Unearthing the Best movies on Netflix – DONNIE DARKO

Ever watch a movie that you can’t quite put in a box? The successful ones are few and far between.

One of those is kind-of-horror, kind-of-halloweeny mystery, with some added time-travel, fantasy and psychological thriller, “Donnie Darko”. If you really think hard about it, “Donnie Darko” can even be just another superhero movie where the superhero makes the ultimate sacrifice.

What genre do you think it is?

The bunny will come and get you!

What is this film?

“Donnie Darko” (2001) is an original screenplay written and directed by Richard Kelly who managed to pull this off as his first feature film.

The film is scattered with famous faces, both faces that were famous at the time like Drew Barrymore and Patrick Swayze, and also faces that has since become a staple on the silver screen, like siblings Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal (Not-Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain and Dark Knight Batman’s love interest).

The movie follows Donnie Darko, a youth dealing with “mental issues” and a big bunny Frank who tells him to do stuff. Whether the stuff is good or bad is really in the eye of the beholder.

 

Is it any good?

This is a mind-fuck movie.

And I love me a good mind-fuck movie, because there are a lot of great attempts, but only a select few that will actually mess with your brain.

By mind-fuck movie, I mean that by the end of the movie, your brain should be pounding after the excruciating effort it did of trying to makes sense of what just happened.

And even though there are dragged-out sequences in semi- slow motion, that at least now seems like something every graduate from film school coughs up, at least in “Donnie Darko” it’s a thing that permeates the movie on so many degrees that after a while I am kind of fine with it.

Even footage speeded-up or run backwards has some merit here where the topic at hand is time travel.

 

Frank – the bunny

If someone has ever created a bunny that I would not want to meet in a dark alley, it is this one.
And because it has such a comforting outline paired with such a hideous grin, the creepiness doesn’t evaporate when you get a full frontal look. I still find it scary even then.

Bunnies are aparently a recurring theme in the film, if you can bother to look back and find the long list of shots found by die-hard fans. Also the number eight has people counting and over-thinking things.

Funnily enough, all these details that add up in the end and all the background information that links to different scenes are probably the reason why “Donnie Darko” has gone kult. It rewards the adamant viewers who come back and back again with new little nuggets of a-ha moments.

 

The Time Travel Thing

Yes, there is time-travel and yes it feels rather believable. I mean, they did bring in Stephen Hawkins and everything 😉

To really understand the idea of time travel used in this movie, I would recommend checking out the chapter descriptions of the fictional book “The Philosophy of Time Travel” which Donnie Darko is obsessed with in the film.

I would never suggest to anyone to go read this explanation before you watch the movie. Let your mind be rattled and see where you end up. What explanation did you come up with?

Once you have watched the movie and made up your mind though, it can be great to see where Richard Kelly was coming from. It won’t necessarily give you a lot of answers but it might make you a little less of a question mark than you initially were.

 

What mood should you be in?

It fits well in a setting where you kind of want to watch a horror and be a bit freaked out, but you don’t think a good-ol’ slasher is going to do the job.

You also will need some patience. The film is in parts slow-paced, probably due to the inexperience of its first-time director, but fear you not. It is worthwhile to get to the end.

(Although my boyfriend couldn’t handle it and fell asleep).

Be aware that people are prone to lose their thoughts ever so slightly to the vast questions of time and space, fear and love, after watching. But challenge your brain once in a while why don’t yah.

 

Further Watching

Want some more mind-fuckers? Go for the movie told backwards – “Memento” (2000), the movie told in really short cuts – “Requiem for a Dream” (2000), the movie told in disappearing memories – “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004), or the one with the dreams within dreams – “Inception” (2010).

If your mind has been sufficiently fucked, take a look at “Harvey” from 1950. Whether a conscious nod to this film or a total coincidence, it is worth looking at another film that has chosen a giant bunny as the imaginary friend. And how completely different it has been interpreted.

 

If you like what I read, follow my blog and get ideas on what movies are worth spending your time on. I mean, some 3 hour movies will just steal from your life. Let it only be my life 😉

Next week I will look at the next movie on the ImDb top 250 list: #6 The Good, the Bad and the Ugly. For now you can read #5: Pulp Fiction.

