With the pandemic still raging on and many, myself included, still feeling nervous about heading to the theaters, streaming services have been a lifeline for film fans. Netflix still reigns as the victor of the streaming wars and is continuing to establish itself as a certifiable force as a production company. The streamer led the Academy Award nominations last year with "The Power of the Dog," and there's a good chance they'll have plenty to celebrate in the coming weeks regarding this year's slate. 2022 was a time for restructuring and recouping massive losses, but Netflix still managed to put out some undeniably great original narrative features. As we head toward 2023, here are the 15 best original Netflix films of the year, including a few that haven't arrived on the app just yet.

Jackass 4.5

Okay, yeah, I'm kicking off this list by cheating because Netflix didn't make this film, but whatever, it's exclusive to the streamer and I will never lose an opportunity to talk about my favorite dudes. The world is on fire, cut me some slack! As is tradition for the "Jackass" films, "Jackass 4.5" sees Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, and the rest of the crew return for another round of hilarious stunts and hijinks featuring extra footage and out-takes from "Jackass Forever." Calling this a movie might be unfair, but the bonus material featured in "Jackass 4.5" is more entertaining and action-packed than some of the streamer's most expensive features this year.

The 90-minute collection also features interviews with the cast, explanations of how some of the biggest stunts in the film were pulled off, and provides all of the endearing interactions that elevate the "Jackass" films as more than just juvenile pranks. "Jackass 4.5" is also the best look at the new team — Zach Holmes, Poopies, Eric Manaka, Rachel Wolfson, Jasper Dolphin, and Dark Shark — as well as how they were able to pull off "Jackass Forever" in the midst of COVID-19 lockdowns. Look, life is hard, and sometimes you just want to watch people get kicked by their best friend on a swing set while wearing an inflatable animal costume.

Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood

As a former teacher, I would always laugh when my coworkers would lament how many students would say they wanted to be an "influencer" or "Twitch streamer" when they grow up, instead of, say, "an astronaut." The reason is simple — kids today aren't constantly bombarded by the awe-inspiring imagery of astronauts suiting up before missions, and traveling to space is now something a bunch of rich weirdos can do just for the funsies. But for that brief period of time when space adventure was uncharted territory, it allowed a generation to grow up in a web of wonder.

Richard Linklater's latest venture is the rotoscoped animated film for Netflix, "Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood," which was described by /Film's Josh Spiegel as "a sweet, friendly, low-key affair that often feels less like a story and more like a home movie Linklater collected to share with his grandkids," in his review. Linklater's film feels like a meticulously curated time capsule of the era, just barely acknowledging the more tumultuous real-life events so as not to cloud the nostalgic lens of the "good ol' days." Linklater is certainly more than capable of crafting a more evocative film, but that was so clearly not the intent with "Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood." The intent was to remember a time when science felt like magic, and the horrors of adulthood were still out of reach.

Hustle

I am a staunch defender of The Sandman, and it's still odd to me that after all this time, people are still shocked when Adam Sandler turns it out in a dramatic performance. After being snubbed by the Oscars for "Uncut Gems" and following it up with the goofball comedy, "Hubie Halloween," Sandler is back in serious mode with the basketball drama, "Hustle." In his review, our own Chris Evangelista called it "a predictable underdog sports story that still manages to charm," which is quite possibly the best way to describe the film. Sandler is a lifelong basketball fan, and his love of the game has been well on display for years. "Hustle" may feel like 100 other underdog sports movies, but at its core, this is a passion project for Sandler and a way to honor the sport he loves so much. The characters of "Hustle" feel archetypal, but that's also part of the film's allure — we can safely predict how things will play out, bringing a great deal of comfort to the viewer.

"Hustle" is also a film that has a deep reverence for basketball in its direction, featuring extended sequences of training montages, live gameplay, and camera work that highlights the athleticism of the players rather than the spectacle of competition. I've never seen a basketball game shot quite like this, and it only adds to the intensity of the story. Okay, sure, there are one too many "LOOK AT THIS CAMEO!" moments for my liking, but "Hustle" is a solid watch with a fantastic performance from Sandler, and will be a great movie to watch with your dad over the holidays.

Metal Lords

Man, sometimes you just need to sit back, relax, and watch a genuinely fun, good-hearted movie with some swears. The teen comedy "Metal Lords" is an ode to outcasts everywhere, as Hunter (Adrian Greensmith) and Kevin (Jaeden Martell) decide to start a heavy metal band despite being the only two people at their high school who knows anything about metal. Struggling to find a bassist for their new band, the two manage to enlist Emily (Isis Hainsworth), a classically trained cellist, to help them reach their rock dreams. The three-piece metal band has to figure out how to write and play music together and deal with the day-to-day trials and tribulations of being a teenager.

