Looking for something to watch tonight? Netflix has a huge library of films, but we’re here to help. Here are 24 underrated films available to stream now… There’s a lot of streaming services out there and their libraries have seemingly an unending amount of films, which means that a lot of gems get buried under ... 24 underappreciated films on Netflix UK
Looking for something to watch tonight? Netflix has a huge library of films, but we’re here to help. Here are 24 underrated films available to stream now…
There’s a lot of streaming services out there and their libraries have seemingly an unending amount of films, which means that a lot of gems get buried under bigger, better known films. It’s become a little scary trying to find something to watch, especially if you’re already familiar with the blockbuster-y films on the front page.
We’ve taken a deep five into the depths of Netflix and dug out lots of films you may not have come across, or even if you have, deserve another watch.
Here are 24 underappreciated films on Netflix UK that are well worth your time, in our humble view.
Unicorns
Ben Hardy’s single dad Luke falls for a drag queen Aysha (Jason Patel) in James Krishna Floyd and Sally El Hosaini’s infectiously romantic drama. It’s a romance like few others. Patel and Hardy’s chemistry is palpable and it’s a modern love story that feels necessary and important for our times. Really special film, this one.
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Gerald’s Game
Before many got hooked on the terrors of The Haunting Of Hill House on Netflix, Mike Flanagan adapted one of Stephen King’s short stories into a film for the streaming service. Carla Gugino finds herself in a tricky situation when her partner suffers a heart attack during sexy time. The problem? She’s still handcuffed to the bed with no key available. Gerald’s Game is disturbing in more ways than one, and you’ll never look at handcuffs the same again.
Apostle
Apostle made quite an impression when it premiered in 2018, thanks to its brutal violence, but has since been largely forgotten. Dan Stevens plays a missionary, suffering from a crisis of faith, who infiltrates a Welsh cult who have kidnapped his sister. Directed by The Raid and Gangs Of London's Gareth Evans, the film contains immolation, cannibalism and a lot of stabbing, but its slow-building sense of dread is what really sets this one apart from a lot of the other modern horror films. We recommend a pillow you can hide behind.
May The Devil Take You
May The Devil Take You is another horror gem hidden in the streamer’s library. This one hails from Indonesia and is directed by Timo Tjahjanto, who has also helmed multiple entries in the V/H/S anthology movie series. A young woman visits her old home in search of answers after her father falls into a coma. Little does she know, a supernatural entity begins attacking her and her family. May The Devil Take You is genuinely terrifying with excellent scares and it wears its Sam Raimi influences on its sleeve without ever resorting to empty mimicry.
His House
Remi Weekes’ His House is a horror film about a multitude of things. Not only do Rail and Bol, South Sudanese immigrants who have just arrived in England, encounter something supernatural within their house, they also encounter the horrors of racism. The scares hit hard and the film has an uncanny ability to burrow itself under your skin and remain in your brain for days after the credits stop rolling.
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Okja
Before Bong Joon-Ho went on to win multiple Oscars for Parasite, he crafted this little eco-dramedy for Netflix. Mija, a young Korean girl, raises a “super pig” – it’s exactly what it says on the tin – but is forced to fight against the US meat industry that would much rather see the pig on a plate. The film is much funnier than the description might sound and at its heart, it’s a lovely story of a girl and her pet.
I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House
You may associate Osgood Perkins’ name with Longlegs or The Monkey, but back in 2016, he delved into the world of gothic horror with I Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House. Ruth Wilson stars as a live-in nurse Lily, who becomes convinced her employer’s house is haunted. Personally, I would resign but Lily persists, with some pretty scary results. The film is an excellent example of Perkins’ natural ability to craft a horror film and a very overlooked film in his filmography.
