Top Movies on Netflix
The top movies on Netflix can be located by visiting their website and clicking on the tab labeled “Netflix Top 100.” Not only does this section keep a running tally of the 100 most-popular rentals on Netflix, but it also takes a closer look at the top 25 films for categories ranging from indie to romance. In this post, I’ll be updating you on some of the current favorites.
Before we begin, however, let me say a few things about Netflix. First of all, it’s unbelievably awesome. There are no lines to deal with, no dimwitted clerks, and no late fees…ever. There’s also a wide range of Netflix pricing plans, from the lowly $7.99 to the more ambitious 8 DVDs (or Blu-ray discs) at a time. And they even offer a free trial membership!
Now that I’m done singing their praises, let’s take a look at the top movies on Netflix.
Netflix Top 100
Okay, I haven’t listed the entire Netflix top 100, but I have included the 10 most popular films from that list. These are the movies that customers rent more than any other.
Crash (2004) – Winner of the Best Picture Oscar, Crash features an all-star cast in director Paul Haggis’ look at life, love and race relations in Los Angeles.
The Departed (2006) – Another Best Picture Oscar winner, The Departed revolves around the intrigues between the Irish Mob and Massachusetts State Police, each of which has managed to infiltrate the other. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon and Jack Nicholson. Martin Scorsese won a long overdue Oscar for directing.
The Bucket List (2007) – Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman play two terminally ill men who leave their cancer ward after creating a “bucket list” of all the things they want to do before dying.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) – Brad Pitt stars as Benjamin Button, a man who ages backwards through some of the most pivotal events of the 20th century. Cate Blanchett co-stars as the love of his life.
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006) – Will Smith has the lead role in this uplifting tale about a man’s struggle to provide for his son and better himself. Based on a true story.
No Country for Old Men (2007) – A Vietnam veteran from Texas (Josh Brolin) comes across a number of bullet-riddled corpses and two million dollars. Taking the money, he’s soon pursued by a psychotic hitman (Javier Bardem) and a weary sheriff (Tommy Lee Jones). Directed by the Coen brothers, the film captured the Best Picture Oscar.
Casino Royale (2006) – Daniel Craig stars as James Bond for the first time. The film is set in the early days of 007’s career, detailing his struggles against a mysterious organization and his love for a woman named Vesper Lynd (Eva Green).
Iron Man (2008) – Robert Downey Jr. is Tony Stark, a billionaire inventor who dons the armor of Iron Man to fight a ruthless group of terrorists. Also starring Gywneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges and Terrence Howard.
Blood Diamond (2006) – Set in Sierra Leone during a bloody civil war, the film follows the country’s unethical diamond trade. Leonardo DiCaprio is a Rhodesian mercenary who trades guns for diamonds, Jennifer Connelly is an American journalist who wants to make a difference, and Djimon Hounsou is a fisherman forced into a life of mining for diamonds.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006) – When young Olive (Abigail Breslin) gets a chance to compete for the title of Little Miss Sunshine in a youth beauty pageant, her dysfunctional family (including Steve Carell, Greg Kinnear and Toni Collette) vows to get her there. Alan Arkin received a nomination for his role as Olive’s kindly, heroin-snorting grandfather.
Top Horror Rentals from Netflix
The following are the current top horror rentals from Netflix. Looks like the Underworld franchise is even more popular than I’d imagined.
Underworld: Evolution (2003) – Kate Beckinsale returns as Selene, a tough-as-nails vampire into guns, latex and werewolf/vampire hybrids (especially those played by Scott Speedman). Picking up where the first film left off, the happy undead couple must escape the vengeance of a recently awakened vampire lord.
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009) – Rhona Mitra replaces Kate Beckinsale in the third film of the Underworld franchise. This time, we take a look back at the origins of the Vampire-Lycan conflict. Co-starring Bill Nighy and Michael Sheen.
Saw (2004) – The film that spawned a horror franchise. Two men wake up in an industrial bathroom and find that they’re chained to the pipes. A corpse is face-down in the middle of the room. As various clues are uncovered, the men learn how they’re connected, how they came to be there, and why the crazed killer known as Jigsaw wants to teach them a lesson.
28 Weeks Later (2007) – Following the events of the first film (28 Days Later), those infected with the Rage Virus appear to have died off. With the help of the military, survivors begin to repopulate Britain. But is the threat really over? It wouldn’t be much of a movie if it was. Starring Jeremy Renner, Robert Carlyle and Rose Byrne.
Underworld (2003) – The first film in the franchise about the endless war between vampires and werewolves (aka Lycans). Starring Kate Beckinsale, Scott Speedman, Bill Nighy and Michael Sheen. A massive hit with audiences, it has went on to spawn several sequels (which also rank in the top 5 Netflix horror films).
Netflix has a free trial offer for potential customers. Click here to give it a try.
Top Foreign Rentals from Netflix
Netflix has a great selection of foreign films, and any of them can be delivered to your home within a day or two. The following list details the top foreign rentals from Netflix.
Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) – This Spanish film follows the dark adventures of a young girl as she performs a series of tasks for a magical faun. A fairy tale for adults.
City of God (2002) – A young man comes of age amidst drug dealers and killers in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Think of it as the Brazilian version of Goodfellas.
The Lives of Others (2006) – A German film about the surveillance of a playwright by a dedicated member of the East German secret police. An emotionally charged work, it won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
Volver (2006) – Penelope Cruz stars as a young woman who lost her parents in a fire several years prior. When the ghost of her mother appears, she and her sister must try to solve the mystery of what really happened during the fire. Meanwhile, there’s also a fresh body that needs to be disposed of. Cruz received an Oscar nomination for her role.
The Motorcycle Diaries (2004) – A Spanish film based on the memoir of Ernesto Guevara, a young medical student who would later become the revolutionary known as Che Guevara. He and a friend set off across South America on a motorcycle, and they find themselves unexpectedly transformed by the journey.
Top Sci-fi and Fantasy Rentals from Netflix
For all you geeks out there, here’s a list of the films that currently make up the top sci-fi and fantasy rentals from Netflix:
Transformers (2007) – The Autobots, a group of heroic robots from another world, seek to help a young man (Shia LeBeouf) save the planet from the villainous Decepticons. Megan Fox co-stars as his sexy love interest.
Star Trek (2009) – Director J.J. Abrams reboots the franchise with a new story and much younger cast. A big hit with fans, expect a number of equally successful sequels.
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) – Sam Witwicky (Shia LeBeouf) and Mikaela Barnes (Megan Fox) return in this summer blockbuster sequel. The Autobots are also back, and, unfortunately for mankind, so are the Decepticons. This time, the villains have some help in the form of an ancient being known as The Fallen.
His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass (2007) – An orphan girl fights against a tyrannical ruling class on a fantasy world with many similarities to Earth. Starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Sam Elliott, Eva Green, Ian McKellen and Ian McShane.
War of the Worlds (2005) – Tom Cruise tries to survive an alien invasion and protect his children in the process. Directed by Steven Spielberg, this is an adaptation of the 1898 novel by H.G. Wells.
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