By Emma Grimes
There is so much choice on Netflix now that I know I’m not the only one who spends half the night going through each option for about an hour before I finally decide on something and by then I’m too tired to actually finish it. I’ve seen the majority of the popular choices at this point (Stranger Things, Queer Eye, The O.A., The Sinner etc.) so I often look to my peers or social media for recommendations in order to narrow down the vast trove of choices at hand.
Blue Jay
Blue Jay is the story of two estranged high school sweethearts who after meeting by chance in their hometown, end up reconnecting and reminiscing about their past and what made them end their relationship all those years ago. Sarah Paulson and Mark Duplass (who also wrote the film) play the main characters who will have you laughing and in tears with their excellent performances.
The Meyerowitz Stories
You may have seen this and been put off by the name but this is one of the best Netflix films I’ve seen. Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller and Dustin Hoffman all star in this film about complex family dynamics, particularly those between father and son and brothers. It’s directed by Noah Baumbach (Greenberg, Frances Ha, Mistress America) and has his signature complex relationship dynamics, this time dealing with the father/son/brother relationships. This is worth watching for Adam Sandler’s performance alone.
Big Mouth
Big Mouth is an animated comedy series about a group of adolescent kids going through puberty including hormone monsters, periods, numerous other bodily functions and first crushes. It’s got a great cast of voice actors and guest stars including a bunch of Saturday Night Live Alumni. There’s currently one season on Netflix but a second one is in the pipeline. Don’t be out off by the animation, it’s hilarious and entirely relatable.
Good Time
This is one of the best films I’ve seen over the past year and I’m sure went almost completely under most peoples Netflix radar. Written and directed by Josh and Benny Safdie, it stars Robert Pattinson as Connie Nikas who convinces his mentally disabled brother Nick to commit a robbery with him, the consequences lead Connie into an all night chase to save his brother. This film is unlike anything I’ve seen before and the performance by Robert Pattinson couldn’t be more different to what he’s most well known for.
Easy
Easy is a comedy/ drama series set in Chicago and created, written and directed by Joe Swanberg who is one of the main players in the mumblecore film movement. There are two seasons so far with a total of sixteen episodes and each one is a different story with a different cast. Over the two seasons some of the characters interlink very slightly and some storylines have been continued from the first season into the second. The series deals with a lot of different topics based on everyday life situations including parenthood, polyamory, marriage, friendship and dating.
If you’re still looking for more ways to pass some time, why not check out Chloe’s list of must-read books for those still feeling the Royal Wedding fever and Colette’s pictures from Seoul Fashion Week?
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