 

The bunny makes him do it!

 

Who am I?

I’m a freelance writer who likes to watch movies. I watch Netflix a lot and sometimes there is a long way between the really good movies, whether good means entertaining or profound.

To help you avoid watching all the crap I have had to endure, I will give you some hidden gems or best movies of Netflix right here every month.

Want another good Netflix movie? Check out the chilling community in “Winter’s Bone”!

 

Why do I think I can talk about movies?

With an over average interest in movies since watching Star Wars as an 8 year-old, and with some background in the industry, I know at least a little bit about what it takes to get a movie made, and have loads of opinions about what makes them great.

But no matter my merits, it is whether or not you agree with my taste in movies that will make these reviews beneficial to you, whether you follow my advice or not 😉

 

Where can you find the film?

All movies in this Netflix-series can be found in the Norwegian Netflix Catalogue, which is the one I have access to.

If you can’t find it on your local Netflix? File a complaint, they really should have it 😉

 

If you like what I write, please give me your favourite movie in the comments so I can put it on my list of reviews or sign-up to read my next blog post 😉

Unearthing the Best Movies on Netflix – WINTER’S BONE

Sometimes you need to watch something that will shake you to your core. Something that doesn’t involve any magic or blatant fiction. Something that is so realistic, you kind of forget that it is indeed fiction you are watching.

“Winter’s Bone” will slowly and gradually hit you hard with an ice cold, bleak and hopeless look that escalates into infinity.

Chilly and harsh, just like the movie

***NO SPOILERS***

What is this movie?

“Winter’s Bone” (2010) follows the 17 year-old Ree (who else but Jennifer Lawrence) who lives in a hillbilly-gangster reality where her actions keep spiralling her constantly towards an unthinkable reality.

Ree is trying to find her father (he has been gone for some time) to avoid being kicked out of her home where she lives with her depressed and non-functional mother and adorable but helpless siblings. On her quest to find out where her father has gone, she bumps into people and situations that she really shouldn’t bother with her questions.

“Winter’s Bone” is a title borrowed from an Appalachian saying that goes; “like a dog digging after a winter’s bone”, which is someone on a mission who refuses to give up.

It is based on a book by Daniel Woodrell, which apparently has even more horrible things happen than there was room for in the movie, although the undertones are there. At least I wasn’t surprised when I read what was omitted.

Do people say it’s good?

Given that “Winter’s Bone” was a big winner at Sundance (all indie filmmakers will know) AND it snagged a four Oscar nominations, among them for Best Picture, I guess you can say that at least critics and people who work with film loved it.

Notably, it was the lowest grossing film to be nominated for Best Picture since “The Dresser” in 1983, which basically means that people in genereal didn’t care for it (or at least they didn’t care for the poster).

It has a distinctly “independent” film-look about it where all is miserable and the futures are bleak.

This is true somewhat true, and I will tell you right now that you will need to sit through some scenes which are slow, quiet and not at all instantly compelling.

And with the film being set in a cold, bare, almost tundra-ish sort of countryside where everyone does drugs and all is lost, there really isn’t any cheering up to be had, and you might consider caving in and turning on that new romantic comedy that you haven’t lowered your standards to see just yet.

But please don’t. Hang in there. It will get infinitely better.

Do I think it is good?

I pushed trough the initial worry of watching a low-budget, film festival film, and boy was I rewarded for that.

What the movie builds up to is beyond words and description. You have to experience it to believe it. Just know that when Ree starts looking for her dad properly, it will eventually get so dark that you will question human beings as a species.

I truly hope these people don’t exist in the real world in some shape or form, but I am afraid that they probably do.

“Winter’s Bone” delivers such a chill in your spine and paints a realism that will shock to your core. To put it this way, I would not want to live in this horrific white trash dystopia.

I was 100% frightened by this film.

