Netflix Hidden Gems – 20 More Great Movies
A while ago I put together a list of 20 Netflix hidden gems.
I’ve been surprised how popular that post has been. Actually, it’s my most popular non-recipe post on the website.
I figured it was time to put together a follow up list. Here are 20 more Netflix movies that I liked which might not be popping up on your suggested movies list.
A few of these movies have subtitles and some tackle difficult subjects. A couple are even are a bit on the silly side. But I enjoyed every one and hope you will too.
SEE ALSO: 13 Amazon Instant Video Movies to Watch
All movie descriptions credited to the Netflix website.
History Comes Alive:
Young widower August King encounters Annalees, a runaway slave, in the woods of North Carolina in 1815. Rather than let Annalees’s cruel owner catch her, August decides to risk his own life to help her reach freedom in the North.
Hannah, a young Jewish girl, is rescued from a concentration camp by her Polish boyfriend, and believes he died after their perilous escape. More than 30 years later, the married Hannah faces an emotional crisis when she learns he’s alive.
Twins Anna and Lotte are orphaned in 1920s Germany and sent to live with two very different relatives. The sisters struggle to reconcile the differences of their youth when they meet as adults during World War II and again in their old age.
When the Japanese overrun Singapore during World War II, many women and children end up in a prison camp. Although they are of different ages, nationalities and backgrounds, the women form a bond as they cope with the brutal behavior of their captors and the lack of food and medical care. Bruce Beresford directs an ensemble that includes Glenn Close, Frances McDormand, Cate Blanchett, Pauline Collins, Jennifer Ehle and Julianna Margulies.
Journey of Self Discovery:
A young man gives up everything — including his trust fund and ties to a seemingly stable family — to lead a solitary life in the wild, eschewing convention to trek across Alaska’s harsh and unforgiving terrain.
While transporting illegal immigrants across the Texas border, a cash-strapped single mother finds herself caring for a young Mexican girl. Along the way, she’s forced to reexamine her life with a critical eye.
Not Your Typical Family:
In this seaside drama adapted from a novella by Nobel Prize winner Doris Lessing, two lifelong friends who fall in love with each other’s teenage sons must carry out their affairs in relative secrecy.
Joni and Laser, the children of same-sex parents Nic and Jules, become curious about their sperm-donor dad and set out to make him part of their family unit. But his arrival complicates the household dynamics.
Following the sudden death of his wife, Australian sportswriter Joe Warr struggles to cope with his grief and comfort his young son. Being a single father gets even trickier when Joe’s rebellious teenage son from a previous marriage moves in.
When the teenage daughter of a reclusive family of artists falls in love with an unusual boy at school, she awakens mysterious powers and discovers ancient family secrets that will change her life forever.
On a family trip to Lake Michigan, middle-aged man-child Rob is surprised to meet his estranged teenage daughter, Celia, who is nine months pregnant. Now Rob must wrap his head around the demands of fatherhood and grandfatherhood at the same time.
Childhood Shouldn’t Be This Hard:
Lily and Alison struggle to overcome the boredom of being teenagers in a small town. When they meet three street kids and follow them to Los Angeles, the girls learn just how far they’re willing to go to find their freedom and remain friends.
A boy and a girl who are ostracized by their peer groups at summer camp decide to run away together after becoming victims of a vicious prank. They soon develop a bond, helping each other overcome adversity and start down the path of self-discovery.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
When his family moves to Poland, young Bruno befriends Shmuel, a boy who lives on the other side of the fence, where everyone seems to be wearing striped pajamas. Unaware of Shmuel’s fate as a Jewish prisoner, Bruno embarks on a dangerous journey.
A young boy accidentally loses his sister’s shoes and must share his own sneakers with her in a sort of relay while each attends school at different times during the day. The boy eventually enters a foot race in hopes of winning a new pair of shoes.
All About Relationships:
May-Alice Culhane (Mary McDonnell) is a soap opera star who’s left paralyzed after a car accident and, left with few other options, returns to her Louisiana home. Her heavy drinking and bad attitude drive away all of her caregivers. That is, until Chantelle (Alfre Woodard) comes to work for her. The two women form an unlikely friendship in this John Sayles film, which earned McDonnell an Oscar nomination for Best Actress.
Devoted small-town English teacher Linda yearns for love. Enter Jason, a former student whose career as a Broadway playwright didn’t pan out. When she persuades him to stage his play at the school before giving up, love — and controversy — arises.
This adaptation of the novel by Nicholas Sparks centers on a mysterious woman who arrives in a small North Carolina town and begins a new life but remains haunted by the terrifying secret that prompted her to travel across the country.
A Bit of Suspense:
After his amazing safe landing of a damaged passenger plane, an airline pilot is praised for the feat, but has private questions about what happened. Further, the government’s inquiry into the causes soon puts the new hero’s reputation at risk.
When physician Chris Nielson dies in a car accident and goes to heaven, his distraught wife commits suicide and ends up in hell. Risking eternal damnation, Nielson leaves paradise and embarks on an epic journey to save his spouse from Hades.
