Sally's Top 5 Movies on Netflix

The world of Netflix is like my mom looking at my grades. Most things seem decent, yet you have to look a little harder to find the real beauties... -Sally Lao

The world of Netflix is like my mom looking at my grades. Most things seem decent, yet you have to look a little harder to find the real beauties. To save you some time, here are my top five films to watch before Netflix takes them off (as they did with Zodiac, my original number one). Thanks Netflix.

5) Wolf of Wall Street

Wolf of Wall Street or a Charlie Sheen documentary? Is there a difference? The Wolf of Wall Street follows the rise and fall of Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his friend, Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill)’s brokerage firm “Stratton Oakmont.” Because of the success of their business, they decide to spend their money by living a life full of excess. However, like Charlie Sheen and Denise Richards’ marriage, luck did not stick with the happy couple in the end. You shouldn’t take this seriously if you want to enjoy it (and by that I mean the movie and the marriage).

4) Django Unchained

Django (Jamie Foxx) is a freed man who gets scouted by a German bounty hunter, Dr. King Schultz (Christopher Waltz) to aid and accompany him in capturing three outlaws for a large bounty. Django agrees to help him on the terms that in addition to hunting the outlaws, they would go find his wife whom he had been separated from due to a slave trade that took place a long time ago. Django then becomes a snazzy dresser, because he can, and shoots slave owners with Dr. Schultz. 

3) Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks) is a man with a subnormal IQ who finds himself coincidentally involved in many of the important events in the late 20th century. Including teaching Elvis how to dance, becoming a football star, and fighting in Vietnam, he tells about them to the strangers he sits with while waiting for the bus. Despite being able to live a charmed life without having to make much of a conscience effort, throughout it all Forrest never forgets his childhood crush, Jenny Curran (Robin Wright) who he continuously tries to pursue. Moral of the story, you don’t have to consciously try in order to achieve success. Now tell that to your mom. 

2) American Beauty

This movie is about the conventional suburban family who becomes fed up and bored with normalcy. Boo hoo, suburban middle class problems. I know, but don’t pretend that an episode of Desperate Housewives doesn’t feed into how you enjoy watching other people endure problems that you don’t have to.

American Beauty follows Lester Burnham (Kevin Spacey), becoming irritated with his wife, Carolyn Burnham (Annette Bening). He then becomes infatuated with his daughter, Jane’s (Thora Birch) best friend, Angela Hayes (Mena Suvari) and begins to fantasize about her. In addition, their new neighbors, the Fitts’ move in and their teenage son Ricky (Wes Bentley), becomes infatuated with Jane. Carolyn’s also cheating on Lester, Angela doesn’t like Ricky, Angela begins trying to seduce Lester, Colonel Fitts (Chris Cooper), is also a homophobe, Jane doesn’t like her parents, etcetera, etcetera. Initially there will seem to be many plotlines that don’t appear interconnected, however if you stick around to the end and watch the movie all the way through, the genius of how everything ties together is jaw dropping. 

P.S. Don’t let the mom’s mid-life crisis romance novel cover throw you off. Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.


 1) Good Will Hunting

Though the cover makes the movie look like an intellectual’s Duck Dynasty, it’s not. Good Will Hunting is actually about a math genius janitor with an eidetic memory, Will Hunting (Matt Damon), who’s bond with a community college psychology teacher Sean Maguire (Robin Williams), helps him overcome his own demons in order to pursue something greater. It’s really great. Definately trumps Duck Dynasty by a long shot.