Netflix Recommendations For The New Year

Who knows what will come of this new year? The death of the movie theater? The delaying of even more films? The bankruptcy of entire studios? Who knows, but we will always have the movies that have already come out. Here are some you can watch right now on Netflix

Searching for Bobby Fischer (Netflix)

If you've seen The Queen's Gambit recently and you're trying to ride that high of pretending that you actually know how to play chess, then watch this beautiful movie. THIS was what got people into chess before The Queen's Gambit. Inspired by a true story, it follows a typical young boy who discovers he's unusually good at chess, but when he starts gaining fame, the aspects of fame and what he actually wants with his life come into question. Also Lawrence Fishburne plays his street mentor and it's amazing to watch. Great writing, and a great story.

Chef (Netflix)

A very lowkey film that I had never tried to watch until I was bored at home over the holidays and man was it enjoyable. Jon Favreau plays a washed-up celebrity chef who decides to rekindle his love for food and his relationship with his son by opening a food truck. It's a simple premise but had a lot of heart and some surprisingly funny moments. Don't watch on an empty stomach, because the food presentation is top notch. Top that off with a star-studded cast with Scarlett Johansson and Robert Downey Jr., and you've got a film that will leave you smiling and starving.

Trial of the Chicago 7 (Netflix)

If you're not familiar with Aaron Sorkin, he wrote The Social Network, Molly's Game, The West Wing, and Moneyball. Combine the fast-paced and clever dialogue with an actual historical event that takes place mostly in courtroom and you get a very well-directed and well-executed courtroom drama with an all-star cast and a standout performance from...Sacha Baron Cohen? Wow, the guy who plays Borat delivering a potential Oscar-worthy performance is a very 2020 thing to happen.

Safety Not Guaranteed (Netflix)

April Ludgate and Nick Miller in the same movie? Noice. This was recommended to me by Jimmy Riemer, so shoutout to Jimmy. This movie was everything I love about the Indie genre. No grand stakes, no expensive set pieces, and nothing that ever feels "forced". Just a talented director and writer who know exactly what they want to make. This movie follows a journalist and his two interns as they investigate a man who put an ad in a newspaper claiming to have the ability to time travel and is in need of a time-traveling partner. Aubrey Plaza goes undercover to befriend the man and what we end up with is a very real movie that delivers some soul-searching moments and plenty of laughs. A little weird ending, but hey you're not exactly expecting much anyways.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Netflix)

An absolutely captivating crime thriller from one of the best directors, David Fincher (The Social Network, Gone Girl, Se7en, Zodiac), this film is one of my favorites. It builds tension with such skill, I was on the edge of my seat the entire time. It follows Daniel Craig as a journalist who is hired to investigate the circumstances of a woman who went missing 40 years ago. To help him, he hires the aid of a young, dark, brilliant but very anti-social woman played by Rooney Mara (her best performance ever). It's based off a very popular book series and I promise if you even remotely enjoy crime dramas or thrillers, you MUST see this movie.

Catch Me If You Can (Netflix)

One of the most universally enjoyed movies of all time. You simply cannot dislike this movie, it's impossible. Steven Spielburg doesn't miss with this movie that's based on the true story of Frank Abagnale Jr., one of the youngest and best con-men in American History. This true story is absolutely bonkers from start to finish. Leonardo DiCaprio plays Frank as he runs away from home and manages to develop the skill of forging checks and mimicking people's personalities. Tom Hanks plays the FBI agent hell bent on chasing him down. Frank gets away with impersonating a pilot, doctor, teacher, and lawyer. The relationship between Leo and Tom is really great because the FBI agent doesn't want to ruin this kid's life, he almost respects and cares about him. Watch this if you haven't, it'll be one of your new favorites.

The Departed (Netflix)

A classic Martin Scorsese film that's by far his best film since Goodfellas. It's several Oscars, including the Oscar for Best Picture, prove that. It follows two moles. One is an undercover cop who infiltrates an Irish gang and the other is a dirty cop on the Irish gang's payroll. You got Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlburg, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, and of course the star of the show, Jack Nicholson, who won the Oscar for best supporting actor.

Fruitvale Station (Netflix)

A tragic, yet relevant true story about the shooting of Oscar Grant that will certainly get you emotional. The true story is about 22-year-old Bay Area resident, Oscar Grant III, who was unjustly killed by police on New Years Eve in 2008. The movie follows his entire day leading up to his death and it's hard to watch at times, but important nonetheless. The best performance from Michael B. Jordan to date.

Wonder Woman 1984 (HBO Max)

Haha, I'm just kidding. This movie was hot garbage. It was painful to watch. Do yourself a favor and watch the first Wonder Woman instead and save yourself from this cartoonish mess.