Netflix actually offers a good selection of "Oscar movies" if you want to add a little status to your viewing experience. Though it can be difficult to get exactly what you're searching for, we've put together a list of the greatest Oscar films that are now streaming on Netflix below.
We limited this list to films that took home at least one Oscar, thus even though Gangs of New York received a lot of nominations, it was unsuccessful. Nonetheless, there is still a welcome diversity of Academy Award-winning films to pick from, including recent hits, beloved Best Picture winners, and even a few forgettable but entertaining pictures that won on the big night. See our selection of the top Oscar-winning Netflix films below without delay.
Forrest Gump (1994)
- Run Time: 2 hr 22 min | Genre: Comedy Drama | Director: Robert Zemeckis
- Cast: Tom Hanks, Robin Wright, Gary Sinise, Sally Field
- Oscars Won: Picture, Actor in a Leading Role (Hanks), Director, Adapted Screenplay, Film Editing, Visual Effects
The biggest film of 1994 was Forrest Gump, whose cultural influence is still up for dispute. Is Robert Zemeckis' interpretation of contemporary political history a critique of capitalism and patriotism or a celebration of American exceptionalism? But it's far more interesting than people realize, Forrest Gump is nevertheless a compelling movie on a basic level. There was a reason why Tom Hanks' Oscar-winning performance won over the audience. From Forrest's reconnection with Jenny (Robin Wright) to his mother's untimely death (Sally Field), Forrest Gump is guaranteed to bring tears to the eyes of even the toughest viewer. -Liam Gaughan
Still Alice (2014)
- Run Time: 1 hr 41 min | Genre: Drama | Director: Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland
- Cast: Julianne Moore, Alec Baldwin, Kristen Stewart, Kate Bosworth
- Oscars Won: Best Actress (Moore)
Julianne Moore plays the title role in Still Alice, which is based on Lisa Genova's 2007 novel and centers on a linguistics professor who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. With Alec Baldwin playing her husband and Kristen Stewart playing one of her daughters, Moore is accompanied by an equally strong cast. Moore is outstanding in her part and won the Oscar for Best Actress. The movie has received accolades for masterfully balancing bold and delicate narratives to paint a nuanced picture of a tragic event involving an intriguing woman. — Taylor Gates
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
- Run Time: 2 hr 14 min | Genre: Romance Drama | Director: Ang Lee
- Cast: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Williams, Anne Hathaway
- Oscars Won: Director, Adapted Screenplay, Original Score
Brokeback Mountain, the tragic love movie that won three Oscars, including Best Directing, Adapted Screenplay, and Original Score (which should have won Best Picture), is still a powerful film. Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal play two strangers who meet in 1963 when they are hired to herd sheep for the summer, in the movie that is based on Annie Proulx's novel of the same name. They had a passionate and romantic sexual relationship during their time together, but as the years pass, the depth of their affection for one another and for themselves haunts them. Ledger and Gyllenhaal give strong performances that will be remembered long after the credits have rolled in this incredibly poignant and sympathetic tale. — Adam Chitwood
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
- Run Time: 1 hr 59 min | Director: Barry Jenkins
- Cast: Kiki Layne, Stephan James, Regina King, Teyonah Parris, Colman Domingo
- Oscars Won: Supporting Actress (King)
This 2018 drama/romance has some challenging topics and circumstances. Once Tish (KiKi Layne) finds out she is pregnant, her boyfriend Fonny (Stephan James) is falsely accused of rape and sent to jail. Her love and the life they were creating together quickly started to benefit from the pursuit of justice. Tish and Fonny's heartbreaking love tale is heartwarming as they work together to pursue justice that may never come. You will feel terrible for this pair, and if you saw Barry Jenkins's last Best Picture-winning picture Moonlight, you are already aware of how stunning and heartbreaking his work can be.
