With the Oscar buzz setting in as we inch toward the tail end of this award season, it’s about time to tune into some classics that have ended up taking the gold home in previous years. While Netflix’s library in terms of Academy winners isn’t as stacked as its peers, there still remain some heavy-hitters for fans to experience with the Academy Awards around the corner.
From revered dramas that shook the world and took home the highest prestige to animated classics that changed the industry altogether, this list has you covered with some impeccable Oscar-winning entries to make your week unforgettable.
Here’s an overview of some of the best Academy Award-winning titles on the streamer that you should experience ahead of the biggest night of the year, if you haven’t already.
7. Whiplash
Damien Chazelle‘s Whiplash is nothing short of a masterpiece, which deservingly won three Oscars in 2015, which involved wins for Best Sound Mixing, Best Editing, and Best Supporting Actor for J.K. Simmons. While an argument can be made that the movie should’ve triumphed over Birdman, the categories that it did end up dominating were spot-on.
Its core theme of endless pursuit of greatness at the cost of everythingelse is devastating, and the editing further amplifies this Jazz-driven drama to a pulse-pounding experience. Simmons also delivers one of his most powerful performances to date in the shoes of the very quotable, tyrannical instructor, Terence Fletcher, which alone makes it worthwhile. It’s a relentless, anxiety-inducing experience that still stands as Chazelle’s best.
6. The Power of the Dog
Jane Campion‘s The Power of the Dog stands as one of the best modern-day westerns the streamer currently has to offer. Centered around a stone-cold rancher, Phil Burbank, who is determined to make things cruel for his brother George, played by Jesse Plemons, and his wife, Rose, played by Kirsten Dunst, the story takes a turn after he develops a complex bond with their son.
Having made history as the first movie directed by a woman to earn 12 Oscar nominations, the movie earned Campion her first Best Director accolade in 2022. Her slow-burn drama impeccably deconstructs the myth of the Old West, featuring some of Benedict Cumberbatch and Jesse Plemons’ career-best works, making it an irresistible watch if you’re done with the genre.
5. Pinocchio
Guillermo del Toro has long been vocal about championing and preserving the art of stop-motion, a medium that certain factions still tend to relegate to children’s entertainment. But Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio is anything but a straightforward kids’ story. While it shares the core premise of the original novel, the animated feature presents a far more morbid and mature interpretation of the classic tale.
Set against the backdrop of Fascist Italy, it ties into the movie’s theme of blind obedience and critical thinking, while also exploring subjects like mortality and fatherhood. The movie is beautiful and thematically layered, standing as arguably the best Pinocchio adaptation we’ve ever received, which deservingly earned Del Toro an Oscar win for Best Animated Feature in 2023.
| Movie | Pinocchio |
| Director | Guillermo del Toro, Mark Gustafson |
| IMDb | 7.6 |
| Tomatometer | Popcornmeter | 96% | 90% |
4. 12 Years a Slave
Steve McQueen‘s 12 Years a Slave stands as one of the most important movies of the 2010s. It was the first mainstream Hollywood production to unvarnished and honest depiction of the brutality of slavery in the American South, which had been romanticized in past releases. Based on Solomon Northup’s 1853 memoir, the story follows Chiwetel Ejiofor’s struggle against the institution of slavery after he was kidnapped and sold into slavery despite being a free man.
The movie holds a mirror to the nation’s brutal past through its unflinching depiction, which urged viewers to understand and confront these horrors. Beyond its cultural relevance, the movie was also immensely crafted, boasting towering performances from everyone involved, especially Lupita Nyong’o, who scored a win for Best Supporting Actress.
The movie also landed the win for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay in 2014, and continues to be a must-watch even in 2025.
3. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is not only the best Spider-Man movie to date, but it remains one of the most influential modern-day animated releases, which changed the perception of what 3D productions could look like. Its comic-book-inspired aesthetic went on to influence several stylized animated releases that followed, which include Puss in Boots 2 and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem.
Even beyond its impeccable visual style, the story itself, told through the POV of Miles, was impeccable and resonated with millions all around the globe. While it landed an Academy win for Best Animated Feature in 2019, one could argue it should’ve breached the nominations for Best Picture that year.
| Movie | Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse |
| Director | Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman |
| IMDb | 8.4 |
| Tomatometer | Popcornmeter | 97% | 93% |
2. The Hurt Locker
The Hurt Locker remains one of the best war movies of the 21st century, which captures the realism of combat through Kathryn Bigelow‘s sheer technical genius. But amid its visceral combat, which offers viewers an intimate look into the extreme psychological stress of war, the movie also stands as an immaculate character-study.
Unlike many anti-war movies, The Hurt Locker isn’t concerned with pumping the message down viewers’ throats. Instead, the subtle themes are portrayed through Sgt. William James’ undying addiction to the thrill of combat. There’s a reason why it was hailed as a masterpiece upon its release, earning six Academy Awards in 2010, including wins for Best Director and Best Picture.
1. All Quiet on the Western Front
Erich Maria Remarque’s 1929 novel was a profound revelation in terms of the public understanding of war, and director Edward Berger does an impeccable job translating the story to the big screen. The movie underscores the tragedy of young men being pushed into war with hopes of glory through nationalist propaganda, only to find themselves in the midst of a dehumanizing war.
It’s a brutal movie that offers an accurate representation of the horrors of WWI and how an entire generation was physically and psychologically destroyed. The movie deservedly earned a win for Best International Picture, Best Cinematography, Best Original Score, and Best Production Design.
| Movie | All Quiet on the Western Front |
| Director | Edward Berger |
| IMDb | 7.8 |
| Tomatometer | Popcornmeter | 90% | 90% |
As the 2026 Oscars inch closer, it’ll be interesting to see how things unfold this year, especially in the wake of such an immaculate year for movies.
What are you intending to watch this week? Comment below!
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