Movies
I can’t tell you how much crap I’ve watched on streaming services. Well, I mean I can, but that’s a whole other story. In the interim here are all the awesome movies I’ve watched on Netflix/Amazon of late – largely because friends and family keep asking me, “seen any good films lately”.
Note: some of these may have already left the free part of services or not be in your area right now. Be sure to check other streaming providers for availability. For anything I’ve rated seven or higher, I’d happily pay money to rent any of these.
Maniac
Two strangers are drawn to a mysterious pharmaceutical trial that will, they’re assured, with no complications or side-effects whatsoever, solve all of their problems, permanently. Things do not go as planned. IMDB.
A mini series more than movie, but goddamn I absolutely adore this. I feel like I could watch it on an endless loop over and over. Everything about it is perfect. Emma Stone and Jonah Hill are absurdly good here. The world they occupy is lovingly crafted – ever so slightly in the future world, ever so slightly in the past. It’s all beautifully written, conceived and shot. A love story that isn’t. Did I say how much I love this. 9.5/10 from me.
Scott Pilgrim Vs The World
Scott Pilgrim must defeat his new girlfriend’s seven evil exes in order to win her heart. IMDB.
Criminally underrated. I suppose this is one of those cult classics you love or hate. I’m firmly in the former camp. Probably Edgar Wright’s best movie before he utterly lost the plot with the piss poor Baby Driver. Michael Cera plays the same character he always plays, which is to say he plays Michael Cera. The supporting cast is top notch, a who’s who before they were famous: Aubrey Plaza, Anna Kendrick, Allison Pill, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and more. Love music, love video games, love hyperkinetic visual? Watch this. 9/10 from me.
Glengarry Glen Ross
An examination of the machinations behind the scenes at a real estate office. IMDB.
One of my all time favorite movies, increasingly forgotten to time it feels like. Horribly-riveting. Pops up on Netflix from time to time. Remember – coffee’s for closers only. 9/10.
Snowpiercer
In a future where a failed climate-change experiment has killed all life except for the lucky few who boarded the Snowpiercer, a train that travels around the globe, a new class system emerges. IMDB.
Before he scooped up all the plaudits with Parasite, Bong Joon Ho made this completely unique dystopian sci-fi flick back in 2013 (you’ll notice a lot of sci fi on my list). I’ve watched it a couple times now, and could do so many more times. The visuals are every bit as good as Tilda Swinton’s performance is awesome. The story keeps you hooked right until the end which is sadly a little obvious but hey, kit’s the journey that counts right. 8/10 from me.
Room
Held captive for 7 years in an enclosed space, a woman and her young son finally gain their freedom, allowing the boy to experience the outside world for the first time. IMDB.
A fascinating movie in essentially separated into two distant chunks. Gripping from start to finish, absolutely tremendous performances from Bree Larson and Jacob Tremblay. 8/10 from me.
Ballad Of Buster Scruggs
Six tales of life and violence in the Old West, following a singing gunslinger, a bank robber, a traveling impresario, an elderly prospector, a wagon train, and a perverse pair of bounty hunters. IMDB.
Given the name and some of the promo videos, I was worried this would end up a musical of sorts. I hate musicals. Don’t fret, it’s not. There’s a little frothy stuff up front, but beyond that it’s a bunch of bleak tales all enmeshed by the theme of life and death. There’s plenty of Coen brothers eccentricity to slurp up too. 8/10 from me.
Being Frank: The Chris Sievey Story
It’s a documentary about the life of eccentric comedian Frank Sidebottom who wore a huge papier-mache’ head and whose true identity was a closely guarded secret until after he died. IMDB.
A lovingly made documentary that recaps the life of Chris Sievey AKA Frank Sidebottom. The moniker ‘one off’ is wildly overused but Sievey is the epitome, a bittersweet joy to watch. 8/10 from me.
Freaks
A bold girl discovers a bizarre, threatening, and mysterious new world beyond her front door after she escapes her father’s protective and paranoid control. IMDB.
This one will have you guessing right from the start – what’s exactly going on here? Even when the plot starts to make itself clear, there’s still some twists and turns along the way to keep things chugging along. 7/10 from me.
Bird Box
Five years after an ominous unseen presence drives most of society to suicide, a mother and her two children make a desperate bid to reach safety. IMDB.
Netflix original worth watching for John Malkovich alone. Also made me remember how watchable Sandra Bullock is. 7/10 from me.
Apollo 13
NASA must devise a strategy to return Apollo 13 to Earth safely after the spacecraft undergoes massive internal damage putting the lives of the three astronauts on board in jeopardy. IMDB.
Sure we all know the ending, but Ron Howard’s movie makes for a compelling, edge of your seat watch. Very tense stuff. 7.5/10 from me.
The Hateful Eight
In the dead of a Wyoming winter, a bounty hunter and his prisoner find shelter in a cabin currently inhabited by a collection of nefarious characters. IMDB.
Say what you want about Tarantino, but he know’s a thing or two about story pacing. O.k. o.k. lets just forget Once Upon A Time In Hollywood was a thing. 7.5/10 from me.
Zombieland
A shy student trying to reach his family in Ohio, a gun-toting tough guy trying to find the last Twinkie, and a pair of sisters trying to get to an amusement park join forces to travel across a zombie-filled America. IMDB.
