5 Netflix Films You Never Thought of Watching
Because we know it takes more time to pick than to watch
1. Jackie Brown (1997)
Tarantino’s third feature film is less known, perhaps simply – and unfairly – because it followed Pulp Fiction and preceded Kill Bill. Outshone by the two iconic films, it has sparks of its own nonetheless. You can expect the classic Tarantino touches : blood, guns, an almost-too-resourceful protagonist, a witty dialog, spontaneous kills, a heated car argument and oh, Samuel L. Jackson, as usual. What’s new in this one? Pam Grier plays a middle-aged flight attendant, drug money smuggler on the side, who plans to trick the man she works for into giving her half a million dollars. The unusual hero is calm yet sharp, discrete yet magnetizing, and it’s hard to believe she’s not as popular as Kill Bill’‘s “Bride”.
2. City of Men (2007)
Not to be confused with City of God – though they share producers -, this Brazilian flick tells the story of two best friends as they reach adulthood in Rio de Janeiro’s favelas. Both raised without fathers, one of them sets to find his own as the other one prepares to become one to his newborn son. Their paths soon diverge as they learn about a secret from their past: once inseparable, Acerola and Laranjinha become rivals in the never-ending war of drug clans of Rio. The language barrier dissolves as the film progresses : the emotions translate through the screen and we grow extremely attached to the two young men and their pure, genuine eyes. Its 106 minutes were enough to make us dive into the dark side of Brazil, and we emerged deeply moved.
3. The Gift (2000)
Okay, maybe it’s because we have a secret crush on Cate Blanchett that we put this one in. It might have been the cast that made us click on it, but we can’t say it wasn’t worth it. This gripping thriller follows Annie Wilson, the witness of a murder. The twist? The actual crime hasn’t happened yet. Blanchett portrays the fortune-teller of the town of Brixton, Georgia, who is haunted by the death of a woman from the village before she is even killed. We admit that the film entertains more than anything, but it does it pretty well. The film manages to intrigue and terrify, to compel and petrify. So grab your popcorn and a blanket, but make sure to keep the lights on.
4. Oldboy (2003)
Faint of heart, be warned: Oldboy is a disturbing and graphic film you don’t want to watch if easily disgusted. That said, despite its deeply unsettling scenes, this Korean feature is a masterpiece. It has even been readapted in Hollywood a few years ago – though we still prefer the original one. After being kept prisoner for fifteen years by an unknown adversary for reasons he ignores, Oh Dae-Su seeks the truth, and revenge. He has no idea he is actually the victim of the greatest and most terrible vengeance one could imagine. Possibly the film with the best plot-twist we’ve seen so far, this neo-noir thriller presents a series of strange and eclectic moments that appear completely insane and unrelated until the climactic ending reunites them to explain the twisted and brillant plan of a man of evil.
5. The Skin I Live In (2011)
The Skin I Live In (its original title La Piel que Habito) is another chef-d’oeuvre by Spanish genius Pedro Almodovar. King of twisted stories, quiproquos and secrets, he is oh so true to himself in this one. Not to reveal too much, we’ll try to sum it up in a few words: a widower plastic surgeon tries to perfect a synthetic skin and experiments on a woman he keeps captive. Their unhealthy relationship is witnessed only by his loyal servant Marilia, who – like pretty much every other character – is not who she pretends to be. Worthy of Almodovar’s list of spellbinding realizations, this fast-paced yet incredibly precise film will have you clamped to your seat until the very end.