Let's hear it, Hubski - what are movies available for streaming on Netflix that I absolutely must see?
Make no assumptions: I'm the kind of guy that has never seen such classics as The Breakfast Club, Pulp Fiction, and a multitude of others. Despite this, I always find trouble finding a movie to watch when the woman says to me, "let's watch something." Presented with so many choices, I fail to make one too often.
Share your favorite movie, the genre, and what in particular you find enjoyable about it (no spoilers!). I'll be writing them down and using them as a reference the next time this issue comes up.
Okay, so I'm going to throw this out there, because I haven't seen it suggested yet. Are you a fan of film? Do you like to obsess over intricate details of film? Do you like to question your own motives for watching movies and perhaps would like to expand your horizons beyond hollywood movie tropes? I have 2 things for you then: 1. The Story of Film: An Odyssey This is basically a television series which seeks to agitate viewers from the preconceived notions of what makes a movie. Asking questions like: Where do directors go when they want to watch a movie? What makes a really great film? Why are films from Hollywood so over represented? Both a great documentary about the history and building of movies from all around the world. (Multi-part, so very long, but worth it for film buffs) 2. The Pervert's Guide to Ideology
Sophie Fiennes (director) and Slavoj Zizek (philosopher) walk through a variety of movies, talking about deeper philosophical questions the movies pose. Was "They Live" just a small time B movie for Roddy Piper or was it a deep questioning of our own existence? Unfortunately, I would not consider either of these "Date movies". However, they will introduce you to many movies which might help to spur your own film journey. Good luck! Edit: okay I took a look at the streaming and found these which I would consider good "date movies". Not necessarily romantic but probably interesting conversation pieces at least! 1. Paper Moon 2. The Guv'nor 3. Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters 2 4. Y Tu Mamá También 5. Thieves Like Us Hopefully these are a bit more helpful!
Are you cynical? Are you better than everyone else? Do you avoid 16 and pregnant, your annoying neighbors, and Westboro Baptist Church at all costs? If you answered yes to all of these questions, then you need to watch God Bless America. Fair warning, you'll know if it is your kind of movie in the first ~10 minutes.
Jiro Dreams of Sushi. If you like sushi, great, if you don't, this is still worth a watch. If you disentangle the food aspect from the philosophical narratives of jiro and his family it is an incredible documentary. For non documentaries, Lost in Translation is on Netflix and is one of the best films I have ever seen. Bill Murray nails it, and to me it's a very powerful and emotional film.
Frankly I would recommend most Bill Murray movies. I read a good article about his trajectory as an actor and how his roles have changed, but the consensus seems to be he's a great actor all the way through. Since then I've added any and all Bill Murray movies on Netflix to my cue and I'm working my way slowly through them. (I had to work my way through all Juno Temple movies first, which is because I have a crush on her - but The Brass Teapot is also pretty good, fwiw.)
My friend and I are the biggest Bill Murray fans you'll ever meet. We've seen everything Bill Murray has been in, directed, or even laughed at. He's absolutely one of my favorite actors. So I got this friend to watch the movie Coffee and Cigarettes with me one day. I love Jim Jarmusch something fierce, and this is a fantastic series of vignettes with a whole bunch of really respectable actors all focused around coffee and cigarettes. (Fair warning: if you aren't into arthouse films, and you value plot, Jarmusch probably isn't your cup of tea, but I suggest everyone watch at least a sampling of his work, and Dead Man is probably a great place to start, because everyone loves it, and if nothing else, the soundtrack is the greatest soundtrack ever. Period.) Anyone, one of the scenes involves Bill Murray and Rza and Gza from Wu Tang Clan. It's a great scene, and this friend is the biggest Wu Tang fan I've ever met. Anyway, long story short, a year or two later, this happened.
Oh hey fellow Jarmusch fan, have you seen "Only Lovers Left Alive" yet? It is really really worth the watch. I promise. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1714915/ For those who are Rock and Roll fans and want a Jarmusch movie to watch (although sadly not streaming) I would highly suggest "Mystery Train" which is a 1989 film starring Steve Buscemi and Joe Strummer. There are other great rock n roll cameos and call backs throughout the film, and it's a great Saturday evening watch!