The Epic Jennifer Lawrence

This movie would be nothing if it weren’t for Jennifer Lawrence. As a 19 year-old at the time, she really pulled her acting talent out of the bag and made the character Ree dignified and relatable. This was to be her first Oscar nomination, and I am sure it won’t be her last (since she has been nominated or won every year since).

Funny thing is that Lawrence had to proper make herself dirty and sickly to get the part, as she was originally deemed “too pretty” and not really in the running. Once she got to be Ree, she had to learn random skills like chopping wood, fighting and skinning squirrels (will always come in handy that).

The quote that resonates in my head after watching, is Ree’s adament life rule:

Don’t ask for what ought to be offered

The social realism

I have mentioned it before, but I will state it again, the realism in this movie is tangible. I don’t know anything about country life in the US, but I am now inclined to believe that everyone deals with drugs and otherwise have next to no money or any future to speak of. That is how convincing it is.

It is the first movie that has made me feel safe for living in an urban area rather than a rural one.

It is worth mentioning that a lot of the extras and even some of the bigger parts in the movie, are from Missouri where they shot the film, and have never acted in anything before. With a good director, this kind of casting can be golden, as it is in this movie.

What mood should you be in?

You need to be in the mood for something that is going to be paced slowly, with no off-screen music to speak of (that I can remember although apparently there is some) and no fancy nothing. Just let it get where it wants to go in the time it needs.

It will be worth it. That is a promise.

And if nothing else, you have just seen the movie that made everyone notice Jennifer Lawrence. How mighty hipster of you 😉

Further Watching

If you are in a self-abusive kind of mood, or you just want to see some more of people who are worse off than you, continue with stark social realism and have a look at “Mysterious Skin” (2004) with a young Joseph Gordon-Lewitt, or take a peak at “Precious” (2009) which also is a little slow, but really gets to your heart.

But perhaps you aren’t suicidal and can’t bear the thought of two movies like this in a row…

Then I suggest another way. The JayLaw Way!

By now, if you weren’t already, you will be smitten with Jennifer Lawrence and want some more. I would recommend Silver Linings Playbook (2012), which actually did get her an Oscar (when she ever so gracefully stumbled in her dress on her way to accept the award), but I am also a sucker for “The Hunger Games” (2012,2013 and 2014) and cannot wait for the third instalment this winter.

If you like what I write, share or disagree in my opinions, please comment or just sign-up and get a notification when my next blog post is released.

Next week I will look at number 5 on the ImdB top 250, “Pulp Fiction”. In the mean time, check out number 4, “The Dark Knight”.

Jennifer Lawrence, only 19 in “Winter’s Bone”, carries this heavy movie on her shoulders pretty much by herself

Who am I?

I’m a freelance writer who likes to watch movies. I watch Netflix a lot and sometimes there is a long way between the really good movies, whether good means entertaining or profound.

To help you avoid watching all the crap I have had to endure, I will give you some hidden gems or best movies of Netflix right here every month.

Want another good Netflix movie? Check out the great animation “Brave”!

Why do I think I can talk about movies?

With an over average interest in movies since watching Star Wars as an 8 year-old, and with some background in the industry, I know at least a little bit about what it takes to get a movie made, and have loads of opinions about what makes them great.

But no matter my merits, it is whether or not you agree with my taste in movies that will make these reviews beneficial to you, whether you follow my advice or not 😉

Where can you find the film?

All movies in this Netflix-series can be found in the Norwegian Netflix Catalogue, which is the one I have access to.

If you can’t find it on your local Netflix? File a complaint, they really should have it 😉

If you like what I write, please give me your favourite movie in the comments or sign-up to read my next blog post 😉

Unearthing the Best Movies on Netflix – BRAVE

On a lazy Sunday, discover the child in you and put on an animated feature in your Netflix catalogue.

Even if you don’t have any children, give “Brave”, the Disney-Pixar animation a chance. It is beautiful both in storyline and in visual magic.

And who can’t relate to the complex and sometimes difficult relationship between a daughter and her mother?

Merida with her electric ginger hair and the great green grasses of Scotland

What is this film?

“Brave” (2012) is the Oscar-winning, Pixar flick that is notable for quite a number of reasons.

