Netflix has plenty of new titles competing for attention every week. However, I sometimes prefer to revisit something that has already proven itself. Award-winning movies may not be everyone's favorite, but they're great to explore when I want to get out of my Netflix doomscroll.
This weekend, I've picked three different award-winning movies currently streaming on Netflix U.S., spanning from a bizarre survival story to a strong historical piece, with my first pick being a top book-to-movie adaptation. Here is all you need to know.
It's difficult to explain Swiss Army Man without sounding a little ridiculous, but this is a movie worth your time if you're open to more eccentric stories. The surreal comedy film follows Hank, a man stranded on a deserted island who has almost given up hope of getting home. In a turn of events, he discovers a dead body (Daniel Radcliffe) washed ashore. Hank then "befriends" this body, which sets off a bizarre fight for survival.
Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe make the odd premise work far better than it appears. There's plenty of weirdness to navigate here, but it remains a great movie at the intersection of dark humor and emotion.
Swiss Army Man won the Directing Award for U.S. Dramatic at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival for directors Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, the filmmaking duo better known as the Daniels. Years later, the pair went on to make Everything Everywhere All at Once, which earned them Oscars for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Picture.
A heavier watch but an incredible one nonetheless, Selma holds a special place in the hearts of history and film enthusiasts alike.
Ava DuVernay's historical drama follows Martin Luther King Jr. and the civil rights activists who fought for voting rights in the 1960s. The movie focuses on the historic marches from Selma to Montgomery. Selma highlights the risks that these activists took, which feel very personal and real instead of painting the film as a documentary-like narrative.
David Oyelowo gives a powerful performance as King, while the film shows how much work, fear, and persistence went into the movement. Selma won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Glory," performed by John Legend and Common.
If I'm in the mood for something darker, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is one of the first movies I'd reach for and is my top pick for the week.
David Fincher's adaptation of Stieg Larsson's novel follows journalist Mikael Blomkvist as he investigates the disappearance of a wealthy family's daughter decades earlier. His investigation eventually brings him together with Lisbeth Salander, a brilliant yet troubled hacker who partners up with him to uncover what happened. As they dig deeper, the mystery becomes darker than either of them signed up for.
Rooney Mara's performance as Lisbeth gives the movie a lot of edge, complemented by Daniel Craig's grounded acting. Adding to that, Fincher's cold and unsettling direction makes The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo an excellent watch for a gloomy movie night.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo won the Academy Award for Best Film Editing at the 84th Academy Awards. It also received four additional Oscar nominations, including Best Actress for Rooney Mara.
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