You've made the executive decision to watch a film on Netflix yet, when given the remote, you struggle to find something you actually want to see.
You just don't have time to trawl through every genre. The last time you tried, it caused an argument and you ended up watching 2012. Again.
We'd like to help. Here are 10 films, now available to stream on Netflix UK, that you probably haven't seen but you really should:
CHECK OUT 10 OTHER UNDERSEEN FILMS ON NETFLIX
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After breaking out with the excellent Vin Diesel-launching sci-fi horror Pitch Black, all eyes were on David Twohy for his next move. But fewer eyes were anywhere near the resulting project: a 40s-set supernatural thriller that takes place on a submarine. Which is still a shame as it's a creepy, classically told ghost story, full of suspense. It's also co-written by Darren Aronofksy and features a pre-fame Zach Galifianakis, in case you're interested. Check out the perfectly edited trailer here.
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Big Bad Wolves
When your film is endorsed by Quentin Tarantino, you know that you're onto something good. Or that lamb you sacrificed was totally worth it. Either way, this Israeli thriller, which Tarantino called "the best film of 2013", deserves a large portion of your attention. It's a tightly wound story of revenge and torture which is punctuated with bursts of dark humour to alleviate the grim subject matter and eye-opening violence. Fully deserving of Tarantino's lofty claim.
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Safety Not Guaranteed
How good is Safety Not Guaranteed? Well so good that it secured director Colin Trevorrow the job of directing Jurassic World so yeah, kind of a big deal. The indie comedy is based on a personal ad placed in a US home magazine asking for someone to go time travelling. The film then follows a team investigating the man behind the ad. Starring Parks & Recreation's Aubrey Plaza and New Girl's Jake Johnson, it's a surprisingly heartfelt and charming movie which tackles an extraordinary premise with lo-fi charm.
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Best Worst Movie
If, like us, you've got a sick fascination with really really unbelievably terrible films then you've probably heard of, and maybe indulged in, the cult of Troll 2. It's the mostly nonsensical 1990 horror film that's become the stuff of legend, thanks to its astounding awfulness. It's also inspired this incredibly entertaining documentary that follows an actor from the film investigating exactly what went wrong, or maybe right. As well as being funny and revealing, it's also sweet-natured, refusing to take a mean-spirited look at a film that is easily ridiculed.
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Down Terrace
Chances are you might be aware of Kill List, director Ben Wheatley's nightmarish hit man horror, but you might be less familiar with the excellent film he made first. Down Terrace is a darkly funny crime film made on a shoestring budget of just £6,000 but it manages to compete and in fact outdo other less modest British films. It's a gangster movie but without the Guy Ritchie-esque swagger which has been replaced with a strange mix of Mike Leigh and the Coens. Highly recommended.
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Call Me Kuchu
With same-sex marriage now legal in the UK, it's often easy to forget just how impossible life can be for gay people in other countries around the world. This illuminating documentary follows Uganda's "first openly gay man" David Kato as he attempts to protect not only the rights but the lives of the LGBT community in his country. What makes the film even more shocking is that Kato himself ultimately becomes the victim of a devastating crime. An upsetting and humbling film.
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Please Give
You might not have noticed but over the past 18 years, writer and director Nicole Holofcener has been quietly making a string of smartly observed comedy dramas that Woody Allen himself would be envious of. She recently gained more attention with charming romantic comedy Enough Said, arguably her finest film, but we'd recommend checking out this 2010 offering which stars her longtime collaborator, the always excellent Catherine Keener as a middle class woman desperate to make a difference. It's beautifully written and perfectly cast, with Rebecca Hall, Oliver Platt and Amanda Peet also starring.
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Short Term 12
It's pretty hard to argue with a film that has a stunning 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes so don't even try, just watch it instead. While a quick scan of the plot (inspirational elders connect with troubled youths) might have you reaching for the bucket, this intimate indie drama bucks expectation by never resorting to cliché. Brie Larson, in a breakout performance, takes centre stage as a supervisor at a facility for teens at risk while she also has her own issues to deal with. Simply told yet hugely effective.
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Polisse
If you're French then chances are, you'll have seen this and no, not just because it's a French film but because it was nominated for a whopping 13 César Awards, the Gallic Oscars. It's a brutal look at Parisian police working within the Child Protection Unit and will appeal to anyone who admired the rough edges displayed in The Wire. You get thrown into the chaos and after two hours, you're a tad exhausted but eager for more.
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Trees Lounge
Steve Buscemi has made an impressive career out of being the guy who can easily be described as "funny looking" but while he's known for his work in front of the camera, or just to the left, hanging out in the corner to be more accurate, his work as a director is far less talked about. This, his directorial debut back in 1996, is still arguably his finest. He stars as, well, a loser who is struggling to get his life together and Trees Lounge is the bar he hangs out in far too often. It's essentially a character study but a brilliantly played one and the supporting cast, including Chloe Sevigny, Anthony LaPaglia and Samuel L Jackson, is stellar.
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(Images: All Star)
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