Here’s five more movies that just hit Netflix Instant in the past couple of weeks, from an eco-horror film that’s unsettlingly perfect for summer viewing to the brilliant original version of a highly-anticipated upcoming remake.
Pick of the week: “The Bay”: My original review is here. Barry “Diner” Levinson is about the last person I’d expect to make a found-footage horror movie, but his eco-horror film about a seaside town invaded by inch-long parasites brought on by a nasty mix of nuclear and chemical dumping is clever and creepy.
Documentary of the week: “Hot Coffee”: My original review is here. A documentary on tort reform may sound like the dullest thing imaginable, but this engaging 2011 film looks at the real-world costs when juries are prevented from fairly awarding damages to victims of corporate neglect. The film looks at three cases, including the infamous McDonald’s hot-coffee case that received so much derision, and shows you what really happened behind the punchlines.
Action film of the week: “Oldboy”: My full review is here. With the first trailer for Spike Lee’s remake now out, Netflix is releasing the original 2003 film from Park Chan-wook, in which a man seeks revenge against the mysterious kidnappers who held him for 17 years. Spike, you have your work cut out for you.
Sci-fi film of the week: “Strange Days”: Back in 1995, Kathryn Bigelow made a terrific sci-fi/action film starring Ralph Fiennes as a ex-cop who dealt in virtual reality devices that allowed you to experience the world from another person’s perspective. When a murder victim’s “sim” crosses his path, he reluctantly investigates.
Drama of the week: “The Truman Show”: Or maybe it’s a comedy? Either way, Peter Weir’s media satire, in which a man (Jim Carrey) learns that his entire life has been the soundstage for a 24/7 television show, keeps inching closer to reality with each passing year..