Set It Up
Before Glen Powell shot to fame in Top Gun: Maverick, he starred in a little Netflix rom-com alongside Zoey Deutch, Lucy Liu and Taye Diggs. Powell and Deutsch play Charlie and Harper, assistants to ridiculously overbearing bosses (Liu and Diggs) and they start trying to push them together romantically to simply catch a break. Naturally, Harper and Charlie catch more than a break. Set It Up is light, funny and sweet.
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Gaga: Five Foot Two
At the time of writing, Lady Gaga has just released her eight studio album, MAYHEM to critical acclaim. Her singing has won her an Oscar and the ‘Bad Romance’ singer has performed all around the world and become an award-nominated actress, too. Gaga: Five Foot Two gives us an intimate look into the life of Gaga, including her struggles with fibromyalgia. Gaga comes across as open, empathetic and dedicated to her craft as we follow her during the making of her album Joanne and preparing to perform at the Super Bowl.
The Half Of It
It’s been called a queer Cyrano de Bergerac, but what The Half Of It really is, is a brilliantly original take on a familiar story. Leah Lewis’ Ellie begins helping her neighbour in courting Aster while secretly also fancying her. The Half Of It is so much more than just another teen love story, though. Ultimately, this is a story of an immigrant girl coming to terms with and accepting herself. If you think you know how this story goes, think again. The Half Of It is full of surprises and all of them are the good kind.
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The Mitchells Vs. The Machines
Disney, Pixar and Dreamworks tend to dominate the conversations around animation, but the genre is stacked with excellent films. Many of these tend to get forgotten as time passes while the big hitters have ways (and budgets) to stay in the public consciousness. As an example, no one seems to talk about The Mitchells Vs. The Machines anymore, but we definitely should. The film follows a family who find themselves having to save the Earth after robots attempt to take over. The film is also refreshingly original in its depiction of the central heroine’s sexuality; Katie Mitchell’s queerness is not central to the film’s conflict or her relationship with her parents but just a normal part of her. Not to mention, The Mitchells Vs. The Machines is also just bloody hilarious.
Oxygen
Alexandre Aja is a familiar name for the lovers of New French Extremity films. However, he’s rarely been better than at the helm of Oxygen, a superbly taut sci-fi thriller in which finds Mélanie Laurent’s young woman waking up in a cryo pod without memory. As her oxygen quickly depletes, she has to find out who and where she is and how to save herself, but there are a couple of twists and turns to the story here. Laurent proves to be a charismatic performer as the only one on screen. Oxygen runs a tight 101 minutes, utilising every single one of those minutes to the maximum.
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Woman Of The Hour
Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut Woman Of The Hour is one of those films you can’t quite believe is based on a true story. Daniel Zovatto plays real life serial killer Rodney Alcala, who appeared on The Dating Game during his killing spree. Kendrick plays Sheryl, a struggling actress who encounters Alcala while taping an episode of the dating show. Through Ian McDonald’s script and Kendrick’s confident direction, Woman Of The Hour becomes a powerful examination of misogyny and our obsession with true crime entertainment.
Tick, Tick… Boom!
Tick, Tick… Boom!, Lin Manuel Miranda’s directorial debut about Jonathan Larson gathered some attention as it premiered during the pandemic, but has mostly faded from the public consciousness. Andrew Garfield plays Larson, the creator of RENT, who struggles with finding success with his sci-fi musical Superbia. Tragically, the real Larson died before he ever saw RENT become the cultural phenomenon it did. Miranda beautifully captures Larson’s creative flow and lack of patience as he tries to make something larger than life, only to be met with obstacles.
Blue Jean
In Georgia Oakley’s Blue Jean, Rosy McEwen plays Jean, a closeted PE teacher during the launch of Section 28 legislation in 1988. Jean’s double life is in jeopardy when she spots new student Lois as a lesbian bar, fearing everything will fall apart if Lois reveals Jean’s real life as a lesbian. Blue Jean is one of those films that everyone should see, especially as, 23 years after Section 28 was repealed, its themes remain painfully current and relatable. Watch it and then recommend it to your friends.
