You might be looking for the best Oscar movies on Netflix, but not every award-winning film is worth your time. Every movie listed below is one you can hit play on with full confidence. From survival dramas to psychological thrillers, Netflix’s library includes some of the greatest Oscar-winning films ever made.
Here’s what you should watch next.
Best Oscar Winning Movies on Netflix
The best Oscar winning movies on Netflix on our list consist of war epics, biopics, psychological dramas, and bold international cinema. Every film mentioned below has earned an Academy Award and is worth your time.
1. Whiplash (2014)
- Oscar Wins: The movie won Academy Awards for Best Film Editing
- ⭐ IMDb: 8.5/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 94%
I assumed the film would be a musical ride, but it turned out to be the most tense psychological thriller I’ve ever seen.
The story follows Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller), a young jazz drummer who enrols at an elite conservatory and receives mentorship from conductor Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), famous for his unconventional teaching methods.
J.K. Simmons’ role in the movie is the major highlight, and the IMDb rating and Rotten Tomatoes score are proof of it.
2. All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)
- Oscar Wins: The film earned Best International Feature Film
- Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, and Best Production Design at the Academy Awards.
- ⭐ IMDb: 7.8/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
This one is my favourite among all seven movies on this list. Edward Berger’s German-language war epic follows a young soldier, Paul Bäumer, as he discovers the reality of World War I.
It’s one of the best Oscar movies on Netflix you can stream today. With 9 nominations and four Academy Award wins, it levels with Parasite to become the most awarded non-English film in the history of the Awards.
3. Roma (2018)
- Oscar Wins: Won Academy Awards for Best Director, Best Cinematography
- Best Foreign Language Film.
- ⭐ IMDb: 7.6/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Roma is the kind of film that takes you through the memories of its characters. Written and directed by Alfonso Cuarón, this semi-autobiographical film follows the character of Cleo.
Cleo works as a housekeeper for a middle-class couple, Antonio and Sofia, in 1970s Mexico City. The movie picks up pace when Antonio runs away with a mistress and Cleo finds out she is pregnant.
The black-and-white cinematography elevates the personal struggles of Cleo as her employer runs away while, at the same time, her boyfriend leaves after finding out she is pregnant. I would recommend this movie to all cinema lovers who want to witness the true art of Cuarón.
4. Marriage Story (2019)
- Oscar Wins: Won Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (Laura Dern).
- ⭐ IMDb: 7.9/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Noah Baumbach’s film is a one-of-a-kind drama that you’ll ever see on Netflix. The film follows a couple — a stage director, Charlie (Adam Driver), and an actress, Nicole Barber (Scarlett Johansson).
As their marriage begins to fall apart, they try their best to stay connected while continuing to excel at what they do — that is what the movie is about.
5. Emilia Pérez (2024)
- Oscar Wins: Won Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actress (Zoe Saldaña)
- Best Original Song (“El Mal”).
- ⭐ IMDb: 5.3/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 70% (Critics)
Emilia Pérez is one of the most talked-about movies of the past couple of years. Jacques Audiard’s Spanish-language musical follows a feared Mexican cartel boss who hires a lawyer (Zoe Saldaña) to help fake her death so she can live freely as a woman. This one is bold, unconventional, and something you cannot ignore on this list.
At the 97th Academy Awards, Emilia Pérez received 13 nominations in total — the most for any film that year and the most nominations ever for a non-English-language film in the history of the Oscars.
6. Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio (2022)
- Oscar Win: Won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Film.
- ⭐ IMDb: 7.6/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
This is not the Pinocchio you know from childhood. It is a stop-motion film that takes place in Mussolini’s Fascist Italy. The tale revolves around a wooden boy trying to become real, with emotions at their peak.
This movie is a perfect choice for those who think animated films are not made for adults. Give it a try and see how your opinion on animated movies changes.
7. 12 Years a Slave (2013)
- Oscar Wins: Won Academy Awards for Best Picture
- Best Supporting Actress (Lupita Nyong’o), and Best Adapted Screenplay.
- ⭐ IMDb: 8.1/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
If you’re a fan of true stories and want to see the journey of Solomon Northup, a free Black man from New York who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841, then director Steve McQueen’s 12 Years a Slave is the right choice for you among the best Oscar winning movies on Netflix.
The best part I loved about the film is that it manages to capture beauty in the most painful situations. I advise you to check out this gem, available on Netflix.
There are several great Oscar-winning movies on Netflix, but this list includes films across genres that you might not have heard of. From witnessing the true story of a slave in 12 Years a Slave to the raw honesty of Marriage Story, these are movies that have earned their awards based on their content.
Watching one of these every weekend could turn out to be a great plan for a wonderful weekend — with popcorn and loved ones by your side — to enjoy the real craft of cinema.
Do let me know which Oscar-winning movie on Netflix you liked the most in the comments below.
