Stream Away, Netflix Fans

“Youth is happy because it has the capacity to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.” – Franz Kafka

Streaming is a great word because it basically sums up our relationship to the internet. When you consider protoplasmic streaming – rapid flowing of cytoplasm within a cell – it’s not unlike the rapid flowing of information in what we call the web. Though this access, regardless to how tarnished it may be due to surveillance, is an undeniable asset, we can often stream too much; or, rather, we can be carried away by the stream.

Last night I got carried away by the stream. Let me explain, as of late I’ve been on one of my “I know nothing about this world, so let’s start by learning it all tonight” episodes where I frantically maze through too many things too late at night. I know I’m in trouble when my browser has more tags than a new pair of slacks. I had two free lectures going via YouTube (Environmental Science Policy & Philosophy and the Science of Human Nature), a thought-provoking documentary on Netflix, and other various things I had stumbled upon – the stumble upon link takes you to a Drinkify page for Ani Difranco; If I’m ever in the situation of listening to Ani Difranco alone, I’ll be drinking a lot more than 8 oz. of Sipsmith Gin and a wedge of watermelon.

To keep this short, it was just too much. Between the lectures, watermelon wedges, and Netflix, I just couldn’t slow the derailed train that was my brain enough to sleep. I had to have been up for three hours before my brain cooled it enough to drift away. I guess my lesson here is to stick to Netflix before bed, or just the gin. That being said, here are three movies to stream this weekend. You’ll notice, despite the date, that I didn’t include any Friday the 13th films. How come? Because they all suck.

3. Jane Eyre (1944)

I’ve never read Charlotte Brontë’s novel, but the film is incredible. Directed by Robert Stevenson, the Gothic sets and chiaroscuro lighting of Jane Eyre give the film an atmosphere similar to that of a classic horror pic. It’s a genius touch, considering, though it’s not a horror story, how dark of an upbringing Jane experienced.

Why watch?

• The costumes and sets are quite impressive, as well as a glimpse into England during the reign of George the III.
• Though Orson Welles plays a convincing Edward Rochester, and Joan Fontaine a tragic Jane, I was amazed by Peggy Ann Garner, who plays Jane as a child.

2. The Pervert’s Guide to Ideology (2012)

Labelled under “documentary” I would argue “Pervert’s Guide” is unattributable to any genre. To put it simply, it’s a movie examining ideology through  examples from famous films. Directed by Sophie Fiennes, the movie is guided by the musings of philosopher Slavoj Zizek.

• Slavoj is quite the character, and almost mesmerizing to watch.
• You’ll never watch movies in the same way again.
• Find out why Starbucks is the ultimate form of consumerism.

1. Spinning Plates (2013)

This movie was just recently added to Netflix streaming and came as a surprise enjoyment to me. Though I’m somewhat addicted to restaurant docs, I find it almost meditative to watch someone so helplessly married to perfecting their craft, I thought it would be boring. Thankfully, I was wrong. The doc follows three completely different restaurants in America as the people and families who own them explain what a restaurant means to the human experience.

• I actually enjoyed the doc’s sentimentality; it seemed so genuine.
• You’ll discover that restaurants work as a metaphor for tragedy, community, revival, and family.
• It will make you hate how homogenous and insipid chain restaurants are making this country.

What are you streaming?