Netflix Stream

This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

2012-09-13T13:00:00.000-05:00

Featuring: Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, Harry Shearer. Director: Rob Reiner.

The thing about cult classics is that if you don't see them before they become known as "cult classics", they can disappoint you a little because you're expecting too much. That is sort of what happened to me with This Is Spinal Tap.

Don't get me wrong, this was an extremely funny movie. The writing was incredible, the performances were spot on and the style was ingenious for the time. But, you know, I didn't piss my pants. I was really expecting to piss my pants. This movie just has that sort of reputation, especially if you're a huge fan of rock n' roll. And really, who isn't?

Now, before you start calling me a picky asshole (which I am) for talking crap about a great movie (which it is), I want you to know I really did love this movie. I can't believe I'm seeing it nearly 30 years late. This is something I should have been pissing myself laughing at when I was 10 and close enough to the 80's to appreciate all the humor. Well, as best a 10 year old could. If, like me, you were sheltered from this movie as a child you definitely need to watch this. It was pretty damn funny. I would have thought it was even funnier if I had seen it when I was a kid like I should have. I guess you sort of have to blame bad parenting.

Click here to add this to your instant queue.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? It's always talked about as a "cult classic" and I'm all about those.

Is it artsy? Not really, just a really well done mockumentary.

What stood out the most to you? How spot on so much of the satire was. It was almost like watching an episode of Behind the Music, but funnier.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Sick of listening to that 80's rock station at work.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

Tucker & Dale vs. Evil (2010)

2012-06-13T11:00:00.000-05:00

Featuring: Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, Katrina Bowden. Director: Eli Craig.

We've seen the story a million times. Naive college kids head out to the country and run into a house full of psycho-hillbilly maniacs. It's been done to death, literally. After a while, every overdone movie sub-genre becomes due for a send-up.

Tucker & Dale are just a couple of hard working good 'ol boys who bought a fixer-upper vacation home out in the woods. An array of miscommunications and misunderstandings leads a group of college students to think Tucker & Dale are out to get them. The college kids end up attacking Tucker & Dale and all sorts of horror-related comedy ensues.

Most spoofs put out these days are over the top and just add shock value to the movies they are taking over for. Tucker & Dale vs. Evil isn't that sort of movie at all. It doesn't go for the shock gags (for the most part), but instead plays off the ridiculousness of the fear many northerners have of southerners way out in the country. This movie was a really fun 90 minutes and I'd recommend it to anyone who is a horror movie fan. It's a lot funnier than you think it's going to be.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? It was recommended by the blog NETFLIX STREAMING.

Is it artsy? No way.

What stood out the most to you? The way it flipped around the typical killer hillbilly movies.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Ready for some good laughs with likable leads.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

The Invisible Man: Special Edition (1933)

2012-01-04T12:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Claude Rains, Gloria Stuart, William Harrigan, Henry Travers. Director: James Whale.

The Invisible Man is probably my favorite of the old school Universal monster movies. The reason is definitely Claude Rains incredible performance. Rains plays a scientist who discovers a serum that turns whoever injects it completely invisible. As with most drugs, there are side effects. In this case... madness.

It's hard to pull off madness without it coming across as campy. Watching this movie now, as opposed to as a kid, I can really appreciate how good of a job Rains did. It's really unbelievable to me that an actor you can't even see can completely command all of your attention on screen. The most comparable performance I can think of to this one is Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight. Rains and Ledger created characters that were both supremely creepy, insane, and completely unpredictable. The chaos caused by the Joker and The Invisible Man is some of the most random, and wild anarchy you'll see on screen.

This is one of my favorite movies. It's a technical marvel in old school filmmaking with wonderful acting. If you've never seen it and you like sci-fi type horror you really owe it to yourself to queue this one up. You won't be disappointed, The Invisible Man is way ahead of it's time.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 5/1/14. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? It's a classic, it should be in everyone's queue.

Is it artsy? No, but Rains is an evil genius.

What stood out the most to you? Rains performance and spotting Clarence from It's a Wonderful Life.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Ready to witness sci-fi horror madness.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 5 Stars!

Product Review: instantwatcher.com

2011-12-22T12:00:00.000-06:00

If you're a heavy user of Netflix like me (and you must be to read an obscure review blog like this one), then you probably have hundreds of titles in your instant queue. If you do, then they are probably in no particular order at all. A completely random mess. If you're one of those anal retentive types then it probably drives you completely nuts and if you're normal it's probably at least a mild annoyance. Sometimes picking out what to watch from your queue can take almost as long whatever it is you eventually decide to watch.

