Netflix Instant Movies To Watch

Preface: None of these movies are 5 star movies, this list is meant to help you decide, which of the thousands of Netflix Instant movies that you don't want to watch, you'll watch.

Ceremony

...Maybe I just have a thing for Michael Angarano's charisma (as this is the first of two movies I am recommending with him as the star) but this movie is great fun. And, although this movie poster presents the film as one that I would never want to watch, not even on an airplane, it is misleading. First and foremost although Uma Thurman and Lee Pace are in it, and do a good job, it's Michael's character's story. I've actually never been a fan of Uma, and this almost deterred me from the movie as it depicted her as the lead. This is a comedy and I'd definitly stay away from the adjective "romantic" when describing it, it's more of a coming of age comedy. Aside from the star's hilarious, charming and at times mischievous performance, there are other great performances and familiar faces in the film. The direction of the film seems to be constructed very particularly and if you would have told me a young Wes Anderson directed this, I would believe you. Do yourself a favor and watch this movie, you will enjoy it!
PS. Don't watch the trailer of even read the synoposis as it will diminish a very small reveal.
Watch this clip if you are on the fence:
"We aren't sneaking around, we are being mysterious..."

Electrick Children

This slow and potentially boring movie, needs to be viewed when you're ready for this type of flick. Well, what type of movie is it? In order to not spoil anything, don't watch the trailer and don't read the synopsis. The movie poster above is all you'll need to know. Some humor, some drama, and some soul searching, you'll have to watch it to get it.

Watch for: Originality, Feel Good, Thinking, Innocence

The Brass Teapot

The decent acting and good film making could have made this silly comedy pure gold, but instead settles for pure 'brass', yet it's still enjoyable. A (good looking,) young and financially struggling couple "finds" a magical teapot that spews out money whenever the two hurts themselves or one another. The very silly premise is covered up by great film making and a charming cast but the film never quite knows what it wants to be. At times, very silly and other times very dark. I enjoyed the darker aspects of the story and hoped for more of a black comedy but by the end, everything lightens up which is fine...I guess.

Watch for: Laughs, Silliness and Good Looking People

Best line: "Why did we drink so much? Because it was free"

Lucky

I've been waiting since Orange County for Colin Hanks to put out another decent movie and it has finally arrived! Everyone loves Tom Hanks, and although his son is half the actor Tom is, Colin still has the Hanks' charm. It shows  in this film as he plays a very nice and polite...serial killer. This dark comedy never gets too gruesome while still slightly applying some laughs. It is filmed perfectly and the undertones on greed are very interesting. Would you stay married to a serial killer just because he is rich? Depends if he is as nice as this guy is.

Watch for: Uniqueness, Dark Humor, Interesting Dilemmas

Headhunters

This Norwegian (yes it's subtitled) film surprised me on many occasions, some good and some bad, however it's definitely worth a viewing. The main character is a high-end (very, very high-end) Headhunter who, after successfully arranges clients to interview for an amazing job, robs their home while they are on the interview. The Interesting and slightly humorous plot makes for the same kind of movie. High production value and "Jamie Lannister" are just bonuses to the twisty and curvy story. At times it takes too many twists but overall a very watchable foreign film.

Watch for: Thrills, Sophistication

Brick

Before the JGL (Joseph Gorden-Levitt) boom in 2010 (11 movies in 3 years) he did a little flick called Brick, and I think it is still by far his best role and movie. He plays a high-school student who can't seem to track down his ex-girlfriend. He worries something may have happened to her. He decides to take up the investigation himself. Seems, pretty standard right? Wrong. This movie plays out like a "film noir". If you don't know what that means, Google it! Actually, any black and white detective movie you may have seen  containing a "damsel in distress" and a private "dick" with a top hat and a cigarette is probably a film noir. Combine that type of feel and story with a modern setting such as a high-school and you'll not only get some laughs but some thrills as well. Instead of fighting crooked cops and gangs our "detective" has to go up against the principal and the drama club. Seems silly but it absolutely works.

Watch for: Thrills, Mystery, Great Directing, Humor

The Conversation

Gene Hackman has always been one of my favorite actors even before I ever viewed this movie, and I have to say, this is his best. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and released the same year as Godfather Part II, (another Coppola film) confirmed Coppola's mastery as a film maker. The Conversation was nominated for best picture but wasn't a box office hit as it was overshadowed by the previously mentioned GFII and Chinatown. Much like subtitles, some people are turned away by older movies, however give this flick a chance. Gene Hackman plays a surveillance expert that records what he believes is a harmless conversation between two people. When other parties become interested in the recording, he decides to dig a little deeper. The first 10 minutes of the movie is when this conversation actually takes place, can you decipher what will happen?

