So it’s almost finals period and the pressure’s on. You no longer have the time to indulge in the hidden gems of Netflix’s Watch Instantly feature. Instead, you want something comfortable during your study break. Something familiar.

We get that.

Without further ado, ten classic episodes you could be watching right now with the click of a button:

“Heat” (Season 1, Episode 6) – The Jolly Olly Man was one evil son-of-a-bitch. He made fun of Harold for switching to Diet Mr. Fudgies, busted Arnold’s chops on Career Day and even dressed in drag once to steal Grandpa’s Packard. But his most nefarious scheme involved teaching us supply and demand. For he knew that on the hottest day of the year, a snow cone increases in value. He did not, however, know that the neighborhood children would flip his ice cream truck. The episode’s thrilling climax is inspired by Spike Lee’s Do The Right Thing, also on Watch Instantly. [Read more →]

The Netflix Files works to find the hidden gems of Netflix’s Watch Instantly feature, the films and TV series that have gone largely unnoticed by the streaming community. It’s also very possible that the writer of this column is slowly losing his mind.

This week, Brown is hosting its annual Ivy Film Festival, which promises a slew of student screenings, guest panels and sneak previews of Sundance faves. James Franco might even show up. The keynote speech of the festival will be delivered on Saturday afternoon by Aaron Sorkin.

Sorkin is one of our generation’s most revered screenwriters, having won an Academy Award earlier this year for The Social Network, an instant classic and a profound cultural commentary. The smart, quick-paced dialogue featured in the film’s opening sequence is a trademark of Sorkin’s, as any fan of The West Wing will tell you. He also scripted one of the best courtroom dramas ever made, A Few Good Men. [Read more →]

Usually, The Netflix Files works to find the hidden gems of Netflix’s Watch Instantly feature, the films and TV series that have gone largely unnoticed by the streaming community.

This week, however, we won’t bother with writing our own suggestion. Because in the case of Billboard Dad, the Netflix user reviews speak for themselves.

For the ignorant reader, Billboard Dad is the best Mary-Kate & Ashley movie ever made (that’s right, Double Double Toil & Trouble fans, we went there). It is also, of course, available on Watch Instantly. However, it is set to expire this Friday, so hurry up!

The reviews (all real):

“I think billbord dad is a realy funny,realistic,and great.Becuase it is funny becuaseit has alot of great funny things” – ggg 1735841

“This movie was so cute it had puppies and kitties!it had birds and mice too!my name is ashley so i lovedit” – hqm 324623

“I wonder how they did it? The Olsen girls Have done such a grate job! I think if you are looking for A good night movie to watch that this Billboard Dad is the way to go. I truly think that this was my favorite movie that I have ever watched.” – tgt 1049771   [Read more →]

The Netflix Files works to find the hidden gems of Netflix’s Watch Instantly feature, the films and TV series that have gone largely unnoticed by the streaming community.

This weekend, Russell Brand’s new comedy Arthur is set to hit theaters. The trailer paints the film as typical Brand fare — Arthur Bach is an unfathomably wealthy, hard-partying man-child (basically Aldous Snow). It’s his signature character, and this time around he trades in Jonah Hill for a new, slightly more celebrated straight man: Dame Helen Mirren.

The casual moviegoer will overlook the fact that Arthur is a remake. Which is unfortunate, because the original is one of the most influential comedies ever made. For instance, it proved that a lewd, obnoxious drunk could make for a likable comedic protagonist. In other words, the “Russell Brand” brand would never have existed if not for Dudley Moore’s Arthur.

Arthur was released in 1981 to rave reviews (RottenTomatoes rating: 89% fresh), a Golden Globe for Best Comedy, and four Academy Award nominations (two of which it won). It’s smart, endearing and genuinely hysterical, even thirty years later. Arthur is about as perfect as a comedy can get — so naturally, Hollywood was ready to remake the shit out of it. [Read more →]

The Netflix Files works to find the hidden gems of Netflix’s Watch Instantly feature, the films and TV series that have gone largely unnoticed by the streaming community.

Exactly twenty years ago yesterday, a film called Defending Your Life was released in theaters. A romantic comedy set in purgatory, the film was well-received in 1991 (with a 96% fresh on RottenTomatoes), and generally regarded as a creative contemplation on the meaning of life. Despite its critical acclaim and the presence of Meryl Streep, Defending Your Life has been largely forgotten over time. It’s arguably one of the smartest comedies ever made, and it is currently available on Watch Instantly — but only for the next two days.

