In my humble opinion, these movies (in no particular order) are the brightest of the Netflix Instant gems- that I have found so far!
1. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?: Edward Albee’s irreverence coupled with Elizabeth Taylor’s alcoholic rage may not sound like a pleasant way to spend over 2 hours watching black and white BUT TRUST ME- YOU’LL LOVE IT. The acting, the lighting, the writing, the directing, blah, blah, blah- I could go on. A must must must see.
2. The Lady Eve: If you like movies from the 1940s, then you’ve probably seen it. If you don’t, well maybe you’ll start liking movies from the 1940s by watching this one. A comedy that keeps the viewer interested mostly because Barbara Stanwyck is so sexy and gets so sassy.
3. Easy Street: Small scale documentary made in 2006 depicting the lives of several homeless folks in St. Petersburg, Florida. Provides an honest interpretation of the realities of homelessness- including the roles that addiction and mental illness play.
4. Sin Nombre: This is a emotionally intense and aesthetically beautiful thriller that pieces together the story of several characters trying to make it from Central America to the good ol’ U.S. of A. In Spanish with English subtitles. Definitely was a tearjerker for me- more because it is such a vivid reminder of how heartbreaking the tales of immigration often are.
5. Fargo: I don’t think I’m qualified to write a review on this movie. Dad, can you help me out?
6. The Messenger: Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster LAY IT DOWN in this unforgettable movie about two current-day U.S. soldiers whose job is to notify families of killed soldiers. Definitely not a date night movie, but don’t let that stop you. Emotionally sophisticated, poignant, thought-provoking. Oh yeah, and Steve Buscemi’s cameo doesn’t hurt.
7. Tarnation: Another one that definitely shouldn’t be put on the “date night” list- unless you like your dates really disturbing. Tarnation is a documentary filmed over the course of almost 20 years, made up of a mixture of home videos, voicemail messages, early short films and snapshots–all depicting the life of filmmaker Jonathan and his oh so schizophrenic mother. The music is really great as well. Overall very powerful, although the pacing is a little strange. But I give him credit- he made it on a budget of $218.32, editing the entire thing on iMovie on his Mac. And now you can rent it at Blockbuster. Or watch it on Netflix Instant as the case may be.
8. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Hmm, if my audience is who I think it is, you’ve probably seen this. Now you get to watch it again on Instant.
9. Amelie: If you all haven’t figured it out yet, that tiny little icon next to the site address for this blog is actually an image of Amelie’s head from the part of the movie where she is at the movie theater glued to the screen. ANYWAY, the film Amelie is such an aesthetic experience so my words probably won’t do much good. So go have a look-see.
10. Sarah Silverman: Jesus is Magic: Not for the easily offended, for those who don’t appreciate/understand satire, or for those who think offensive satire perpetuates societal ills. Sarah jam packs her absurd stand-up comedy/spontaneous musical numbers with the most taboo of topics- and looks cute while doing it! AND IT’S HYSTERICAL. I think she’s a genius.
What are your Top 10 Netflix Instant finds?
saronsh
netflix is for lovers 
Dear Zachary is AMAZING. Such a good documentary and FYI its a sobfest, but SO WORTH IT. Incredibly moving and its a documentary that stays with you for a while after you watch it.
Very Young Girls is also an AMAZING documentary about child prostitution right here in the US – New York City, specifically. Another emotional movie, but I think its a really powerful movie.
Will post more later…I’m a HUGE documentary addict so that’s probably what the majority of my Netflix Instant reviews will consist of.
First, love this blog idea.
Second, I just watched a documentary called The Wild and Wonderful Whites of West Virgina last night. It was really fantastic. The crew spent a year with this crazy family, the Whites, in Boone county, WV. They’re drug addicts, violent, scheming, smart, loving. The film does a really good job of balancing voyeuristic spectacle and lionizing the family as folk heroes. You see their quality as well as their flaws. It also does a pretty decent job of addressing the social constructs that play into creating four generations of criminal, drug-addicted crazies.
Saron, I too love the idea of this blog. I have been looking for something like this for a while now.
Here are some of the gems I have discovered on Netflix.
Let the Right One In: This Swedish cult classic tells the strange tale of a young boy bullied by his classmates who befriends a girl his age…who happens to be a vampire. The relationship that develops between the boy and the girl is heartfelt, yet very frightening, as the girl must kill people in order to feed. There’s something eerie about watching a vulnerable child kill but the violence of this movie is greatly outweighed by the bond formed between vampire and boy. This may technically be a horror film, but I see more as a love story about two lost children seeking comfort in each other.
180° South: This awesome travel documentary is about a man who decides to travel from Mexico to Patagonia via sailboat in order to climb Corcovado, a mountain climbed 30 years ago by Yvon Chouinard and Doug Tompkins, the creators of Patagonia and North face. Things don’t go as planned, such a 3 month pit-stop in Easter Island after damage to the boat, but Jeff meets interesting people along the way and ultimately makes it to Patagonia. 180 South is a must for any traveler who knows what it’s like to have the itch for adventure and the unknown.
Touching the Void: This documentary is a tale of survival about a climber who broke his leg and fell in a crevice while climbing in the Andes and what he had to go through in order to save his own life. Part reenactment, part interview, this movie is so well made you can’t help but feel inspired by the courage and strength this man exhibited in order to survive. He makes Bear Grylls look like a boy scout.
The Orphanage: A Spanish horror film directed by Guillermo del Toro that explores paranormal activities in a run down orphanage. The scenery of northern Spain alone is worth watching this film, but what drew me into this movie was thin line between reality and imagination that I liked so much about Pan’s Labyrinth. What starts as a typical haunted house story turns into something so much more genuine as a mother searches for her lost son, whom she believes was taken by the spirits of children that haunt the house.
Hey JerBear2587!
Thanks for the suggestions. I haven’t seen the first three but I have seen The Orphanage. One word: FRIGHT. Just thought it might be good to put the word out that it might scare the shit of you. (Personally, I had to turn it off once I saw that horrifying woman’s goblin face after she gets hit by the bus). Not to discredit the film itself, just not for the faint of heart.