As college students, we’ve all figured out pretty quickly that going out to see movies can get expensive – and fast. The solution to this for many Collegiettes is to use Netflix. Eight bucks a month, lots to choose from, but even then, your options can be exhausted pretty quickly. To remedy this, I’ve put together a list of five movies and five TV shows to keep you entertained during the time that you don’t want to spend money, or it’s raining and you don’t want to leave the dorm, or you just want to put off your homework for another couple of hours.
Movies:
• Kickass – This is a movie overlooked by a lot people for two reasons: the title, and Nicolas Cage. Despite both of these things, however, it’s a pretty quality action movie, and with elements of comedy and romance thrown in, it makes the perfect selection for a group movie night.
• Wristcutters: A Love Story – This off-kilter love story begins with the death of the main character, a young, depressed man named Zia, and follows him on his journey through the afterlife. Tom Waits appears in the film as a mentor to Zia, and Will Arnett makes an outrageous cameo as cult leader, making this morbid roadtrip story one of my personal favorites.
• Freakonomics – From the title of this documentary, I originally had no desire to watch it, until my best friend forced me to sit down and turn it on. I was mesmerized. Freakonomics touches on various topics, like whether your child’s name determines her future, and cheating scandals in professional sumo wrestling, and there’s certainly something for everyone. You’ll leave this one feeling considerably more educated, and the doc is produced in such a way that there’s never a dull moment.
• Dear Zachary – Another documentary, this one sat at the top of my recommendations for weeks before I even bothered to look into it, but I when I did, I was blown away. Dear Zachary is filmmaker Kurt Kuenne’s video letter to the son of his best friend after his friend’s murder. While the film begins as something saccharine and light, it slowly turns into a true-crime documentary and builds to a shocking twist. Bring tissues; this one will make even a grown man weep.
• The Iron Giant – A classic from many of our childhoods, the Iron Giant is another tearjerker. The story of a boy and a giant metal alien during the Cold War, this will both bring around bouts of nostalgia and rivers of tears for all involved.
TV Shows:
• Jericho – With barely two seasons, Jericho struggled when it first aired on television, but is now one of the highest rated shows on Netflix, and for good reason. Set in the fictional town of Jericho, Kansas in the midst of a nuclear holocaust, Jericho is a show that will keep you on the edge of your seat for three episodes and then completely shock you beyond belief. Since it’s short and sweet, it makes a great show to watch when you’re snowed into your house during winter break and need a breather from the fam.
• Dawson’s Creek – A super girly addition to this list, Dawson’s Creek stars a young Joshua Jackson (Fringe), Katie Holmes, and James Van Der Beek (Don’t Trust the B in Apartment 23) as high schoolers living in an isolated seaside town. Racier than Degrassi, but more realistic than the OC, Dawson’s Creek is a teen show perfect for lazy or sick days.
• Avatar: The Last Airbender – Just because it’s animated doesn’t mean it’s bad! With the entirety of this series now available on Instant Streaming and the follow up show The Legend of Korra about to begin its second season, there’s never been a more perfect time to watch this series straight through. Get a group of friends, dress like your favorite benders, and make a night out of it!
• Better Off Ted – This workplace comedy is a strange but delightful mix between The Office and SyFy’s Eureka, focusing on Ted, a newly single father and business executive at a morally corrupt research and development company, and the shenanigans that occur between the scientists and the salesmen.
• Friday Night Lights – Set in the world of Texas high school football, this critically acclaimed drama tops my personal list of best TV shows ever made. With spectacular writing and superb acting, it’s addictive and emotionally intense, and well worth the five season investment. Most people I know who have watched the series finish with an overwhelming desire to be adopted by Coach Taylor and his wife, and the best payoff of the show is watching the YouTube video of star Kyle Chandler finally being presented with an Emmy after five years by co-star Minka Kelley.