I love the wide variety of movies on Netflix. They have movies that I've wanted to see for a long time, while also having an array of independent films. Unfortunately, not all independent films are created equal, although it’s not for lack of trying on the filmmakers parts. As a result, I have seen a lot of really terrible movies and a few diamonds in the rough. I got lucky enough to find not one but two of these diamonds on Netflix after I took a gamble one night. This is what I thought of the movies.

Short Term 12

Year: 2013

Written/Directed By: Destin Daniel Cretton

Starring: Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr., Kaitlyn Dever, Rami Malek

Synopsis: Grace is the supervisor of a residential treatment facility for troubled kids. Together with her long term boyfriend, Grace works through tough problems with the children in her care and her personal life following the arrival of Jayden, a young girl with issues Grace has in her own life. The movie is based off a short film of the same name.

My Review: I thoroughly enjoyed this movie. It touches on a lot of different issues, which helps it appeal to a wide variety of audiences. I haven't seen anything like it, so it definitely has a unique aspect to it. The movie is very heavy at times, as it discusses issues such as self-harm, suicide, child abuse, and rape, but there are also lighter moments throughout the movie. The movie even opens with a funny story about a previous patient. Watching the kids grow, whether it be into adulthood or into better life, was stirring. You feel like you are a part of their little family, which makes Short Term 12 is absolutely worth a watch.

Before I Disappear

Year: 2014

Written/Directed By: Shawn Christensen

Starring: Shawn Christensen, Fatmina Ptacek, Emmy Rossum, Paul Wesley

Synopsis: Richie, who is at an all time low in his life, sits in the bathtub, about to commit suicide, when his estranged sister calls him out of the blue and asks him to pick up her daughter from school. The two of them embark on an adventure neither will soon forget in the hours that follow.

My Review: I was pleasantly surprised by Before I Disappear. My had two favorite parts: the music, and the story. In fact, I liked the music so much that I looked it up and discovered that the movie began as a short film called Curfew.

This cleared up some plot points for me, as there were things in the movie that didn’t necessarily fit with the tone of the rest of the movie. It’s obvious after knowing that these things were included to add time to make it a full length feature.

However, these somewhat weird areas didn’t take away from the overall story, which was very well done. It covers every emotion from sadness to tenderness to heartwarming. The more you see the main characters, Richie and his niece, Sophia, develop, the more you understand why they are the way they are. The writer really got into the characters, and it makes Before I Disappear an incredibly touching story that is definitely worth your time.