More movies to watch on Netflix

I have been receiving tons of positive feedback about the previous movie list I blogged before winter break and wanted to provide you all with some of my updated Netflix wisdom for the spring season. Now, I am in no way encouraging lazy behavior and procrastination of school work. But when you have a few free hours on your hands, be sure to pick a great, enjoyable film from this list.

Before I get into it, I would like to thank the film classes provided at UIC for forever changing the way I view films. We are all aware of the common aspects of movies that make us laugh, cry, or feel scared, but it is not common for us to understand and analyze why these films make us feel that way; which is something film classes bring to light. The Moving Image Arts courses at UIC are my favorite way of blending my analytical, otherwise archetypal English major skills, with my love for film.

(P.S. There will be an elongated list before summer break.)

1. The Valley of The Dolls: The movie may have received a bad rap from critics during its time, but it has become one of my favorite cult classics. Shot in 1967, yet way ahead of its time, this epic film follows the tragic lives of three women on their quest for fame, becoming famous, then losing everything.
2. The Wolfpack: I watched this earlier in the week and it was instantly the second greatest documentary I had ever seen (#1 is Hoop Dreams). Filmmaker Crystal Moselle documents the lives of seven siblings who were trapped in their small New York City apartment for most of their childhood. The kids recreate popular films to stay in touch with the outside world.
3. The Kids Are All Right: A quintessential coming of age film about two teenagers of a same-sex marriage determined to get to know their sperm donor father. One of Mark Ruffalo’s best performances.
4. Groundhog Day: I know you may have seen this film before or know the premise of it, but ever since I watched it in my film class last week, I have a newfound love for this classic comedy. The conflicts of weatherman Phil are more relatable now that I am older. The feeling from the film reminded me of what Ferris Bueller said, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
5. Election: Speaking of Matthew Broderick, you must see him in one of my top five favorite films of all time. Perfect for the upcoming election season, as some 2016 candidates are symbolic of the characters in the movie (I won’t name names). This movie follows the lives of a high school teacher, his angsty students and the dreaded high school presidential election. The tension increases when too many emotions are invested in winning.
6. The Exorcist: Not much to say here, but if you haven’t seen the original horror film, you are missing out.