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Let’s take a look at some of the best movies on Netflix UK.

With the streaming service always striving to expand their content, we could easily be here all day pondering the best movies on Netflix UK. Indeed, there are simply so many great films to choose from, but often we tend to watch what captures our interest on the homepage; sometimes the best of the bunch fail to jump out amidst a sea of selection.

Here, we aim to spotlight some of the very best Netflix has to offer. These films aren’t necessarily the obvious choices to go with once you’ve decided to settle in for the night, but they will make the evening incredibly worthwhile. So, let’s highlight a small group of films which constitute essential viewing, all available to stream right away on Netflix UK:

Blue Velvet (dir. David Lynch, 1986)

David Lynch‘s follow-up effort to his disastrous 1884 Dune adaptation saw him return from a studio stranglehold with his best film yet. The director has since distanced himself from Dune, but Blue Velvet is a film he can always be immensely proud of. Upon release, this modern classic baffled and terrified a number of critics, some of which have since hailed it as a masterpiece; Mark Kermode is one such critic to reevaluate it.

This suburban nightmare follows Jeffrey Beaumont (Kyle MacLachlan) as he uncovers the strange case of a kidnapping orchestrated by the maniacal Frank Booth (a career-best from Dennis Hopper). It’s all very unhinged and odd, but it’s actually one of Lynch’s most accessible and enjoyable films. Generally regarded as one of the best films of the eighties, Blue Velvet has earnt ever inch of praise that it’s attracted over the decades.

Brawl in Cell Block 99 (dir. S. Craig Zahler, 2017

Fans of this intriguing filmmaker have hailed him as the new Quentin Tarantino, and it’s pretty difficult to disagree. S. Craig Zahler announced his arrival in style with Bone Tomahawk back in 2015, an ultraviolent horror-western with excellent central performances from Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water), Kurt Russell (The Hateful Eight) and more. It stands out as such an accomplished first feature, with his follow-up – Brawl in Cell Block 99 – confirming him as one of the most exciting emerging directors working today.

Featuring a shocking dramatic turn from comedic actor Vince Vaughn, the film centres around Bradley Thomas, a drug-runner who begins his descent into the most dreaded prison block imaginable in order to save his family from evil overseers. Zahler perfectly balances drama, humour and exploitation homage, all held together by Vaughn’s outstanding protagonist. He’s never been better and neither has Zahler. Following on from his slightly disappointing third film – Dragged Across Concrete – there’s never been a better time to check out Brawl in Cell Block 99.

Good Time (dir. Benny and Josh Safdie, 2017)

There has been a lot of emphasis on the Russo brothers lately, but the Safdie brothers deserve just as much attention. The NY directorial duo previously helmed the criminally underseen Heaven Knows What, which centres on a group of drug-addicts suffering in the city. It introduced many of their fans to them back in 2014, but it was 2017’s Good Time which saw them explode onto everyone’s radar.

Robert Pattinson stars as Connie Nikas, a devious and cash-hungry young man who must rescue his brother after he’s taken in for a robbery they pulled. In one scene, he says he believes that he was a dog in his past life, and if this is the case, then he was reborn a wolf; wide-eyed and on the prowl for opportunity, very rarely legal. He’s incredibly cunning, but his foolishness stems from his confidence, allowing the narrative to bat at him like a pinball. It’s modern cinema at its most exhilarating and simply shouldn’t be missed.

Hard Eight (dir. Paul Thomas Anderson, 1996)

It all started here. Hard Eight is the directorial feature debut from Paul Thomas Anderson, the filmmaker who brought us There Will be Blood, Magnolia, Boogie Nights, Phantom Thread and more. Arguably, he’s the best American director working today, with his first effort fuelling the argument considerably.

When reflecting upon his popularity and career, it’s odd that many audiences have failed to seek out Hard Eight. It stars John C. Reilly as a man shadowing a professional gambler; as you may have guessed, there are a series of twists and turns. The dialogue is terrific and with excellent performances from Reilly, Philip Baker Hall, Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson and Philip Seymour Hoffman, this is an essential thriller of the casino sub-genre. If you’re a fan of Anderson’s work and haven’t seen this, you’re truly missing out.

The Night Comes for Us (dir. Timo Tjahjanto, 2018)

If you’re a fan of Gather Evans’ The Raid movies and have been patiently anticipating a third instalment, quickly get onto Netflix and immerse yourselves in The Night Comes for Us. Timo Tjahjanto’s martial-arts extravaganza is as gory and shocking as any ever made; honestly, this is not for the faint of heart.

Much of the narrative is taken up with jaw-dropping action sequences and set-pieces, making Evans’ films actually seem rather tame in comparison – we didn’t even believe that to be possible. The film made it into our top ten films of 2018 list at number six, so if you haven’t seen it, there’s no time like the present.

There you have it! These movies are definitely worth checking out, and if you’ve already seen them, perhaps a rewatch is on the horizon.

In other news, is the Once Upon a Time in Hollywood runtime too excessive?