I came across instantwatcher.com when I started this blog up. I was looking for a way to figure out when Netflix movies are set to expire because a number of times I wrote a review and then the movie was no longer streaming a week later. It made my life a lot easier when I realized instantwatcher.com's database shows the expiration date for every streaming title. After poking around a bit I realized that with the premium service you can actually sort your queue by when titles are expiring and it really was a godsend when it came to writing this blog. I signed up for the week-long free preview and loved it. I could make my queue all pretty like without spending hours messing around. You just link your Netflix account to the premium service and you can sort it in all sorts of ways like by genre, year, rating and the like. There are other features like being able to save titles you want marked but not in your queue, and the ability to have subusers with different queues. To me, however, the real meat and potatoes of this site is being able to organize your queue. I love that feature.

I can't recommend this product to everyone, but if you're a heavy Netflix user and can't stand the chaos anymore then you owe it to yourself to at least sign up for the free preview and see if it makes your life easier. The years subscription is only ten bucks a year if you do end up enjoying it. Oh, and if you happen to run a movie site like myself you might even be able to score a year for free. And yes, I realize that makes me sound like a total shill, but I wouldn't go to all this trouble to promote something I wasn't going to use.

Click here to get sent over to instantwatcher.com.

Duck, You Sucker (1971)

2011-12-21T12:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Rod Steiger, James Coburn. Director: Sergio Leone.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Jan. 1st. Act fast!

Look at that cover. Look at it. How could anyone not be intrigued by the possibilities? A cover like this one is only found on two kinds of movies. Awful movies, and awfully awesome movies. Luckily, this one is representative of the latter. I should have known that after I saw the king of spaghetti westerns, Sergio Leone, was at the helm.

The first ten minutes of this film are strange, confronting and to be honest made me a little queasy - in a good way. The rest of the film is partly hilarious, a bit over the top, and disturbingly tragic. Needless to say there is a lot going on this film.

It stars James Coburn as an IRA explosives-man on the run in Mexico during the revolution. Coburn's character meets up with a bandit, played by Rod Steiger, who is out to make the score of a lifetime and just happens to need a man that is good with dynamite. The two are rivals and confrontational at first but eventually build enough mutual respect to become friends. I won't really go into where the story goes from there, except that to say it goes all over the place and not in directions you will expect.

This is one of those movies you find yourself enjoying way more than you thought you would. It's a roller coaster ride, filled with the ups and downs, the fear and all the excitement that goes with it. Check it out, you'll either love it or hate it. But, you're queue will look much cooler with that cover in it.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/12. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Look at that cover, seriously.

Is it artsy? Not at all.

What stood out the most to you? From the disturbing opening ten minutes I was hooked.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking for something over the top, a little disturbed and different.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

For Your Consideration (2006)

2011-12-16T12:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, Ricky Gervais, Jane Lynch, Michael McKean. Director: Christopher Guest.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Jan. 1st. Act fast!

I'm not one to throw out the term "mildly amusing" lightly, but mildly amusing is exactly what you get with this movie. I kept expecting it to become really funny but all I ever got were a few average laughs. It was disappointing because there was a plenty talented cast, I just think the writing was a little off. It had the right story for a good satire. A bunch of washed up actors make a bad movie but somehow get some Oscar buzz and Hollywood idiocy ensues.

Despite a premise with promise, this Christopher Guest movie just didn't do it for me like some of his earlier movies. Instead of being a hilarious send up of the movie industry the way he mocked community theater and dog shows, you get what just sort of feels like an industry movie that would probably only be interesting or funny to people in the industry. It didn't have the appeal of a Waiting for Guffman or Best in Show. Sure, those were movies about certain industries too, but the characters were relateable even if you don't know a damn thing about dog shows. Unless you're a die hard Christopher Guest fan, I recommend skipping this one and just checking out Waiting for Guffman or Best in Show instead.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/12. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I've had some laughs out of prior Christopher Guest movies so I thought I'd give this one a try too.

Is it artsy? No, it's a showbiz movie. Showbiz ain't no kinda art baby.

What stood out the most to you? It felt like it was going to become hysterical soon, but it never did.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Really into the inner workings of Hollywood I suppose, or at least satires of it.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 2 Stars.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958)

2011-12-15T12:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Burl Ives. Director: Richard Brooks.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Jan. 1st. Act fast!

With Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor joining forces I think Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, hands down, wins the award for prettiest eyes in a movie. Taylor is smoking hot as the neglected wife who is completely desperate to get her husband into bed and Newman plays opposite her as a stubborn drunk who has given up on life. Somehow, I think only Paul Newman could play that role sexy. And yes, I am feeling very secure in my masculinity as I write this review.

Despite the bad southern accents (as twitterer @Tny8 pointed out, because being a Chicagoan I can't tell a bad one from an authentic one), I found myself getting all wrapped up in the drama of this movie. When I wasn't busy thinking about how bad I wanted Liz (yes, we're on a first name basis), I found myself relating to the troubles of Newman's character. I understand high expectations, and I understand not living up to them. Particularly now that my 30th birthday is just around the corner (same age as Newman's character). That sort of pressure can be hard to escape, it can be hard to find yourself, and I suppose it could make you even do something as insane as neglect a woman as foxey as Liz Taylor in her prime.