Under The Shadow
Director Babak Anvari is helming the next Cloverfield film and his feature debut Under The Shadow has popped up on Netflix. On the surface, Under The Shadow has all the standards of your regular, run-of-the-mill horror movie, but there’s real depth here with timely social context as a mother tries to shield her daughter from a mysterious evil in Tehran in the 1980s.
Escape From Pretoria
Daniel Radcliffe stars as Tim Jenkin in Francis Annan’s adaptation of the real Jenkin’s book Inside Out: Escape From Pretoria. Jenkin and two other convicted apartheid activists escaped the South African prison using wooden keys they made and, naturally , their journey from their cells to freedom was full of hair-rising moments. Escape From Pretoria doesn’t do much with the political activism side of the story, but it’s an excellent prison escape movie.
Cabin In The Woods
Drew Goddard made his directorial debut with quite the banger. Cabin In The Woods leans heavily into its meta layers, but it’s all the more fun for it. A group of kids head off on a wild weekend at a – you guessed it! – a cabin in the woods, but things get scary when all kinds of creatures begin to hunt them. You’re best off heading into the film blind if you’ve never seen it, but we recommend keeping your eyes open for a Merman.
Creep
Patrick Brice and Mark Duplass’ oddball found footage horror Creep rarely gets the attention it deserves. It’s not particularly brutal, but it makes up for the fact in just how uncomfortable of a watch it truly is. Brice, who also directs from a script by him and Duplass, stars as Aaron, a videographer who is hired by Josef (Duplass) to document one day in Josef’s life. Creep is a horror film, so naturally, things get a bit weird and ultimately threatening between the two men.
All The Empty Rooms
All The Empty Rooms is currently nominated for the Oscars, but it’s a film I bet only a few have found. Firstly, at 34 minutes, it’s a short film and it’s also buried beneath all the big titles on Netflix. It certainly slipped past me. The documentary follows journalist Steve Hartman and photographer Lou Bopp as they travel across the US and photograph the bedrooms of children who lost their lives in school shootings. It’s extremely powerful, moving stuff. Do yourself a favour and dedicate 34 minutes to this.
I.S.S.
I.S.S. is the kind of film they rarely make anymore. Did it win any major awards? Nope. Is it going to rock your world? Probably not, but you are going to have a pretty fun 96 minutes with it. It’s not quite Project Hail Mary -level space movie greatness, but Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s thriller offers simple thrills as American astronauts have fight Russian astronauts over the control of the International Space Station. It’s the kind of film you put on on a Wednesday night when there’s nothing exciting on TV, but you don’t quite have the brain power to watch anything majorly serious. This might sound like a criticism, but there’s a certain novelty to films like this.
The Good Nurse
Based on the true story of serial killer Charles Cullen, Netflix’s own The Good Nurse is the kind of simple thriller you rarely see anymore. Jessica Chastain plays Amy, a nurse who begins to suspect her colleague Charlie (Eddie Redmayne) might be killing patients by injecting them with insulin. Chastain and Redmayne create a delicate, believable dynamic here and even when the script wobbles a little, they save the day again and again.
The Swan Princess
Richard Rich’s 1994 animation was a huge bomb at the time of release, mostly due to competition from Disney and The Lion King. The Swan Princess certainly isn’t as refined as Disney’s best 90s movies, but it’s still a beautifully told story, loosely based on the Swan Lake. It may play a little young-ish now, but it’s definitely worth a revisit for those of us who grew up with it in the background.
I Saw The TV Glow
Jane Schoenbrun is one of the most promising young genre directors and their latest film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, just premiered at Cannes to wide acclaime. Many missed 2024’s I Saw The TV Glow due to a limited release, but it is absolutely worth your time and best enjoyed in a dark room with no distractions. Go into it knowing as little as possible and be prepared to be challenged and wrapped in the film’s strange world.
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