January 9, 2014

Noteworthy On Netflix - 1/9/14

Noteworthy On Netflix bone banner

     Now that the holidays are over we all have time to get back to what's important - watching movies on Netflix streaming.  It turns out that several of my favorites from 2013 are now available, so I'll be babbling more than usual about a few.  These are by no means the only worthy genre movies on Netflix, just a handful of titles I'm familiar with that I believe are worthy of your attention. 

     Availability changes often, but all of the following titles were available from Netflix at the time of this posting.  The genre listed after the title (Documentary, Horror, Comedy, Action & Adventure,  or Sci-Fi & Fantasy) describes where you'll find each movie in your onscreen groupings.  Try doing a manual search if one seems to be missing.  Please note: sometimes my thumbnails won't be exactly the same thumbnail that Netflix is using.


     If you have recommendations of your own, please share in the Comments section below.  You can watch a trailer for each movie by clicking its title.


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Maniac (2012)
Horror / 1hr28min / NR / HD

     I've never really cared for the original Maniac (1980).  The late Joe Spinell was a little too convincing as the titular scalp collecting psycho.  In what I suppose is a bit of a back-handed compliment, Maniac was too sleazy for me to enjoy watching.  I felt like I needed a shower afterwards.  To my mind, then, the 2012 remake was one of those rare instances when I believed a remake had a genuine opportunity to eclipse the original.  Sadly, I didn't care for it.  The new Maniac was too sleazy for me to enjoy watching.  I felt like I needed a shower afterwards.  It may not eclipse the original, but it at least equals it.  Bravo?

     Seriously, though, attention must be paid.  The Maniac redux may not be to my taste, but its first person point-of-view conceit is skillfully maintained and undeniably effective.  There were several instances wherein I just wanted to turn away from the ugliness unfolding before me.  It sounds like a good horror movie, doesn't it?  Well I suppose it is.  It certainly got under my skin more than any other movie this year.  Star Elijah Wood is believably unhinged throughout.  Wood had already demonstrated a simmering undercurrent of darkness in the often dour television comedy Wilfred, so I knew he had it in him.   

     Maniac succeeds in being the most unremittingly grim and unpleasant viewing experience of 2013 for me.  That's a compliment, by the way.  It doesn't surprise me at all that it's turning up on a lot of year end best of  lists.  Whether or not you want to submit yourself to such a grim and unpleasant viewing experience is a question you'll have to answer for yourself.

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Aftershock (2012)
Horror / 1hr29min / R / HD

     Multi-hyphenate Eli Roth seems to be every genre fan's favorite whipping boy if they're all done bitching about Rob Zombie.  Roth is just a producer / actor here, but the tone of Aftershock is definitely of a piece with his own filmography as a director.  In the aftermath of a massive earthquake in Chile, circumstances are made exponentially worse by a nearby collapsed prison spewing lots of very rapey hardened criminals into the streets.  One wonders if the director of Hostel has ever had a good experience traveling abroad.

     Aftershock isn't a great movie, but if you've enjoyed anything else with Roth's fingerprints on it, you'll probably enjoy this.  I love that last shot.  The Green Inferno (2013), his forthcoming ode to Italian made gutmunchers like Cannibal Holocaust (1980), seems poised to continue Roth's tortured travelogue.

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Berberian Sound Studio (2012)
Drama / 1hr32min / NR / HD

     I don't know art, but I know what I like.  Even though it peters out before the end credits roll, Berberian Sound Studio was the most fiercely original genre movie I saw last year.  An homage to both Italian giallos and old school sound editing, director Peter Strickland's chronicle of a mild mannered sound engineer's descent into madness has haunted me.  Not surprisingly, the movie's sound design is incredible, so be sure to watch it with the proper tech.

     I unwittingly watched Berberian Sound Studio without subtitles (much of the dialog is in Italian), and I actually think that enhanced the experience for me, accentuating the loneliness and paranoia of being a stranger in a strange land and not really knowing for certain what's happening around you.  For the record, the version streaming on Netflix has subtitles, but I'm not sure I want to watch it that way.  I suspect my own inferences were probably more sinister and upsetting than what actually occurs.  With or without subtitles, Berberian Sound Studio is beautiful to look at, disturbing to listen to, and highly recommended.  I have no clue why Netflix has it listed as Drama rather than Horror.

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Grabbers (2012)
Horror, Comedy, Sci-Fi & Fantasy / 1hr34min / NR / HD

     Sometimes you just need a good, old fashioned, well crafted, meat and potatoes creature feature.  Refreshingly free of self-reflexive irony and boasting surprisingly good FX (both CGI and practical), Grabbers was easily the best of the lot in 2013.  Horror / comedy is a hard combo to nail, but you just can't go wrong with drunk Irishmen battling tentacled beasties.  Though not yet available on Netflix, Big Ass Spider (2013) has a similar vibe and is also worth checking out.

