Updated 2/27/19
I watch a lot of Netflix these days. I dare you to judge me.
It’s not something I’m proud of, or not proud of. Although I keep claiming that I’d love to start reading more again. I just can’t turn my eyes away from all the amazing content available on Netflix. Today I impulsively decided to share my top ten movie picks on Netflix today.
I’ll be honest.
I didn’t put too much thought into this. I just thought it would be fun to share my personal picks from the movies I have saved in “My List” on Netflix. It should give you an insight into the kind of movies I like. Keep in mind however, these are based on what I have access to here in Asia as well.
I’m considering doing one of these every other, other month or so.
Enjoy!
1 - Annihilation
If you hate movies that leave you with no strong conclusion, or struggle with abstract story lines, then don’t watch this movie. If however, you like trippy sci-fi movies that challenge your imagination, then you might like this one. I for one, LOVED it. This is the kind of movie I would choose to watch over just about anything I can think of. It gets a 10 out of 10 from me.
My favorite part: The climactic end. The music and visuals are amazing and worth the wait.
2 - Wild wild Country
Most people know I have a bit of a thing for Osho. Guilty as charged. I like him. His books are great. His robes are sweet. And he had a great idea for a community that probably didn’t go down exactly as he planned. Most people’s “great plans” never do. That’s life.
This is the second documentary I’ve seen on Osho, and the least biased. The first one, from which much of the footage for this one was taken, was much more biased against Osho and his commune. I think this one does a much better job of showing both sides of the story.
My favorite part: Whenever the lawyer speaks. He seems like a great guy. And all the old footage of the sanyasans. The always look undeniably full of joy. Take note of that. (And of the people who always appear undeniably angry) It’s always the angry people doing the loudest yelling in the room.
3 - 2001 A Space Odyssey
Classic.
My favorite part: The monkey part in the beginning. I like being reminded of where we came from.
4 - Maniac
( I changed this. The movie I listed here before was “Game Over Man.” I thought it was funny. Most people think it’s pretty stupid. Whatever. Maniac is 100x a better movie so I changed it.)
Maniac is the best thing I’ve watched on Netflix, probably ever. Seriously. I was skeptical too. A thinner Jonah Hill who seems to have lost all his humor? How can this work. It started off slow. I kept wondering if I was going to like it. But it just keeps getting better and better and weirder and better. By the last episodes I realized that this is a masterpiece of creative storytelling like few other I’ve seen. Watch this immediately!
My favorite part: Hard for me to say on this one. My friend asked me if this was a funny movie. It is not. However there are these diamonds of next level humor sprinkled throughout that could be easy to miss. But if you get em, they’re genius.
5 - Drive
I watched this movie and decided briefly that I would start wearing a cool gold jacket, and maybe take up driving super fast in a car all over the place. Also, a near constant expressionless sense of seriousness on my face would be an awesome look as well. Great movie. Pulp fiction for those of us with no sense of humor.
My favorite part: The scene with them driving through the waterways. I love the song playing, the light, the photography. It’s perfect.
6 - Alien
Yeah, more sci-fi. I just can’t help it. This movie is amazing even today. I’m the kind of person who watches movies like this, decades, and thinks of how much talent and skill it took to do this with the limited technology they had available at the time. It’s amazing.
My favorite part: The very beginning when they are all sitting around chatting after having just awoken from sleep. I don’t know why but I’ve always really like these scenes. The camera pan, the chatting, the light. There’s a scene like this in E.T. I like too. But this one is special because many of them are having their morning smoke. Not something you see much in movies anymore.
7 - Clockwork Orange
This is just a brilliant work of art. If you don’t like artwork presented in movie form you probably wouldn’t enjoy it. Or if you never did any drugs at all in your life.
My favorite part: “It was home I was wanting, and it home that I came to brothers.” (1:43:00)
8 - The beach
A classic for all of us “real” travelers out there who fantasized the shit out of all these scenarios, while experiencing many very similar—yet slightly less cinematic—versions of them as well. I used to binge watch this movie before binge watching was even a thing. Probably explains a lot.
My favorite part: At the beginning when his crazy neighbor takes a hit off a joint and says “ah… that’s betterrrr.” I dunno. Just always thought that was funny.
9 - Vanilla Sky
Tom Cruise was still pretty awesome in these days. And this movie is still pretty awesome as well. Great music.
My favorite part: The dance club scene. “Let’s get electrified" - Zooloo nation!
10 - Apocalypse Now
Well, it IS an amazing movie. I have a GREAT story about my first time ever watching it, which I won’t share here. Ask me about it next time you see me. I also recently watched Jarhead which features a slightly (to me) disturbing scene of all the Marines watching the beach scene and going NUTS. I’m not sure we are supposed to be rooting for the helicopters in that scene but it give you a great military perspective.
My favorite part: The beach surfing scene of course. Duh. :)