SO GLAD TO FIND OTHER FANS! Unfortunately, no, I haven't seen it yet. Which also makes it have the distinction of being the only film of his I haven't seen. I have a code for directors I really respect, and that's that I either see the film in theaters, or I wait for the DVD before I download it. Of course, I buy it in the end too when I'm able. Actually, that time should be coming up soon, so I should look into it.
A depressed musician reunites with his lover, though their romance - which has already endured several centuries - is disrupted by the arrival of uncontrollable younger sister.
The imdb listing said it was drama, horror, and romance. I don't recall there being any horror. Keep ears open for this one - the cynical one-liners about history and culture are hilarious.
Check this out. If you are truly a Murray fan, then you have of course spent countless hours watching Meatballs and singing, "are you ready for the summer, are you ready for the good times..."
I'd have to agree that he's great all the way through. He's played a huge variety of roles and done them well. Who else can say they've been in anything from Caddyshack to Moonrise Kingdom? I recently watched Broken Flowers, have you seen that movie? I don't really know who Juno Temple is but she's gorgeous so there's that. I have had Atonement on a watch list for a while now.
I have not watched Broken Flowers but I feel like I've heard of it. If you are going to watch a Juno Temple movie watch The Brass Teapot (I mean, besides Atonement) because it is the best-considered out of the ones i Have seen. I am beginning to suspect she is in terrible movies that I hvae been blinded to because I enjoy watching her act. (And while the movies may be bad, her acting isn't.)
Thanks for the recommendations. Jiro comes up repeatedly in the "For JamesTiberiusKirk" category, but it seemed a little too personal for me. I'm a fan of documentaries, but I tend to stick to social/political docs as opposed to personal/pseudobiographical ones. Can't say I'm a fan of sushi, but I'll be sure to check it out. I've heard Lost in Translation is a great film but haven't seen it myself. Will also be adding that to the list.
I'm not sure if it's on Netflix (how do I even check? I don't have Netflix) but I watched "before midnight" yesterday and I really liked it. I didn't know it was the last movie of a trilogy and watched the two previous movies today, but the last one is definitely my favorite (the two first ones are a bit cheesy). It's a romantic movie with great dialogues. It's nothing but dialogue the whole movie but it's so well written you never get bored.
I'm not sure if it's on Netflix (how do I even check? I don't have Netflix)
They may seem cheesy but I think that's how the films may have aged (1995, 2004, 2012), whereas if you watched them as they came out, I bet they were all something special. I had seen the first two in the spring of 2012 and had no idea that the third was even in production, and when I came home for that summer, my friends who showed me the first two told me, bbz, guess what came out today? Watching the third one like that did make it remarkable, but I truly think all of them are great films. Side note: have you heard about Richard Linklater's newest film, Boyhood?
I'm not saying either of these are groundbreaking films in their own right, but they are enjoyable watches and available through instant streaming. 180 South - A documentary about a man's journey to Patagonia. Very enjoyable travel documentary that was very relaxing to watch. Valentin - A Spanish-language movie about a young child in Argentina (or maybe Uruguay, I can't recall) in the 1960s who tries to solve his family's problems on his own. It shows many of the problems from a child's perspective and is a good film.
You see, asking for great date movies is different from asking for "must-see" date movies streamable on Netflix, and is different from asking for general "must-see" Netflix recommendations. Not to be picky, but these are really different questions. To add another layer to the questions, Netflix has a shuffling collection, so flipping through must-see lists, one must pay attention to the age of the list. I'm not the greatest at picking date movies, because when I want to watch a movie with a woman I like, I show her movies I'd show any of my friends, so they're rarely "date" movies. That being said, for date movies True Romance -- action and true love, cool love, and a great 90s feel. If you haven't seen it, and you like movies, don't look up anything about it, just grab somebody and watch it. City of God -- a crime and coming of age drama that takes place over a few decades in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This honestly may be one of those movies that's just generally good and I'm conflating with a good date movie. Her -- Spike Jonze's most recent film. You will have a bevy of conversation topics relating to relationships and sex and the human condition after this one ends, I really recommend it. Plus, I read this heartwearming bit on Spike Jonze's AMA on reddit, where a 16 year old didn't ask a question so much as told the director that he went on a date with a girl and they went to go see his movie and as the credits rolled, he leaned over and had his first kiss. That was awesome, and pretty much defines the successful date movie, so please have at it. Sorry I didn't even answer the Netflix question. I hope hubski steps up around me to answer that one.