That sort of depression can only come from complexity. The complexity in this movie, and Newman's character, is born from his insanely dysfunctional family, the suicide of a best friend, and the pain and suffering young love can bring about. Over the course of the 24 hours portrayed in this movie Newman is able to work through his issues with his father (interesting performance from Burl Ives) and his wife. Were the answers satisfactory? I won't spoil that, but I will say that in life, they rarely are.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/12. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Paul Newman and Elizabeth Taylor. Do I really need any other reason?

Is it artsy? No, but it is based on a Tennessee Williams play and my understanding is he was a bit of an artist with that sort of thing..

What stood out the most to you? Paul Newman gave a great performance, Taylor was f***** hot.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking for conflict and sizzle.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

Nights of Cabiria (1957)

2011-12-14T12:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Giulietta Masina, Francois Perier. Director: Federico Fellini.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Jan. 1st. Act fast!

Giulietta Masina's face is so expressive it seems as though it was in her DNA to perform in silent films. I don't know if she ever was in any silent films or not, but every time I see her in a movie I just picture her with Charlie Chaplin hamming it up and holding conversations with just their facial expressions. She seems to be from another time. A time when theatre was more important than the silver screen. Her energy, her deliberate awkwardness. I can't tell if she was brilliant or an idiot savant, but what I do know is that I absolutely cannot keep my eyes off of her.

Nights of Cabiria again pairs up Masina with famed Italian director Federico Fellini, himself a bit of an odd bird. Together they tell the story of a prostitute who is jaded enough to expect those around her to hurt her, but hasn't yet reached the level of cynicism that keeps her from being hopeful of finding true love. As you can probably imagine, she's right in that sweet spot where she get hurts a lot. Masina, and by extension her character, has such a great spirit that somehow this movie keeps from devolving into a depressing mess. You want to follow her journey, you want her to succeed, even if you sort of suspect it's just going to turn bad in the end. After all, part of me thought she sort of suspected it as well.

Queue this one up, it's a ride worth taking and at the very least you can come back and tell me what you think of the enigma that is Giulietta Masina. There is just something about her I can't quite put my finger on.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/12. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I watched La Strada a while back and I became interested in Fellini and incredibly intrigued with Giulietta Masina. Plus, just look at that poster. Awesome.

Is it artsy? It doesn't feel artsy but I guess it sort of is. It is in Italian.

What stood out the most to you? Giulietta Masina has the most expressive face I've ever seen in my life.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? In the mood for something different.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

Led Zeppelin: The Song Remains the Same (1976)

2011-12-13T12:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Bonham, John Paul Jones. Directors: Joe Massot, Peter Clifton.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Jan. 1st. Act fast!

If you aren't a fan of Led Zeppelin then you need to either hit up iTunes (or obtain by other means) some of their music. Either that or get off of my page. They're the greatest rock band of all time in my mind and they are unquestionably up there in everyone's top five (provided they have any knowledge of music history). Their music was incredible and their energy was insane. The four of them were as talented as any group in history.

I imagine you all probably know that already, but I was just making sure. This film captures the band live from Madison Square Garden in New York tearing the house down in their prime. Watching them perform gave me goosebumps and it only got more intense as it went on. Jimmy Page is probably the only man in history that could give that other Jimi a run for his money as far as creativity and skill with the guitar. My face melted a little bit, no bullshit. Robert Plant's voice is absolutely mesmorizing, I didn't even really need to watch this to be hypnotized. The music is that good.

This is something that should be watched by anyone with any passing interest in music. Sure, there were trippy scenes thrown in for absolutely no reason that only detracted from the performance, but that's just how they rolled in the 70's. Don't let the bizarre beginning distract you from what is here. A thrilling performance from the greatest rock stars of all time.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/12. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Led Zeppelin were rock gods.

Is it artsy? No, but it tries to be with pointless trippy parts that just feel tagged on.

What stood out the most to you? Jimmy Page is a bad mother f*****.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Stoned and/or ready to rock.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

Letters from Iwo Jima (2007)

2011-12-12T12:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Ken Watanabe, Shido Nakamura. Director: Clint Eastwood.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Jan. 1st. Act fast!

I hadn't really heard much about Letters from Iwo Jima when I turned it on. I vaguely remember hearing it was pretty good and I knew Clint Eastwood was directing so that made it worth a shot despite my World War II movie fatigue. I'm sure I can't be the only one that has it. There have been so many good WWII movies that it feels like I've seen every angle you could take on the war of wars that any other movie on the subject would seem like a cliche or a retread.