My Octopus Teacher (2020)
- Run Time: 1 hr 25 min | Genre: Documentary | Director: Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed
- Cast: Craig Foster, Tom Foster
- Oscars Won: Documentary Feature
Craig Foster, the founder of Sea Change Project, shares his passionate perspective on the beauty and realities of ocean life in his compelling documentary, My Octopus Teacher, which is set in a South African kelp forest. The very personal approach that directors Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed adopt with their subjects—both Foster and the octopus buddies he befriends—sets My Octopus Teacher apart from previous wildlife documentaries. My Octopus Teacher explores how studying our planet can have a direct impact on our own emotional ties within the land-based environment we inhabit by letting her share the secrets of her underwater realm. – Yael Tygiel
Les Misérables (2012)
- Run Time: 2 hr 38 min | Genre: Epic Period Musical | Director: Tom Hooper
- Cast: Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Helena Bonham Carter, and Sacha Baron Cohen
- Oscars Won: Sound Mixing, Makeup and Hairstyling, Supporting Actress (Hathaway)
Les Misérables is an epic period musical that is based on Victor Hugo's classic novel of the same name. It is widely regarded as one of the greatest films in its genre ever made. Hugh Jackman portrays Jean Valjean, a prisoner who decides to live by God's grace and rejects his life of oppression. The story, the acting, and the music are all nearly faultless, and the skillfully written narrative enhances the already fantastic experience. While every actress in the film gives a fantastic performance, Anne Hathaway's is the best. Hathaway earned the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in Les Misérables and numerous other awards for her superb performance, even though she was only in a few scenes. - Remus Noronha
Power of the Dog (2021)
- Run Time: 2 hrs 6 min | Genre: Revisionist Western Psychological Queer Drama | Director: Jane Campion
- Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons
- Oscars Won: Best Director
Power of the Dog, which is based on Thomas Savage's novel, has Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness) in a gritty western that highlights underreported tales of sexuality, abuse, and toxic masculinity. Power of the Dog showcases the abilities of its all-star cast in addition to Cumberbatch, with a riveting performance from Kirsten Dunst (Spider-Man), who has been tackling nuanced and multi-layered parts since she was a young actor. This outstanding ensemble and Jane Campion's nuanced and thoughtful directing enable contemporary audiences to connect with a dramatic story set in 1925 that tackles timeless issues like love and family, loss and bitterness, and societal expectations. – Yael Tygiel
Phantom Thread (2017)
- Run Time: 2 hr 11 min | Genre: Historical Drama | Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
- Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Lesley Manville, and Vicky Krieps
- Oscars Won: Costume Design
Phantom Thread is a historical drama that stars Daniel Day-Lewis as an obsessive high-end seamstress (in his final cinematic role before retiring). A young waitress who becomes his model and inspiration wins his heart through a series of events. It's an odd story with nuanced individuals who act erratically to fulfill their ambitions. The film, which received six Oscar nominations and was eventually awarded for Costume Design, is regarded by many as one of the greatest films of the 2010s. - Remus Noronha
Marriage Story (2019)
- Run Time: 2 hr 16 min | Genre: Drama | Director: Noah Baumbach
- Cast: Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and Ray Liotta
- Oscars Won: Supporting Actress (Dern)
Let me warn you: Marriage Tale will break your heart. Not only is it among the greatest movies of 2019, but it's also the best movie Noah Baumbach has ever done. With Scarlett Johansson portraying the successful actress's wife and Adam Driver playing the successful theatre director's husband, the tale, which has been nominated for six Oscars, follows the divorce procedure from separation to finalization. The fact that the couple has a child adds to the complexity, but Baumbach's film masterfully presents the subject from both points of view, so regardless of your final position, You feel a great deal of empathy for both people. Driver and Johansson deliver performances of their careers as Baumbach creates characters who are rich, nuanced, and, you know, real people. Furthermore, Baumbach skillfully illustrates how the two people's voices and their past love are lost during the actual divorce procedure, which is a pertinent topic. Marriage Story is a moving and profoundly human film that should not be missed. — Adam Chitwood
Darkest Hour (2017)
- Run Time: 2 hr 5 min | Genre: War Drama | Director: Joe Wright
