What to watch on Netflix?
Is it just me, or do you sometimes flip through Netflix streaming, searching for a movie to watch, and think "I've seen every movie ever made"? That was me all summer long. Sure, I hadn't seen some of the offerings, but I felt like I'd already seen the best ones offered. It's frustrating. Thank goodness for original offerings like Orange Is the New Black and House of Cards, right?
I could write all day about all the TV shows I'm binge watching on Neflix, but this is a movie blog, so I will stick with the theme and point out a few decent films that are streaming that, if you haven't seen, are worth a look. In the interest of fairness, I'm trying to offer up films from several different genres, including romantic comedies, dramas and horror films.
Love Actually
First and foremost, one of my favorite romantic comedy movies of all time is now available on Netflix instant: I'm talking about 2003's wonderful Love Actually. This film features an all-star cast that includes Hugh Grant, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, and Laura Linney, and it's just a delight. It's witty, smart and most importantly, it's entertaining. I've got nothing against romantic comedies in general, but there are very few that I think are actually truly great. Love Actually is one of those films. I can highly recommend it, and I'm really glad it's (finally) being offered via Netflix Instant!
Requiem for a Dream
If rom-coms aren't your thing, how about a heavy drama? Two films that I consider to be among the best dramas made (in recent years) are available this month on Netflix Instant. First, 2000's Requiem for a Dream, directed by Darren Aronofsky, is one of the most depressing and heartbreaking films about drug addiction I've ever seen. So much so that I probably won't watch this one again, even with the streaming option. If you haven't seen it, you should - but be prepared. Requiem for a Dream is brutal, dark and most certainly not for the faint of heart (and definitely not for the kiddos). And in my opinion, Jared Leto gives a standout performance. The guy doesn't act much, but when he does? Look out.
There Will Be Blood
The other drama of note that's new on Netflix instant is Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood. I understand that this is not a movie for everyone, but it's worth watching - because you could wind up loving it. Daniel Day-Lewis won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in this movie (duh), and There Will Be Blood picked up multiple Academy Award nominations.
There Will Be Blood is epic in scope and beautifully acted. Day-Lewis is a terrifying presence on screen as ruthless oil tycoon Daniel Plainview. I often feel like DDL overshadows everyone else in any film he's starring in, so let me also mention stand out performances by Paul Dano and Ciaran Hinds, because both deserve credit for their excellent work in this film.
War Games
I felt the need to include at least one older movie selection in this missive, although 1983 wasn't that long ago. The John Badham-directed thriller War Games stars Matthew Broderick as a too-smart-for-his-own-good teen who hacks into a Pentagon computer to play a game: Global Thermonuclear War. What he doesn't know at the time, is that this is not actually a game. Sure, it's a bit far-fetched, but man this was one of my favorite teen movies from the 80s and in my opinion, it was ahead of its time. If you haven't seen War Games (or if, like me, it's been a while since you last saw it), now might be a great time to check this film out.
Let the Right One In
Several years ago, a friend who knows I'm not a huge horror buff suggested I check out a (then) little-known Swedish horror/romance movie called Let the Right One In. "It's not really scary," he said, "but you'll love it." He was right. Let the Right One In is a fabulous film about a preteen boy who falls in love with a mysterious neighbor who turns out to be a vampire. This is a poignant, sad film, and yes, it's the original (Let Me In, the English movie released in 2010, is based on Let The Right One In and it's good, but this one is better).
These are just a few of the best Netflix streaming movie possibilities, of course. Any of you have any other great suggestions for Netflix Instant films I might like? I'd love to hear about them in the comments.
Photos courtesy of Apple Trailers and BuzzSugar.com