After about five minutes I realized that this movie was entirely from the perspective of Japanese soldiers. It never really occurred to me that anyone would ever think to film a WWII movie from the Japanese perspective and once I realized that I was suddenly intrigued. Clint, you sneaky bastard. The reason you never see any movies from that point of view is because the Japanese were the bad guys. WWII wasn't the kind of war that had much moral ambiguity to it like say, any war since. I'm of the opinion that the allies were on the side of good. Sure, in war there are always bad things done even by the side in the right. And, if you're going to point to any war as being a "Just War" then it would be this one.

Showing the other side is sort of a risky step by Mr. Eastwood. Some could, and probably have thought of this movie as being almost apologetic for the Japanese in WWII. Instead, in my opinion, it shows that even a just war is completely absurd and that the people who are hurt by such a war are never the evil mother f****** who started it. It's the hardworking men and women with families that suffer. That's whats happening now, and that's what always happens in war. It's just a bad business and ideally we'll have a lot less of them once we realize that the poor bastards on the other side are probably just like the poor bastards on our side.

I realize this hasn't been much of a review, but it was a movie that got me thinking. And sometimes, we need movies like that. Well acted, thought-provoking, slightly daring and touching as well. Give it a try, we all need to be a little more anti-war.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/12. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Clint Eastwood is a pretty darn good director so I thought it deserved a shot.

Is it artsy? No, but the movie is almost entirely in Japanese so expect to do plenty of reading.

What stood out the most to you? I didn't know much about this movie going in, so finding out it was told from the Japanese perspective was pretty surprising.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Needing a reminder of the absurdity of war.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

Giant (1956)

2011-12-11T12:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, James Dean. Director: George Stevens.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Jan. 1st. Act fast!

You can't really go wrong with a cast like Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson and James Dean. Each of them were legends in their own right. I also believe that Hudson and Dean gave the best performances of their careers in this movie (Hate to admit it, but I think Rebel Without a Cause is a bit overrated).

Hudson was wonderful as a wealthy, traditional Texas rancher who falls for the strong-willed (surprise, surprise) Elizabeth Taylor the moment they met. This is really a tale of their marriage over the years, and the dysfunctional family the two of them produced. The charisma between Hudson and Taylor is absolutely fantastic and some of the most memorable scenes are the two of them in bed arguing like an old married couple. It's hard to pull off those simpler moments in life and make them relateable and the two of them are very convincing.

James Dean plays Hudson's rival who has a huge chip on his shoulder and uses that motivation to work his way from the bottom to build his own empire. He creates a complex, if troubled character and portrays a man with an inferiority complex wonderfully. Overall, this is a fantastic epic well worth the over three hour run-time. You will witness some of the greatest actors of all time doing what they do best, creating characters that are believable, like us yet different and very compelling. You should definitely check this one out.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/12. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I'm in love with Elizabeth Taylor, and not in some creepy necrophilia kind of way either you sicko.

Is it artsy? No.

What stood out the most to you? The chemistry Taylor and Hudson had as an old married couple could be really funny at times.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? In the mood to watch a good movie with humor, intrigue and interesting characters. Also, you should have about three and a half hours because it's pretty long.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

Winchester '73 (1950)

2011-12-09T13:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Jimmy Stewart, Shelley Winters, Dan Duryea, Tony Curtis, Rock Hudson. Director: Anthony Mann.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Dec 29th. Act fast!

As some of you may know, Jimmy Stewart is one of my favorite actors of all time. He had a presence like none other and had more acting chops than I think a lot of people give him credit for. They think of him just as sweet George Bailey and forget how many diverse roles he was in. However, until a couple of westerns showed up on Netflix streaming, I had never, ever pictured Jimmy Stewart being in a western. It just seemed like a strange fit that would never work. Then I saw Destry Rides Again and realized it could work very well in a western with a lighter tone.

Winchester '73, however, has a much more serious tone. Jimmy Stewart plays a man who likes guns and is out for revenge. I kept thinking of George Bailey. I couldn't help it. Stewart gave a good performance, the supporting cast was excellent and the story was decent. I just couldn't get past the fact that Mr. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was determined to murder someone. That's just my own bias though. This is a solid western, and if you enjoy the genre I recommend it. Just don't spend the whole time wondering if a devil gets his horns every time you hear a gunshot and you'll enjoy it more than I did.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 12/29/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Jimmy Stewart.

Is it artsy? No.

What stood out the most to you? Jimmy Stewart being driven by revenge.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking to get your western fix.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars.

Man in the Shadow (1958)

2011-12-07T12:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Jeff Chandler, Orson Welles. Director: Jack Arnold.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Jan. 1st. Act fast!

Orson Welles is probably the most interesting figure in the history of the silver screen. He directed what is widely considered the greatest movie of all time and is also acclaimed by many as one of the best actors of all time. He was larger than life and the legacy he left behind was even greater. I think it is perfectly fair to consider him a genius.

