Netflix, as we all know, is a great way to watch new TV shows and movies. What you may not know is how many classics Netflix offers, films as old as 1928 are available to stream.
It’s absurd to think we can see films whose directors couldn’t fathom that anyone would see their movie even a year later, and that these films are so readily available to us at the click of a button.
I’ve compiled a list of some great movies that you maybe haven’t seen yet based on some Netflix favorites. They are ten films that not only stay with you and demand multiple viewings, but also reveal subtlety in ways many contemporary movies fail to achieve.
While the list is biased, omitting many others, I will say it’s worth it to dig these titles out, and I hope you can discover films that entertain and inspire you. The list is chronological, ranging from 1928-2012.
If you like “Airplane,” watch “Steamboat Bill, Jr.” (1928)
Many people have heard of Charlie Chaplin, but one of the greatest comics of all time is actually Buster Keaton. Famous for doing all his own stunts, including a scene in which a house falls on him, Keaton’s silent films exploded in his time. If you like the silly, slapstick humor of “Airplane,” check out “Steamboat Bill, Jr.”
If you like “Mean Girls,” watch “Sunset Boulevard” (1950)
Despite success of “Mean Girls,” one of the meanest girls in all film history is Norma Desmond, a washed-up Hollywood actress played by Gloria Swanson. Unable to adapt to talking movies, she still believes she is a star and drags a poor screenwriter into her world of lies. Directed by Billy Wilder (“Some Like it Hot”), the film shows the underbelly of Hollywood life.
If you like “Chinatown,” watch “French Connection” (1971)
Loud and adrenaline-filled, “French Connection” stars Gene Hackman as a crazy, alcoholic cop tracking drugs in New York City during the 1970s. Directed by William Friedkin (“The Exorcist”), the film is known for its special effects, pre- CGI: all explosions and car chases were actually performed. It shows the trash-filled, gritty NYC of the ‘70s in a way you haven’t seen before.
If you like “Groundhog Day,” watch “Annie Hall” (1977)
“Annie Hall” shares the quirkiness and comedy of “Groundhog Day.” Known for both directing and starring in many of his movies, Woody Allen is awkwardly comedic, and his movies twist traditional genres. Don’t expect your usual romantic comedy, but “Annie Hall” offers wit and clever dialogue.
If you like “Top Gun,” watch “Rain Man” (1988)
“Rain Man” is an unconventional, touching reuniting of two brothers: a very young Tom Cruise, just after “Top Gun,” and Dustin Hoffman. Hoffman’s stellar performance as an autistic savant alone is reason to watch the film.
If you like “Django Unchained,” watch “Reservoir Dogs” (1992)
With elements of scrambled plot and comic violence, “Reservoir Dogs” is a story of suspicion among a group of thieves. Like all of Quentin Tarantino’s films, it’s smart, witty, and strangely violent, but exciting to watch.
If you like “Pulp Fiction,” watch “Trainspotting” (1996)
It’s hard to describe the pain of heroine addiction portrayed in “Trainspotting.” Like “Requiem for a Dream,” its strong images make it hard to watch in places. Co-starring Ewan McGregor, its brilliant, terrifying, and sequences will surely stick with you after the movie.
If you like “Zoolander,” watch “Fargo” (1996)
No other movie makes fun of Minnesotans like “Fargo.” The film is both startling and hysterical as you watch a pregnant cop, Margie, chase down a corrupt car salesman in this Coen Brothers’ directed movie. Wittier than most comedies, this film’s characters and dialogue just make you wonder about places like Fargo.
If you like “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” watch “Waking Life” (2001)
If you like Johnny Depp and his drugged-out performance in “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,” check out “Waking Life.” Directed by Richard Linklater (“Boyhood”), the film is rotoscoped, meaning every frame is traced and illustrated over, giving it a surreal feel. Philosophical and abstract, the movie follows the main character’s conversations with the people he meets in a dream. It’s both unique and odd; you’ve never seen a film like it.
If you like “The Wolf of Wall Street,” watch “Mud” (2012)
I absolutely love Matthew McConaughey, and unlike his role in “The Wolf of Wall Street” as a coked-out investment broker, he brings aloof loneliness to his role as a distant fugitive, Mud. Trying to find lost love with the help of two young boys, McConaughey brings an odd hopelessness to this coming-of-age drama.