- Cast: Gary Oldman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Stephen Dillane, Ronald Pickup, and Ben Mendelsohn
- Oscars Won: Lead Actor (Oldman), Makeup and Hairstyling
Darkest Hour is a historical war film in which Gary Oldman won his first Oscar for his portrayal of Winston Churchill. The film, which is set in the early years of Churchill's tenure as prime minister, tells the story of how he negotiated the political climate of the day and refused to negotiate a peace pact with the Nazis in the face of overwhelming odds. The narrative basically starts with the words "Blood, toil, tears, and sweat" and concludes with the words "We shall fight on the beaches." Even though the plot of Darkest Hour isn't really novel, seeing Gary Oldman as Winston Churchill is a fantastic experience. The film is well-made and well-acted. - Remus Noronha
Roma (2018)
- Run Time: 2 hr 15 min | Genre: Drama | Director: Alfonso Cuarón
- Cast: Yalitza Aparicio, Marina de Tavira
- Oscars Won: Director, Cinematography, Foreign Language Film
Roma is a masterwork. With this new drama, which tells the story of his childhood through the eyes of a domestic worker named Cleo, director Alfonso Cuarón—who won an Oscar for Gravity and has pushed the boundaries of cinema with films like Children of Men and even Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban—dives deep into his soul. Cuarón's distinctive cinematography places the audience in the role of an unbiased spectator as this middle-class family in Mexico City in the 1970s falls apart. As you, the audience, get more emotionally immersed in these people's lives, that role gets more and more tragic. Roma is Netflix's best original movie to date and their most successful Oscar entry. It works well on any size screen. A strong candidate for Best Picture, the movie won Cuaron an Oscar for Best Cinematography and his second Best Director prize after he took over DP duties himself. — Adam Chitwood
The Hateful Eight (2015)
- Run Time: 2 hr 55 min | Genre: Revisionist Western | Director: Quentin Tarantino
- Cast: Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tim Roth, Bruce Dern, Walton Goggins, Michael Madsen, Demian Bichir, James Parks, Zoe Bell, and Channing Tatum
- Oscars Won: Original Score
The Hateful Eight is in some ways the most Quentin Tarantino film ever made—even supporters of the director will acknowledge that he loves to hear his own words spoken. Eight inquisitive people are shut up in a stagecoach cabin during a winter storm in the Western riff, which is set years after the Civil War. In these cramped quarters, these diverse personalities converse, argue, flirt, fight, and yell for more than two and a half hours. No one is exactly who they seem to be. To be honest, the Oscar-winning score by Ennio Morricone alone makes the fairly contained movie worthwhile to watch, even if you're not a big fan. — Adam Chitwood
Mank (2020)
- Run Time: 2 hr 11 min | Genre: Black-and-White Biographical Drama | Director: David Fincher
- Cast: Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, Lily Collins, Arliss Howard, Tom Pelphrey, Charles Dance
- Oscars Won: Production Design, Cinematography
This film, which tells the tale of Herman J. Mankiewicz's process in writing the script for Citizen Kane, was nominated for ten Academy Awards in all. In a tribute to the films of the 1930s, Mank's black-and-white footage presents a complex portrait of the scriptwriter and his era. Jack Fincher, the father of David Fincher, wrote the screenplay for the film in the 1990s, but it wasn't released until years after his passing. Mank is a terrific film that movie buffs should not miss because of its clever plot and several outstanding performances, particularly Gary Oldman's as the main character. - Remus Noronha
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
- Run Time: 1 hr 34 min | Genre: Drama | Director: George C. Wolfe
- Cast: Viola Davis, Chadwick Boseman, Glynn Turman, Colman Domingo, and Michael Potts
- Oscars Won: Makeup and Hairstyling, Costume Design
The matriarch of the blues, Ma Rainey, was hired by white producers to record a session in 1927. This is a detailed account of a stormy period of history. Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, a stirring musical biography that won two of its five Academy Awards nominations and was based on August Wilson's play of the same name, is a remarkable biopic. In addition to being a poignant remembrance conveyed via a masterfully written narrative, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom is the final movie that Chadwick Boseman produced before his untimely death in August 2020. In a recording studio, Boseman and Viola Davis are two musicians engaged in a conflict of egos who are both simply amazing. Sadly, Boseman's final performance was also perhaps the best of his career. - Remus Noronha