The trouble with geniuses, however, is that they see things before the rest of us do. Insert your favorite "ahead of his time" cliche here. Today, directors like Scorsese can produce some of their best work late in their careers. When Welles got started, the term "filmmaker" wasn't something that carries the weight that it does now. The movie going-public today (or at least a segment of it) is more educated and interested in risk taking in the cinema. Sadly, Welles' failures at the box office left much of his career's potential untapped. Instead of crafting masterpieces, he was relegated to acting in b-movies such as this one. That makes me sad, but such is life.

Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad movie. It features Welles as a plantation owner out west who is the lord over all of the migrant workers at his establishment. Welles character is charming and slimey all at once and the protagonist (Chandler) does a good job playing a straight arrow of a sheriff who is determined to get to the truth no matter how powerful the toes that he is stepping on may be. This is a decent movie with political undertones that are very relevant today, but it still makes me sad. Mostly because instead of directing his version of The Departed, he was acting in a b-movie with a predictable plot. Such is the curse of genius.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/12. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Pretty much anything with Orson Welles is in my queue.

Is it artsy? No.

What stood out the most to you? That conditions for Mexican immigrants have only marginally improved in the last 60 years.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? You should be an Orson Welles aficionado. It isn't his best work, but he's still interesting.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars.

Sorry, couldn't find a trailer for this one.

Best in Show (2000)

2011-12-02T12:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Christopher Guest, Eugene Levy, Catherine O'Hara, Michael McKean, Parker Posey, Jane Lynch. Director: Christopher Guest.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Jan. 1st. Act fast!

For those of you whom are unaware, Christopher Guest is the unchallenged king of the "mockumentary" genre of film making. He was the brains behind the huge hit This Is Spinal Tap and created other cult classics such as Waiting for Guffman. To direct and write that sort of movie you have to have the sort of mind that can spot the absurd in the mundane.

After all, Best in Show is a movie about dog shows. The only thing I have ever remembered about dog shows is that my grandpa would fall asleep in the kitchen watching them on television while my grandma cooked. They aren't the most exciting things in the world. Unless you have the sort of mind that can see the craziness that most of us don't recognize at first glance. Throw in good comedic actors who know how to play their part and give them some really funny lines to deliver, in an understated but somehow outrageous manner, and you end up with a damned funny movie. You get great comedic timing, a lot of laugh out loud jokes, and evidence as to why Christopher Guest will always be the master mockumentarian. Very funny stuff, queue it up. You'll never look at a dog show the same way again.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 1/1/12. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I've had people tell me it was funny. They were right.

Is it artsy? Nope.

What stood out the most to you? Probably the woman that slept with pretty much every bald guy in the movie, that cracked me up each time.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking to laugh or in the company of one of your friends that keeps her pooch in her purse.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

Happenstance (2000)

2011-12-01T12:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Audrey Tautou, Faudel. Director: Laurent Firode.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Dec. 31st. Act fast!

As some of you may know, I'm completely in love with Audrey Tautou. It leads me to watch movies I would never normally watch just to see those big brown eyes and that enchanting smile. Movies like Happenstance.

Now don't get me wrong, Happenstance isn't by any means a bad movie. It just isn't my kind of movie. This is one of those movies with intersecting stories about romance that the French seem to be so good at making. That sort of movie must be rather hard make. You bounce around from character to character and nothing ever seems very cohesive. However, this director, Laurent Firode, pieced together enough interesting vignettes to keep me interested even if the overall story wasn't that compelling.

Sadly, that also means you only get so much Audrey Tautou and that was my biggest disappointment with this movie. Yes, the arc of the story centers around her but she wasn't on screen nearly enough for me to be satisfied. Then again, that's just my own strange crush thing and not something you should worry about. If you like movies like this and have already seen Paris, Je T'aime one too many times, then go ahead and give this one a try.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 12/31/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I want to have Audrey Tautou's babies.

Is it artsy? Not really, but its sort of romantic and it is in French.

What stood out the most to you? The creepy guy that is always lying.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Wanting to show your girlfriend that you have a sensitive side.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars.

Sorry, I couldn't find an English version of the trailer.

Continental Divide (1981)

2011-11-30T12:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: John Belushi, Blair Brown. Director: Michael Apted.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Dec. 31st. Act fast!

John Belushi is one of the comedic gods of the last half century. His life was cut tragically short, but his comedic genius has influenced countless others that followed him. He was the wild card that made SNL edgy and interesting early on. Without his influence it probably wouldn't still be around today. Unfortunetely, his own intensity and excesses are the reasons he isn't with us anymore.

In Continental Divide we see Belushi's attempt at going mainstream in a romantic comedy that plays out to mixed results. The plot is completely ridiculous, but I'm pretty sure that is standard fare for romantic comedies. Blair Brown plays an outdoorsy type woman who studies bald eagles way up in the rocky mountains and Belushi plays a rough around the edges Chicago journalist who is doing a story on Brown's character. The movie would be completely awful if "rough around the edges Chicago guy" wasn't the character that Belushi played best.