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Room 237 (2012)
Documentary / 1hr43min / NR / HD

     More of a stream of consciousness game of "what if?" than a proper documentary, Room 237 explores various interpretations of Stanley Kubrick's horror masterpiece The Shining (1980).  Those expecting a traditional documentary structure will be sorely disappointed, but viewers more interested in the interpretations themselves than the talking heads spouting them will have a blast.  At the very least, Room 237 will spark an urgent need to give The Shining another watch to see if any of these theories here hold water.

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American Mary (2012)
Horror / 1hr42min / R / HD

     Yet another movie that's making a lot of year end best of lists, American Mary chronicles medical student Mary Mason's descent into a subculture of individuals seeking a qualified physician to perform elective "modification" surgeries not covered by their HMOs.  It's a testament to how good Katharine Isabelle's lead performance is that you'll find yourself rooting for her even after Mary goes off the rails.  As good as Isabelle is, though, supporting player Tristan Risk steals every scene she's in as Beatress, a sweet natured stripper who's had herself surgically altered to resemble Betty Boop. 

     I'm always a sucker for body horror, and filmmaking duo Jen and Sylvia Soska have crafted a unique and well mounted entry that leaves me excited to see what they can make of their next assignment.  A second chapter in the See No Evil franchise-that-nobody-asked-for doesn't seem as ambitious a follow-up as I might have hoped for, but more power to them if they can make a silk purse of that sow's ear.

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Dredd (2012)
Action & Adventure, Sci-Fi & Fantasy / 1hr35min / R / HD

     Remember when the good guy was the good guy from frame one, the bad guy was psychotically evil, and you knew the bad guy would ultimately have justice served to him by the good guy in the most sadistic, gratuitous, and gratifyingly ironic way possible?  Dredd even figured out a way to serve that justice in slow motion and make it a pertinent plot point rather than pointless grandstanding.  Dredd shoulda been way more successful at the box office, and it has "cult film" written all over it now.  Mark my words - a Cult Of Dredd will rise up in a decade or so and demand a sequel.

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Ray Harryhausen: Special Effects Titan (2011)
Documentary / 1hr33min / NR / HD

     The late visual effects artist Ray Harryhausen pioneered his own form of stop motion animation called Dynamation that brought fantastic creatures to life in movies as varied as The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms (1953), 20 Million Miles To Earth (1957), Jason And The Argonauts (1963), and Clash Of The Titans (1981).  He was truly a visionary, and this fine documentary is a fitting tribute to his work.  Harryhausen's influence on genre films is incalculable.

     Adrienne caught me crying while watching this, and I felt obliged to explain to her why I was so touched.  I struggled to find the words.  If you've ever seen and enjoyed any genre movie then you owe this man a debt of gratitude.  Respect. 

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Sightseers (2012) posterSightseers (2012)
Comedy / 1hr28min / NR / HD

     My previous assessment of Sightseers:

     "(It) delivers pitch black humor, random acts of violence, and two versions of Tainted Love.  'Nuf said.  See it."

     I stand by that.
Sightseers (2012) delivers pitch black humor, random acts of violence, and two versions of "Tainted Love". 'Nuf said. See it. - See more at: http://www.moviesatdogfarm.com/2013/05/movies-at-dog-farm-trailer-park-volume.html#sthash.iiHLgVAm.dpuf
Sightseers (2012) delivers pitch black humor, random acts of violence, and two versions of "Tainted Love". 'Nuf said. See it. - See more at: http://www.moviesatdogfarm.com/2013/05/movies-at-dog-farm-trailer-park-volume.html#sthash.iiHLgVAm.dpuf
Sightseers (2012) delivers pitch black humor, random acts of violence, and two versions of "Tainted Love". 'Nuf said. See it. - See more at: http://www.moviesatdogfarm.com/2013/05/movies-at-dog-farm-trailer-park-volume.html#sthash.iiHLgVAm.dpuf

Sightseers (2012) delivers pitch black humor, random acts of violence, and two versions of "Tainted Love". 'Nuf said. See it. - See more at: http://www.moviesatdogfarm.com/2013/05/movies-at-dog-farm-trailer-park-volume.html#sthash.iiHLgVAm.dpuf
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14 comments:

  1. Great list, man! Though I will say that I watched Room 237 after hearing rave reviews and about halfway through the film I was having a hard time keeping a straight face watching it. Now, while it's true that Kubrick was a man who planned every little detail....I've got to say that many of the theories and hypothesis put forth in the documentary was just plain batty! Then again, that's the wonderful thing about film and art in general, isn't it? The viewer is able to interpret it how they choose.