Watch for: Classic, Mystery, Gene Hackman

*Again none of the movies are 5 star movies, this list is meant to help you decide which of the thousands of Netflix Instant movies that you don't want to watch, you will watch.

Man of Steel: Review

I haven't put my thoughts to (electronic) paper in a while due to the fact that I haven't seen any movies that needed to be praised or, at the other end, put in it's place. Man of Steel is one of those movies, but which is it?

Enough with the superhero/comic book movies already. Is anyone else sick of these but me? Judging by the money these things make, I guess not. I don't see the fun in watching a movie where you know the outcome every time. Will Spiderman, Ironman, Superman, Wolveriene, Batman, etc, ever die or lose? No.  And it's not just about the ending, even the journey for these movies is repetitive. Take a smarmy and sarcastic hero, add a hot chick, add villain, throw in some humor and a ton of CGI scenes and you got a hit! When people finally start to get sick of these movies they may do something as drastic as kill off a hero, but that is still a long ways away. Until then, I have to keep ignoring most comic book movies, even though I've always been a fan of the comic books.

With that being said, why is it then, that I actually enjoyed Man of Steel while most critics and viewers panned it? I've actually never appreciated the Superman character before. How much sympathy and interest is there for a man who is unbeatable and perfect in every way? I never cared for him, Batman was always my answer for the obligatory nerd question, "Superman or Batman?". Everything was in place for me to hate this movie but I didn't. Why not?

Man of Steel, directed by Zack Snyder, has heart, which is surprising, for a movie about a hero from outer-space. There is never a point where I thought Superman will lose, but I did feel the weight of his decisions and the destruction of the battles. The movie has flaws but I think they are overshadowed by the high quality production of the movie. 

The script isn't the movies strong point. The dialog isn't witty, humorous or smart, it's all serious and straight forward. There are a few too many corny 80's movies type lines that made me cringe. The one thing the script does well, is breaking up the usually painful origin story portion of the movie. When you first meet Superman, he is an adult and trying to blend in as a human and although the audience knows who he is, the humans don't. You get bits and pieces of his childhood and his superhero progression as the movie unfolds but it never takes you out of the current story being told. This non-linear story telling isn't done so as a novelty but more so to keep the pace up and to add some heart when needed. It is a difficult task to have heart in a film when it is all action, but this method of story telling helps bring added heaviness to the otherwise story-less scenes. 

The acting isn't really great either, but as mentioned above there isn't much acting to do. Most of the important acting is done by Kevin Costner, Dianne Lane and Russel Crowe who all do a really good job. However in this 2.5 hour run-time of a movie, they make up about .5 of it. The rest is all Henry Cavill (who is this guy), Michael Shannon and Amy Adams, and they are usually just yelling, or grunting or strangely coughing during action sequences. Although I like Shannon, he doesn't do anything spectacular here. With that said, I really did enjoy his character. General Zod is the heel of the film but he isn't just an annoying psychopath looking to take over the world, (cough Loki cough cough). He has some good reasons for his actions and it all works within the story and plot. Henry Cavill didn't impress me, except for how jacked he is. I'm in love with Amy Adams but she also doesn't go any extra miles with her character. Much of her character's plot is very contrived and only exists to push the story forward. I wish they could have saved her character for the sequel.

The direction and production is top notch. I like Zack Snyder's work and he is quickly becoming one of my favorite directors. I mentioned that there was a heart and weight to this film and I contribute that to Snyder.  Filmed beautifully, the movie doesn't feel like a blockbuster when it isn't being one. The techniques, camerawork and music used during the flashbacks really take hold of your emotions and connect you to the characters. With that said, the action sequences are amazing in their own right. There are occurrences of silly or tedious fight scenes but over all, when a building falls, the devastation is felt and when a punch is thrown it is seen and heard like a building falling. I'm not one for an over heavy action movie but for whatever reason, it works here.

I hated The Avengers, never cared for the Iron Man's and refuse to watch another Spiderman movie ever again. These movies are pure fluff and are made for twelve year olds. Maybe this is why when I was a kid I was a Marvel fan. DC comics are taking the right steps with their Superhero movies, I hope Marvel can follow suit...even though I am the only one who thinks it's time they do.

A quick look at Critic's reviews of comic book movies.

