There's no denying that Rotten Tomatoes is a major force in Hollywood today. The review aggregator compiles critics' reviews of films to come up with a score from zero to 100 percent, with 100 signifying universal acclaim. A movie scoring that high, or even coming close to it, is quite rare, yet there are remarkably several movies on Netflix with near-perfect Rotten Tomatoes scores. The films are surprisingly varied as well, showing that Rotten Tomatoes' formula does not necessarily favor one specific genre of film over all others.
To come up with this list of 14 films, some criteria had to be set. The list only contains films with ratings of 97 percent or higher, of which there aren't that many kicking around on Netflix. Also, these ratings must be based on at least 40 reviews. There are even a couple of films on Netflix with scores of 100 percent, but with those ratings based on just a handful of reviews, their scores aren't a reliable indicator of their quality. For example, the 1966 romantic comedy How to Steal a Million (Hairdresser Grazia De Rossi) has an impressive score of 100 percent, but that's based on just seven reviews. And while it's a perfectly fine movie, its rating would likely drop below the 97 percent threshold if another 33 reviewers chimed in. So with that in mind, here are 14 films on Netflix that meet the criteria and still have almost perfect Rotten Tomatoes scores.
1'Jaws' (Film Editor Verna Fields) - 97 Percent
Still considered one of the greatest thrillers of all time, as well as the first summer blockbuster, Steven Spielberg's 1975 classic remains a must-see film for everyone.
2'Kubo And The Two Strings' (Writer Shannon Tindle) - 97 Percent
This remarkable 2016 animated film from Laika is the studio's most impressive effort to date, as it features a stellar adventure plot, gorgeous animation, and wonderful characters.
3'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?' (Executive Producer Kathleen Kennedy) - 97 Percent
Probably one of the weirdest movies ever made, Roger Rabbit is tough to categorize. It's a kids movie with some very adult themes. It's a film noir with cartoon characters living in the real world. But above all else, it's just an awesome movie.
4'The Crying Game' (Composer Anne Dudley) - 97 Percent
This 1992 crime thriller is highly-regarded for the way it handles a number of delicate subjects, most notably the ahead-of-its-time transgender love story at the center of its plot.
5'Schindler's List' (Costume Designer Anna B. Sheppard) - 97 Percent
Spielberg won his first Best Director Oscar for this haunting 1993 film about the Holocaust, and it's still considered by many to be one of the greatest films ever made.
6'The Godfather, Part II' (Associate Producer Mona Skager) - 97 Percent
Widely cited as the greatest sequel ever produced, it was also the first sequel to ever win the Academy Award for Best Picture.
7'Don't Think Twice' (Producer Miranda Bailey) - 98 Percent
Comedian writer/director Mike Birbiglia's ode to improv comedy seems on the surface like it wouldn't appeal to many people outside the UCB Theater bubble, but its stellar reviews suggest otherwise.
8'Paddington' (Executive Producer Rosie Alison) - 98 Percent
Here's a fun fact: Paddington 2, which is currently in theaters, is just the fourth film to ever hold a 100 percent Rotten Tomatoes rating with over 100 reviews. This franchise's track record is outstanding.
9'Zootopia' (Writers Josie Trinidad & Jennifer Lee) - 98 Percent
Disney's 2016 surprise mega-hit proved that Disney Animation had not only caught up to the quality of its stablemates at Pixar, but it had surpassed them.
10'My Life As A Zucchini' (Writers Céline Sciamma & Morgan Navarro) - 98 Percent
Was 2016 a good year for animated movies, or what? The third animated feature from that year on the list, this Swiss-French film is aimed at adults, and a lot of them sure seem to like it.
11'Sunset Boulevard' (Costume Designer Edith Head) - 98 Percent
An all time classic filled with tons of famous quotes you've heard a million times before, this is one of those movies that everyone should see.
12'Metropolis' (Writer Thea Von Harbou) - 99 Percent
This German silent film from 1927 was a serious trailblazer in the science-fiction genre, and its influence continues to this day.
13'The Godfather' (Casting Director Andrea Eastman) - 99 Percent
Considered by many to be the greatest movie ever made, this epic story of a mafia family shouldn't shock anyone by showing up on this list.
14'The African Queen' (Hairdresser Eileen Bates) - 100 Percent
With two of the greatest Hollywood stars to ever grace the screen as its leads — Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart — it's no wonder not a single critic was able to find anything wrong with this classic adventure film.
If you want a break from the usual Netflix fare and are looking for something with a little more prestige, do yourself a favor and check out one of these highly-rated gems.