Despite the problems with this movie, having Belushi involved makes this a pretty decent romantic comedy. He packs in enough good jokes and puts on just enough of that Belushi charm to make this a worthwhile view. Don't go into this expecting Animal House or the Blues Brothers, but if you're a big Belushi fan (as you should be), then check this one out.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 12/31/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? John Belushi is one of my heroes. We share a love of excess.

Is it artsy? No, it follows the standard Hollywood format.

What stood out the most to you? Little gems that Belushi would sneak in there from time to time.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? A little romance Belushi style.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars.

Live Flesh (1997)

2011-11-29T12:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Javier Bardem, Francesca Neri, Liberto Rabal. Director: Pedro Almodovar.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Dec. 14th. Act fast!

Some movies are inspiring because they explore the wonder and joy that true love can bring. This isn't one of those movies. This is a movie that delves into the darker aspects of love. The way that love can make you do terrible, hateful, vengeful things. This movie shows us what some of our more primitive emotions can drive us to do.

Spanish director Pedro Almodovar has never shied away from exploring sex in his movies and this one certainly isn't any different. Live Flesh features a young Javier Bardem (who you may know as the creepy guy from No Country for Old Men), a complicated Francesca Neri, and a revenge-filled performance from Liberto Rabal. The story revolves around the three of them in a unique love triangle that goes deeper than just jealousy over one man taking the others lover. Bardem plays an officer, who gets shot by Rabal and Neri flip-flops between the love and guilt she feels for both of them. It gets complicated, as love and passion always does, but the story is compelling enough to keep you interested between dirty sex scenes.

If you like your passion mixed in with a little anger, you should enjoy this film.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 12/14/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I was curious to see some other movies featuring Javier Bardem.

Is it artsy? No, but it is in Spanish, for some subtitles count as artsy.

What stood out the most to you? Penelope Cruz giving birth, and the cutting of the umbilical cord. You'll know what I'm talking about.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? In the mood to explore some of the more base emotions of life.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

The Boxer (1997)

2011-11-28T14:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Daniel Day-Lewis, Emily Watson, Brian Cox. Director: Jim Sheridan.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Dec. 31st. Act fast!

For those of you that are unaware, Daniel Day-Lewis is the most intense man in the world. His stare would make Chuck Norris wet his pants. He's an insanely talented actor, and when its all said and done he'll go down as one of the greatest of all time. In The Boxer, we find Day-Lewis in one of his more understated roles. While Day-Lewis was spot on as always, the most interesting character in this movie was the political turmoil that affected every single person in the story.

I'm not Irish or anything, but I know enough about history to know that the famous luck of the Irish is actually bad luck. The Boxer is set during the period of time when peace was just around the corner in Ireland. After decades of conflict, the Irish were a hardened people that knew nothing but fighting and tragedy and you can imagine the kind of effect that would have on the psyches of Irish citizens. It made them paranoid and led to an odd sort of morality that is reflected in this film.

Against this backdrop, we have Daniel Day-Lewis portraying a former IRA fighter, fresh out of jail, looking to make a comeback in boxing after 14 years. I won't spoil the plot, but Day-Lewis ends up in the thick of things. And of course there is a girl, and it is of course complicated. Emily Watson did a wonderful job as the love interest and their unconventional relationship made for some powerful, if subtle, scenes.

I shouldn't really have to tell you to watch this movie because you should already know that every single Day-Lewis movie is required viewing here at Netflix Stream. This is yet another interesting film in one of the most interesting film careers in history.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 12/31/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Daniel Day-Lewis is an acting god.

Is it artsy? No, it's a boxing movie, but it isn't in black and white.

What stood out the most to you? The political backdrop of the story.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? For a good fight.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

The Constant Gardener (2005)

2011-11-27T14:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Ralph Fiennes, Rachel Weisz, Danny Huston. Director: Fernando Meirelles.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Dec. 15th. Act fast!

The Constant Gardener is one of those movies that has been stuck in my queue since I had a queue. I knew it was supposed to be good and that it features an Oscar winner (Rachel Weisz), but I only just watched it last night because it is set to expire in a few weeks.

I think it took me so long to check it out because anytime I hear a movie is supposed to be good and is set in Africa I automatically assume it is going to be f****** depressing. Mostly because good movies set in Africa always are. The last movie I remember being set in Africa that didn't make me completely sad was The Lion King and I don't really think that counts. I understand (and commend) that filmmakers that want to expose to the world all the shitty things that are going on in Africa because a lot of that is happening and needs to be talked about. But, despite their noble intentions, I think that Africa as a place has been stereotyped in movies as hell on earth. Maybe I'm not watching the right movies, but I would like to see a story set in Africa that isn't completely tragic. A little hope might help. In the worst conditions you can find some of the happiest people. Yes, I'm randomly ranting here, but it's a trend in film-making I'm growing tired of. We might have gone from portraying Africans only as savages to portraying them only as victims - but a negative stereotype still exists. Rant over, back to review.

