Refreshing your Netflix feed and finding new titles to watch is always exciting. But when you're on the lookout for a movie that's a little different from your usual recommendations, it can be surprisingly difficult to know where to start.

Netflix has its fair share of exclusive titles in the form of Netflix Originals, but of all the titles in the niche library, only a few can truly be recognized for being groundbreaking. Some pioneered new film-making techniques, others raised the bar for animation, and a few have reshaped television today.

Awards don't always mean a great movie or a streaming session worth sitting through, but they do make narrowing down Netflix's extensive catalog a little easier, especially when you are getting overwhelmed by new releases that flood your home page recommendations.