What's New On Netflix That You Should Watch?

*This first one might drag on a bit but hear me out*

Avatar: The Last Airbender

For those of you who are confused, I get it. To most of you, this was an animated television show released through Nickelodeon and you may have seen a handful of episodes because of the cool action and because it probably came on after Drake & Josh. Up until the past two weeks, that's what this show was to me.

But when Netflix released all three seasons for streaming, I was dumbstruck at how dedicated its fan base had stayed throughout the years. People my age and older were still leaving raving reviews about this show that I thought was just any other kid's program. But then I watched this masterpiece (binged in 1 week) and I am proud to admit I was once blind, but now I see.

Avatar: The Last Airbender was fantastic. I was dumbfounded at how deep and character-driven this show was, and how emotionally-heavy the stories were. I thought, "How was this made for kids?" The action is pretty cool and nicely animated, so no wonder it kept my attention now and then as a kid, but WOW was the dialogue and story-telling magnificent.

The story is set in a fantasy world where humans have the ability to control elements. There are the people of the Air Nomads, who can control or "bend" air. There are the people of the Earth Kingdom, who can bend the Earth (ground, soil, etc.). There are the people of the Water Tribes who can bend water. And lastly, there's the Fire Nation (our antagonists) who can bend fire. The story goes that the Fire Nation has declared war on the world and only the Avatar (a savior-figure who can master all four elements) can defeat them and save the world. In this case, he's a 12-year-old boy who is way over his head.

I'll finish by saying I got way too emotionally invested in these characters. Sokka, the only person in the main cast who cannot bend any element, was my favorite because not only was he hilarious, but he represented the perfect contrast to everyone else who had these awesome powers. Uncle Iroh was simply the best and I held my breath any time I thought he might die. Then there's Zuko, one of the most well-written antagonists of all time. No, I'm not exaggerating, he set a new standard for how an antagonist's character arc should be.

All in all, I was going to write a full-length review for this show but decided to shorten it for time's sake. Give it a shot, because I wish I could experience for the first time all over again.

The Lincoln Lawyer

It's hard to believe this movie is a decade old, but then again, 2019 feels like a decade ago too. I watched this last night and intended to passively watch it until I fell asleep and ended up super invested until the end.

It follows Matthew McConaughey as a shady criminal defense lawyer who has a sudden strike of moral conscience when he discovers his recent client's case is closely linked to a previous case. It's a courtroom legal drama that very heavily relies on the drama aspect. It was a very enjoyable and intense movie, with McConaughey delivering exactly what you'd expect from him playing a suave lawyer. The movie has like 5 different twists in the story that keep you invested until the last minute, and it's very satisfying.

Moonlight

I don't think this is even new on Netflix, but it's new for me since I just now watched it somewhat recently. I'll say this, It didn't win the Oscar for Best Picture for nothing.

This movie was absolutely beautiful. The cinematography was gorgeous (as you can tell with the still above) and the color pallet made for a transformative experience.

A 3-part movie that shows the life of a a young African-American man as he struggles growing up during the 1980's "War on Drugs" era whilst living with a crack-addict mother in the poor streets of Miami. It tackles almost every important social issue you can think of with heart and accuracy, always staying true to the core of this coming-of-age story. Mahershala Ali delivers what is, by far, his best performance to date, and Naomi Harris absolutely disappears into her role as a crack-addict who has lost her way as a mother.

The movie has definitely gained even more relevance in the recent weeks, so do yourself a favor and give this movie a shot because it will be talked about until the end of time.

Uncut Gems

You want to see Adam Sandler punch The Weeknd in the face in a nightclub? Do you want to have a two-hour anxiety attack? Watch this "gem" from the Safdie brothers that gave us the best Adam Sandler performance since his fist fight with Bob Barker in Happy Gilmore.

If you're even somewhat into gambling, be mindful when watching this movie because it may trigger some PTSD. Sandler plays a once-successful gem dealer in NYC who has lost his family and career due to his gambling addiction. He's hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt but comes across a rare Ethiopian uncut rock that has a high-profile buyer. The movie progresses as he gets closer and closer to closing this deal that could put his life back on track, yet also gets farther and farther away as his fast misdeeds catch up to him.

No idea of the dialogue gets written here, because it's like a every screenwriter was on 40mg adderall. Hold on with this movie and prepare some breathing exercises ahead of time.

Lady Bird

I love a good coming-of-age movie, and while Superbad will always be my high-school masterpiece, this movie certainly stood out above the rest. I will admit, the title Lady Bird, turns a guy like me away at first glance, but after much push and encouragement, I gave it a shot.

Gentlemen, the ladies will definitely enjoy this movie way more than we will in the same way we enjoy Superbad way more than they do. In no way does that mean it is not good, because I genuinely laughed throughout the movie and was in awe with how well-written the dialogue was. Greta Gerwig's Oscar is on the horizon, I can feel it.

The Disaster Artist

This movie is one of my favorite comedies but you can only enjoy it to the fullest if you know and understand the backstory. The film is based on the true story about the making of The Room, a film widely known as one of the greatest bad movies ever made. I STRONGLY encourage you to watch The Room or at least watch some scenes on YouTube to fully understand how bad the movie was. Like, it legit made no sense and the acting was comedic due to how terrible it was.

The Disaster Artist has James Franco playing Tommy Wiseau, the guy who wrote, directed, and starred in his movie, The Room. Tommy Wiseau, to this day, is the most mysterious guy in Hollywood. He fully funded his movie with 6 million dollars of his own mysterious fortune. He also has the oddest accent and mannerisms despite claiming to be from New Orleans. To this day, nobody knows how old he is, where he got his fortune, or where he is actually from. When you watch Franco's performance, don't be turned off by it's cartoonish nature, because that is actually how Tommy Wiseau acts.

With that known background, the film follows an absolutely star-studded cast in retelling the hilarious and often hard-to-watch story of the making of the "Citizen Kane of Bad Movies".

The Silence of the Lambs

This movie is iconic for multiple reasons. For one, it won the Best Picture Oscar in 1991. It also holds the record for the shortest performance to win an Oscar with Anthony Hopkins snagging the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for a 24-minute performance in a 2-hour movie. It also has some of the most quoted lines in cinema history.

It's also creepy as shit. It follows a young FBI cadet who must use the help of an incarcerated and manipulative cannibal killer named Hannibal Lecter in order to catch another serial killer on the loose. One of the most intense and scary thrillers anyone has ever seen, the image of Anthony Hopkins smiling at you through the glass will haunt your nightmares for years to come.

For those of you who have seen it. The scene in the house when the power goes out. You know what I mean. I get PTSD just thinking about it.

Community

On a lighter note, if you need a hilarious and easy-to-watch show, check out Community. It follows a group of random individuals who all enrolled in community college for different reasons as they navigate the school like a high-school drama. It was created and written by Dan Harmon (who co-created Rick & Morty) and stars people like Donald Glover and even Chevy Chase.

It is also home to one of the best comedic duos on television, Troy and Abed. You'll know what I mean when you see them in action.