When he is not batting balls of yarn into space or chasing the stars with catnip, Captain MewMew is an avid list maker.
In no particular order…(this list was written by a cat, after all), here are five hidden gems to stream on Netflix:
1. The Road (2009) [ R ]
~Not to be confused with the 2011 horror movie of the same name.
The Road paints a grim, post apocalyptic future for mankind as it follows the story of a father trying to protect and teach his son that goodness still exists. It is an adventure tale of sorts when the father decides to head for the shore. Throughout their journey, the duo must escape cannibals, deadly bandits, and (above all else) survive.
Pros: It is a unique story. It shows the love a father has for his son, which makes for an excellent tale in itself.
Cons: It is a depressing story at times.
2. The Awakening (2011) [R]
A renowned hoax detective is hired to disprove the existence of a meddlesome ghost at a boarding school. As you might guess, this is a horror film, and you know how that goes. This one is a jem because it has an interesting twist on the entire skeptic-turns-ghost-hunter plot. MewMew doesn’t want to drop any spoilers, but you will be entertained and pleasantly surprised if you decide to give The Awakening a shot.
Pros: It is full of plot twists, and the “horrors” are done through subtle tricks of the camera. I find subtlety to be much more frightening than shock and awe.
Cons: The stupid romance between the detective and the man she falls for. Yes. I typed “stupid.”
3. Europa Report (2013) [PG-13]
Six astronauts are sent to investigate one of Jupiter’s moons. The movie is done from the perspective of the security cameras and through the astronauts’ personal cameras. This in no way detracts from the plot or one’s ability to enjoy the movie–MewMew admits that it does take a few minutes to get used to. It is sort of like following an addictive, homemade series on YouTube (sans the awful shaky cameras, bad acting, and horrible special effects).
Pros: It has a great story. It is one of those movies that makes you want to join NASA. Last, but not least, there are thrills, chills, and kills.
Cons: Not everyone will enjoy the filming style.
4. Iron Sky (2013) [R]
A super secret Nazi base has been operating on the moon since WWII. The citizens on the base have been living their lives out unawares of modern Earth until a space shuttle accidentally discovers them…Add raunchy jokes, cliche Sci-Fi shenanigans, crazy costumes, and you have yourself one hilarious spoof movie.
Pros: This is a spoof movie that was made for Sci-Fi fans. While it has raunchiness in it, it is not overdone or to the point where you want to just roll your eyes and shut it off.
Cons: If you are not into spoof movies, steer clear!
5. Attack on Titan [not rated]
AoT is a Japanese anime that follows the story of three friends after their world is torn apart by circumstances beyond anyone’s wildest nightmares. The towering walls protecting human kind’s last ditch effort for survival had stood tall for 100 years, but all of that changed when a colossal titan breached the outer wall.
Pros: It is fast paced and has an excellent animation style. If you like The Walking Dead, I highly recommend this anime. None of the females are pigeonholed into sappy love stories or romances that have nothing to do with the plot.
Cons: Netflix only has the first season, and MewMew has a gut feeling that this may become one of those animes that is dragged out over several hundred episodes. Hopefully it won’t come to that…
Warnings: It is subtitled, so if that’s not your thing, you will not have a good time. There is excessive violence and gore at times.
