5 Best Picture Oscar winners you can watch on Netflix

His name is Oscar. He stands at 13.5 inches tall, weighs 8.5 pounds and is plated in 24-karat gold. Right now only five films streaming on Netflix have taken home the most coveted Oscar statuette for Best Picture.

'Spotlight' (2015)

Metacritic score: 93

"Spotlight" dramatizes the real-life story of the The Boston Globe's investigation of child sexual abuse by Roman Catholic priests and the subsequent cover-up by the church. Painful, gripping and perfectly executed, "Spotlight" dives into the importance of investigative journalism. Like a true ensemble masterpiece, every single performance lifts up the other performances and every line of dialogue spoken matters. (There's a reason "Spotlight" also took home the Best Original Screenplay Oscar.)

'The Godfather' (1972)

Metacritic score: 100

It's "The Godfather." I repeat, it's "The Godfather." You're either rushing to Netflix right this second because you're so excited to watch this perfect movie for the millionth time, or you're still reading this entry waiting for a millennial to tell you why you should watch "The Godfather." Here's why: It's a perfect movie.

'The Godfather: Part II' (1974)

Metacritic score: 85

There are some people who strongly believe "The Godfather: Part II" is better than the first. On the one hand, the original has Marlon Brando's Best Actor Oscar-winning performance as the mafia boss, Vito Corleone. On the other hand, "Part II" has Robert De Niro's Best Supporting Actor Oscar winning performance as the young mafia boss, Vito Corleone. Can you see why we're getting into the weeds here? Both are perfect films, and I defy anyone to watch "The Godfather" and not put on "The Godfather: Part II" immediately after. I'll set my personal feelings on "Part III" aside for another time.

'The Hurt Locker' (2008)

Metacritic score: 94

"The Hurt Locker" is an intense, gritty thriller that follows a group of soldiers belonging to a bomb disposal team during the Iraq War. The film took home six of the nine Academy Awards it was nominated for, including the historical win for Kathryn Bigelow as the first female to ever win Best Director. It will also solve this long-lingering question for you, "But where did Jeremy Renner come from?"

'Schindler's List' (1993)

Metacritic score: 93

I'll admit, it's a struggle finding the right moment to visit or revisit "Schindler's List." Which is probably why I saved the most gut-wrenching, heart-shattering film on this list for last. "Schindler's List" is Spielberg's magnum opus, a film that definitively proves his talent extends well beyond popcorn-fueled summer blockbusters. This film, about a German man who saves the lives of over a thousand Polish-Jewish people during the Holocaust, took home seven of the 12 Academy Awards it was nominated for, and quite frankly, was robbed of a few more. If you have enough tissues at hand, this movie deserves three hours of your time.

And if you're looking to catch up on all the 2018 Oscar nominations, check out the 8 nominated films you can stream on Netflix now.

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