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Best Netflix series you can watch right now (20+1list)

Best Netflix series you can watch right now

written by Souranath Banerjee

In 1997 a new company by the name of Netflix was founded by  Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in California with the idea of providing subscription-based streaming service from its library of Best-Netflix-seriesfilms and television programs. By 2012 they started their content-production of both films and television series under the name ‘Netflix Original‘. And at present they are the largest streaming service with 125 million total subscribers worldwide, operating over 190 countries across the globe!

Needless to say most of the top notch films and series of recent times are available only on Netflix, and don’t know about you but I often get damn confused while choosing from their vast library of awesome content.

And thus to simplify our search for quality binge watching here is a list of some of the Best Netflix series you can watch right now!

P.S – The Golden rule of watching any TV series is to remember that the 1st Season is always the best!

20. 13 Reasons Why (2017) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JebwYGn5Z3E

Best-Netflix-seriesA teenager going through high school is never been easy and this is one show that dares to speak up about the pressure, the temptations, the torments of a young mind and seeks answers to the brutally honest vulnerabilities of today’s youth.

Created by Brian Yorkey, this is about a guy who needs to backtrack in the past and connect the dots in order to know the cause of his friend’s suicide.

19. Dexter (2006) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQeUmSD1c3g

Best-Netflix-seriesA blood-spatter analyst for the Miami police has a secret life of his own – at night he hunts down murderers and kill them!

Created by James Manos Jr., a crime mystery with a twist where you want the serial killer to succeed in his missions.

Awesome performances by Michael C. Hall and Jennifer Carpenter. Highly addictive!

18. Sacred Games (2018) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28j8h0RRov4

Best-Netflix-seriesCreated/directed by Anurag Kashyap and Vikramaditya Motwane, this is the first Indian Netflix Original TV Series.

(Click for Review)

The story of the intertwined lives of a mafia don (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) nearing the twilight of his life and the struggles of an honest cop (Saif Ali Khan) trying to do right amidst a corrupt system.

17. Gotham (2014) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d1zpt6k5OI

Best-Netflix-seriesSet on the backdrop of the most dangerous city – Gotham, this series tells the story of a young Detective James Gordon (Ben McKenzie) and his rise through the police force to greatness.

Created by Bruno Heller, this is such an unique show where Batman (only a child) plays  the  second fiddle and you get to watch the beginnings of some of the greatest villain characters like the Penguin (Robin Lord Taylor), The Riddler (Cory Michael Smith), Fish Moony (Jada Pinkett Smith) and even The Catwoman (Camren Bicondova).

16. Arrested Development (2003) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXg2_yExgVY

Best-Netflix-seriesA refreshing comedy drama that enfolds the humorous tensions and conflicts within a so-called dysfunctional family.

Created by Mitchell Hurwitz, and Jason Bateman taking the lead – this is one of the very few witty laugh riots that perfectly fits the limited comedy options in Netflix.

Won multiple Emmies and still one of the highest rated TV series ever made!

15. Fauda (2015) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5zcu25_IG0

Best-Netflix-seriesThe Israeli Special Forces tries to take down the Palestinian Jihad organisation – the only series that narrates the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and brilliantly weaves the issue into a thrilling tale of action, violence and emotional loss for both sides.

Created by Avi Issacharoff and Lior Raz, an underrated show yet highly addictive, brilliant performances and an intense storyline.

14. Ozark (2017) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hAXVqrljbs

Best-Netflix-series‘Most people just have a fundamentally flawed view of money’

A financial advisor gets in trouble with a drug cartel and is forced to relocate his family and come up with innovative schemes to make money.

Created by Bill Dubuque and Mark Williams, and starring Jason Bateman and Laura Linney in the lead – an intense drama with multiple thrilling plot twists.

13. The Punisher (2017) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIY6zFL95hE

Best-Netflix-seriesA Marine veteran (Jon Bernthal) whose family been murdered turns into a vigilante and all he wants is vengeance!

‘Those who do evil to others – the killers, the rapists, psychos, sadists – you will come to know me well. Frank Castle is dead. Call me… The Punisher.’

Created by Steve Lightfoot, an action packed crime drama that promises to engage you till the end!

12. Bloodline (2015) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRnS8FkcXNk

Best-Netflix-seriesAs the black sheep of the family returns home many past family secrets are to be spilled along with a bit of bad blood!

Created by Glenn Kessler, Todd A. Kessler and Daniel Zelman, probably the only 100% family drama available in Netflix which completely engages you through its brilliant characters and unique storytelling. Kyle Chandler and Ben Mendelsohn gives amazing performances!

11. Fargo (2014) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKs8DzjPDMU

Best-Netflix-seriesThis show is as popular as the Oscar winning film by the same name from the Coen brothers on which it is based on, maintaining similar storyline but with a fresh star-cast – Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman, Allison Tolman, Kirsten Dunst and Ewan McGregor among others. 