If you enjoyed the film "Deathgasm" but were craving something a little more based in reality, "Metal Lords" is your all-inclusive backstage pass. To be transparent, "Metal Lords" is a bit of a paint-by-numbers approach to a teen movie, which is exceedingly weird considering "Game of Thrones" co-creator D. B. Weiss wrote the script, and director Peter Sollett previously made one of the best teen romance films of the 2010s, "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist." Regardless, "Metal Lords" is a tender, funny approach to coming-of-age, backdropped against the power of kickass tunes.

The Wonder

While "Don't Worry Darling" got most of the attention for Florence Pugh this year, her strongest performance came from the Netflix film, "The Wonder." A psychological period drama set in the Irish Midlands in 1862, the film follows an eleven-year-old girl who stops eating but remains somehow stays alive and agile. Pugh plays an English nurse named Lib Wright who comes to the small village to observe the girl, as tourists and pilgrims flock to witness the, you guessed it, wonder.

Admittedly, the premise of "The Wonder" likely would have played out better as a true-to-form horror film. There are plenty of odd decisions made throughout, but as /Film's Chris Evangelista said in his review, "I was still hypnotized by it all; wrapped up in the strangeness mixed with the beautiful-but-lonely countryside. By the time the credits rolled, I was chilled, but puzzled. What does it all mean?" If you're a fan of haunting period pieces in the middle of the European countryside, "The Wonder" will be right up your alley.

White Noise

Don DeLillo's 1985 novel "White Noise" is one of the cornerstones of postmodern literature, so Noah Baumbach certainly had his work cut out for him when adapting the material for the screen. Adam Driver and Greta Gerwig star as a suburban couple living in a college town who are forced to evacuate their home after an Airborne Toxic Event. If this sounds like the perfect story after the pandemic irreversibly changed everyone's lives, you're right on target. Rather than focus on the harrowing aftermath of a pandemic, "White Noise" is a commentary on how capitalism has turned crisis into a commercialized commodity.

At the same time, "White Noise" is extremely frank about the harsh realities of existence, pointing out with unflinching (and oftentimes hilariously camp) accuracy that we're all doomed to eventual nothingness, so don't feel bad about enjoying life while you still have it. "White Noise" is also a deeply existential film, meaning each viewer will likely get something entirely different out of it than the person next to them. "White Noise" is a masterclass in examining death, dying, and the drama of life, but filled with plenty of cathartic bursts of humor to keep the psychological damage at a minimum.

"White Noise" arrives on Netflix on December 30, 2022.

The Sea Beast

Despite the mass layoffs and cancellations earlier this year, Netflix put out some ridiculously great animated features. One such example is the swashbuckling adventure film by Academy Award-winning director, Chris Williams, "The Sea Beast." The story follows a young girl named Maisie who stows away on the ship of a legendary sea monster hunter, just as he is about to explore uncharted waters and take down a never-before-seen creature. /Film's own Rafael Motamayor called the film "a crowd-pleasing anti-imperialist seafaring adventure," highlighting the exciting battles at sea, the legitimately scary sea monster designs, huge animated thrills, and sweet dynamic between "a hardened monster hunter and an energetic and hopeful kid."

Animation is often unfairly maligned as nothing more than a "kid's genre," when the medium has always existed to tell stories fit for all ages. While "The Sea Beast" does boast a child as one of the leading protagonists, this is the type of all-ages adventure movie that feels at home with the live-action films of Amblin Entertainment. Story aside, "The Sea Beast" is also a gorgeous animated film, which some of the most realistic ships, water, and the greatest monster in animation – ropes. This film didn't get the massive marketing rollout it deserved, which is a shame considering it's easily one of the best-animated features of the year.

Matilda The Musical

If you're on TikTok, chances are your For You Page has been inundated by people attempting the "Matilda the Musical" choreography for the song "Revolting Children." The film adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical based on Roald Dahl's beloved children's novel (but with no real relation to the live-action film adaptation from 1996) features music from Tim Minchin, a script by Dennis Kelly, and is directed by Matthew Warchus, who also ran the show on Broadway. As this film isn't yet available on the platform, I won't say much, but know that the musical is just as whimsical, hilarious, and wonderful as the story that inspired it. Alisha Weir is an absolute delight as Matilda Wormwood, and Lashana Lynch's voice as Miss Honey brings the perfect level of sweetness, but alas, despite her talents, Emma Thompson is a bit too buried under prosthetics and padding to allow Miss Trunchbull to be as terrifying as she needs to be. Regardless, "Matilda the Musical" will have you singing your heart out … and trying that ridiculously good choreography in your kitchen.

