Netflix Canada: Top five movies you'll enjoy watching this fall
Are you the one stranded amongst
all new blockbusters and don’t
know which one will captivate
you and by that we mean distract
you from schoolwork? Are you in
search of something that feels and
looks totally authentic? Here are the
top five non-mainstream movies on
Netflix that are worth binge-watching.
Captain Fantastic (2016)
Breathtaking and strong, this is a story of a man who quit all the formalities of normal life and set out to educate his five children deep in the woods. These children grow up smart, well-fit and courageous, but whether or not they are ready for a social life after growing up on the outskirts of society is a different story. A dream of building a paradise starts to break down gradually as the family needs to come back to the modern city. That’s how we discover the genuine face of its father, a captain for the children and a fantastic husband. Here we have a plot of contradiction and giddy wisdom with a light and funny narrative style at the same time. Is it possible in the modern day society to radically rise against all the irrational things in our lives and stay human? Or is estrangement nothing but another harmful way of driving someone crazy? The movie leaves that for us to decide.
Everything is Illuminated (2005)
Could you ever imagine Elijah Wood going to eastern Europe in search of his Jewish roots and exploring the history of the Holocaust? Neither could I. This unknown movie with no fancy visual effects and pathetic dialogues is truly a masterpiece of its own kind. It can make you either laugh wholeheartedly or burst into tears over and over again. Its main idea is quite simple, but also incredibly deep with the underlying message of family values. The film shows us hilarious things of our everyday routine from different angles. Life of the poor and rich, traditions of people far, far away from Canada and absolutely unique characters, are all entwined together in order to bring an outstanding drama experience to you.
The Chorus (Les Choristes, 2004)
This is a French movie full of hope, innocence and music. It will take you through the memories of an old, well known Kapellmeister from Europe to the times right after World War II, when he was just a modest singing-master. Then he became an associate of a boarding house for troubled teens and also had to find a way to unite all their lost souls; he started to teach them to sing in a choir. Music brought a sense to their lives, but also became something they needed to struggle for. A mesmerizing story of friendship and deception, The Chorus shows a victory of good over evil, which drowns in light and sublime music.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
This movie is realistic and impossible, grotesque and funny; it is about a little girl who wanted to win a special beauty contest. Everything appears to us upside down here. The girl has a strange family: father who promotes his own plan of success while being bankrupt and then there is the 16-year-old brother who refuses to talk. All these people now have to make a long trip from their home to California to bring this girl to the contest. At first sight the movie can seem to be a regular motivational story about the ones who strived to succeed in life and eventually did it. But nothing’s that simple. The main idea provides us with more material to think on as the heroes suddenly find out that world cannot be divided to just black and white. I would strongly recommend this movie to anyone who has a dream.
Into the Wild (2007)
А real story of Christopher Mc- Candless, better known under the name Alexander Supertramp. This person also left everything, his career, opportunities and education, in order to stay in the woods of Alaska. His passion for truth and purity made him object the values of society, donate all his stored money to charity and become a real adventurer. He overcomes the cold, the heat, pain and people’s ignorance in an attempt to uncover what lies beyond the definition of modern, commercialized life. The movie is a bit maximalist but is worth paying attention to because it helps to understand how we are attached to this world and also promotes the celebration of life.
Captain Fantastic (2016)
Breathtaking and strong, this is a story of a man who quit all the formalities of normal life and set out to educate his five children deep in the woods. These children grow up smart, well-fit and courageous, but whether or not they are ready for a social life after growing up on the outskirts of society is a different story. A dream of building a paradise starts to break down gradually as the family needs to come back to the modern city. That’s how we discover the genuine face of its father, a captain for the children and a fantastic husband. Here we have a plot of contradiction and giddy wisdom with a light and funny narrative style at the same time. Is it possible in the modern day society to radically rise against all the irrational things in our lives and stay human? Or is estrangement nothing but another harmful way of driving someone crazy? The movie leaves that for us to decide.
Everything is Illuminated (2005)
Could you ever imagine Elijah Wood going to eastern Europe in search of his Jewish roots and exploring the history of the Holocaust? Neither could I. This unknown movie with no fancy visual effects and pathetic dialogues is truly a masterpiece of its own kind. It can make you either laugh wholeheartedly or burst into tears over and over again. Its main idea is quite simple, but also incredibly deep with the underlying message of family values. The film shows us hilarious things of our everyday routine from different angles. Life of the poor and rich, traditions of people far, far away from Canada and absolutely unique characters, are all entwined together in order to bring an outstanding drama experience to you.
The Chorus (Les Choristes, 2004)
This is a French movie full of hope, innocence and music. It will take you through the memories of an old, well known Kapellmeister from Europe to the times right after World War II, when he was just a modest singing-master. Then he became an associate of a boarding house for troubled teens and also had to find a way to unite all their lost souls; he started to teach them to sing in a choir. Music brought a sense to their lives, but also became something they needed to struggle for. A mesmerizing story of friendship and deception, The Chorus shows a victory of good over evil, which drowns in light and sublime music.
Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
This movie is realistic and impossible, grotesque and funny; it is about a little girl who wanted to win a special beauty contest. Everything appears to us upside down here. The girl has a strange family: father who promotes his own plan of success while being bankrupt and then there is the 16-year-old brother who refuses to talk. All these people now have to make a long trip from their home to California to bring this girl to the contest. At first sight the movie can seem to be a regular motivational story about the ones who strived to succeed in life and eventually did it. But nothing’s that simple. The main idea provides us with more material to think on as the heroes suddenly find out that world cannot be divided to just black and white. I would strongly recommend this movie to anyone who has a dream.
Into the Wild (2007)
А real story of Christopher Mc- Candless, better known under the name Alexander Supertramp. This person also left everything, his career, opportunities and education, in order to stay in the woods of Alaska. His passion for truth and purity made him object the values of society, donate all his stored money to charity and become a real adventurer. He overcomes the cold, the heat, pain and people’s ignorance in an attempt to uncover what lies beyond the definition of modern, commercialized life. The movie is a bit maximalist but is worth paying attention to because it helps to understand how we are attached to this world and also promotes the celebration of life.