Created by Noah Hawley, definitely the best black comedy TV series ever made. Totally worth your time!

10. Stranger Things (2016) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWxyRG_tckY

Best-Netflix-seriesThe sudden disappearance of a young boy in a small town begins a hunt which eventually leads to dark government agencies and their rogue experiments that will turn the otherwise peaceful town upside down and put everyone’s life in danger!

Created by Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer (the Duffer brothers), a dark and twisted tale of horror that you can’t miss. Millie Bobby Brown shines as a child actor.

9. House of Cards (2013) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULwUzF1q5w4

Best-Netflix-seriesA cunning and vicious Congressman (Kevin Spacey) and his ever-supporting wife (Robin Wright) makes their way to the top of the political ladder while taking revenge on people who betrayed him in the past.

Created by Beau Willimon and directed by a series of acclaimed directors like David FincherJames FoleyJoel Schumacher and John Dahl – one of the best series ever made!

8. Daredevil (2015) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAy6NJ_D5vU

Best-Netflix-seriesA blind lawyer who transforms into a vigilante by night – this is the story of an unlikely superhero (Charlie Cox) with superhuman senses that allows him to see the world in an entirely unique manner.

Dark and violent, yet highly captivating with a terrific storyline.

Created by Drew Goddard, this Marvel series has some of the best fighting sequences ever!

7. Peaky Blinders (2013) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwXfVGjSz-4

Best-Netflix-seriesSet in 1919 Birmingham, England -this is one brilliant Gangster saga that has become one of the most popular shows in Netflix and rightly so.

Cillian Murphy, Paul Anderson, Sam Neill and Tom Hardy among other in the acting department, top class story telling and brilliant cinematography! Created by Steven Knight, this is The Sopranos of our time!

6. Homeland (2011) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KyFmS3wRPCQ

Best-Netflix-seriesA bipolar CIA operative becomes suspicious to the point of conviction that a war prisoner who is being treated as a war hero is actually been turned into an al-Qaeda spy.

Starring Claire Danes, Mandy Patinkin and Damian Lewis and created by Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon, this is a perfect example of a high class espionage drama, thrilling and emotionally captivating at the same time!

5. Orange Is the New Black (2013) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLyUlTu4KbI

Best-Netflix-seriesPrison can be a life changing experience and who knows it better than the lead character of this show, a married woman (Taylor Schilling) who is convicted of a decade old crime of transporting drug money to an ex-girlfriend!

Created by Jenji Kohan, quick paced and quirky, and dealing with LGBT themes, this is one show which manages to be both emotional and funny at the same time.

4. Sherlock (2010) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xK7S9mrFWL4

Best-Netflix-seriesOriginally created by Conan Doyle, the ever popular sleuth and his assistant are back and this time Sherlock Holmes (Benedict Cumberbatch) and Dr. John Watson (Martin Freeman) are transported to our modern world where they solve unique crimes by the help of Sherlock’s ‘Deductive logic’ of course.

Created by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat, a thrilling, superbly edited show that guarantees your attention.

3. Narcos (2015) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7elNhHwgBU

Best-Netflix-seriesA series based on the real story of the rise and expansion of the Colombian drug cartels spearheaded by the cocaine kingpin Pablo Escobar (Wagner Moura). And also about the brilliant effort made by a joint team of Colombian and US forces to eradicate the cartel.

Created by Carlo Bernard, Chris Brancato and Doug Miro, this is one of the most addictive series I have ever watched in my life! 

2. Breaking Bad (2008) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhesaQXLuRY

Best-Netflix-seriesA chemistry teacher diagnosed with cancer decides to break bad and starts cooking and dealing drugs.

Bryan Cranston in his legendary performance and such an exceptional storyline – this dark comedy series is as addictive as any drug ever existed. 

Created by Vince Gilligan, this is one show that changed the whole game for the future of TV series!

1. Mindhunter (2017) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gZCfRD_zWE

Best-Netflix-seriesLate 1970s, in order to delve into the psychology of serial murderers two FBI agents (Jonathan Groff and Holt McCallany) while researching on criminal behaviour interview some of the most prolific murderers of the time!

Created by Joe Penhall and some episodes directed by acclaimed David Fincher – this is at present the most exciting and dramatic crime thriller series to watch!

and (The ‘+1’ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most innovative one. A must watch)

+1. Black Mirror (2011) (TV Series)

Film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jROLrhQkK78

Best-Netflix-seriesA British Sci Fi anthology series, each episode a new story mostly based on futuristic worlds where technology have evolved into extreme advanced dimensions and we humans are trying our best to coup up with it.

Created by Charlie Brooker, brilliantly imaginative, often dark and satirical but thoroughly engaging. Even frightening to some extent as most of the episodes are uniquely scary and believable too.