The director, writer and star is a man named Albert Brooks. Brooks was a household name in the ’80s, but the Jewish comedian has largely disappeared from the public eye. A contemporary of Woody Allen and Larry David, he was known for spouting his neuroses on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and early incarnations of Saturday Night Live. Defending Your Life was the follow-up to his role in Broadcast News, the 1987 mass media comedy that earned him an Oscar nomination. He went on to voice numerous guest characters on The Simpsons (including bowling instructor Jacques and criminal mastermind Hank Scorpio). Audiences today know him best as the voice of Marlin, the clownfish protagonist of Finding Nemo.   [Read more →]

“What used to be called ‘reruns’ on television is now called Netflix,” observed Comcast chairman and CEO Brian Roberts in a recent interview. Especially in the case of serial dramas, where enjoyment relies on following multi-episode storylines religiously, Netflix has emerged as an infinitely valuable resource. All episodes of LOST, for instance, were made available on Watch Instantly before the premiere of the final season — and with no limitation on viewing hours, subscribers could binge-watch the entire series in preparation. Because as any LOST fan will tell you, a single missed episode can completely compromise one’s understanding of the series (except for the Nikki & Paolo episode, which you can totally skip). Even cancelled serial actioners with unresolved narratives, such as FlashForward, Heroes and Kidnapped, have been made increasingly available — the notion of engrossing oneself in a continually unfolding drama is an appealing one.

This week, we profile what may very well be the best serial action drama to ever grace television screens.

There are lot of pre-conceived notions about Battlestar Galactica, especially among those who are wary of science fiction elements in their entertainment. Yes, it aired on The Sci-Fi Channel. Yes, it’s Dwight Schrute’s favorite show. However, it’s way more accessible than Star Trek. There are no aliens, holograms or lightsabers. Just cyborgs. And if you can buy into that (it’s easier than LOST, we promise), Battlestar Galactica transcends its sci-fi genre, proving to be one of the best post-apocalyptic, politically-charged thrillers in recent history.   [Read more →]

Here at The Netflix Files, we work to find the hidden gems of Netflix’s Watch Instantly feature, the films and TV series that have gone largely unnoticed by the streaming community. Last week we covered the Vegas mafia scene, so it’s only natural that we transition this week to…

The second strongest female-oriented comedy of 2010 (after The Kids Are All Right), Please Give, had shockingly little to do with romance, food or a woman named Julia. Instead, Nicole Holofcener’s film is a subtle and endearing contemplation on charity and materialism. Which probably explains why the hell no one saw it when it was in theaters.   [Read more →]

Here at The Netflix Files, we work to find the hidden gems of Netflix’s Watch Instantly feature, the films and TV series that have gone largely unnoticed by the streaming community. Previously we have covered such topics as subversive street art and mock blaxploitation. It’s been kind of a strange ride.

“There are three ways of doing things around here. The right way, the wrong way, and the way that I do it.”
- Ace Rothstein, Casino

“@#$% me? @#$% me? You @#$%^&*@#$%^.”
- Nicky Santoro, same film

Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas (1990) cemented him as the quintessential director of the gangster film. Adapted to the screen by Nicholas Pileggi, the true story of Brooklyn mobster Henry Hill garnered six Academy Award nominations and has since been lauded as one of the best movies of all time.

In 1995, Scorsese and Pileggi decided to bring the act to Vegas, and Casino was born.

The film, also based to a large extent on true events, depicts the struggles of Sam “Ace” Rothstein, who is helplessly immersed in the unfathomable corruption of the Las Vegas gambling scene. As manager of the fictional Tangiers casino, Rothstein is continually pitted against the mafia, the U.S. government, and his insane ex-prostitute wife Ginger.

Robert De Niro, Goodfellas‘ Jimmy Conway, plays Rothstein to perfection — a competent, tough-as-nails businessman chafing under pressure in a noticeably colorful, ever-changing array of Italian dress suits. Sharon Stone is the irredeemable Ginger, a money-hungry drug addict spiraling loudly out of control. She’s also one of the worst mothers in cinematic history, going so far as to tie her child to twin bedposts rather than hire a babysitter.   [Read more →]

Here at The Netflix Files, we work to find the hidden gems of Netflix’s Watch Instantly feature, the films and TV series that have gone largely unnoticed by the streaming community.

Parody films can be hit or miss. Mel Brooks provided us with a viable template, spoofing everything from Westerns (Blazing Saddles) to monster flicks (Young Frankenstein). In recent years, however, the genre has been all but run into the ground by Jason Friedberg & Aaron Seltzer, the RottenTomatoes pariahs responsible for Date Movie, Epic Movie, Meet the Spartans, Disaster Movie and Vampires Suck.

Then, in 2009, Michael Jai White decided to send up the blaxploitation genre, and the parody film was saved. [Read more →]

Here at The Netflix Files, we work to find the hidden gems of Netflix’s Watch Instantly feature, the films and TV series that have gone largely unnoticed by the streaming community. If you’re into corporate espionage and/or cute canines facing mortal danger, be sure to check out last week’s post on Damages (or, perhaps, this website).

This week we’ll be covering a film recently added to the Watch Instantly database, also a frontrunner to win Best Documentary at this year’s Academy Awards. Exit Through the Gift Shop is the first film to be directed by infamous street artist Banksy, who has delighted in spreading his graffiti-based anarchy since the early ’90s. You may remember his subversive take on The Simpsons theme that aired this past October.

The film tells the story of Thierry Guetta, a Frenchman with a video camera who sets out to capture the world of street art. Guetta is allowed the privilege of spending time with some of the very best artists — including Shepard Fairey, the RISD alum who designed both the Obama “HOPE” poster and the iconic “OBEY” stickers at Nice Slice. Eventually, he finds his way into the good graces of the elusive Banksy, who allows him an all-access pass into his world. [Read more →]