"Matilda" will be available on Netflix beginning December 25, 2022.

Wendell & Wild

Can we finally cut the crap and officially declare Henry Selick as the king of stop-motion animation? The man responsible for "The Nightmare Before Christmas," "James and the Giant Peach," "Monkeybone," and "Coraline" is back with another instant-favorite. "Wendell & Wild" tells the story of two titular demon brothers (Keegan-Michael Key, Jordan Peele) who convince a rebellious 13-year-old orphan named Kat Elliot to help them into the land of the living. Like many of Selick's films that came before, "Wendell & Wild" is beautiful and macabre but still brings a deeply important message about society — distilled into something young viewers can process. Sure, it's a movie where Hell is a theme park and James Hong is an undead priest, but this is also "Baby's First Prison Reform Movie."

Despite its fantastical elements, "Wendell & Wild" is deeply critical of the systemic failures in America that make the lives of marginalized communities difficult, and also allows Kat, a young Black girl, to showcase justified anger at the circumstances she's been thrown into. This shouldn't be revolutionary in 2022, but it is. Selick has delivered a coming-of-age companion piece to "Coraline" in the best ways possible, and the film boasts arguably the best soundtrack of the year. Fishbone? X-Ray Spex? The Specials?! Yeah, "Wendell & Wild" rules.

Do Revenge

Hollywood has been trying and failing to capture the essence of Gen Z in their teen films for years, but Jennifer Kaytin Robinson's "Do Revenge" did the impossible and absolutely nailed it. Alfred Hitchcock's "Strangers on a Train" by way of the edgy teen films of 1999, "Do Revenge" is about two elite teenagers who join forces to take down their respective tormentors. Of course, this is a teen film, so there's plenty of twisty melodrama along the way, but with "Riverdale" star Camila Mendes and "Stranger Things" fave Maya Hawke in the lead roles, "Do Revenge" brings "Cruel Intentions" levels of next-big-thing-in-Hollywood star power.

"Do Revenge" is a teen movie that simultaneously embraces and subverts the tropes made popular between the era of John Hughes and "Mean Girls," while still feeling like a completely fresh approach to the conflicts of high school living. The characters' problems are treated with legitimacy, but there are plenty of nods to just how ridiculous life can be when you're old enough to have your own freedom but too young to truly be on your own. "Game of Thrones" star Sophie Turner also delivers the best line of 2022 … you'll know it when you hear it.

Aníkúlápó

Regardless of your pick for a favorite streamer, it's undeniable that Netflix surpasses all of its competitors with its international collection. One of the best films on the platform this year comes from Nigeria, the Yoruba-language epic, "Aníkúlápó." Director Kunle Afolayan is known for being one of the biggest revolutionaries in Nollywood cinema, helping elevate the medium with larger budgets, shooting on film, pushing for releases in theaters, and telling stories outside of the usual clichés. Set in the 17th-century Oyo empire, "Aníkúlápó" centers on a zealous textile weaver who encounters a mythical bird that offers him one more chance at life, after an illicit affair with the king's wife brings him to death.

"Aníkúlápó" is an epic in every sense of the word, with Afolayan telling The Guardian that he originally conceived the idea as a series like "Game of Thrones," but Netflix requested a film first to gauge the temperature of public interest. The film shattered expectations, becoming the most-watched non-English-language film on Netflix in October. Shockingly, Nigeria didn't enter "Aníkúlápó" for Oscar contention (they didn't submit any eligible films), but if they had, it's likely that the film would have been, at the very least, shortlisted for Best International Feature. It's that good.

All Quiet On The Western Front

There's a famous line uttered by Hawkeye in "M*A*S*H*" where he says, "War isn't Hell. War is war, and Hell is Hell, and of the two, war is a lot worse." That sentiment is the blood pumping in the veins of "All Quiet on the Western Front," the painfully honest and bleak look at the way war irreparably changes the lives and minds of those thrown into battle. Based on the 1928 German novel of the same name, Edward Berger's epic war drama is not here to glorify fighting for one's country or exist as an instrument of propaganda like … a majority of the American war films, instead painting a bleak, anti-war portrait with the graphic accuracy that was impossible when Universal first adapted the material in the 1930s.