Similar Interest: Sacred Games Review

Poster courtesy: www.imdb.com.

Crimson Peak (2015)

Crimson Peak review.

written by Souranath Banerjee

‘Where I come from, ghosts are not to be taken lightly’.

My Ratings 3.8/5.

Guillermo del Toro is a name that brings hope for all the fans of the horror genre, the Mexican director who is responsible for many superb horror flicks such as Pan’s Labyrinth, The Devil’s Backbone and Cronos.

crimson-peak-posterHis unique ability to create worlds where ghosts and spirits become a part of life; they insists to exist beyond your consciousness, and then you see them, there happens a mutual acknowledgment of each other’s presence and you are terrified!

Del Toro’s recent achievement Crimson Peak is again a perfect blend of fear and deception, hatred and revenge, and horror of course.

A young girl (Mia Wasikowska) is wooed by a handsome stranger (Tom Hiddleston) and in spite of the girl’s father’s disapproval – they did eventually get married.

The innocent girl is taken away to her husband’s place, an old and haunted ancestral palace situated at the Crimson Peak, where the red mud below the white layer of ice looks as if the ground is bleeding from a permanent, incurable wound!

crimson-peak-poster1And then, there is the husband’s sister (Jessica Chastain) who is as cold as the ice above and as sinister as the red mud beneath it.

The rotten house, gloomy and broken in parts has many secrets wrapped inside and when it breathes loud, be sure that it wants to share it’s horrific past with the newly married girl, it wants to make contact with her; frighten her or may be to warn her of some upcoming danger!

The first thing that impresses you while watching the film is the brilliance of the sets and the exceptionally detailed costumes of the characters. Set decoraters Jeffrey A. Melvin and Shane Vieau, art director Brandt Gordon and costume designer Kate Hawley are the ones who deserves to be mentioned first.

crimson-peak-poster5The acting is decent enough to create a sense of danger throughout the film.

Dan Laustsen‘s cinematography makes the film a visual treat and the visual effects is pretty well synced to serve it’s desired purpose.

Though i would say the ghosts and ghouls are sprinkled throughout the film a bit too abundantly; i personally would have expected more moments of suspense than directly looking a CGI ghost with Del Toro’s patented liquidizing effect making faces at me.

But never the less, the film (most of it) is scary and entertaining, with a twist in the end that was though somewhat predictable.

Crimson Peak, a horror film with insects, wall clocks and a Gothic touch. Watch it and you won’t regret, specially if you don’t go without much expectations to be scared.

P.S – Benedict Cumberbatch and Emma Stone were initially casted along with Jessica Chastain.

Poster courtesy: www.impawards.com

Black Mass (2015)

Black Mass review.

written by Souranath Banerjee

My Ratings: 4/5.

Comparison with Scorsese’s epic gangster film Goodfellas is inevitable. I think the director is just asking for it.

Black Mass is a true story based on the most notorious American gangster James ‘Whitey’ Bulger.

black-mass-poster2For 12 years he had been on the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) top-ten Most Wanted Fugitives list with a $2 million reward for information about his whereabouts – an amount larger than any other fugitive on the FBI list except for Osama bin Laden!

And Johnny Depp IS the mean and merciless James Bulger. 

I totally agree when the Johnny-Depp-fans claim that this is his best performance; even Depp himself chooses this one to be his favorite film among all his previous works. 

Well, he has not only drastically changed his looks but also his body language, his laugh, his cold and menacing stare are very effective – ‘strictly criminal’ indeed.

black-mass-posterDirector Scott Cooper, known for his earlier films Crazy Heart (2009) and Out of the Furnace (2013), have done a great job in slowly unfolding the drama with a proper balance of thrill and violence.

Joel Edgerton expertly plays the role of the blemished FBI officer who made an infamous deal with Bulger that allowed the ruthless gangster to freely indulge in crime and in exchange he should provide confidential informations about his competitors in South Boston (especially the Italian mafia).

A deal that gave Bulger the license to commit unlimited drug deals and murders. He was ultimately prosecuted for 19 murders based on grand jury testimony though it is said that the actual number of murders he committed were much higher that that.

Then there are a series of most talented supporting actors like black-mass-poster3Benedict CumberbatchDakota JohnsonKevin BaconJulianne NicholsonPeter Sarsgaard whose presence uplifted the overall experience of the film to a different level.

Cinematographer Masanobu Takayanagi needs a mention for his measured camera movements which makes most of the extreme violence in the film not too gory yet effectively disturbing.

A psychopath of highest degree, the blue eyed leader of the Irish-American Winter Hill Gang and interestingly enough a perfect family man too. 

Black Mass, the story of James Bulger is surely worth a watch.

poster curtsey: www.impawards.com

Best of Hollywood 2014

Best of Hollywood 2014 

written by Souranath Banerjee.

