25 best critically acclaimed movies on Netflix

4. Spotlight (2015)

Director: Tom McCarthy
Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Stanley Tucci

As I stated in the intro, there are films on this list that weren’t omitted and received all the critical acclaim that they deserve, Spotlight is one of those films. It won the top prize at the Academy Awards, best picture.

This film is about a determined investigative journalism team at the Boston Globe who uncovers a widespread sexual abuse scandal taking place in Boston’s Catholic church. In a city where the Cardinal has more power than the mayor, the probe into the church faces massive opposition because a substantial percentage of the paper’s readership identifies as Catholic.

When we see reports on the news of abuse in the Catholic church, it is always alarming. Many may ask themselves “how can something like this happen.” This film puts a “spotlight” on the issue at the origin. When you grow up believing in an institution, it may be your instinct to oppose any belief that the institution isn’t living up to all you thought it would be. This film is a reminder to forget about tradition and listen to the voices of the victims.

Another reminder that this film gives us is to not forget about journalism. With the rise of the internet and alternative media sources, what constitutes journalism can be muddy waters these days. Add that with the “fake news” debate of our day, and Spotlight is a time capsule film about why a free and independent press is essential to the world.