: Carla Gugino carries Gerald’s Game’s small-scale suspense with a career-defining performance.
Synopsis: Gerald Burlingame (Bruce Greenwood) and his wife Jessie (Carla Gugino) attempt to rekindle the flames of their marriage with a… [More]
#55
Adjusted Score: 88.257%
Critics Consensus: A chillingly effective horror story rooted in rich folklore, The Golem blends centuries-old stories with timely themes to powerful effect.
Synopsis: During an outbreak of a deadly plague, a mystical woman must save her tight-knit Jewish community from foreign invaders, but… [More]
#54
Adjusted Score: 99.985%
Critics Consensus: Green Room delivers unapologetic genre thrills with uncommon intelligence and powerfully acted élan.
Synopsis: GREEN ROOM is a brilliantly crafted and wickedly fun horror-thriller starring Patrick Stewart as a diabolical club owner who squares… [More]
#53
Adjusted Score: 91.494%
Critics Consensus: Hush navigates the bloody waters of home invasion thrillers and incisive slashers for a contemporary horror puree.
Synopsis: In this heart-pounding thriller from acclaimed writer and director Mike Flanagan (Oculus, Before I Wake), silence takes on a terrifying… [More]
#52
Adjusted Score: 91.353%
Critics Consensus: The Invitation makes brilliant use of its tension-rich premise to deliver a uniquely effective — and surprisingly clever — slow-building thriller.
Synopsis: In this taut psychological thriller by Karyn Kusama (Girlfight, Jennifer’s Body), the tension is palpable when Will (Logan Marshall-Green, Prometheus)… [More]
#51
Adjusted Score: 87.458%
Critics Consensus: Uncommonly restrained for a movie about a flesh-eating menace, Ravenous offers a satisfyingly nuanced entry in the crowded zombie apocalypse subgenre.
Synopsis: A group of people transform into zombies in a small Canadian town. Labeled the «hungry,» they feast upon their loved… [More]
#50
Adjusted Score: 76.126%
Critics Consensus: Director David Bruckner makes evocative use of the Scandinavian setting and a dedicated cast to deliver a handsome — if familiar — horror story.
Synopsis: Following the sudden, violent death of their best mate, four young men reunite for a hike through the Scandinavian wilderness…. [More]
#49
Adjusted Score: 94.596%
Critics Consensus: Carried by Kiersey Clemons’ performance, Sweetheart balances smart subtext and social commentary against effective genre thrills.
Synopsis: Jenn has washed ashore a small tropical island and it doesn’t take her long to realize she’s completely alone. She… [More]
#48
Adjusted Score: 101.755%
Critics Consensus: Under the Shadow deftly blends seemingly disparate genres to deliver an effective chiller with timely themes and thought-provoking social subtext.
Synopsis: Shideh (Narges Rashidi) and her family live amid the chaos of the Iran-Iraq war, a period known as The War… [More]
#47
Adjusted Score: 86.876%
Critics Consensus: American Honey offers a refreshingly unconventional take on the coming-of-age drama whose narrative risks add up to a rewarding experience even if they don’t all pay off.
Synopsis: Star, an adolescent girl from a troubled home, runs away with a traveling sales crew who drive across the American… [More]
#46
Adjusted Score: 101.866%
Critics Consensus: An unpredictable supernatural drama rooted in real-world social commentary, Atlantique suggests a thrillingly bright future for debuting filmmaker Mati Diop.
Synopsis: In Dakar, a group of construction workers abandon their work on a sky-scraper in response to months of withheld wages…. [More]
#45
Adjusted Score: 97.644%
Critics Consensus: The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open uses an encounter between two strangers as the catalyst for a thoughtful drama as poetic as its title.
Synopsis: Two Indigenous women from vastly different backgrounds find their worlds colliding on an East Vancouver, B.C. sidewalk when brutality and… [More]
#44
Adjusted Score: 67.695%
Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.
Synopsis: Through a magical realist lens, THE BURIAL OF KOJO follows the story of Esi, as she recounts her childhood and… [More]
#43
Adjusted Score: 102.747%
Critics Consensus: Burning patiently lures audiences into a slow-burning character study that ultimately rewards the viewer’s patience — and subverts many of their expectations.
Synopsis: BURNING tells the story of three individuals and a mysterious incident they experience. Jongsu bumps into an old friend, Haemi,… [More]
#42
Adjusted Score: 92.249%
Critics Consensus: Rising on the strength of Rebecca Hall’s gripping performance, Christine offers an empathetic look at its subject’s public career and painful private life.
Synopsis: Rebecca Hall stars in director Antonio Campos’ third feature film, CHRISTINE, the story of a woman who finds herself caught… [More]
#41
Adjusted Score: 97.516%
Critics Consensus: Brilliantly performed and smartly unconventional, The End of the Tour pays fitting tribute to a singular talent while offering profoundly poignant observations on the human condition.
Synopsis: THE END OF THE TOUR tells the story of the five-day interview between Rolling Stone reporter (and novelist) David Lipsky… [More]
#40
Adjusted Score: 75.056%
Critics Consensus: Thanks to a strong performance from Jake Gyllenhaal and smart direction from Denis Villeneuve, Enemy hits the mark as a tense, uncommonly adventurous thriller.
Synopsis: Academy Award Nominee Jake Gyllenhaal reteams with his PRISONERS director, Academy Award Nominee Denis Villeneuve, in this sexy and hypnotically… [More]
#39
Adjusted Score: 77.494%
Critics Consensus: The Fundamentals of Caring gets maximum mileage out of the chemistry between its well-matched leads as it follows a fairly well-worn coming-of-age road trip route.
Synopsis: An 18-year-old with muscular dystrophy (Craig Roberts) goes on a road trip with his caregiver (Paul Rudd), and the pair… [More]
#38
Adjusted Score: 102.639%
Critics Consensus: A quiet, moving rumination on loneliness and newfound intimacy, God’s Own Country marks an outstanding directorial debut for Francis Lee.
Synopsis: Johnny Saxby (Josh O’Connor) works long hours in brutal isolation on his family’s remote farm in the north of England…. [More]
#37
Adjusted Score: 92.95%
Critics Consensus: Happy as Lazzaro uses a friendship’s ups and downs as a satisfyingly expansive canvas for a picture rich with thematic and cinematic depth.
Synopsis: Lazzaro is a naive and optimistic twenty-year-old farmer; Tancredi is instead a young man with a fervid imagination. Between the… [More]
#36
Adjusted Score: 98.093%
Critics Consensus: High Flying Bird takes a thoughtful and engrossing look at professional sports that sees Steven Soderbergh continuing to test the limits of new filmmaking technology.
Synopsis: In the midst of a pro basketball lockout, sports agent Ray Burke (André Holland) finds himself caught in the face-off… [More]
#35
Adjusted Score: 83.292%
Critics Consensus: Far more traditional and straightforward than its unwieldy title, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society offers delightful comfort food for fans of period drama.
Synopsis: London, 1946. Juliet (Lily James), a charismatic and free-spirited writer receives a letter from a member of a mysterious literary… [More]
#34
Adjusted Score: 90.843%
Critics Consensus: I don’t feel at home in this world anymore. transcends its unwieldy title to offer timely, intoxicatingly dark observations on gender dynamics and social norms in modern America.
Synopsis: Fed up with the human indecency she sees around her and set off by her home being burglarized, Ruth (Melanie… [More]
#33
Adjusted Score: 85.834%
Critics Consensus: With typically sharp work from writer-director Nicole Holofcener and finely layered performances, The Land of Steady Habits is one mid-life crisis worth watching.
Synopsis: Writer/director Nicole Holofcener (Enough Said, Friends with Money) brings us a drama about parenting, loss and the consequences of our… [More]
#32
Adjusted Score: 99.161%
Critics Consensus: A one-man show set in a single confined location, Locke demands a powerful performance — and gets it from a never-more-compelling Tom Hardy.
Synopsis: Ivan Locke (Hardy) has worked diligently to craft the life he has envisioned, dedicating himself to the job that he… [More]
#31
Adjusted Score: 95.98%
Critics Consensus: Boosted by Sam Rockwell’s intense performance, Moon is a compelling work of science-fiction, and a promising debut from director Duncan Jones.
Synopsis: An astronaut miner extracting the precious moon gas that promises to reverse the Earth’s energy crisis nears the end of… [More]
#30
Adjusted Score: 85.019%
Critics Consensus: The One I Love doesn’t take its intriguing premise quite as far as it could, but it still adds up to an ambitious, well-acted look at love and marriage.
Synopsis: The highly anticipated debut feature from acclaimed author Charlie McDowell, THE ONE I LOVE is an original tale that continues… [More]
#29
Adjusted Score: 86.373%
Critics Consensus: A satisfying must-watch for diehard cineastes, The Other Side of the Wind offers the opportunity to witness a long-lost chapter in a brilliant filmmaker’s career.
Synopsis: A satire of Hollywood, The Other Side of the Wind focuses on the last days of a legendary film director… [More]
#28
Adjusted Score: 73.197%
Critics Consensus: Purple Rain makes for undeniably uneven cinema, but it’s held together by its star’s singular charisma — not to mention a slew of classic songs.
Synopsis: The Kid is a Minneapolis musician on the rise with his band, the Revolution, escaping a tumultuous home life through… [More]
#27
Adjusted Score: 99.248%
Critics Consensus: A fascinating portrait of a forgotten musical pioneer, Searching for Sugar Man is by turns informative and mysterious.
Synopsis: Searching for Sugar Man tells the incredible true story of Rodriguez, the greatest ’70s rock icon who never was. Discovered… [More]
#26
Adjusted Score: 90.109%
Critics Consensus: Rich in atmosphere and period detail, Super Dark Times is an effective teen thriller whose true power lies in its approach to deeper themes.
Synopsis: A harrowing but meticulously observed look at teenage lives in the era prior to the Columbine High School massacre, SUPER… [More]
#25
Adjusted Score: 96.514%
Critics Consensus: Dreamlike and haunting, We the Animals approaches the coming-of-age odyssey with a uniquely documentarian eye.
Synopsis: Us three. Us brothers. Us kings, inseparable. Three boys tear through their childhood, in the midst of their young parents’… [More]
#24
Adjusted Score: 74.592%
Critics Consensus: Beautifully filmed and unabashedly sincere, About Time finds director Richard Curtis at his most sentimental.
Synopsis: At the age of 21, Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) discovers he can travel in time… The night after another unsatisfactory… [More]
#23
Adjusted Score: 87.882%
Critics Consensus: Robert Altman’s gift for diffuse storytelling is employed to breezily enjoyable effect in Cookie’s Fortune, a mirthful caper that layers on a generous helping of Southern charm.
Synopsis: The ingredients of an archetypal southern town (the blues, catfish, and scrabble), a deliciously chosen cast, and the creative skills… [More]
#22
Adjusted Score: 42.436%
Critics Consensus: Hot Rod has brazen silliness and a few humorous set pieces on its side, but it’s far too inconsistent to satisfy all but the least demanding slapstick lovers.
Synopsis: Amateur stuntman Rod Kimble has a problem–his step-father Frank is a jerk. Frank picks on Rod, tosses him around like… [More]
#21
Adjusted Score: 61.799%
Critics Consensus: It doesn’t quite follow through on its promise, and relies too heavily on shopworn romantic comedy tropes, but The Invention of Lying is uncommonly sly and funny.
Synopsis: «The Invention of Lying» takes place in an alternate reality in which lying–even the concept of a lie–does not even… [More]
#20
Adjusted Score: 51.574%
Critics Consensus: Kingpin has its moments, but they’re often offset by an eagerness to descend into vulgar mean-spiritedness.
Synopsis: In the ’70s, Roy Munsen (Woody Harrelson) was a bowling phenomenon. He was none too sharp about picking friends, though,… [More]
#19
Adjusted Score: 79.602%
Critics Consensus: Solid performances, bold direction.
Synopsis: At the age of ten, Fanny Price is sent to live with wealthy relatives in Northampton Shire, leaving her impoverished… [More]
#18
Adjusted Score: 93.048%
Critics Consensus: Led by a committed performance from Julian Barratt, Mindhorn offers audiences a laugh-out-loud comedy whose sublime silliness is enhanced by its more thoughtful moments.
Synopsis: Washed-up actor Richard Thorncroft peaked with hit 1980s detective show ‘Mindhorn’, playing the titular Isle of Man sleuth with a… [More]
#17
Adjusted Score: 96.087%
Critics Consensus: Tackling a sensitive subject with maturity, honesty, and wit, Obvious Child serves as a deeply promising debut for writer-director Gillian Robespierre.
Synopsis: For aspiring comedian Donna Stern, everyday life as a female twenty-something provides ample material for her incredibly relatable brand of… [More]
#16
Adjusted Score: 95.784%
Critics Consensus: While it’s plenty predictable and sentimental, The Sapphires also has an irresistible feel-good vibe, winning music and charming performances to spare.
Synopsis: Inspired by a true story, THE SAPPHIRES follows four vivacious, young and talented Australian Aboriginal girls from a remote mission… [More]
#15
Adjusted Score: 83.466%
Critics Consensus: What Someone Great lacks in originality it makes up for in relatability and charm, thanks in large part to the undeniable chemistry between its talented leads.
Synopsis: Aspiring music journalist Jenny (Gina Rodriguez) has just landed her dream job at an iconic magazine and is about to… [More]
#14
Adjusted Score: 95.735%
Critics Consensus: As emotionally rich as it is eye-catching, Strictly Ballroom uses its infectious energy as the fuel for a modern dance classic with all the right moves.
Synopsis: This wildly off-beat comedy is about a male dancer (Paul Mercurio) who refuses to follow the accepted rules of ballroom… [More]
#13
Adjusted Score: 78.705%
Critics Consensus: Disarmingly odd and thoroughly well-acted, Swiss Army Man offers adventurous viewers an experience as rewarding as it is impossible to categorize.
Synopsis: Outrageously fun and deeply affecting, Swiss Army Man is a gonzo buddy comedy that is the feature film debut of… [More]
#12
Adjusted Score: 87.906%
Critics Consensus: Like the best horror/comedies, Tucker & Dale vs. Evil mines its central crazy joke for some incredible scares, laughs, and — believe it or not — heart.
Synopsis: Tucker & Dale vs Evil is a hilariously gory, good-spirited horror comedy, doing for killer rednecks what Shaun of the… [More]
#11
Adjusted Score: 80.951%
Critics Consensus: Drawing deep from the classic Raiders of the Lost Ark playbook, Steven Spielberg has crafted another spirited, thrilling adventure in the form of Tintin.
Synopsis: Paramount Pictures and Columbia Pictures Present a 3D Motion Capture Film The Adventures of Tintin directed by Steven Spielberg from… [More]
#10
Adjusted Score: 87.853%
Critics Consensus: The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind earns its predictably uplifting arc through strong performances and impressive work from debuting director Chiwetel Ejiofor.
Synopsis: Against all the odds, a thirteen year old boy in Malawi invents an unconventional way to save his family and… [More]
#9
Adjusted Score: 98.677%
Critics Consensus: The Breadwinner’s stunning visuals are matched by a story that dares to confront sobering real-life issues with uncommon — and richly rewarding — honesty.
Synopsis: Parvana is an 11-year-old girl growing up under the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001. When her father is wrongfully arrested,… [More]
#8
Adjusted Score: 33.745%
Critics Consensus: Good Burger might please hardcore fans of the 1990s Nickelodeon TV series that launched leads Kenan and Kel to stardom, but for all others, it will likely prove a comedy that is neither satisfyingly rare nor well done.
Synopsis: Sunny, terminally silly farce in which comedy teammates Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell try to save a humble burger joint… [More]
#7
Adjusted Score: 96.139%
Critics Consensus: Beautifully animated and faithful to the spirit of its classic source material, The Little Prince is a family-friendly treat that anchors thrilling visuals with a satisfying story.
Synopsis: Kung-fu Panda director Mark Osborne teams with producers Aton Soumache and Dimitri Rassam for this animated take on Antoine de… [More]
#6
Adjusted Score: 76.975%
Critics Consensus: Lu Over the Wall can be more fun to watch than to follow, but director Masaaki Yuasa’s distinctive visual style offers colorful compensation for an occasionally scattered story.
Synopsis: From visionary anime auteur Masaaki Yuasa, comes a joyously hallucinogenic but family-friendly take on the classic fairy tale about a… [More]
#5
Adjusted Score: 104.144%
Critics Consensus: My Life as a Zucchini’s silly title and adorable characters belie a sober story whose colorful visuals delight the senses even as it braves dark emotional depths.
Synopsis: After his mother’s sudden death, Zucchini is befriended by a police officer, Raymond, who accompanies him to his new foster… [More]
#4
Adjusted Score: 46.534%
Critics Consensus: Despite the best efforts of a talented cast, Race to Witch Mountain is a tepid reboot that lacks the magic of the original.
Synopsis: For years, stories have circulated about a secret place in the middle of the Nevada desert, known for unexplained phenomena… [More]
#3
Adjusted Score: 61.301%
Critics Consensus: Charming characters; loads of fun for kids and adults.
Synopsis: Based on the popular Nickelodeon TV series Rugrats, this is the first full-length feature animated movie to star the little… [More]
#2
Adjusted Score: 99.662%
Critics Consensus: A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon retains the charm of its small-screen source material while engagingly expanding the title character’s world.
Synopsis: What begins as an ordinary day for Shaun the Sheep (Justin Fletcher) turns out to be anything but, when an… [More]
#1
Adjusted Score: 49.848%
Critics Consensus: Small Soldiers has plenty of visual razzle-dazzle, but the rote story proves disappointingly deficient in director Joe Dante’s trademark anarchic spirit.
Synopsis: Director Joe Dante and his producer, Steven Spielberg, are reunited for a darkly comic, and ultimately weak knockoff of their… [More]
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