Netflix fans hail “10/10” movie as it climbs the top 10 chart

Netflix fans are singing the praises of a “10/10” movie after it made its streaming debut over the weekend, so much so that it’s already climbing the top 10 chart. 

Last year’s Barbenheimer phenomenon showed that in a world dominated by streaming, cinemas can still be a thriving business with the right movies. Both Barbie and Oppenheimer went on to enjoy box office success, earning $1.44 billion and $953.8 million, respectively. 

But there’s still a significant shift in how we watch films. 20 years ago, your local theater would’ve been the only place to catch a new flick, whereas now you may wait for it to hit Netflix or Amazon Prime rather than shell out the ticket price for you and your family. 

It happened with A Man Called Otto, it happened with Saltburn, and now it’s happening with a 2023 movie starring Dennis Quaid. 

Netflix fans hail “10/10” movie as it climbs the top 10 chart

The Hill, a 2023 American biographical sports drama about baseball player Rickey Hill, is currently number 10 on Netflix’s top 10 movie chart – despite only arriving on the streaming platform yesterday (January 21, 2024). You can check out the full list as it stands below: 

1. The Legend of Tarzan
2. Queenpins
3. Lift
4. Queen Bees
5. Escape Plan: The Extractors
6. The Super Mario Bros Movie
7. Cowboys & Aliens
8. Escape Plan 2: Hades
9. The Kitchen
10. The Hill

Fans have been busy recommending the film, starring Dennis Quaid and Colin Ford, after it unexpectedly dropped on Netflix following its theatrical release last August. “The Hill on Netflix…10/10 thank me later,” wrote one on X, while another said, “The Hill on Netflix 10/10.”

A third added, “Just watched his movie The Hill on Netflix. Very good but then it is Dennis!” While a fourth chimed in: “Watch The Hill, think I cried three different times throughout the movie. It’s on Netflix, terrific movie.”

The Hill earned $7.7 million during its theatrical run, although there’s currently no estimated budget to report. It’s another case of the critic/audience divide, having earned 97% from viewers yet 43% from reviewers on Rotten Tomatoes. 

As for what the critics said, The San Francisco Chronicle wrote: “It is a cinematic case of confirmation bias, designed to fulfill preexisting values and beliefs.” RogerEbert.com added: “When it’s not wrestling (however nicely) with spiritual matters, The Hill is a well-meaning but dutiful trudge toward an ordained destination.”

Of the more favorable reviews, The Hollywood Reporter described The Hill as “corny but uplifting,” adding that it features “enough light-hearted humor to compensate for its corniness.”

The official synopsis reads: “Growing up impoverished in small-town Texas, young Rickey Hill shows an extraordinary ability for hitting a baseball, despite being burdened by leg braces from a degenerative spinal disease. 

“His stern, pastor father (Quaid) discourages Rickey from playing baseball to protect him from injury, and to have him follow in his footsteps and become a preacher. 

“As a young man, Rickey (Ford) becomes a baseball phenomenon. His desire to participate in a try-out for a legendary major league scout divides the family and threatens Rickey’s dream of playing professional baseball. 

“Based on a true story, The Hill is directed by Jeff Celentano and also stars Joelle Carter, country music singer and songwriter Randy Houser, Golden Globe nominee Bonnie Bedelia, and Scott Glenn.”