I am a firm believer in Netflix as a healthy part of life. A few of these are popular, but there are some lesser known gems as well!
1. House M.D.
Dr. House is a doctor that doesn't treat patients but illnesses, believes that everybody lies, and that it is NEVER Lupus. With Hugh Laurie portraying the cynical doctor, you can't help but fall in love with the show. Not to mention the fact that he faked an American accent in his audition video chat, and the people casting didn't know he really speaks with a British accent until the was on set!
2.Stranger Things
I wasn't going to try this, because it did not sound like something I would enjoy. However, I was SO wrong. This is by far one of the best shows I've ever seen. It is best watched with friends piled up in a dorm room. It starts off with a group of friends, and one of them disappears. The rest of the season is built around the friends trying to find the one that went missing, and uncovering a lot more than anybody expected. The only downside to this show is that the next season is not set to release until next year!
3. Dance Academy
Based in Australia, this show is about a group of teenagers at the National Dance Academy. I started watching this as a break from school, thinking it was all happy-go-lucky. While it usually was, I found it easy to become attached to the relatable characters. Everything they experienced, I felt right along with them.
4. V For Vendetta
I had never heard of this movie until I read the book The Fault in Our Stars by John Green. Being a huge fan of his, and part of his fandom, the Nerdfighters, I had to see this for myself. It is about a totalitarian government in England, and a man that was out for revenge (a vendetta!) against them. The main character, only known as V, loves speaking using alliteration, which makes the film all the more appealing. We never see the hero's face, as he hides it behind the Guy Fawkes mask, which has since become the version that is popularly called the anonymous mask.
5. How I Met Your Mother
While its great to watch this as you catch an episode on regular TV, getting to watch from beginning to end was something that you need to experience if you like the show at all. I had seen about half of them at one time or another, but didn't follow the series plot line too closely. After watching the entire series, I was on the edge of my seat waiting to find out who the mother was, and how her life fit into the story. Plus I was dying to understand the recurring yellow umbrella.
6. Listen To Your Heart
This is a movie that most people have never heard of. A hidden gem in the Independent Film section. The main actor is named Kent Moran. He not only acted in the movie, but he wrote it, produced it with his brother, and wrote all of the original music for the film. The story follows a young waiter/musician that meets a deaf girl (ironic, right?!). After eight times of watching it, I still sob like a baby every time. This is one of the most heart-wrenching movies I have ever seen, and a must see if you like sweet love movies. Break out the tissues, though. They will be needed!