Firstly, Merida is the first female protagonist in a Pixar film and is also included in the Disney princess line-up. She is the only one among them who doesn’t have a boy she is chasing (or who is chasing her). Some people thought it an outrage that she could be included as a princess for this very reason.

I tell them to shut up! A prince is not what makes a princess a princess.

This is the first Pixar film set entirely in the historic past, which meant a whole new challenge for the animators and concept designers who usually have just made stuff up.

 

Why is it any good?

The Mother/daughter theme is something that obviously stroke a chord with me (as a girl with a mother), but I am sure that even guys can relate to the misunderstandings and conflicts we have with the ones we love the most.

Actual strong female characters who lead the plot actively forward are still hard to come by. And Merida even makes mistakes and ruins her dress!!

I think it is healthy for little girls to get such a character in the Disney repertoire of passive and sometimes naive princesses, so I applaud the arrival of Merida.

Merida is overall a character who makes really bad decisions and has to deal with the consequences. She is a hotheaded teenager who knows what she wants, and when that want is in conflict with her mother’s wants for her, she does anything to make her change her mind. Like most teenagers.

Both the mother and the daughter learns something on their voyage to release the mother from a spell (one of the consequences), and that I think is important both for mothers and daughters to understand. There are two sides to every conflict.

And we should listen to each other.

 

The animated hair

I want Merida’s hair! Her big, corkscrew-curly, bright ginger, scruffy, beautiful hair. The way it moves in the wind and with every movement of Merida’s body, is nothing short of an animation miracle.

I would watch this movie for the hair alone.

Pixar actually had new software developed especially to make the 1500 hair curls on Merida’s head move with her.

 

What makes it different from other Disney features?

The girl doesn’t end up with a guy, that makes it different. The guys in the film are actually just tools to further the conflict between Merida and her mother and get them to a breaking point.

Merida is also funny and the root of a lot of physical comedy. My point is, she is not just pretty in a corner. She is a proper female protagonist who doesn’t sit around and wait while her parents marries her off. She takes action into her own hands. But at least she adapts and learns from it.

Pixar has with this film given us a proper coming of age tale that makes you realise that you will make mistakes in your strife to become yourself, and you really, really start appreciating your mother (and/or daughter).

 

What mood should you be in?

Something funny, yet at the same time moving and magical. It’s like a hero’s fable. And you need to be in the mood for Scottish accents 😉

You could definitely watch this without children present. It is actually pretty dark for a children’s film and actually has a PG-rating.

The first time I watched it in the cinema and didn’t feel cheated by the story what so ever. If you feel that the story and characters become a bit simple, there are always beautifully animated landscapes and like I already mentioned the mesmerising curly ginger hair of Merida, to wow and entertain you.

 

Word of the movie – Karfuffle

To put into disorder or disarray.

From Scottish Gaelic CAR to twist + FUFFLE to disarrange.

I just love saying that word. Karfuffle. Just say it with me. Karfuffle.

 

Further watching

You should continue to see some strong, female characters in action.

The newest Disney-movie “Frozen” (2013) has two strong female characters, and although there are guys and traditional love in the picture, the movie itself is more about the love between sisters and about being yourself.

If you don’t want more animation, try “Beaches” (1988) which is a wonderful movie about friendship between two very different women over the course of their whole lives. Bette Midler sings in it. Need I say more?

Or maybe you want some more movies that will make you want to call your mom and tell her that you love her. Like “Stepmom” (1998) or “Mamma Mia” (2008).

The Cutie Bear Triplets. Don’t be fooled, they can wreck a lot of havoc!

Who am I?

I’m a freelance writer who likes to watch movies. I watch Netflix a lot and sometimes there is a long way between the really good movies, whether good means entertaining or meaningful. So that you can avoid watching all the crap I have had to endure, I will give you some hidden gems or best movies of Netflix right here every month.

Want another good Netflix movie? Check out “21 Jump Street”!

 

Why do I think I can talk about movies?

