The massively influential and ever-growing streaming platformNetflixis jam-packed full of beloved films both old and new, and features an exceptional catalog of fan-favorite flicks and shows. Some of the cinema’s most engrossing and visually stunning titles are available on the subscription service, with Netflix also amassing a colorful array of delightful black-and-white pictures.
Black-and-white cinema is typically seen as old-fashioned, but modern takes on the style have utilized it to extraordinary effect. Alfonso Cuarón made Hollywood history when he wrote and directed his 2018 masterpieceRoma, which won three Academy Awards and became the first Mexican film to win Best Foreign Language Film.
Bradley Cooper is already making waves due to his phenomenal performance in the recently releasedbiographical dramaMaestro, an enthralling passion project he directed that has already garnered four Golden Globe nominations. With these excellent films in mind, here are the 10 best black-and-white movies available to stream on Netflix right now.
10Malcolm & Marie (2021)
Euphoriacreator Sam Levinsondirected the 2021 romantic dramaMalcolm & Marie, enlisting the talent of John David Washington and Zendaya to headline the intimate picture that chronicles the strained relationship between a director and his girlfriend over the course of one revealing evening. After a successful showing of his new film, Malcolm Elliott becomes embroiled in a tense back-and-forth argument with his partner Marie Jones, and as the night carries on, both the young couple’s shortcomings and egos are ultimately exposed.
A Cinematic Triumph During COVID
Malcolm & Mariewas the first Hollywood feature film to be completely produced, financed, and written during the pandemic and in lockdown, as Levinson approached Zendaya to appear in his project after production ofEuphoriawas shut down. The directorset out to craft"a relationship piece that plays out in real time," and the drama was shot in just two weeks. Upon its release to Netflix, it became the most-watched title on the streaming platform during its premiere weekend.
9Passing (2021)
Actress and filmmaker Rebecca Hallmade her dazzling directorial debut with the 2021 period dramaPassing, centering on the complex dynamic and convoluted personal lives of former high school friends Irene Redfield (Tessa Thompson) and Clare Bellew (Ruth Negga) in 1920s Harlem. When the two African American women cross paths and reconnect, Irene is shocked to discover that Clare “passes” as white and is married to an openly racist man (Alexander Skarsgård), and their reunion threatens to upend their very existence.
Magnetic Performances by Thompson & Negga
Both Thompson and Negga delivered deeply moving and mesmerizing portrayals of two friends living vastly different lives, as they are faced with racial injustices and prejudice while attempting to find their way in the world. Both critics and audiences were blown away by Hall’s superb direction and detail to storytelling, and she took home the award for Best Debut Director by the New York Film Critics Online. Negga also nabbed a Golden Globe nod for Best Supporting Actress, withTimedeclaring her performance the best of the year.
8Frances Ha (2013)
Frances Ha
Before she was spreading Kenergy all around the world, fameddirector and actress Greta Gerwigwas starring in a slew of acclaimed hits, notably joining forces with her husband Noah Baumbach for the 2013 dramedyFrances Ha.In the engrossing film, Gerwig stars as 27-year-old New York City dancer Frances Halladay as she desperately searches for stability, romance, and professional success while becoming an apprentice for a prestigious dance company. As she yearns to achieve her dreams, Frances discovers what she truly wants in life after a series of colorful ups-and-downs.
Related:Here Are Some of the Best Women Directors Working Today
A Breathtaking Collaboration
Gerwig and Baumbach wrote the script together despite the filmmaker having no intention of starring in the picture, but her husband felt that the character suited her perfectly. The dynamic duodrew inspiration from classicslikeAnnie Hall,Something Wild,andLost in Americaas well as Woody Allen’s illustrious film repertoire for the dramedy, and they shot in black-and-white and in the style of French New Wave Cinema for the joint venture.Frances Hawas both a critical and commercial knockout and earned praise for Gerwig’s uninhibited performance and stunning cinematography.
7Roma (2018)
Alfonso Cuarón helped make film history when he directed, wrote, and produced the Oscar-winning 2018 dramaRoma, with the powerful picture focusing on the life of indigenous worker Cleodegaria “Cleo” Gutiérrez (Yalitza Aparicio), a Mixtec live-in housekeeper who helps take care of four children in 1970 Mexico City. When family patriarch Antonio runs off with his mistress and leaves his wife Sofía (Marina de Tavira) devastated, Cleo is invited to go on a much-needed vacation by the distressed woman, while she herself copes with her own surprising pregnancy.
A Revealing & Rewarding Endeavor
Cuarón basedthe poignant dramaon his own personal childhood in Colonia Roma and on the life of their family’s maid Liboria Rodríguez, with the revereddirector having statedthat he “just wrote the script without looking back. I started page one, I finish it, I never read it again as a whole. I never share it with anyone.”
Romagarnered a whopping 10 Academy Award nominations and became the first Mexican film entry to win Best Foreign Language Film, also taking home two other statues, including Best Director for Cuarón.Romaalso won the prestigious Golden Lion for Best Film at the Venice International Film Festival.
6Maestro (2023)
Read Our Review
Hollywood heavy-hitter and charismaticleading man Bradley Cooperonce again showed off his skills both in front of and behind the camera for the 2023 biographical dramaMaestro, an emotionally stirring look at the exceptional life and career of celebrated composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein and his actress wife Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein (Carey Mulligan). Famous faces like Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke, and Sarah Silverman also appear in the film, which details the gifted couple’s enduring and influential partnership over the decades.