Now that I've gotten that out of my system, I would like to say that this is a good little thriller filled with love, international intrigue, scandal, and the battle between loyalty to ones country and standing up for what is right. The story follows an excellent Ralph Fiennes as a stuffy British diplomat that falls in love with a fiery revolutionary (Rachel Weisz) looking to take down some pretty evil drug companies (if I hadn't already gone off on a rant I'd talk about how corporations are the bogeyman in the millennium here). He gets sucked into her conspiracy and all sorts of things start to happen. The real bright spot for me, however, was Danny Huston. He was creepy, bad and I found the scenes featuring him to be the most grabbing apart from a few intense and very sexy scenes featuring Weisz.

So yea, if you're like me and have had this in your queue forever go ahead and watch it before it expires. Yes, it is depressing at times and the plot can be a little confusing. But, it is brilliantly acted and worth the liberal guilt you'll feel afterward.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 12/15/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Rachel Weisz won a best supporting actress Oscar for her performance and I just heard it was pretty good.

Is it artsy? No, it's a well made thriller.

What stood out the most to you? Weisz may have been the one winning awards but to me Danny Huston was by far the most interesting actor in the movie.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Willing to pay the price of possible depression to watch a good film.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars.

Destry Rides Again (1939)

2011-11-26T14:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Jimmy Stewart, Marlene Dietrich. Director: George Marshall.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Dec. 25th. Act fast!

I've always associated the holidays with Jimmy Stewart. His charm, the peculiar way in which he talks and the morally upstanding, but mischievous characters he plays, give me the warm and fuzzy feeling I crave in between thanksgiving and new years day. Before I decided to watch It's a Wonderful Life for the millionth time, I thought I'd see what else ol' Jimmy had on Netflix. I came across a few movies and the one I decided to watch first was Destry Rides Again.

I picked this one mostly because I had no idea how the hell a guy like Jimmy Stewart would fit into a western genre known more for violence and rough characters than that aw-shucks charm Mr. Stewart is famous for. Throw the always intriguing Marlene Dietrich into the mix and I just couldn't resist. This movie wasn't at all what I expected when I turned it on, but after watching it, I thought that it was exactly what I should have expected. Jimmy Stewart fit in the way he always fits in, with that unique force of nature he seems to possess.

Having Marlene Dietrich playing opposite of him made this movie quite the treat. She played a wild and sometimes venomous woman that was always interesting when on screen and her chemistry with Stewart was wonderful. Stewart played a sort of pacifist sheriff out to bring law and order to a wild west town. The premise is a little silly, but the performances of Dietrich and Stewart make the end product wonderful. If you like westerns, and/or Stewart and Dietrich, queue this one up immediately.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 12/25/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I just couldn't imagine what Jimmy Stewart would be like in a western.

Is it artsy? No, its good raunchy (for the time) fun.

What stood out the most to you? How wild Marlene Dietrich could be.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? In the mood to watch an old movie that will make you laugh.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

Hubert Selby Jr.: It/ll Be Better Tomorrow (2006)

2011-11-23T13:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Hubert Selby Jr, Henry Rollins, Darren Aronofsky, Robert Downey Jr. Directors: Michael W. Dean, Kenneth Shiffrin.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Dec. 1st. Act fast!

The purpose of every documentary is two-fold. First, a documentary is supposed to teach you about something you don't already know. Second, it is supposed to motivate you to do something about that subject. This documentary has educated me on the importance of Hubert Selby Jr. as an interesting figure in the history of American literature and it motivated me to order a copy of Last Exit to Brooklyn.

Selby had a pretty unique outlook on life, and while I haven't as of yet read his writing, he seems like the type of man I would respect. He was wild, intelligent, passionate and did things his own way. I can dig that. This isn't a documentary for everyone, but if you're a Selby fan, curious about the profession of writing, or just into people that see things differently, then this one just might be worth your time.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 12/1/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I had heard of Selby before, but I never got around to reading him. I will remedy that now.

Is it artsy? It's about a not-too-artsy guy who spent his life making art.

What stood out the most to you? What a wild man this frail old man was in his younger days.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking to be inspired to write and find your own path.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars.

I couldn't find the trailer, so here is the entire documentary:

Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter (2001)

2011-11-17T13:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Phil Caracas. Director: Lee Demarbre.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Dec. 1st. Act fast!

Imagine a bunch of your stoner friends from high school coming up with an idea for a movie called Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter. Now picture those stoners finding a bunch of shitty movie-making equipment and then somehow showing enough initiative to not only make their crazy movie... but put their hearts and souls into it. If you can imagine that movie... then you have an idea of what kind of movie Jesus Christ Vampire Hunter is.

Obviously, they're not going to make an incredible movie that keeps you on the edge of your seat. However, the chances are good there would be some really dumb shit that would make you laugh even though you know you shouldn't. This movie can't match the insane genius of a movie like Black Dynamite, but it does feel like it was done by a pot-smoking savant.

My advice when it comes to this movie? Imbibe with friends, laugh at stupid lines like "the power of Christ impales you", enjoy the surprisingly creative but awful fight scenes, and have a ridiculously good time watching a ridiculously bad movie MST3K style.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 12/1/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I think the title alone is enough to warrant having this in my queue.

Is it artsy? Think of the artsyist thing you can think of, multiply it by ten, and think of it's opposite. That is how unartsy this movie is..

What stood out the most to you? To be honest, this movie is so batshit crazy that I can't really even pick out a single moment.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Stoned, with friends.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

The Botany of Desire (2009)

2011-11-15T13:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Michael Pollan. Director: Michael Schwarz.

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Nov. 20th so act fast!

I really had no idea how fascinated I was by plants until I watched this documentary on the relationship between plants and humans. I actually want to start a garden now. Not that I ever would. I've always been more of a carnivore. Plants leave me alone and I leave them alone.

At least that's what I always thought. Apparently, certain plants have survived and thrived because of their dependence on humans. They focus on the apple, the tulip, marijuana and the potato in this movie and show the drastic impacts we've had on those plants and the impacts they have had on us. It all sounds really bland I know, but if you like learning about random stuff this is a very well made and interesting documentary. I enjoyed it and so will you, even if no one would ever call you Dr. Greenthumb.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 11/20/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I thought it was going to be erotic. It wasn't.

Is it artsy? No, despite how the cover looks it is not artsy. It's just about plants, straight up.

What stood out the most to you? Everything really, I never knew agriculture could be so fascinating. That and the weed pants looked really pretty, not that I do that stuff, anymore.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? A curious one, I really learned a lot.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

Lenny (1974)

2011-11-14T13:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Dustin Hoffman, Valerie Perrine. Director: Bob Fosse

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Nov. 20th so act fast!

I really wanted to love this movie. I admire Lenny Bruce and I seem to remember hearing about an up-and-coming actor named Dustin Hoffman who is supposed to be pretty good. It seemed like this movie should have had it all, but throughout the film I kept getting the feeling that something was lacking. The acting was very good and the material was very interesting, but I think what was missing might have been spectacle.

The movie seemed a little too quiet and deliberate for a biopic about a man as controversial as Lenny Bruce. Now, I'm not saying there should have been as much spectacle as there was in The People vs. Larry Flynt, because no one did spectacle quite like Larry Flynt. It is worth making the comparison, however, because the two films (and the lives of their two subjects) did follow very similar paths. Controversy, tragedy, and (justifiable) obsession with the first amendment. Sadly, Lenny Bruce passed away before his fight for first amendment rights could yield any fruits. Maybe that's the real reason I don't like this movie as much as The People vs. Larry Flynt, there was no vindication, no moment of glory, no spectacle. Just tragedy.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 11/20/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Dustin Hoffman as Lenny Bruce, how could I resist?

Is it artsy? Yes, in that sort of artsy way that is particular to movies from the 70's. Black and white, a ton of close ups.

What stood out the most to you? How much more interesting the second half of the movie was then the first.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Don't expect it to be very funny just because it's about Lenny Bruce, it's actually a pretty depressing movie.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars.

Following (1998)

2011-11-13T13:00:00.000-06:00

Featuring: Jeremy Theobald, Alex Haw, Lucy Russell. Director: Christopher Nolan.

Christopher Nolan is an interesting director and the nice thing about interesting directors is that they can tell a good story with a minimal budget. The other thing about interesting directors that got started in the 90's is that they can't seem to tell stories in sequential order. I've always wondered why that is. Is it the Tarantino effect or do they teach you in film school that telling a narrative from beginning to end is just too mainstream?

Luckily, Mr. Nolan was, and is, a talented enough storyteller to avoid having this movie become one of those cliches and now his movies have made billions of dollars. Following is the story of a guy who well, follows people. Yes, this movie embraces the creepers of the world. What keeps this movie from becoming a voyeuristic bore is that the people he follows turn out to be even stranger than he is. Considering the low budget, this film has just enough twists and turns to be a pretty good movie. Don't expect incredible acting or many pretty shots. But the story moves well and is unique enough to carry the film. If you're a fan of Nolan, I suggest giving this one a shot.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 11/20/13. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Christopher Nolan has made some interesting movies so I thought it'd be work checking out his early stuff.

Is it artsy? It's an indie and it's in black and white, so yes. Not overly artsy though, more a having no budget kind of artsy.

What stood out the most to you? How much an interesting story can cover up poor production values.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Just don't have a fear of being watched and you'll be fine.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars.