Matthew Ellmore/Staff Writer
Netflix offers a wide array of content for its viewers to watch, and it can be daunting to skim through its large collection to try and find something that interests you. However, there are some documentaries, series, and movies that are available on Netflix and that stand out from the rest. Some of them may be well-known, others may not. Hopefully, you can find something that interests you.
“The World Is Yours” (2018)
Although it takes its title from the popular gangster film “Scarface,” “The World is Yours” is a stark contrast from most other films in the genre. Set in Paris, the film follows François, a small time mobster, as he attempts to finish one last deal that involves gangsters, his crush and his overbearing mother. Rather than reinvent the genre, “The World is Yours” does the opposite. It includes many aspects of the crime genre but fills it with more style. There’s a lot of humor throughout the film but it’s natural instead of shoehorned in. As the situations begin to build in absurdity and humor, there’s still something to tether the story down and keep the audience involved. Chaos and pandemonium echo throughout “The World is Yours,” but it’s a unique feeling of disorder and one that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.
“Wanderlust” (2018)
“Wanderlust” follows therapist Joy Richards and her husband Alan as they try to breathe life into their marriage by dating other people. “Wanderlust” tackles numerous complex subjects and manages to do so with humour and humility, something that not many shows have been successful in doing. The show does not sugarcoat the way it portrays its characters, their relationships and the situations they deal with. Taboo topics are discussed at length instead of being avoided, and the realness of these interactions can almost make the show unbearable at times. The themes of the show are powerful in their own right, but they’re portrayed perfectly by Toni Collette as she navigates through her marriage and feelings of fear, love and pain. “Wanderlust” may be hard to watch at times, but it’s honest and the messages it sends are pertinent to audiences of all ages.
“Shirkers” (2018)
In 1992, Sandi Tan and her friends Sophie and Jasmine shot Singapore’s first indie movie called “Shirkers.” Along with her mentor Georges Cardona, Sandi wrote the script and ended up playing the lead. After the movie finished shooting, Cardona vanished with all the footage. “Shirkers,” the documentary, takes place 20 years later as Sadie attempts to rediscover the movie that she lost. This is less of a documentary and more of a collection of real life events, which can be off-putting to some people. The plot doesn’t become apparent until the ending of the film, and there isn’t a lot of cohesion throughout the film. Instead, “Shirkers” comes across like its main subject. It’s a raw, youthful and punkish look at how cinema has affected Sandi Tan and her friends. Tan creates a uniquely personal film in “Shrikers,” one that’s fully hers and one that she won’t lose again.
Featured photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash.