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Since 2015, Netflix has produced hundreds of original films, but the majority disappear after a week or two on the front page. The streamer’s vast library of content makes it difficult to decide which movie is worth checking out—or rewatching.
There are obviously some excellent films on Netflix that are worth discovering and revisiting. They are features that have only improved over time, despite being largely overlooked at the time of release or buried by newer content. They have the craft, the themes, and the emotional power that have only grown stronger and more relevant. Here are the forgotten Netflix movies that have aged like fine wine.
‘The Pale Blue Eye’ (2023)
The Pale Blue Eye is an intriguing addition to Netflix’s original programming, but it was overlooked due to its slow-burn gothic mystery structure, which did not appear to fit Netflix’s algorithm at the time. Scott Cooper directs the film, creating an atmospheric experience, and the film’s final twist definitely makes it worth a second or third viewing; there are layers that interact beautifully. Christian Bale (Cooper’s frequent collaborator) gives one of his most understated performances, while Harry Melling immerses viewers in his portrayal of Edgar Allan Poe.
The Pale Blue Eye takes place in West Point in the year 1830. A young cadet is found hanged, with his heart surgically removed. Augustus Landor (Bale), a retired detective, is tasked with investigating, and he enlists an eccentric, poetry-obsessed cadet named Edgar Allan Poe (Melling) to help him navigate the academy’s secret societies. Together, they uncover a conspiracy involving satanic rituals, family secrets, and a truth that will haunt Poe for the rest of his days. The themes of grief, artistic obsession, and the birth of American gothic literature are beautifully explored here, and it’s hard to believe that this film was released nearly four years ago, but it’s aged exceptionally well.
‘Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio’ (2022)
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio has undoubtedly been forgotten, buried in Netflix’s vast algorithm; there wasn’t much excitement about this film when it first came out, which is a shame because it’s a masterful work of stop-motion animation. It’s also one of del Toro’s most personal works, as he empathizes with the character of Pinocchio and dedicates the film to his parents. It’s one of the best fantasy films of the 2020s, as well as a breathtaking expression of creativity and retelling of a classic story.
Pinocchio is set in fascist Italy in the 1930s and follows a grieving woodcarver named Geppetto (David Bradley), who creates a wooden puppet that magically comes to life; he names him Pinocchio (Gregory Mann) and assigns Sebastian J. Cricket (Ewan McGregor) to guide Pinocchio with morals and honor. However, Pinocchio is, like many boys, disobedient, naive, and desperate for love. As Mussolini’s regime rises, Pinocchio embarks on a long journey that takes him to a military camp, a circus, and the belly of a sea monster, throughout which he learns the true meaning of life. The film won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature, and despite being forgotten, its themes have only grown relevant, ranging from the film’s anti-authoritarian message to a dedication to adults who still feel like children.
‘Wheelman’ (2017)
Wheelman was one of many Netflix action films that were consumed by the algorithm in 2017. It was not auteur-driven like some of the service’s prestige films, and it lacked the star power to cut through the clutter—but Frank Grillo has become more relevant since then. His career grew, and there’s no doubt that there are newer Grillo fans out there; now is the time to revisit Wheelman, which is a hidden gem waiting to be discovered by anyone looking for a lean, mean, single-location thriller. The film’s most impressive trick is that it is almost entirely shot inside the car, using a clever mix of mounted cameras inside and outside the vehicle.
Wheelman follows a nameless expert getaway driver (Grillo), who finds himself in a pinch after a routine bank heist goes horribly wrong. After being duped by one of his own crew members, he receives a frantic phone call threatening his estranged family. Now on the run from a new crew of violent criminals and corrupt cops, he only has one harrowing night to use his expert driving skills not only to survive, but also to find the people who set him up and protect the family he has neglected. Grillo gives a fantastic, gritty performance that shows why he’s an underappreciated action star. Wheelman is one of Netflix’s purest and most effective action thrillers from its early days, and it’s only gotten better with time.
‘Okja’ (2017)
Before becoming a quadruple Oscar winner, Bong Joon-ho had a Netflix original film called Okja, which was packed with Hollywood stars. The film is a perfect example of Bong’s signature style: a thrilling creature feature that also serves as a razor-sharp satire of corporate greed and a heartfelt plea for compassion for all living creatures. With each passing year, its themes of unchecked capitalism and animal welfare feel more relevant and pressing, while the blend of cutting-edge CGI with an emotional, practical relationship between a girl and her CGI companion has only become more impressive with time.
