Netflix seems to have millions of options. When you’re trying to pick a show or movie to watch, it can be pretty overwhelming. Most of the time, we just settle with whatever options we already know and like.
That isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After a long day of class and homework, watching “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” or a few episodes of “Parks and Recreation” can be exactly what we need to wind down and relax.
Although our favorites are always great options, sometimes it’s good to watch some new stuff. For those days when you are trying to pick a new show or movie, here are a few of Netflix’s best options that you might not have watched yet.
####“Short Term 12”
In February, Brie Larson won her first Oscar for her fantastic performance in “Room.” For those of you who enjoyed the emotional journey of “Room,” you might also enjoy one of Larson’s earlier works.
Set in a short-term foster care facility similar to that of Columbia’s own Rainbow House, “Short Term 12” follows the lives of the facility’s staff and the children that they care for. When a new girl is admitted to the facility, Grace (Brie Larson) is forced to confront some traumatic memories that she had been suppressing for years.
“Short Term 12” is a rare film. Despite its low budget, it boasts a strong cast of up-and-coming actors and actresses including Larson, John Gallagher Jr., Rami Malek and Keith Stanfield. Moreover, each shot of the movie captures the beating heart at the center of this facility through the monotonous day-to-day tasks that they perform. Yet, it still packs an emotionally potent narrative centered around Grace, ultimately asking the audience to confront their past no matter how difficult or traumatic that might be.
####“Fruitvale Station”
In recent years, issues of police brutality have appeared to increase in the eyes of the public. From Michael Brown to Eric Garner and countless others, these tragic instances seem to go viral about once a month if not more often. Due to the recurring nature of this phenomena, we as a public often see these deaths as just another news story with no ramifications on our personal lives. This causes us to lose sight of what is truly important: the individual who died and those who mourn his loss. In Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan’s first project together, the young director-actor combo tackled this sensitive subject.
On New Year’s Eve in 2008, Oscar Grant III was shot and killed by a police officer in Oakland, California. “Fruitvale Station” is the dramatic portrayal of the last day of Oscar Grant’s life, offering insight into his personal life and the events that led to his tragic death.
“Fruitvale Station” is an emotionally heavy film. The last few scenes will surely resonate with anyone who has a pulse. But perhaps the most effective feat of “Fruitvale Station” is its ability to humanize the recurring tragedy of police brutality. It reminds us that Oscar, like anyone else, was a human with friends and family who loved him. It also shows us how a police officer might panic in a tense situation. With the increasing relevance of police brutality, “Fruitvale Station” is essential to understanding how these events occur and why they deserve our attention.
####“Love”
Over the last two decades, Judd Apatow has made a name for himself through romantic comedies such as “The 40-Year-Old Virgin,” “Knocked Up” and “This Is 40.” His movies often consist of incredibly flawed characters who fumble through relationships and life. Unlike other romantic comedies, Apatow’s films discuss how love is a more complicated concept than we are led to believe. In many respects, his works offer some of the best and most realistic portrayals of navigating relationships in modern society.
His most recent project is no exception. In the Netflix original series, “Love,” Apatow and his co-creators Lesley Arfin and Paul Rust have created yet another comical, insightful portrait of modern relationships. After the demise of their own personal relationships, Gus (Paul Rust) and Mickey (Gillian Jacobs) meet and begin to reevaluate their lives, questioning why they wanted to be in relationships in the first place.
Similar to most romantic comedies, “Love” is centered around the question of whether or not its central couple will start dating. Yet it is unlike its peers in many ways, it asks if these characters would even be good for each other. “Love” challenges the viewers to dislike Gus and Mickey while still sympathizing with them. Gus, for example, presents himself to be a typical good guy, hiding his selfish tendencies. Mickey similarly suppresses her personal baggage in order to appear to be cool and collected. By asking us to dislike its main characters, “Love” challenges us to question ourselves and our own ideas of love, making it a unique, interesting and insightful series.
####“Tangerine”
The famous film critic Roger Ebert once compared movies to a “machine that generates empathy,” allowing us to identify and connect with people distinct and removed from our own lives. Like other forms of art, film gives us the rare chance to see the world through the eyes of others. One recent movie that achieved this effect was last year’s “Tangerine.”
Shot entirely on the iPhone 5s, “Tangerine” follows the lives of Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez) and Alexandra (Mya Taylor) as they work on the streets as transgender prostitutes. When Sin-Dee learns that her boyfriend and pimp has cheated on her, she sets out to confront him. What follows is a comic and heartfelt portrayal of the lives of these girls, offering insight into their intimate friendship, their values and the obstacles that they often face in their line of work.
####“World of Tomorrow”
Most Netflix suggestions require somewhat long-term commitments. They may be movies that last two or more hours, or they could be television series demanding days of your time. This suggestion, however, is neither of those, clocking in at only 16 minutes. “World of Tomorrow” is an animated short that was recently nominated for Best Animated Short Film at this year’s Oscars, and it may be one of 2015’s most unique films.
Animated primarily through stick figures and other two-dimensional imagery, “World of Tomorrow” is a unique film that is funny, dark and profound while simultaneously maintaining its science-fiction premise. In short, the plot is about a young girl, Emily, who is taken into the future by a clone of her adult self. Hidden in this plot and two-dimensional imagery is the subtly beautiful portrayal of human life and death. The conversations between Emily and her clone reveal how human connection may be our only source of warmth when faced with the inevitability of our deaths. It asks us not to dwell on the daily trivialities of our lives, but rather to focus on our connections and memories with each other.
####“BoJack Horseman”
Adult animated series can be some of television’s funniest shows, and some are excellent satires of American culture, like “South Park.” Few of this genre’s shows, however, become serious dramas with three-dimensional characters. “BoJack Horseman” is a rare adult animated show that simultaneously is a dark drama and satirical comedy.
Set in a world co-inhabited by humans and anthropomorphic animals, “BoJack Horseman” follows the washed-up star of a ’90s sitcom, named BoJack Horseman (Will Arnett), as he works on an autobiography with his ghostwriter, Diane (Alison Brie), and attempts to turn his career around.
A few aspects of “BoJack Horseman” set it apart from its peers, but the main ones are its characters. BoJack and Diane are both successful in their careers, but neither one seems to be truly happy. As they delve further into their careers and personal lives, they begin to feel unsure if they will ever be happy. The unfulfillable desires and perpetual unhappiness of BoJack and Diane have led some to refer to “BoJack Horseman” as one of television’s best portrayals of depression.
Beyond the emotionally resonant character drama at the heart of the show, “BoJack Horseman” is also successful simply because it is hilarious. Capitalizing on its complete and utter devotion to its world with humans and human-like animals, the show uses an unceasing amount of puns. Moreover, its setting in Hollywood (or Hollywoo) opens it to comic satires of life in Hollywood.
As a hilarious animated adult comedy and a dark character drama, “BoJack Horseman” is one of television’s best shows.
_Edited by Katie Rosso | krosso@themaneater.com_