    I've yet to see Maniac, but I'll be checking it out soon. I completely agree...the original makes you feel pretty skeezy after watching it.

    Berberian Sound Studio was brilliant.

    I wasn't going to watch American Mary, but it you're recommending it then I'll give it a go!

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    1. American Mary is at least worth ninety minutes of your time. A movie gets a lot of points from me just by showing me something I haven't seen before. Berbian Sound Studio scored points with its unique premise, too.

      Thanks for your comment!

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  2. Some of the theories posited in Room 237 were too flighty, and I ended up turning it off. I will have to watch the rest in time. Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunter is now streaming. Although it's not great, the film uses a lot of practical effects, and happens to be produced by Will Ferrel. I'm halfway through and finding it a passable pleasure.

    You are overloading my streaming queue with a lot of great titles. And I still need to see The Bay.

    Keep up the great work, Brandon! I enjoy these articles thoroughly!

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    1. I noticed Hansel & Gretel on Netflix this afternoon. They've also added All The Boys Love Mandy Lane. I wasn't crazy about it, but it got so much press for sitting unreleased for years that I suspect a lot of people are curious. I was warned about Room 237 by Erin at Seven Doors Of Cinema before seeing it, and I think going into it knowing it wasn't a proper documentary allowed me to enjoy it a little more.

      Thanks for visiting, Carl. I'm glad to hear I'm keeping you buried in recommendations.

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  3. Twixt, the Coppola ghost story starring Val Kilmer as an alcoholic writer who gets involved in a real mystery, is worth a watch.

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    1. I'm curious about Twixt. Critical response seems to be pretty much split down the middle. I like Kilmer, though. Good catch, Erin. Thanks for commenting!

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  4. Just saw "Grabbers", the only movie from this list available in Colombia :'(, and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's a simple film, well made, with good effects and acting. I'll be watching "The Bay" and something called "Would you rather" soon, as this are the more recent genre movies netflix has added.

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    1. I was pleasantly surprised by Grabbers, Santiago. Sometimes simple and well made is enough.

      The Bay is one of my favorites from last year, mentioned in a previous Noteworthy On Netflix. I've lived in Virginia my entire life, and it struck a nerve. Much of the detail The Bay grounds its story in is true. Watch the movie first, then do a Google search on Chesapeake Bay pollution.

      Would You Rather? isn't bad. It's made worthwhile mostly by a scene-chewing performance by Jeffrey Combs.

      Thanks for checking out the new post!

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    2. Watched "The Bay" a few days ago, and really enjoyed, but was dissapointed at the end, cause I felt it was a little too sudden, I expected an ending that gave some closure to the plot. It is, however, a very good movie, it makes one really think about pollution in a different way, as something that can affect us way more directly.

      Will be watching "Would You Rather?" tonight, as well as "Sharknado" and I'm thinking about watching Stephen King's mini series "Bag of Bones".

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    3. The end of The Bay was a little abrupt, but I think I would argue that in this instance the found footage conceit was so ably utilized that the ending was appropriate. One of the horrors of destroying our environment in this fashion is that it's not a problem that can be neatly tied up after ninety minutes. The fallout of a circumstance like the one presented would just continue on and on for generations. I'm glad to hear you enjoyed it, though. It's on my short list of underappreciated gems that have slipped under a lot of radars. If you've not seen them, Pontypool and the first two [REC] movies would make that list, too.

      Sharknado is exactly what you think it is. Set your expectations accordingly, and I think you'll enjoy it. I've actually not seen Bag Of Bones. You'll have to report back if you watch it.

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  5. great list... i must say, dredd it was sooooo good!

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    1. I do think Dredd will become a very "cult-y" movie. We old guys still remember Stallone's Judge Dredd (1995). Once bitten, twice shy. I had to be persuaded to watch it, but I was glad I did. It's a meat and taters movie that's better than expected.

      Happy New Year, Jeremy!

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  6. Another great NoN list! I really enjoyed the Maniac remake, and American Mary is one of the best of the year. I've been meaning to watch Berberian Sound Studio, and all my friends keep pushing me to watch Dredd, so now I guess I'll give it a shot. Also hadn't given Aftershock a hard look because I had immensely low expectations for it, so I'll check that one out too.

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    1. Aftershock is easily the least of the titles you mentioned, but hey . . . it's right there begging to be streamed. lol Aftershock struck me a lot like The Purge: a disaster movie / horror movie mash-up is a great idea, but it didn't do all it could have with the intriguing premise. But hey, if your one of those folks who isn't a big Roth booster, bad things do happen to him. I suspect you'll be pleasantly surprised by Dredd, though.

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