Love Letter to the Arts
Though the drama was just recently released, Cooper’s earnest vision and brilliant filmmaking is already making waves in the entertainment industry, withMaestrobeing lauded for the tour de force performances of both Cooper and Mulligan as well as its dazzling cinematography and compelling screenplay.Maestroswitches between gorgeous black-and-white and color scenes, doing so to both highlight the shifting dynamic within Leonard and Felicia’s enduring relationship and to pay homage to the heart of old Hollywood pictures.
5Blue Jay (2016)
Sarah Paulson and Mark Duplass were an absolute delight when they portrayed high school sweethearts who embark on a nostalgia-fueled reunion in the 2016 romantic dramaBlue Jay. The story follows Jim Henderson as he returns to his California hometown to take care of his late mother’s affairs, and in the process crosses paths with his former love Amanda, with sparks naturally flying. Duplass also came up with the screenplay for the warm and fuzzy flick, and the beautiful film was shot over the course of one week.
Simple Yet Powerful
Unsurprisingly, Paulson knocked it out of the park as the smitten Amanda, and her winning chemistry with Duplass allowed audiences to go on a sweet and tender walk down memory lane right along with the reunited pair.Blue Jayhad its worldwide premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and critics appreciated its organic pacing, endearing dialogue, and overall emotional depth, and many were blown away by the alluring on-screen magic between Paulson and Duplass.
4Blonde (2022)
Andrew Dominik’s controversial and fictionalized look at the life and legacy of legendary actress Marilyn Monroe, the 2022 biographical psychological dramaBlondefeatures an exceptionalperformance by Ana de Armas, who completely embodies the pop culture icon as the picture depicts the major moments in the bombshell’s upbringing and career. Backed by a fantastic ensemble cast including Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale, and Julianne Nicholson, the Netflix original caused quite a commotion upon its release and left both audiences and critics conflicted.
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Polarizing Critical Response
Based on the Joyce Carol Oates novel of the same name,Blondealternates between lavish color and black-and-white sequences and pays homage to Monroe’s unforgettable photographs in various scenes. De Armas also looked remarkably like Monroe following her glamorous transformation into the silver screen siren. When talking about the monumental role,the actress expressed:
“I only had to audition for Marilyn once and Andrew said ‘It’s you,’ but I had to audition for everyone else […] The producers. The money people. I always have people I needed to convince. But I knew I could do it. Playing Marilyn was groundbreaking. A Cuban playing Marilyn Monroe. I wanted it so badly. You see that famous photo of her and she is smiling in the moment, but that’s just a slice of what she was really going through at the time.”
Despite such a committed and enthralling performance by de Armas,Blondewas heavily criticized for Dominik’s graphic and exploitative depiction of Monroe’s life, with many deeming it unethical. It was the first film distributed by Netflix to be given an NC-17 rating, and received both an Academy and Golden Globe Award nomination as well as eight Golden Raspberry Award nominations.
3Elisa & Marcela (2019)
In the 2019 Spanish biographical romantic dramaElisa & Marcela, the real-life trailblazing love story between Marcela Gracia Ibeas (Greta Fernández) andElisa Sánchez Loriga (Natalia de Molina) is beautifully chronicled, with the women secretly pretending to be a heterosexual couple in 1901 Spain in order to be married, and thus became the first same-sex matrimony recorded in the country. Marcela and Elisa faced judgment, persecution, and prison in order to be with one another, refusing to let society and the law come between their romance.
A Poignant Romantic Drama
Elisa & Marcelacompeted for the highly-coveted Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, and the passionate and admirable romance love story between Marcela and Elisa captivated the masses, who were thoroughly impressed by the portrayals of the young actresses. The sweeping drama was richly shot, and though it earned a mixed bag response from critics, the film nonetheless left moviegoers captivated by the inspiring true story where love prevailed.
2Mank (2020)
Thedynamic David Fincherenlisted an outstanding cast of some of Hollywood finest stars to headline the 2020 biographical dramaMank, with big names like Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, and Lily Collins appearing in the film that depicts the wondrous life and career American screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz, who alongside Orson Welles penned the screenplay forCitizen Kane.Mankshines a light on the writing process for the hallowed Hollywood classic, as Mankiewicz battled against the bottle and outside voices in 1930s Tinseltown.
A Marvelous Masterpiece
Gary Oldman was downright brilliant as the eponymous real-life figure, with Seyfried dazzling as actress and screenwriter Marion Davies, who many believed served as the inspiration for Susan Alexander inCitizen Kane.The spirited biographical flick paid homage to 1930s cinema, and was praised for its exceptional production values, vibrant performances, and stellar score.Mankwas awarded two Oscars (out of ten nominations) and was listed as one of the Top 10 Movies of the Year by the American Film Institute.
1The Other Side of the Wind (2018)
The Other Side of the Wind
After a jaw-dropping 48 years in development, Orson Welles' final cinematic contribution was released to the world, with the 2018 satirical dramaThe Other Side of the Windgracing the silver screen 33 years after the death ofthe influential filmmaker. Shot in a documentary style and in black-and-white, the drama is a film-within-a-film and takes place in the early 1970s as aging Hollywood director Jake Hannaford (John Huston) attempts to complete his highly-anticipated comeback movie and reclaim his throne in the entertainment industry.
A Unique & Noble Project
The Other Side of the Windwas shot from 1970 to 1976, with Welles and his production team editing the unfinished picture throughout the 1980s. The drama experienced some major financial woes and legal troubles which caused the film to be put on hold, and adecades-long legal battleover ownership of the project ensued. Following a less-than-successful crowdfunding campaign with a $2 million goal in 2015, work onThe Other Side of the Windcommenced once more and it was finally released in 2018.
