Malcolm & Marie and 4 Other Underrated Netflix Movies You Could Have Missed
These flicks deserve a lot more attention.
Sometimes it feels like Netflix is full of unimpressive, run-of-the-mill movies. If you often find yourself scrolling through the service, hoping to find something worthy, Netflix's hidden gems may be your salvation.
1. Pieces of a Woman, 2020
Vanessa Kirby plays a young woman who never had the chance to become a mother – her baby died shortly after a home birth. Throughout the movie, she tries to cope with her grief.
The event that was supposed to bring her family closer together turns out to be fatal, leaving her completely alone. In addition to suing the midwife who delivered the baby, she must navigate complicated relationships with her partner and her own mother.
2. Passing, 2021
Two old friends, both Black women, meet by chance at a posh hotel in the 1920s. One of them is surprised to find that her friend looks White.
She is so immersed in her role that not even her husband knows that he is engaged to a woman of color. From that moment on, a series of dizzying events begins, including attempts to accept one's identity, an insatiable curiosity, and burning jealousy.
3. The Dig, 2021
Carey Mulligan plays a widow who believes valuable traces of the past can be found on her land. Archaeological excavations and the search for artifacts become an attempt at self-discovery.
This tender drama, full of metaphors, inexplicably remained in the shadow of other high-profile projects on the platform. Perhaps the digging in the ground and the lack of a clearly expressed conflict scared off potential viewers.
However, this movie, with its perfect cast, deserves to be called a hidden Netflix masterpiece.
4. Velvet Buzzsaw, 2019
In this movie, Jake Gyllenhaal plays an unusual role: a successful art critic and representative of the bohemian crowd who is fed up with the bourgeoisie.
One day, his friend finds a large collection of paintings in her deceased neighbor's apartment. She believes they reveal the hand of a genius.
As the art critic attempts to uncover the artist's identity, galleries start buying his work, and a mystical power awakens.
5. Malcolm & Marie, 2021
The story centers on promising director Malcolm and his girlfriend and muse, Marie, played by John David Washington and Zendaya.
After returning from the premiere of Malcolm's debut film, the couple has a long and painful showdown. Mutual reproaches are followed by declarations of love, and broken dishes are followed by tender kisses.
After the premiere, the movie seems to have been immediately forgotten. Meanwhile, it showcases the powerful acting duo of Washington and Zendaya, making Malcolm & Marie a realistic portrayal of a relationship.