Okja takes place in a near-future world plagued by food shortages; the powerful Mirando Corporation develops 26 “super-pigs,” genetically modified beasts designed for maximum meat yield. Deep in the mountains of South Korea, young Mija (Ahn Seo-hyun) forms an unbreakable bond with her super-pig, the gentle giant Okja. When Mirando reclaims Okja for slaughter in New York City, Mija embarks on a global quest to save her best friend, colliding with militant animal rights activists and the corporation’s callous PR machine. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to a four-minute standing ovation, but was booed when the Netflix logo appeared. Another interesting fact is that many people claim that Okja inspired them to become vegetarians.
‘The King’ (2019)
The King is one of the most visible examples of Timothee Chalamet’s talent, which he demonstrated early in his career. However, this David Michôd film was overshadowed by other, more pressing Oscar contenders from the streamer, such as The Irishman and A Marriage Story. But today, The King is regarded as one of Netflix’s most visually stunning and thematically rich films. The film was co-written by Michôd and Joel Edgerton, who also stars in it. Furthermore, it is not only a career-defining move for Chalamet’s acting abilities, but it also establishes Robert Pattinson as a skilled contender.
The King is a loose adaptation of William Shakespeare‘s Henriad, following young Prince Hal (Chalamet) as he rejects his royal destiny in order to live among the commoners. When Hal’s father dies, he is reluctantly crowned King Henry V, forcing him to navigate a web of betrayal, assassination attempts, and war against France. The film is a brutal, muddy, anti-war epic that removes the romance of medieval glory; its critique of masculine violence has become more poignant over time. It’s a Shakespeare adaptation that feels fresh and, interestingly, well understood, rather than simply adapted for the screen.
‘High Flying Bird’ (2019)
High Flying Bird is one of two Steven Soderbergh projects shot entirely on an iPhone (the other being Unsane), and at the time, this style of filmmaking was dismissed as a gimmick. But this method of filming contributes to High Flying Bird‘s visual style—intimate, handheld, and documentary-like—which has aged beautifully. The film depicts the exploitation of college athletes and the disruption of traditional sports media, all of which have evolved into mainstream conversations over time. André Holland stars as the lead, and his performance is electrifying; High Flying Bird is a forgotten gem in the “talking head” thriller genre.
High Flying Bird is set during an NBA lockout, with a savvy sports agent named Ray Burke (Holland) representing a rookie eager to play. With no games and no income, Ray must outmaneuver team owners, league executives, and his own clients, so he devises a radical strategy: turn a college exhibition game into a streaming event, bypassing the entire professional system. The film also sees some real-life NBA professionals in interviews throughout, talking about their own rookie experiences. High Flying Bird is a sharp, fast-talking examination of labor, race, and the commodification of Black athletes that warrants a second viewing and looks pretty good.
‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs’ (2018)
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, the Coen Brothers‘ Netflix debut, was praised and frequently cited as one of the streaming service’s best additions, but it appears to have been forgotten just as quickly. However, it is now regarded as one of the Coens’ most philosophical works. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs is an anthology film in which each story grapples with mortality, fate, and the absurdity of human striving. The cinematography is stunning, and the shifts from slapstick to horror to elegy are expertly executed. It reveals new layers with each viewing, and it has aged beautifully.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs combines six Western stories, each darker and more absurd than the last: a singing cowboy who is both charming and lethal; a hapless bank robber who can’t catch a break; a traveling impresario who performs with a limbless orator; a prospector who strikes gold and then loses everything; a wagon train of travelers facing the Oregon Trail’s brutality; and a stagecoach carrying strangers who discuss the nature of existence. A couple of the stories were shorts created by the Coens over a 20-year period; after realizing they had five other Western stories that couldn’t fit anywhere else, they decided to expand them into a full anthology.
‘Private Life’ (2018)
Private Life is a very underrated and underappreciated film that, since its release, has become a source of comfort for anyone who has struggled with the same issues the film addresses. Its candor about miscarriages, financial stress, and strain on the protagonists’ marriage is unflinching yet tender. Kathryn Hahn delivers a standout performance, and Paul Giamatti is an excellent choice as the weary, romantic husband. It’s a movie about the persistence of love in the face of disappointment, and that theme only deepens and grows more relevant with age.
Private Life follows Richard (Giamatti) and Rachel (Hahn), a middle-aged New York couple dealing with multiple rounds of IVF, adoption attempts, and donor options. Their nephew’s college-aged daughter volunteers to be an egg donor. The film follows their messy, heartbreaking, and surprisingly funny journey through infertility, a subject that Hollywood rarely addresses honestly. Director and writer Tamara Jenkins strikes a balance between the difficulties and beauty of Rachel and Richard’s relationship, resulting in a bittersweet film that was an instant critical darling but was lost in the algorithm too soon.
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https://collider.com/forgotten-netflix-movies-aged-like-fine-wine/
Anja Djuricic
Almontather Rassoul