I'd agree with you as far as the difference regarding date movies and... other movies, though in this case I'm looking for any recommendations. My girl and I live together and have been dating for a while, so in this context it's more about finding an interesting movie to watch than it is a classic "date movie." Thanks!
Hellraiser 1 (at least, if you're feeling adventurous number two). This is probably the unholy king of old horror to me, since it was among the first horror movies I saw as a younger man. It has pretty intense themes of BDSM, so maybe it's not fit for a "date move".
The same thing with Event Horizon, except this time it's more along the lines of supernatural horror (The Shining in space really).
Black Hawk Down, the movie based on the events that took place in Somalia I believe it was (Mogdadishu iirc). 3 hours of intense warfare.
Apocalypse Now (if you're looking for the redux, which is what I ultimately suggest, I don't think Netflix has it any more). This movie is one of those head trips. It's slow, grueling and some bits of it are really jarring... Especially with (and I hope this isn't a spoiler) Marlon Brando.
I haven't watched too many comedies so I can't speak for them.
The Ledge - Charlie Hunnam and Terrance Howard. The description given on Netflix is actually all you should know before going into this one.
Oldboy. (The American version was an utter shit fest)
Jobs (Ashton Kutcher as Steve Jobs, it's a biopic, pretty accurate to what all of the Apple fanboys I know have told me - I'm a staunch Android guy myself)
Braveheart - another good one, but as with Mel Gibson, it's wildly inaccurate with the historical period that it deals with (damn good movie though).
Collateral (if it's still up there), Jamie Foxx and Tom Cruise take a relaxing drive around LA. (intentionally buggering the description, because I think the less you know, the more you'll enjoy it, if you don't like Tom Cruise - I don't.) Additional movie - The Breakfast Club, because even after all of these years, I think it's a movie anybody between like 14 and 24 should see at least once.
Gladiator (However with this movie, go with the director's cut which sadly isn't on Netflix.)
Four films that I would suggest are: The Graduate, Annie Hall, Double Indemnity, and Manhattan. The Graduate is a classic, and one of my favorites. It is equal parts comedy and drama and really has a wonderfully poignant message. Annie Hall and Manhattan are two of my favorite pieces by Woody Allen, and I believe them to be his definitive works. I happen to be a huge fan of his work and his style. Both films blend comedy and drama masterfully. My final recommendation is Double Indemnity which is a film noir thriller. The dialogue is sharp and the cinematography is stunning.
Dredd is one of the best recently produced action movies in the last couple of years. I watched it and I was blown away. You should check it out if you're into brainless action flicks. There's no bullshit at all, no useless love interest who gets in the way of what we really want to see, just judge Dredd dishing out some delicious justice. Oh - and you should check out Man of Steel! I really loved this movie, while not being very faithful to the source material, I found it was a great at telling the Superman story through a science fiction lens.
I also recommend watching Dredd. Going into it I thought it would be another boring reboot, but I was happily surprised with the movie. Karl Urban makes a very good Judge Dredd and the fans of the comic will not be disappointed either. The action is very gritty and often gory - a certain scene with a hand comes to mind- and towards the later half of the film you begin to feel tense about what will happen, as the movie does not make Judge Dredd seem like this invincible killing machine but instead like a resourceful and talented person.
If you are a music fan, or more specifically a fan of "The Band," Watch "Aint in it For My Health" "On that third Band record, it was pretty much over," Helm replies, his voice filling with venom. "It was obviously a goddamn screw-job. The credits and the money and everything was all screwed up. After that, it was 'the Band plays your favorites,' 'the Band live somewhere,' because we couldn't get in there and collaborate anymore. It lasted about five years, but it was over after that second record."One night in August 2008, Levon Helm sat in his kitchen in Woodstock, New York after playing a Midnight Ramble gig in his barn, smoking some "northern Californian organic" and sharing stories with friends like Billy Bob Thornton and Chris Robinson. When the party cleared out and only Thornton was left, the actor raised the subject of the Band and the backlash they received from critics starting with their third album, Stage Fright.
The Station Agent is a funny drama staring pre-Game Of Thrones Peter Dinklage. When his only friend dies, a man born with dwarfism moves to rural New Jersey to live a life of solitude, only to meet a chatty hot dog vendor and a woman dealing with her own personal loss.