By Zach Watkins – Sports Editor
With thousands of options on Netflix, how come your “Recently Watched” consists of the same five shows and three movies? Netflix is filled with hidden gems that rarely make it into your queue.
Here are some of Netflix’s top unknown shows and movies.
Dear Zachary – Documentary – 2008
Follow the film’s creator Kurt Kuenne as he creates a film for his best friend’s infant son, after the father was murdered. The video consists of input from family and friends as they proceed to tell Zachary about his father, Andrew Bagby, whom he will never know, after he was allegedly murdered by Zachary’s mother.
The film fills viewers with a whirlwind of emotions. From happy, to sad, to angry, the 93-minute film only grossed $18,334 at the box office, an amount Netflix has surely enhanced. The documentary is very well made, despite Kuenne doing everything himself. Kuenne does a good job leaving the audience wondering, while keeping the film moving. “Dear Zachary” scored an 82 on Metacritic and a 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Goon – Comedy – 2011 – R
Follow the no-so-bright Sean William Scott as he makes a transition from bouncer to hockey player. Along with his outspoken friend (Jay Baruchel), Scott attends a local Massachusetts minor league hockey game, where he finds himself fighting a member of the opposing team in the stands. Impressed by this, the local team’s coach gives Scott a tryout. Follow Scott’s journey from not being able to skate, to team enforcer.
A romcom that even the most manly of men can tolerate, viewers will find themselves enjoying Scott’s non-Stiffler role. The movie is filled with humorous one liners, while still filled with the action from the hockey games. The film was received well by Rotten Tomatoes, earning an 82 percent, but still only made $7 million compared to the 1977 hockey comedy, Slap Shot, which made $28 million at the box office.
Dawg Fight – Documentary – 2015
Set in West Perrine, a suburb of Miami in which 73 percent of the population is African American, the documentary follows Dhafir “Dada 5000” Harris and the backyard MMA fights he hosts in his mother’s backyard. Harris, a former bodyguard for local-legend Kimbo Slice, hosts bareknuckle fights, to provide neighbors an opportunity to make it out of West Perrine, just like Slice did. Harris is also attempting to make it out, although never fighting in the backyard like the others.
This documentary is not for the faint of heart. The film is filled with wincing moments, as knuckles meet face time and time again. “Dawg Fight” is a sad window into the reality of living in an impoverished Miami ghetto, and gives viewers a chance to experience a desperate way of thinking and life. “Dawg Fight” has not yet received a score by either Rotten Tomatoes or Metacritic.
The Inbetweeners – TV Comedy – 2008
This British television show follows four friends through high school as they try to improve their social status, routinely finding themselves in awkward scenarios and cringey moments. The main character, played by Simon Bird, is forced to transfer to a public high school after his parents split and his mother can’t afford his private school tuition. The teens deal with all of the normal school dilemmas, from getting a driver’s licenses to meeting girls.
This show is filled with laughs and the stereotypical British humor. As the foursome try to dodge bullies and survive high school, anything and everything that can go wrong, does. The show only lasted three seasons in the UK, but movies continuing the journey have been made. MTV also made an American spin-off version, but stay away from that. “The Inbetweeneers” earned a 73 rating on Metacritic.
Resolution – Thrilled/Horror – 2012
When Peter Ciella, played by Michael Danube, receives an email from his meth-addicted friend living in the desert, enough is enough. Ciella heads out to fix things once and for all, tying Vinny Curran’s character, Chris Daniels, up and forcing him to quit. Eerie events take place during Curran’s withdraws and set up the rest of the 93-minute film. Ciella can’t help but to explore the surrounding areas of an Indian reservation.
The movie isn’t your standard horror movie, as there is little violence, and relies mostly tense moments. “Resolution” is a fun comedic-thriller, and the movie keeps viewers wondering until the end. The film is unique and seems to poke fun at the actors’ dilemmas and the horror genre in general. “Resolution” received positive reviews from 100 percent of Rotten Tomatoes critics, and scored a 78 percent on Metacritic.
