I resisted Netflix for a long time. I was a hardcore Blockbuster fan, and I stuck with them until the very end. There was nothing like taking a trip to the local Blockbuster, browsing through the endless aisles of movies and trying to pick what you'd bring home (if you only left with one movie, I judge you.) Even when Blockbuster started dwindling out, I found other ways to watch movies (a secret I am not willing to share with the internet world.) But, my main thing was t.v. shows. I binge watch them. I pick a show that sparks my interest, or that I happened to catch a re-run of while casually watching t.v. one day, and then I watch season after season. I watched the first 5 seasons of Lost in two weeks (in high school nonetheless, so eight hours of my day were wasted at school.) When I got mono over winter break my freshman year of college (lol @ college germ spreading…) I got into Supernatural and watched four or five seasons of that in less than a month.
Eventually, I realized that Netflix could be really beneficial for me. It had endless amounts of t.v. shows to watch, and all the seasons RIGHT THERE! I didn't even have to press the next button! Even better, I didn't have to find the next episode in my *secret* ways. So, I gave in and I subscribed, mostly because I was dying to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer again (I was a weird child who was into all those kinds of shows even though I was like 8.) Apparently I had forgotten all of it though so it was like watching Buffy for the first time (hell yeah.) Anyway, Buffy was my first Netflix binge watch and it was absolutely worth giving into this lazy-man's (and so much cheaper) version of Blockbuster. I went on to binge watch a couple more shows (Dawson's Creek, Pretty Little Liars, I hate myself…) Eventually I will make a top 5 list of my all-time favorite t.v. shows, but this post is about movies. I'm getting way off topic.
The point is, I mostly use Netflix for watching shows, but occasionally I do find movies that are worth watching. We all know how easy it is to get lost scrolling through the endless supply of crappy movies. I can't even tell you how many times I have sat for HOURS trying to find the movie I actually want to watch, and then I end up not watching anything. It has even caused semi-arguments between me and a friend (hi, Kylie.)
I decided to make a list of my top 5 favorite movies I've watched on Netflix (and why I enjoyed them) so that maybe you won't have to sit staring at your computer screen for the duration of an entire movie, trying to decide what on earth you should try watching (only to finally pick something and exit out after 15 minutes cause it sucks.)
(Disclaimer: There are a lot of great movies on Netflix, but a lot that people have already seen. These are movies that I first got to watch through Netflix and that might not be as "popular.")
1. Footloose (2011)
Before you say to yourself "There's no way I'm watching some cheesy ass romantic movie about dancing, blah blah blah" - stop. This movie is so feel-good and uplifting, I had to download the soundtrack and put it on a bajillion of my playlists. It's one of those movies that, yeah, it's cheesy and you kind of hate yourself for loving it, but who cares?! It's fun to watch people dancing and wishing you had those kinds of moves. Kenny Wormald and Julianne Hough have amazing chemistry and they're both hot, so that alone is worth watching for. If you're ever in a mopey mood or just feeling blah, try watching this remake of Footloose and I promise you will feel at least 25% chipper once it's over. Maybe you'll even get up and wiggle your butt a little bit, too.
2. Remember the Daze (2007)
I loved this movie because it reminded me so much of my high school days. For all of us twenty-somthings, this movie perfectly portrays our "youth." Our recklessness, our naivety, our innocence, our sense of adventure, etc. But it also portrays how things don't really change. I can't really put the movie into words that will do it justice. The acting is sub-par but I think it's kind of supposed to be like that, since it gives it a more realistic vibe. It was filmed during a time when most of us were in high school and for some of you it might seem like a blast to the past. I think you'll be able to relate to a lot of the characters as well.
3. Grave Encounters (2011)
I got claustrophobic watching this movie. It kind of gave me that feeling of impending doom. Also, it made me jump a few times. It's hard to find that in a scary movie for someone who is so used to the typical horror plots and tricks. It has a few cheesy moments, but it's fast-paced so it doesn't take long for the scary moments to start happening. Good scary movie to watch, especially if you're running out of options.
4. Jeff, Who Lives at Home (2011)
I'm gonna be honest, I don't remember much about this movie. BUT, what I do remember is that the ending left me and my friends pretty speechless. The majority of the movie has this weird, sad vibe to it and you even question why you're watching this movie in the first place. Stick with it till the end. It has a really nice message.
5. Elizabethtown (2005)
If you liked Garden State (one of my favorite movies) then you'll probably like this movie, too. It has a lot of similarities but much more upbeat. Also, Orlando Bloom is a cutie, and I'm a girl so I'm allowed to take that into consideration when rating movies. It's a feel-good movie and it might be too cheesy for your taste, but like I said before - who cares. It has a great message about family and love and just life in general.
Bonus Five!
The Cabin in the Woods (2011): A must-see for horror genre fans. It's similar to Scream in the sense that it's a social commentary about the horror genre in general. It's original and one of a kind. Joss Whedon rarely disappoints.
Session 9 (2001): It's slow paced, so prepare. It has that creepy abandoned asylum setting and it has a "twist" ending, if you're into that sort of thing. I'd say it's a psychological thriller worth watching.
The Last Exorcism (2010): Can you tell I like scary movies? It's hard to find good ones, though. This one is pretty creepy and one of the few on Netflix that I actually watched the whole way through.
Mona Lisa Smile (2003): At this point, I'd assume most people have watched this. As a history buff, I love watching movies set in past eras, especially one that focuses on feminist ideas (what more could a history major and gender studies minor want?) Just remember it's not meant to be a social commentary on the fifties and all that, it's really meant for entertainment purposes.
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008): This movie left me heart-broken. It was a bit too slow-paced for me at times, but by the end I was just like WHAT THE HELL. It's ironic, it's sad, it leaves you thinking once it's over- and that's something I want a movie to do.
Picking my favorite Netflix movies was a lot harder than I imagined it would be. As I sorted through them all I realized there's actually a lot. Unfortunately, it takes a lot of weeding through the bad ones to find the good ones.
But, that's life. Thanks, Netflix.
Edit: Apparently these movies (Remember the Daze, Elizabethtown, Session 9 and the Last Exorcism) are no longer available to stream. Thanks, Netflix.