With an over average interest in movies since watching Star Wars as an 8 year-old, and with some background in the industry, I know at least a little bit about what it takes to get a movie made, and have loads of opinions about what makes them great.

But no matter my merits, it is whether or not you agree with my taste in movies (or my boyfriend’s, whose opinion will be noted if opposing my own) that will make these reviews beneficial to you.

 

Where can you find the film?

All movies in this Netflix-series can be found in the Norwegian Netflix Catalogue, which is the one I have access to.

If you can’t find it on your local Netflix? File a complaint, they really should have it 😉

If you like what I write, please give me your favourite movie in the comments or sign-up to read my next blog post 😉

Next week, we will do another Guilty Pleasure movie. Do you have a movie that you watch over and over again, and you know it’s not the best quality, but for some inexplicable reason, you still watch it again? You do? Tell me which one! I will tell you another one of mine next week.

Unearthing the Best Movies on Netflix – 21 JUMP STREET

With “22 Jump Street” hitting the cinemas, and actually collecting some rather respectable reviews, it is time to reveal that its predecessor “21 Jump Street” has long been waiting for you in the vast cache of Netflix.

I was doubtful. How can two boy-police fumbling around a high school pretending to be students be anything less than pathetic?

Somehow they managed to avoid it!

The non-fit fit of a couple; Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum

***NO SPOILERS*** 

What is this film?

Originaly, “21 Jump Street” was a TV-series from the 80s, with the young, heart-throb Johnny Depp and not-quite-so-famous Peter DeLuise. Watch out for their fleeting appearance towards the end of this reboot.

The concept is the same. We follow a part of the police, who headquarter at 21 jump street, and specialise in youth crime. The officers of this division are picked out for their youthful looks which can help them go undercover and infiltrate high schools.

Excellent set-up.

In this movie though, the two officers, Schmidt (Jonah Hill, that guy who loves Russell Brand in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall“, 2008) and Jenko (Channing Tatum, that torso in “Step Up“, 2006), are punished (for being inadequate police officers) by being transferred to 21 Jump Street. And the two of them don’t really get along either.

It’s all set up for loads of quality comedy action.

 

Why is this film any good?

“21 Jump Street” takes a fresh, new look at the high school we have all loved and stereotyped to death in teen-movies since forever. It is not the sports jocks nor the cheerleaders who rule the high school in question. It is the vegan-loving, hard-studying hipsters, some of them dealing drugs on campus to their fellow students.

This, somehow, fits real life in a satisfying way. Indeed the world is ruled by the intelligent and merely repopulated or entertained by the jocks and the cheerleaders. The power should lie with the smart. Doesn’t mean they aren’t teenagers and behave like utter douchebags. Power will do that to spoiled and self-centred youth.

There is something about the chemistry between goofy Jonah and hottie Channing together that actually works really well. They fullfill each other comically and continuously ruin each others efforts to do some good work and get back into the good graces of the “proper” police.

Their visual- and character differences are given an excellent obstacle by accidentally swapping fake identities at high school, giving Jonah the chance to be the popular jock and Channing the challenge of surviving as the nerd. This is handled gracefully by the writers who never resort to the cheap ways out of difficult situations, rather choosing the weird and wonderful directions to lead the plot.

 

What mood should you be in?

If you want a brain teaser, this is not the crime fighter series for you.

But if you want something brain dead, that is destined to make you laugh and which will leave you feeling good about yourself and your own job, then this is the movie for you.

I have not seen the sequel, “22 Jump Street” (2014), yet. But if it is anything like its predecessor, I know I am going to laugh. And that is all I would want from a movie like this.

 

Further watching

Quality, crime-fighting, police partners are found in abundance and you should have enough to choose from in any kind of genre.

For some more films to tickle your funny-bones, try the UK comedy, Pegg/Frost flick “Hot Fuzz” (2007).

For a more action-filled classic, go for “Bad Boys” (1995) with a young Will Smith and a loud mouthed Matthew Lawrence. That was probably the first R-rated movie I ever saw.

Good times.

