11 hidden gems on Netflix worth a watch

The choice of films on Netflix is mostly dire. It's nearly all from the last ten years or so and nearly always mainstream as hell. There's very little depth or breadth in the choices and foreign or older films are more or less non existent. If you look closely there's a few gems in the mix but you really have to search for them. So i've saved you some hassle. Here's 11 crackers worth your time that have always lurked below the radar.

Eight Men Out

The story of the 1919 baseball scandal and the young men's lives who were ruined by it. John Sayle's morality tale is a cracker and one you'll be hooked by even if you haven't a clue about the sport. Plus the cast is unreal, all of them looking very baby faced.

Phase IV

Intelligent ants begin to wage war on humanity. Yes I know this sounds idiotic but it's actually a really clever and tense bit of sci-fi horror/allegory that despite being well over 40 years old still looks brilliant. One of the first in the wave of animals Vs humans films so popular in the 70's. 


Tank Girl

Lori Petty. Malcolm McDowell. A big tank. Mutant kangaroo men. Inter-species love. Post apocalyptic fun. This film is bonkers. But its also great fun and a very early example of a far from mainstream comic being adapted to film. Petty as the lead rocks it. Makes most modern comic book adaptions look very anaemic.

Blow Out

A foley artist working on a film is in need of a perfect scream and happens upon a car crash and soon finds himself embroiled in political scandal and running for his life. Brian De Palma's thriller is wickedly dark and exciting and John Travolta is in great form. John Lithgow's baddie will give you nightmares too. 

Mean Creek

6 teenagers go on a boat ride up the titular creek. Bad shit happens. A tale of everyday life and how it can go bad in the blink of an eye. Like Stand By Me crossed with River's Edge and every bit as good as that sounds. Add in great acting and this is a must see.

Johnny Guitar

Vienna owns the town saloon & maintains a love/hate relationship with the ranchers that frequent it. A unique western, 1 of the first headlined by a woman and one that's surreal and oddly poetic while still hitting all the beats you'd expect. Joan Crawford is an amazing lead.

Cool World

A cartoonist finds himself transported to a world he thinks he's created but it's denizens are having mixed emotions about him being there. A strange and surreal film but on filled with some great ideas and visuals and a soundtrack up there with the best of them. Yup, that is a baby faced Brad Pitt.

Frailty

An ultra religious man believes god has put him on Earth to kill demons and he ropes his young sons into his work. Is he insane or is there actually something supernatural going on. The late Bill Paxton's directorial debut is a cracking little thriller and has a story line that will keep you guessing until the very end.

Daughters Of The Dust

The stories of three generations of an African American women as they prepare to leave the island their ancestors were slaves on and move to the mainland. Julie Dash's film is an amazing one, dreamlike, poetic, harsh but beautiful and packed with amazing performances.

The Birdman Of Alcatraz

The story of Robert Stroud, a man guilty of murder who manages to turn his life around in prison by becoming an expert on ornithology during his life sentence. A thoughtful and soulful film that is very far removed from the traditional idea of a prison film and one that's carried by an immense performance from Burt Lancaster.

Lifeforce

This one is nuts. Sexy space vampires invade London. That's all you need to know. Oh it's from Cannon pictures so it's as loaded up with gratuitous violence and nudity as you'd expect. Give it a go. I guarantee you'll never have seen anything like it. You might even love it.