Watch These 7 Movies on Netflix to Escape the Cold Outside
Beginners (2010): This is an uplifting film about a man named Oliver (Ewan McGregor) as he reflects on his relationship with his father (Christopher Plummer) after the latter's passing. It flashes between the protagonist's memories of his dad as he navigates this loss and his budding romance with a quirky European woman, Anna (Mélanie Laurent). Oh, and there's a really cool Jack Russell with plenty of screentime.
Best Line: "We didn't know how we learned the stories in our heads, but sometimes they stopped running."
An Indie Exploration of a Father-Son Relationship
Okay, so you've eaten all you can this holiday season, and now you’re in a full-throttle, diagnosable food coma. And if you're also feeling a social hangover from all the mingling required during winter festivities, you're probably even more exhausted. Don't worry—there's a way to make this discomfort far more enjoyable. Regroup and enjoy the post-feast brain by vegging out with a Netflix movie marathon. But don't add just any flick to your queue… You'll need movies that are good enough to keep your mind off your food baby. If you aren't sure what to watch, we've selected seven of our favorites to guide your decision.
Curate your own list according to your mood—there's something on here for everybody—and if you want to grab some snacks by the time the third movie starts, we won't stop you. In fact, we may encourage it. You deserve a long, relaxing binge-watch session with nothing between you and your streaming device (aside from this guide, of course). Once you pick your favorite flicks, go find a comfortable spot on the sofa and press play.
The Thrilling Drama
Nightcrawler (2014): A Los Angeles crime reporter gets sucked into the underbelly of all underbellies as he attempts to make a career out of capturing exclusive footage of accidents and crime scenes. By representing the ways in which the news media exploits certain narratives, it creates its own narrative around fictional representation of violence as entertainment. Jake Gyllenhaal's disturbing and wildly fascinating performance as the protagonist makes this a must-see.
Best Line: "I like to think if you're seeing me, you're having the worst day of your life."
An Uplifting Tale With Female Leads
Frances Ha (2012): Starring Greta Gerwig, who also wrote the screenplay, this movie is a celebration of female friendship. It pivots around young people living in Brooklyn as they figure out who they want to become. So if you like Lena Dunham's work, this is definitely up your alley. Full of tender and sweet moment throughout, Frances Ha is also a unique vision with grainy, low-contrast shots.
Best Line: "It's that thing when you're with someone, you're laughing and shining, and you look across the room and catch each other's eyes, but—but not because you're possessive or it's precisely sexual, but because that is your person in this life. It's this secret world that exists right there in public, unnoticed, that no one else knows about."
Get Cozy
The Informative Tragic Comedy
The Big Short (2015): How do you explain the movie that attempts to explain the Great Recession? This award-winning film investigates the complicated, depressing, and sometimes dull topic with a hilarious, informative, and approachable energy. We wouldn't expect anything else from the cast of Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, and Brad Pitt.
Best Line: "That's a nice haircut. Did you do it yourself?"
The Philosophical Stunner
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004): A philosophical tearjerker, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is both profoundly thought-provoking and entertaining (which is not an easy thing to be). If you haven't seen this (arguably) dystopian fantasy, the basic premise is that a couple (Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey) undergo a medical procedure to erase their memories of each other post-breakup. The thematic strength of this film is undeniable, and it'll make an impression that leaves you thinking about absence, healing, and ethics.
Best Line: "Blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better even of their blunders."
The Coming-of-Age Romantic Comedy
10 Things I Hate About You (1999): For those you who haven't watched this classic at least 10 times, we'll give you some background info. Sisters Kat (Julia Stiles) and Bianca couldn't be more different. Bianca is the younger, precocious popular girl while Kat, though equally precocious, is an introverted, badass, and studious teenager. When their loving but overprotective dad forbids Bianca from having a boyfriend until Kat starts dating, the real fun begins—i.e., Heath Ledger swoops in.
Best Line: "You don't always have to be who they want you to be, you know."
A Cult-Classic Satire
Mean Girls (2004): The best way to watch and rewatch this one is when you're in a deliriously slap-happy state as the result of a food coma. You don't need to worry about thinking too much; just sit back, relax, and enjoy the absurd hilarity of high school drama and cliques.
Best Line: "I have a nephew named Anfernee, and I know how mad he gets when I call him Anthony. Almost as mad as I get when I think about the fact that my sister named him Anfernee."
What are you favorite movies on Netflix? Let us know in the comment section below so we can add them to our queue!