As Christmas is approaching, kids are enduring the dreadful week of finals. But the stress cannot compete with the excitement of finishing the semester and spending three to four weeks of Christmas break being with friends and family back home. In a time of relaxation, why not take some good time on Netflix? Here is a list of some of my film recommendations to check out over the holidays.
Ex Machina (2015)
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Domhall Gleason plays a computer programmer who spends with his company's CEO (Oscar Isaac) to experiment with the man's project involving artificial intelligence. What comes from the project is an android (Alicia Vikander), whose intelligence, programmed artificially through the computer. What starts off as a potential future for the company as well as the future of technology becomes a potential threat when she demonstrates human knowledge that goes far beyond what the two men imagine. An intellectually challenging science-fiction thriller glowing of suspense and mysterious twists
End of Watch (2012)
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Shot in documentary-style, this film places Jake Gyllenhaal and Micheal Pena in the roles of two LAPD officers who trek the streets of Los Angeles battling crimes involving homicide, drugs, and robbery. Directed by David Ayer, this film represents a gritty portrayal of the dangerous day-to-day life of the police officers and the honor of serving justice in a city where crime runs rampant.
Monty Python and The Holy Grail (1975)
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The directorial debut by Terry Gilliam, this classic comedy presents a spoof the historical epic genre set in Medieval Times. It follows King Arthur as lead an army of knights in the battle against the knights in the land of Camelot. A hilarious lampoon of the classic epic dramas filled with laughs and charm, Monty Python and The Holy Grail is comedic gold.
What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
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Johnny Depp plays Gilbert, an Iowa native living in a crammed house with his ailing family to care for his sick mother and his little brother Artie (Leonardo Dicaprio) who's mentally impaired. Along the way he finds love in the midst of his stressful domestic life. Featuring mesmerizing performances by Depp and Dicaprio --the latter of whom received his first Oscar nomination, this film is a vibrant exploration of family, love, and sacrifice.
Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
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Matthew McConaughey gives an Oscar-winning performance as Ron Woodruff, a cowboy and electrician who, in 1985, was tested positive for AIDS and given only thirty days left to live before getting a hold of over-the-counter drugs that provided treatment for his illness. Upon defeating his initial diagnosis, he opens up a private business selling medications for AIDS patients with the help of a transwoman (Jared Leto). With the prescriptions being outside the approval of the Food and Drug Administration, Woodruff is faced with legal issues that could him out of business.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
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Based on the novel by journalist Hunter S. Thompson, this film follows Raoul Duke (Johnny Depp) and his buddy Gonzo (Benicio Del Toro) are their misadventures in Las Vegas as their addiction to LCD leads him on a series of wild escapades involving hallucinations and booze-fueled episodes that leads their lives into a wild tailspin.
Green Room (2016)
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A punk rock band is scheduled a gig a secluded bar run by Neo-nazis. After wowing the crowd with their live performance, the band crashes down in the green room where they witness a murder. The casualty alarms the owner of the bar (Patrick Stewart) whose fear of going in jail leads him with no choice to eliminate the witnesses. This places the band in a blood-soaked fight of survival in a film blistering with visceral thrills and characters so realistic they elevate you into an atmosphere in the level of you-are-there.
Zodiac (2007)
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Set in the 1970s, Jake Gyllenhaal plays a cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle who sinks into the investigation involving the anonymous Zodiac killer. As his obsession to solving the case grows to alarming measures, his career is placed at risk as he struggles to decipher the enigmatic clues left behind by one of the infamous serial killers to rock the nation.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
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A stylized action comedy directed by Edgar Wright (Shaun of The Dead, Hot Fuzz), this movie stars Michael Cera as 22-year-old Scott Pilgrim who must face the seven evil ex-boyfriends who his new girlfriend Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) in a series of video-game-styled fight sequences coupled with comic book elements. Based on the graphic novel series by Bryan Lee O'Malley, this movie blends laughs and substance with fantasy-style action set pieces to form one of the most entertaining teen flicks of the decade.
V for Vendetta (2006)
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When England falls under the fascist regime, it is up a masked vigilante under the name "V" to launch a rebellion against the totalitarian government while protecting his lover (Natalie Portman). V for Vendetta is a thrillingly tense action flick packed with pulse-pounding thrills and a compelling story laced with commentary on fascism and dictatorship.