If you are out to watch some real quality. Rest easy and pick up the ultimate police partners in crime movie, “Lethal Weapon” (1987). It has as many as four sequels with varying quality, but once you get into the lovely and interesting relationship between Mel Gibson and Danny Glover, the quality of the story really doesn’t matter anymore. It’s like Jack Sparrow in the Pirates movies. You just want to see more of that thing they do!

 

Don’t they make a lovely couple?

 

Who am I?

I’m a freelance writer who likes to watch movies. I watch Netflix a lot and sometimes there is a long way between the really good movies, whether entertaining or meaningful.

So that you can avoid watching all the crap I have had to endure, I will give you some hidden gems or best movies of Netflix right here every month. Want another good Netflix movie? Check out the documentary “Blackfish” here!

 

Why do I think I can talk about movies?

With an over average interest in movies since watching Star Wars as an 8 year-old, and with some background in the industry, I know at least a little bit about what it takes to get a movie made, and have loads of opinions about what makes them great.

But no matter my merits, it is whether or not you agree with my taste in movies (or my boyfriend’s, whose opinion will be noted if opposing my own) that will make these reviews beneficial to you.

 

Where can you find the film?

All movies in this Netflix-series can be found in the Norwegian Netflix Catalogue, which is the one I have access to. If you can’t find it on your local Netflix? File a complaint, they really should have it 😉

 

If you like what I write, please give me your favourite movie in the comments or sign-up to read my next blog post 😉

Next week, we will do another Guilty Pleasure movie. Do you have a movie that you watch over and over again, and you know it’s not the best quality, but for some inexplicable reason, you still watch it again? You do? Tell me which one! I will tell you another one of mine next week.

 

Unearthing the Best Movies on Netflix – BLACKFISH

If you only watch one documentary this year. If you can only muster up the courage to see the real world square in the eye once. Then you should watch “Blackfish”.

It will rip your heart out and stomp on it. It will horrify you, make you sad and angry. And the best part is, at the end of the film, there is actually something you can do about it.

It’s a beautifully eerie poster that truly embraces the killer side of the killer whale

 

What film is this?

“Black Fish” (Gabriela Cowperthwaite, 2013) is a documentary about the catching and breeding of killer whales for public display.

The movie takes a look at the history of catching baby killer whales and the subsequent rise in popularity of whale-related entertainment.

The amusement parks, who profit off the whale shows, sugar coat any killer whale aggression. The poor trainers, who only want to do well by the killer wales, have no power to do so. And they get mauled and killed a lot too.

I’m not going to lie, it is a fully fledged subjective documentary. A documentary with an agenda.

Get ready for some of your childhood’s happiest memories to die.

 

Why is it good?

It is good because it made me feel. It made me feel horrible, yes, and like I was responsible for the continued abuse of whales. I do like those killer whale and dolphin shows.

Correction. I did.

You’d almost think the movie is against the killer whale, because it does brand it as an actual killer, unlike amusement parks who like to sell them as cuddly teddy bears that are no threat to humans.

Multiple amateur videos will prove this statement easily.

It is not, however, the killer whales’ fault that they are stuck in a pool together with other annoying and frustrated killer whales. That is on the humans. But the amusement parks can’t let us know that.

For people to keep spending money watching them perform tricks in a paddling pool, they need us to keep believing that. “Look, they love doing tricks! They’re having a great time!”

This film is good because it convinced me and I believe it to speak a truth. Whales and dolphins are not made for captivity.

It convinced me to never go to this kind of park again.

 

The negative comments against the film

The film is obviously very subjective. It is trying to win you over to the cause “Free the killer whales”. And they are very convincing.

They can cry about the subjectivity as much as you want. Sometimes it is needed to make a point.

The difficulty is, where do you draw the line? Does this adhere to all animals in captivity? Even the ones who are born in captivity and are not equipped to survive in the wild? Should we close down all aquariums and zoos and forego the educational and scientific benefits and the care of endangered species that comes with those kinds of institutions?

I say, when the animals attack each other from stress of confinement, then maybe it’s about time we let them out. The priority should be a good life for the animal.