 Rottentomatoes score:

Amazing Spider-Man: 73%

The Avengers: 92%

Ironman 1,2,3: 93%, 73%, 78%

Thor 77%

Incredible Hulk 67%

Captain America 79%

Superman Returns 75%

Man Of Steel 56%

Ugh...

Movies You (probably) Haven't Seen, That I Want You To See! ( Volume 1 )

The Secret In Their Eyes

The winner of the 2010 Best Foreign Language Film is made so well, you won't realize it is a foreign film. Do not let the subtitles discourage you, this movie has layers of interesting questions on morality, love and friendship that American audiences can relate to. Let this movie be your vessel into the world of foreign film.

Animal Kingdom

A great ensemble cast featuring Guy Pierce and the newly popular Joel Edgerton (Zero Dark Thirty, The Great Gatsby) star in this Australian family crime drama. Honestly, it took two viewings before I was hooked, but this movie is quite the unpredictable one. Unlike Hollywood films, most of the twists and turns are shocking yet provide an important piece to the plot.

The Conversation

(Watch on Netflix Instant)

Gene Hackman has always been one of my favorite actors even before I ever viewed this movie, and I have to say, this is his best. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and released the same year as Godfather Part II, (another Coppola film) confirmed Coppola's mastery as a film maker. The Conversation was nominated for best picture but wasn't a box office hit as it was overshadowed by the previously mentioned GF II and Chinatown. Much like subtitles, some people are turned away by older movies, however give this flick a chance. Gene Hackman plays a surveillance expert that records what he believes is a harmless conversation between two people. When other parties become interested in the recording, he decides to dig a little deeper. The first 10 minutes of the movie is when this conversation actually takes place, can you decipher what will happen? Catch on Netflix right now!

The Fountain

It is always tough to recommend this movie to people as I know only about 5% of the people out there will enjoy this movie, but because they will love it, I feel the need to recommend it. When watching, try and keep in mind that The Fountain isn't a movie it's an experience. If you have seen it already and disliked it, give it another go. Hugh Jackman plays a scientist hunting for a cure to his wife’s cancer while, in a separate storyline, he plays out the main character’s role in the book she is writing. The two story lines intertwine in a fantastic way and ends the movie with the most beautiful scene I have witnessed in any film. If I never believed in love before, this movie made me believe after.

Safe Men

The only comedy on this list. I tend to enjoy and have strong affections for more serious movies however this  film is one of my favorites of all time. Released in 1998, the cast at the time was unknown and unfamiliar to audiences. If this film were to be released today, I feel it would get a different welcoming. The movie features Paul Giamatti, Sam Rockwell, Steve Zahn, Mark Ruffalo as well as many other familiar faces (such as Peter Dinklage for godsakes!!) and was directed by John Hamburg  (I Love You Man). The plot contains your typical "mistaken identity" setup but with all the unique and hilarious characters, it takes you to much more satisfying places. The relationship between the 2 main protagonists is just a humorous and exciting as the duo in Wedding Crashers. Throw in some Godfather and NHL references in and you have a movie that defies all expectation.

The Fall

This R-rated movie (closer to PG in my book) is a beautiful fantasy epic, with suicidal undertones. In the fashion of Wizard of Oz, a little girl creates a picturesque and immerse fantasy world for one part of the movie. The other half of the movie takes place in a hospital where the same girl has broken her arm. She befriends another patient who tells her the fantasy stories in order to manipulate the girl into aiding him with his suicide. Although a very bleak plot, much of the film is from the child's perspective so it contains some of the most beautiful cinematography I have ever seen as well as some light hearted humor and fun. Filmed in 28 different countries using no visual effects, the film is a wonder to behold. Did I mention the actress playing the little girl didn't know she was acting half the time? Watch it!

Brick

(Watch on Netflix Instant)

Before the JGL (Joseph Gorden-Levitt) boom in 2010 (11 movies in 3 years) he did a little flick called Brick, and I think it is still by far his best role and movie. He plays a high-school student who can't seem to track down his ex-girlfriend. He worries something may have happened to her. He decides to take up the investigation himself. Seems, pretty standard right? Wrong. This movie plays out like a "film noir". If you don't know what that means, Google it! Actually, any black and white detective movie you may have seen  containing a "damsel in distress" and a private "dick" with a top hat and a cigarette is probably a film noir. Combine that type of feel and story with a modern setting such as a high-school and you'll not only get some laughs but some thrills as well. Instead of fighting crooked cops and gangs our "detective" has to go up against the principal and the drama club. Seems silly but it absolutely works. You can catch this on Netflix Instant right now!