This one needs likely zero introduction. More zombie end of the world stuff. Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Mark Zuckerberg sorry I mean, Jesse Eisenberg. Even a Bill Murray cameo. 7.5/10 from me.
Ex Machina
A young programmer is selected to participate in a ground-breaking experiment in synthetic intelligence by evaluating the human qualities of a highly advanced humanoid A.I. IMDB.
7/10 from me.
Shutter Island
In 1954, a U.S. Marshal investigates the disappearance of a murderer who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane. IMDB.
Netflix recommended this one for me, forever and ever. I wish I’d watched this one sooner. To be sure, I’d held off forever because DiCaprio bugs the crap out of me, but give this one a go. The story unfurls quite nicely. 7/10 from me.
Tucker And Dale Vs Evil
Affable hillbillies Tucker and Dale are on vacation at their dilapidated mountain cabin when they are mistaken for murderers by a group of preppy college students. IMDB.
It’s a dumb movie, but it’s a fun movie. Sometimes dumb fun is definitely the order of the day. 6.5/10 from me.
The Founder
The story of Ray Kroc, a salesman who turned two brothers’ innovative fast food eatery, McDonald’s, into the biggest restaurant business in the world, with a combination of ambition, persistence, and ruthlessness. IMDB.
Who would’ve thought a story about the history of McDonalds (early empire building days) could be so fascinating and entertaining. Michael Keaton proves his chops here, perfect as the wheeler dealing Ray Kroc. There’s that classic mischievous glint in his eyes all the way through. 6.5/10 from me.
Arctic
A man stranded in the Arctic after a plane crash must decide whether to remain in the relative safety of his makeshift camp or to embark on a deadly trek through the unknown. IMDB.
Almost no dialogue. Almost nothing punctuating the blizzard-snow-washed landscape. Well, apart from frostbite, frustration, ingenuity and polar bears. 6/10 from me.
Train To Busan
While a zombie virus breaks out in South Korea, passengers struggle to survive on the train from Seoul to Busan. IMDB.
Snakes on a plane? Nah, zombies on a train, way worse! This Korean (subtitled) movie is a fun spin on the usual zombie apocalypse tale and moves along at a steady pace. 6/10 from me.
I Am Mother
In the wake of humanity’s extinction, a teenage girl is raised by a robot designed to repopulate the earth. But their unique bond is threatened when an inexplicable stranger arrives with alarming news. IMDB.
Netflix original sci fi. Did I mention I like sci-fi? 6/10 form me.
The Perfect Host
An on-the-run convict looking for temporary cover finds it at the house of a very colorful character. IMDB.
This is probably a poor movie, but shut up, I like watching David Hyde Pierce. 6/10 from me.
The Signal
On a road trip, Nic and two friends are drawn to an isolated area by a computer genius. When everything suddenly goes dark, Nic regains consciousness – only to find himself in a waking nightmare. IMDB.
5.5/10
The Big Short
In 2006-2007 a group of investors bet against the US mortgage market. In their research they discover how flawed and corrupt the market is. IMDB.
How could a movie about the world financial collapse of 2008 be anything but dull dull dull. Watch this and find out. 7/10 from me.
As Above So Below
When a team of explorers ventures into the catacombs that lie beneath the streets of Paris, they uncover the dark secret that lies within this city of the dead. IMDB.
5.5/10
The Good Neighbor
A pair of mischievous high school kids create the illusion of a haunting on an unsuspecting elderly neighbor while keeping his every reaction under surveillance. A series of coincidences leads to tragedy. IMDB.
6/10
Time Lapse
Three friends discover a mysterious machine that takes pictures twenty-four hours into the future, and conspire to use it for personal gain, until disturbing and dangerous images begin to develop. IMDB.
6/10
Somm
Four sommeliers attempt to pass the prestigious Master Sommelier exam, a test with one of the lowest pass rates in the world. IMDB.
6/10
Super
After his wife falls under the influence of a drug dealer, an everyday guy transforms himself into Crimson Bolt, a superhero with the best intentions, but lacking in heroic skills. IMDB.
6/10
Jiro Dreams Of Sushi
A documentary on 85-year-old sushi master Jiro Ono, his renowned Tokyo restaurant, and his relationship with his son and eventual heir, Yoshikazu. IMDB.
6/10
A Quiet Place
7/10 from me.
Ready Player One
9/10 from me.
Synecdoche, New York
8/10 from me.
Four Lions
7.5/10 from me.
Coherence
6.5/10 from me.
Compliance
6.5/10 from me.
TV
Looking for something to get stuck into? Cool beans. I’m not going to tell you to watch Breaking Bad, rewatch Cheers or get stuck into the West Wing – cos you know to watch all these classics rights? The following are some (perhaps) lesser celebrated serialized gems on Netflix.
The Riches
A family of crooks assume the identity of an upper-middle-class suburban clan in the Deep South. IMDB.
Halt And Catch Fire
Follows some players in the 80s technological revolution that lead to information society. IMDB.
Stewart Lee’s Comedy Vehicle
The exciting return to television of the comedians comedian Stewart Lee. IMDB.