I am a proud movie watching hobbyist and Netflix has allowed me to keep up with my passion without completely blowing the bank. With the selection of movies Netflix allows you to stream online, you will find many movies that are just mediocre. That’s why I decided to make a list of my top ten favorite Netflix movies, because nobody wants to waste their time on a bad movie. If you take my advice, let me know what you thought in the comments below!
1. Amelie
Amelie is a simplistic romantic comedy directed by the acclaimed Jean-Pierre Jeunet. It is about an imaginative young woman named Amelie who devotes her life to bringing happiness to herself and to others after overcoming a difficult childhood. This is a French film so be prepared for subtitles. That being said, it is not a struggle to watch at all because of the vibrant color scheme, uplifting plot, and fantastic soundtrack (which I often listen to when I’m studying). This movie has stuck with me ever since I first watched it and I will continue to re-watch this movie until my parents cut me off from their Netflix subscription.
2. Before I Disappear
After reading the description on Netflix, “A suicidal man takes [his niece] on an odyssey through Manhattan,” I was a bit hesitant to watch this movie. It could’ve been portrayed very well or completely missed the mark it had set for itself. Luckily, it was extremely well done. It follows a young man’s many different suicide attempts after he losses the love of his life. Each attempt is interrupted by a telephone call from his sister who needs him to watch the niece he has never met. This movie drew me in with its unique plot and fantastic song selection. This was my most recent Netflix find and I highly recommend it.
3. Beginners
The main character, Oliver, learns after his mother’s death that his father, who was diagnosed with terminal cancer, is gay. After his father dies, the movie follows Oliver as he tries to create a new life after caring for and spending so much time with his father. While trying to piece together his life, he reflects on the times he spent with his father and his parent’s relationship when he was a child. I love this movie. It shows how both the young and the old can fall in love and how all those around us, even our pets, deal with the death of a loved one.
4. Big Fish
This is a wonderfully crafted, heartfelt movie which follows the story of a man who is trying to piece together the life of his dying father through the tall-tales he was told as a child. Once he starts to examine his father’s exaggerated life stories he begins to understand his father and why his tales are so far-fetched. This film's cast is filled with familiar faces such as Ewan McGregor, Helena Bonham Carter, Steve Buscemi, Albert Finney, and Jessica Lange -- whose performance made me choke up (not cry… my roommate was in the room and that would’ve been embarrassing). This isn’t just one of my favorite Netflix movies, it is one of my favorite movies of all time.
5. The Big Lebowski
“I am not Mr. Lebowski. I’m the Dude…” is just one of the many quotable lines from the film about money, drugs, and above everything else, bowling. The film stars Jeff Bridges as a burnout called “The Dude,” John Goodman as his Vietnam veteran friend and bowling teammate, Julianne Moore as a feminist artist, and Steve Busemi as “Donny,” the third member of The Dude’s bowling team. It is difficult to explain why this absurd comedy would appeal to different people, but it’s one of those films where once you watch it you understand right away why it is appealing. So, if you are looking for a memorable comedy to watch, I highly suggest this Coen Brothers movie.
6. Fargo
A car salesman has fallen into some debt and to get the money to pay it all back he hires two men to kidnap his own wife and hold her for ransom in the hopes that her father will pay for it. I wouldn’t necessarily call this movie a “crime drama.” It has all the qualities of one, but it is really a comedy that centers on the poor attempts the car salesman/Minnesota native makes to keep his scam hidden from his father-in-law and the authorities.
7. Ida
I was first introduced to this movie at this past year’s Academy Awards where it won Best Foreign Film and was the tenth Polish film to be nominated in this category. This post-World War II story follows a young orphaned girl who is about to take her vows to become a nun, but learns that she has an aunt who is alive. After finally meeting her aunt she learns that she was sent to the convent as an orphan because she was Jewish. Compared to the constant noise and movements found in other films, Ida fully embraces stillness and serenity typically not found in current films. This movie beautifully captures opposite lifestyles and the different ways people deal with loss.
8. Labyrinth
At the age of fifteen, Sarah wishes her baby brother away to the Goblin King and in order to return him back home she must make it through the labyrinth to the king’s castle. Along the way she meets lifelong friends who are brought to life through the masterful puppetry of Frank Oz. Really, all you need to know about this 80’s fantasy cult classic is David Bowie plays Jareth, the goblin king. Bowie is clad in tights 99.9 percent of the time and breaks out into songs like “You remind me of the babe ‘What babe?’ The babe with the power ‘What power?’ The power of voodoo ‘Who do?’ You do…”
9. Trainspotting
Even though this is not a foreign film you should be prepared to use subtitles because the Scottish accents in this movie are thick and at times can be very difficult to understand. A part from that minor flaw this is a dark and twisted movie about heroin addicts and how difficult it is to quit. The subject matter is serious, but there are many moments where you find yourself laughing at some of the antics the group of characters get themselves into. However, there are many scenes that are highly disturbing and may cause you to feel sick to your stomach. Even those scenes are so well thought out and crafted that it causes you to think of the meaning behind them.
10. United
Typically I am not one to enjoy a movie which in any way relates to sports, but this movie has become one of the few sports movies I will ever watch. There were two reasons I watched United: 1) It’s a British movie; 2) David Tennant is in it. I think the reason I like this movie so much was even though it is about the famous soccer team Manchester United it doesn’t follow the team training to win a championship like most sports movies I had previously seen. It’s about how a team copes with a serious tragedy and how they need to keep the soccer team going to honor those who they’ve lost.