"All Quiet on the Western Front" is violent and difficult to watch, as it rightfully should be. The scope of how devastating World War I really was is impossible to grasp by most, but Berger's film does a hell of a job trying. He takes the familiar story of an enthusiastic group of German students brainwashed by military propaganda into enlisting only to come face-to-face with the stark realities of war and elevates it into the ultimate cautionary tale and takedown of the start of the military-industrial complex. "All Quiet on the Western Front" is an early front-runner for a Best International Feature nomination at this year's Academy Awards, and it wouldn't be surprising if Netflix took home the statue for this one.

Darlings

If you liked Alia Bhatt as Sita in "RRR," you're going to absolutely love her in the Hindi-language dark comedy, "Darlings." Co-written and directed by Jasmeet K. Reen in her directorial debut, "Darlings" is a riveting revenge film about a woman (Bhatt) and her mother attempting to take down her abusive, alcoholic husband after his rage takes things a step too far. The film plays out like a comedy of errors, which is a fascinating choice considering the film centers on the very un-funny subject matter of domestic violence. On paper, "Darlings" sounds like something that shouldn't work — but it does to fantastic effect.

"Darlings" often borders on absurdism, but that's part of the charm. This is a film that chooses comedy and humor as the cure for pain and agony, and Bhatt, Vijay Varma, Shefali Shah, and Roshan Mathew more than deliver. There's a perfect balance of satirical farce and the harsh realities of being trapped in a marriage with an abusive partner, even if the film may make some people uncomfortable for simply existing. As someone who can, unfortunately, relate to the story, I found great catharsis in the comedy. It's okay to laugh about the things that cause us pain, in fact, it's a really healthy way to start the recovery process. For all of its wacky humor, "Darlings" is a daring debut from Reen, and a shining example of why Netflix's international catalog is unmatched.

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

It's another Rian Johnson whodunnit! Netflix paid a pretty penny to become the exclusive home of not just one, but two sequels to the comedic mystery, "Knives Out," and it was worth every penny of the $400 million price tag. "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" is just as fantastic as its predecessor, with some critics declaring it to be even better. Daniel Craig returns as Benoit Blanc, this time solving a case regarding a tech billionaire and his pals during a private excursion to his Greek island.

"Glass Onion" is a bigger, twistier, and arguably funny adventure for Benoit Blanc, and the new ensemble cast including Edward Norton, Kathryn Hahn, Ethan Hawke, Janelle Monáe, Dave Bautista, Leslie Odom Jr., Madelyn Cline, and a career-best Kate Hudson is just as phenomenal as the group that came before. If you didn't get the opportunity to catch the film during its limited theatrical run in November, make sure to carve out some time this holiday season to catch one of the best films of the year.

"Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" becomes available on Netflix beginning December 23, 2022.

Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio

Look, I'm adult enough to admit my weaknesses, which apparently now include a stop-motion talking wooden boy desperately trying to earn the paternal love of a mourning old woodworker. In all honesty, the fact that this blurb isn't just a photo of me crying as I press "start from the beginning" again on my Netflix app is a miracle. Guillermo del Toro has been trying to make his version of "Pinocchio" for well over a decade, saying "No art form has influenced my life and my work more than animation, and no single character in history has had as deep of a personal connection to me as Pinocchio […] I've wanted to make this movie for as long as I can remember." The result is a moving, devastating retelling of the classic tale, which /Film's Hannah Shaw-Williams called, "an adaptation that refuses to talk down to children or draw a sunny curtain over the terrors of the world."

Guillermo del Toro's "Pinocchio" is an absolute masterpiece and the best adaptation of Carlo Collodi's novel ever put to screen. Plenty may argue that there are other films on this list more deserving of the top spot, but the reason I chose to put "Pinocchio" here is that the film is not just phenomenal but was only possible because of Netflix. "Pinocchio" was in development hell for years, and the streaming giant stepped up to make it happen. The moviemaking landscape is in the middle of an evolution, and "Pinocchio" is proof-positive that these industry changes don't have to be something to fear. The cinematic landscape is better because of films like "Pinocchio" and Netflix deserves credit for making it happen.

Read this next: The Best Movies Of 2022 So Far

The post The 15 Best Netflix Original Movies of 2022, Ranked appeared first on /Film.