Blackhat (2015)

In spite of his legions of devoted fans, it’s possible that some people still underrate Michael Mann, and that’s especially true when it comes to his most recent output. Blackhat, his 2015 cyber thriller that stars Chris Hemsworth, was a critical and commercial disaster when it was released in 2015. In the years since, though, it has gained a host of devoted followers who think that Mann knew exactly what he was doing when he made this strange, subdued action film. The plot here hardly matters, but there’s definitely plenty of hacking going on, and Hemsworth proves more believable as someone who knows CSS than you might think.

Maestro (2023)

Telling the true story of composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein’s marriage to Felicia Montealegre, Maestro is remarkable in part because of how little time it spends on Bernstein’s major accomplishments. Instead, it focuses on the complicated dynamics of his marriage and gives almost equal footing to Montealegre, who struggles to find something real in the most important relationship of her life. Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan star and they give two of the best performances in recent memory. Cooper also directed the film, and does the kind of virtuosic work that makes it hard to question his bona fides.

Athena (2022)

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

A sequel to Knives Out, Glass Onion takes everything about that first movie that works and heightens it even more. Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc returns, but this time with a much bigger budget and an even more elaborate puzzle to unwind. Thanks to an all-star cast that includes Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Janelle Monae, and Dave Bautista, Glass Onion manages to distinguish itself from its predecessor in part by satirizing a slightly different type of insanely wealthy person. The reveals are all worth the wait, as are the line deliveries from Craig and the rest of the ensemble.

All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)

Don’t Look Up (2021)

An over-the-top satire from Adam McKay, Don’t Look Up is worth a watch simply for the insane number of A-list actors in the cast. The film focuses on two nobody astronomers who discover evidence that a giant comet is headed directly toward Earth and have to find a way to get the world to take them seriously before it’s too late. Directly aimed at the climate crisis and the politics surrounding it, the overall tone is over the top and a little obvious, but its mournful ending is undeniably effective.

Mank (2020)

Extraction (2020)

Jim & Andy: The Great Beyond – Featuring a Very Special, Contractually Obligated Mention of Tony Clifton (2017)

Always Be My Maybe (2019)

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975)

The Power of the Dog (2021)

Netflix has yet to take home an Oscar for Best Picture, but The Power of the Dog came pretty close, and is a truly good movie on Netflix. The movie, which tells the story of a repressed cowboy (Benedict Cumberbatch) in 1920s Montana who lashes out at his brother’s new wife (Kirsten Dunst) is immaculately made, and filled with great performances from Cumberbatch, Dunst, and the rest of its ensemble cast. Directed by veteran Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog is a singular vision of male angst, and that’s part of what makes it so endlessly compelling.