What to watch on Netflix: Week of 3/10

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.

“Paddleton” (2019)

“Paddleton” tells the story of two neighbors and best friends: Michael and Andy. When Michael gets diagnosed with cancer, the two friends agree to take a road trip to retrieve the medication that will help Michael end his life quickly. “Paddleton” is a very plain and simple movie. The story is small, the budget low and even the premise is common. It doesn’t attempt to dramatize the events that it’s portraying or use joke after joke to try and mask the severity of its plot. Instead, “Paddleton” keeps its focus on its two main characters. They’re awkward, odd and ordinary to the utmost. They both are single and living in small apartments with simple jobs, and they spend their time eating junk food and watching bad movies. Some viewers looking for a dramatic and grand story may feel that this is a turnoff, but it actually adds so much more to the story. The simplicity of the film makes the story feel real and makes the viewer realize that this story is not so different from real life. “Paddleton” reminds viewers of the beauty of an ordinary life and how strong friendship can be. It also reminds viewers of how precious and limited life is. The movie never attempts to romanticize cancer or dying; it’s fairly blunt with the way that it depicts that element of the story. But it manages to intertwine elements of friendship, comedy and joy to produce a story that’s heartfelt and bittersweet.

“The Kirlian Frequency ” (2017)

“The Kirlian Frequency” is an animated series that presents itself as a late-night radio talk show. Each episode focuses on a different individual and mystery in the town of Kirlian. There are only five episodes and each has a runtime of under 15 minutes. The short series length and episode run time make the show feel less like television and more like a really long podcast. The main source of information during the show is from the narrator and whatever resident is recounting their scary story. The animation style is simple yet unique, filling each episode with shadows, dark colors and tension that makes the stories all the more interesting. “The Kirlian Frequency” also avoids any of the common themes that so many modern horror projects use, like jump scares, gore and blood. Instead, the show creates simple set pieces with its animation and narratives that add to a lingering sense of fear. Its atmosphere feels more like a short story from Edgar Allan Poe or H.P. Lovecraft. Little to no detail is ever given to who the narrator is or even why some of these mysteries are happening, but these choices are made purposefully. Since no two episodes ever focus on the same person, it’s understandable as to why each episode ends with only vague answers. With its unique animation style and form of narration, “The Kirlian Frequency” is a strange and unnerving horror series that treats it’s viewers to an experience like no other.

“Behind the Curve” (2019)

Unlike the many other documentaries about questionable beliefs and conspiracy theories, “Behind The Curve” gives an objective and well-organized look at the Flat Earth movement, a movement where people uphold the belief that the Earth is flat and the United States government is trying to keep it a secret. Filmmaker Daniel Clark interviews members of the movement, both prominent and common, and lets them tell their own versions of what they believe in. He also speaks to astrophysicists and psychologists who discuss the accuracies of these beliefs and how people might have come to hold them. While hearing the members go off on tangents on the “true shape” of the earth is entertaining, the documentary never feels like it’s overtly making fun of these people. Instead, it lets the members speak for themselves and the audience decides how to interpret those beliefs. “Behind the Curve” doesn’t spend its entire run time attempting to debunk the flat Earth theory; rather, it focuses on the lives of the theorists and the psychological aspects involved in these beliefs and its community. When it does this, the film starts to branch out much farther than just a single movement. It becomes a study of conspiracy theories and movements in general, and how they affect both the people involved and those who watch from the outside.

Featured photo by Denise Jans on Unsplash.

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