Crash

This film has had a lot of controversy around it’s Best Picture win. Many people believe Brokeback Mountain deserved the award and were angry that Crash won. But no matter what you think, any film that wins Best Picture deserves a watch. The plot depicts the lives of multiple people living in Los Angeles. Showing the dark side of the city, the film shows the main characters dealing with violence and racism. The cast is full of A-list actors including Sandra Bullock, Terrence Howard, and Don Cheadle. I would recommend this film to anyone who enjoys dramas dealing with racism and violence.

Saving Private Ryan

Steven Spielberg’s 1998 war film is one of the best World War II movies ever made. The film starts strong with a scene of American forces storming Omaha Beach. This scene, like the rest of the film, pulls no punches and shows a realistic and violent battle. Saving Private Ryan was nominated for eleven Oscars and won four, including best director and cinematography. With names like Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg attached to this film, you know it will be great. Any fan of war movies or intense action will enjoy Saving Private Ryan.

Jaws

Another Spielberg film, everyone knows what Jaws is. With an immediately recognizable score, this is the film that has kept people afraid of the water. Steven Spielberg became a legend with this film. The problems that the crew faced during shooting turned out to make this film even better. For example, the mechanical shark would never work, so they were forced to use it as little as possible. This only added to the film because it gave the shark an element of mystery. I recommend this film to fans of horror or Steven Spielberg.

Man on Wire

This documentary tells the story of Philippe Petit, the man who walked on a tight rope across the World Trade Centers. The film uses real footage of the stunt as well as reenactments showing how Petit and his friends made their way to the top of the tower and set out for their show. This film is great for anyone who likes documentaries or wants to learn more about this amazing stunt.

Primer

Primer is not new on Netflix, but it is a great film. With a budget of only around $7,000, writer, director, and star Shane Carruth gives us a new realistic look on time travel. In this film, two engineers accidently create a functioning time machine and obsess over their creation. Soon they feel the consequences and their lives fall apart. Being a former engineer, Carruth shows a realistic depiction of time travel through an extremely complicated movie. As the movie progresses everything becomes more complex. I recommend this film to fans of time travel or sci-fi movies.