For some animals it can possibly be better to live some place where they get fed regularly, especially in the zoos that have large enclosures where the animals can hide if they want to. For some animals it will never be right.

And obviously, for some killer whales in captivity, it is already too late. For instance Keiko, from the “Free Willy” movies, who was trained to survive the wild, and released, but quickly showed up in Norway wanting human contact.

 

What mood should you be in?

Something gut-wrenching and real. This is not for the fainthearted.

You get to see some harsh found-footage of people being mauled or otherwise hurt by the killer whales. There are no fuzzy patches or cutting the clip before it gets real. You get to see all the footage (at least as far as I know).

It will dig deep down into your bones.

 

Further Watching

I did actually go two ways after watching this film:

1. I watched “The Cove” (2009), a documentary in the same vein as “Black Fish” only from the dolphins’ point of view. Warning: If you watch these two movies in a row, you will get depressed.

2. Then I  watched “Free Willy” (1993) again for the first time in many years. Got some good nostalgic feeling going on. And then it all ends well so yay!

 

What can you do about it?

If this movie ends up touching you, like it did me, and leaves you feeling like you should do something, you can sign this petition from Save Japan Dolphins, an organisation that works towards banning the capture of dolphins and whales for public display.

After you have signed, you can pledge to yourself never to go to a park that has dolphin or whale shows. The only thing that will ever stop this business for good is if there is no demand for shows like this.

If we don’t pay money to see it, they make no money. Easy.

I have pledged.

And I loved those shows as a kid. Damn the bastards for making me love watching them and thinking they loved it.

 

Killer whales the way they should live

 

Who am I?

I a freelance writer who likes to watch movies. I watch Netflix a lot and sometimes there is a long way between the really good movies, whether entertaining or meaningful.

So that you can avoid watching all the crap I have had to endure, I will give you some hidden gems and best movies of Netflix right here every month. Want another good Netflix movie? Read the review of Carnage from last month!

 

Why do I think I can talk about movies?

With an over average interest in movies since watching Star Wars as an 8 year-old, and with some background in the industry, I know at least a little bit about what it takes to get a movie made, and have loads of opinions about what makes them great.

But no matter my merits, it is whether or not you agree with my taste in movies (or my boyfriend’s, whose opinion will be noted if opposing my own) that will make these reviews beneficial to you.

 

Where can you find the film?

All movies in this Netflix series of blogposts, can be found on the Norwegian Netflix Catalogue, which is the one I have access to. Can’t find it on your local Netflix?`You can download or buy a hard copy from the official Blackfish website, or await a screeing. I’d say it is worth the money for a hard copy.

 

If you like what I write, please give me a shout in the comments or sign-up to read my next blog post 😉

Next week, we will do another review from ImDb top 250. This time we will look at number 2 on the list “The Godfather”, who have been warring with “Shawshank Redemption” for the number one spot as long as I have followed the list.

Unearthing the Best Movies on Netflix – This month: CARNAGE

Ever wonder what to watch on Netflix? Every month I will give you a new movie recommendation that won’t be a waste of your time. Add my blog to your e-mail list and you will never spend hours deciding what to watch again!

This month’s best movie on Netflix is: Carnage (2011)

Carnage Poster

 

What?

“Carnage” is a comedy drama (a dramedy as I have seen some people call it) made by the infamous Roman Polanski. It sports a limited cast of four, but with an impressive line-up.

Kate Winslet (if you need a movie to know who she is, then shame on you) and Christop Waltz ( you know, the nazi from “Inglorious Basterds”) play the career couple invited to the Longstreet family apartment to talk about their son. Jodie Foster (the woman mind-fucked by Hannibal Lecter in “Silence of the Lambs”) and John C. Reilly (he is the go-to supporting actor, he is in everything, too much to mention), want them all to come to some sort of agreement about what they should do after their son was hit in the face by the other son, “armed” with a stick. He broke some teeth. It’s all very serious.

And on the surface it is all very polite and civilized. But of course this is going to change.

 

Why?

Any film that takes place in one location (the whole film is set in one apartment), with quality actors AND a good director is always worth a watch. If you need more proof that there is something magical going on, then look at the Golden Globes nominations both women received for their efforts.

Not convinced? Christoph Waltz will deliver increasing level of snarky lines, Kate Winslet will get drunk, John C. Reilly will snap from good guy to bad guy and Jodie Foster will on the surface be the image of a perfect humble housewife, but curse them all under her breath when they aren’t in the room.

When both me AND my boyfriend pay rapt attention from start till end of a film that is set in only one location, that means something has been done right. And it’s all in the story. No distracting visual effects or dazzling cinematography to lure you to keep watching here.

You should be in the mood for some comedy. In one way it is a serious movie, but the true value (or identification aspect) and humor of it is that you will see yourself in these characters, either as you know you would react, or as you imagine you would if you had kids. It is not a “laugh-out-loud” movie, it is a “snigger-to-yourself” movie (and I love those).

 

Who?

This movie is perfect for anyone who is in a couple, because you will have the most to identify with. Any parents, I can imagine, will also find themselves remembering similar situations with parents who are totally different to themselves, and how they try to deal with them.

It reminds me of an old movie “Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?” from the sixties, although that one has a completely different theme, only the form of one location, four characters, is somewhat similar.

I would also recommend “Carnage” to anyone who is working in the film industry or aspiring to be. This film was shot in real time,with no breaks, and in one location. To do this and make a successful 80 min movie is extremely difficult, so watch and learn. Why doesn’t it get boring? On paper it should!

Also look out for a Roman Polanski cameo (without him being on screen) as the nosy neighbour.

 

Further Watching:

‘Did you like this movie and want to watch more?

Apart from “Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (1966) which unfortunately can’t be found on Netflix, I would recommend delving into Roman Polanski. He has a distinct opinion and style that is captivating.

From the movies on Netflix, I would recommend giving the documentary “Polanski: Wanted and Desired” (2008) a go. It focuses on the incident in Polanski’s life when he was guilty of statutory rape and how that evolved into fleeing the USA and never being able to return, not even to receive his Oscar for “The Pianist” (2002). This man has survived the Holocaust and has had his pregnant wife murdered. It is interesting to say the least.

If you are not in the mood for a documentary, watch his political thriller “The Ghost” (201) with Ewan McGregor and Pierce Brosnan, where a freshly hired ghostwriter for the former prime minister of the UK, starts unraveling things he shouldn’t.  (“Polanskis Skyggen” is the title in the Norwegian Netflix)

 

Next week, I will be starting my new project where I look at the ImDb top 250 list and judge whether these films deserve to be there. Are they there because they actually are good in the modern viewer’s eyes, or are they there because people believe them to be of great quality because they were significant when they were released.

We will find out whether the movies can be stomached by 2014 eyes or should be left as a note in a film history book (or remade for that matter). We will start with number one (which has significantly fewer changes than number 250) and work our way up the list each month.

 

Don’t want to miss a review? Add yourself to my e-mail list and get an update as soon as I post. I will be posting every Friday 😉

So, I want to know? Which is your favourite movie that takes place in one location?

 

Two very different pair of parents.

 

Who am I?

I do not work for Netflix. My boyfriend and I spend an awful lot of time trying to choose movies to watch on Netflix. Sometimes we stumble upon gems and those are the ones I would like to share with you. If you wonder about a movie, ask me, I will tell you if I have watched it or watch it for you (I’m a nerd, I want to watch everything).

 

Why do I think I can talk about movies?

With an over average interest in movies since watching Star Wars as a 8 year-old, and with some background in the industry, I know at least a little bit about what it takes to get a movie made, and have loads of opinions about what makes them great.

But no matter my merits, it is whether or not you agree with my taste in movies (or my boyfriend’s, whose opinion will be noted if opposing my own) that will make these reviews beneficial to you.

 

Why Netflix?

It’s not only Netflix. Once a month I will unearth the best movies on Netflix. Other Fridays of the month, I will look at “Imdb Top 250 – Do they really deserve to be there“, “New Releases“, and “Guilty Pleasures“.

I do take requests and love a challenge, so don’t be shy.

 

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