Best of Hollywood 2014 – is not at all an easy list to make. 2014 being an awesome year for film-lovers and thanks to Hollywood for giving us such a balanced dose of entertainment; Thrillers, Hollywood-2014SciFis, Comedies, Love stories War Dramas, Horror flicks and lots of Biographies.

But then again, it’s the time to remember the best performances of this year (no foreign language films included in this list), the awesome directorial ventures, those brilliant visuals and mesmerizing background scores – the films that touched your heart, amazed you and made you fall in love with Cinema (all over again).

But first a few honorable mentions (films that almost made the list) – WildInherent ViceThe Hundred-Foot JourneyPrideAmerican SniperCalvaryStill AliceCamp X-RayPredestinationKill the MessengerCake and Mr. Turner

And now the countdown begins.

10. Selma

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6t7vVTxaic

Hollywood-2014

It was 1965 and Martin Luther King leaded the epic march from Selma to Montgomery (Alabama), a nonviolent protest demanding for the right-to-vote for all black men and women in the country.

(Click for the film review)

Such a powerful film evidently backed by some outstanding performances. A must watch.

9. Gone Girl

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esGn-xKFZdU

Hollywood-2014

Gone Girl is fast paced film that demands your full attention, a superbly crafted thriller that plunges into the depths of a psychologically twisted marital relationship.

(Click for the film review)

Brilliant performance by Ben Affleck but the real stunner is Rosamund Pike; she proves to be the perfect cast possible for the ‘gone girl’ character.

Hollywood-2014A dangerously realistic, gritty tale based on the concept of our unconscious satisfaction in watching other people’s loss and tragedy. Thanks to the news channels.

(Click for the film review)

Louis Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal) – is he a scavenger or a survivor, a psychopath or a potential businessman, a cold-hearted predator or an insane professional?

7. The Grand Budapest Hotel

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Fg5iWmQjwk

Hollywood-2014

The Grand Budapest Hotel is the most stylish comedy I have seen in years.

(Click for the film review)

Wes Anderson’s obsession for perfect production design, bold color schemes, faultless framing and as always the cheeky humor brings out an unique creation. Simply wonderful to watch, probably his best work till date.

6. Interstellar

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSWdZVtXT7E

Hollywood-2014

A Sci-Fi starring Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathway and Jessica Chastain, Interstellar is a film about space and black holes, about dimensions and relativity; and then again it’s also about love and betrayal.

(Click for the film review)

By the acclaimed director Christopher Nolan and undoubtedly one of his best films ever.

5. The Theory of Everything

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Salz7uGp72c

Hollywood-2014

The Theory of Everything tells the emotional story of Stephen Hawking and his then wife Jane Wilde.

(Click for the film review)

Eddie Redmayne this year won the Oscar (in the Best Actor category) playing Stephen Hawking’s character with extraordinary authenticity and brilliance. A must watch.

4. Foxcatcher

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8361stZ8n0w

Hollywood-2014

Foxcatcher is a film that tells the tale of two troubled souls, a multimillionaire and a wrestler, both disturbed and consumed by their own ambition and distorted personal lives.

(Click for the film review)

The film doesn’t fit the mainstream, melodramatic sport-movie pattern but after watching i am sure you will be thankful it didn’t.

3. Whiplash

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7d_jQycdQGo

whiplash-poster

The intense story of Andrew Neiman (Miles Teller), a 19-year-old aspiring jazz drummer and Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), his brutal school music instructor.

(Click for the film review)

Whiplash is a gritty and uncompromising take on ambition and success – it stretches the boundaries of all previous student-mentor relationship based dramas.

2. Birdman: Or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJfLoE6hanc

Hollywood-2014

Directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu and this year’s Oscar winner.

(Click for the film review)

Michael KeatonEdward NortonNaomi WattsZach GalifianakisEmma Stone and all others are magical in front of the camera.

The whole film is edited to look like one continuous shot, a tremendous effort and brilliantly executed.

1. Boyhood

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys-mbHXyWX4

Hollywood 2014

A film so real and shot through such an unreal time-span that it gives you the feel of being a part of the journey with this boy Mason (Ellar Coltrane), who was 7 years old when Richard Linklater started filming and 18 when he finally felt it’s time to wrap up.

(Click for the film review)

Boyhood is something very special, a daring experiment and totally worth it.

and (The ‘+1′ film is not necessarily the best but certainly the most innovative one. A must watch).

+1. The Imitation Game

film trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5CjKEFb-sM

Hollywood 2014

Based on the life of an unsung war-hero, a genius mathematician and a troubled soul who never got the recognition he deserved – Alan Turing.

(Click for the film review)

Brilliant performances by Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley The imitation game is one of the best biographies made last year – a perfect combination of history and good cinema.

Poster courtesy: www.impawards.comwww.imdb.com.