I have noticed several reviews popping up lately for movies on Netflix Instant Play.

I'll bet alot of us have it, or will have it soon.  It is very addicting.

This is (generally) the "bargain bin" stuff -- a lot of which I have never even heard of, making it difficult to decide what to select.

I thought I would make a home for the gems in there -- discoveries you have unearthed and can share with the rest of us.  I will start with two:

Altered:  This is a silly alien flick, with a vague sort of "Evil Dead" vibe at times.  A lot of it is over the top, in a funny way.  The characters do dumb things, but I found them likable just the same.  What really struck me, however, is that the script is pretty much confined to a single location.  That alone makes it worth a look for us.

Tokyo Gore Police:  McClung originally recommended this on a thread somewhere, and I loved it.  So did Ross, my 16-year-old.  This is not a serious film.  It is fire-hoses of blood and insane mutations and even fake ads that are laugh-out-loud funny.  If you are in the mood for a nutty Asian film, it does not get much better than this.

Summer is coming up.  Any more diamonds in the Netflix slush pile?

OK, I can definitely chime in here, as I watch a shitload of movies.

Just to follow up on what Bert mentioned...

Altered - pretty decent to good.  A bigger budget sure would have helped.

Tokyo Gore Police - Couldn't get through the first 15 minutes.  Insanely over the top gore and everything else.  Not my cup of tea.

The Canyon - Actually really liked it for what it was.  Well done, decent acting, pretty intense if you let yourself in.

Wicked Lake - As it is, it's pretty fucking bad, but there's something about it that says it could have been so much better.  I've read that there's a new Director's cut coming out.  It's silly, goofy, and over the top, but damn, those 4 babes are hot...

Necrosis - Pretty decent overall.  Could have/should have been better, but for some reason, I definitely did not hate it.

Red Sands - Again, pretty decent.  Could have been better, but it worked for the most part for me.

Dead of Winter - Actually really liked this one.  I thought the acting was way above the norm for DTV's.  Based on true life events, that have been altered and beefed up for entertainment.  Well put together with a real feel to it.

Big Bad Wolf - Pretty terrible in most ways, but for some reason, I see a much better movie (or maybe script) that is lurking inside.  Don't expect much and you will get some laughs and entertainment.

The Hunt - Zero budget, terrible acting, poorly done, but a decent story in here...buried way deep inside.  Can't recommend it, but it could have been so much better.

Frontiers - Awesome foreign flick!  Loved it in so many ways.  Brutal and well done overall.

The Lost - Although definitely not for everyone, I really appreciated this.  Based on a Jack Ketchum novel, it's a different look into the mind of a madman.  Slow at times, and weird as well, overall, it is gripping...and brutal, and worked for me for sure.  Check it out!

Deadgirl - Not great by any means, but interesting.  Definitely not for everyone again.

Shallow Ground - Again, low budget, but pretty well done overall, and a compelling mystery that worked for me.

Nine Dead - Pretty decent.  A little slow and derivative, but it actually worked for the most part.

The Stefather 2009 - I was actually fairly impressed with this.  Not a bad remake, IMO.

Train - I actually loved this one!  Very, very impressed with it.  Quite shocking and brutal and well done, IMO.  Surprised it wasn't released in the theaters...it could have done something, I think.

Seed - Uwe Boll like you've never seen him before.  Very, very brutal and shocking at times.  A little over the top and lots of problems, but I enjoyed it and will remember it for sure.

While she was Out - Kim Basinger in a Canadian horror DTV.  Far from good in every way, but interesting to see what Kim has been driven to star in.

Grace - Absolutely hated it!  Terrible!  Boring, ugly, stupid, WEAK!  Watch at your own risk!

Walled In - Dull, kind of lame, but OK overall.  I fell asleep but my girlfriend said she liked it better than Memento, believe it or not.

That's a start for you guys and gals!

Black Cadillac - Randy Quaid in a small budget thriller about a group of college students chased by a stranger in a black cadillac.

Hatchet - Brilliant black horror about a killer stalking tourists in the Bayou.

Dead and Breakfast - Not so obscure, but loved this take on zombies. It has a musical number!

Wendigo - movie about the creature/spirit is more thriller than straight out horror. Spooky and pretty well done for a low-budget movie.

I'm sure there are more, but I can't think of any right now.

I was severely underwhelmed by Hatchet, but I've discussed that one to death in other threads.  The acting, setup, sets, everything screamed low, low budget, and from all the positive word of mouth, I was hoping for so much more.

Tried to watch Dead and Breakfast last night.  After about 15 minutes, I said "Fuck this piece of shit".  I literally hated it!  Supposed to be funny, I guess?  Sure wasn't, IMO.

I saw Wendigo awhile back...didn't like it, but definitely didn't hate it either.

I'll give Black Cadillac a shot.

Pia, Cat's Eye is really, really old.  A good movie for sure.  Lots of old decent-good movies available, but I've seen them all.  I always am trying to see everything I haven't seen...mostly fairly new stuff.

Tokyo Gore Police is the greatest movie I wouldn't have known about without Netflix. I watched it around 2 in the morning on a drunken whim and bought it the next day. So much fun and still pretty underground even in the horror community. It's also the second goriest film of all time in terms of sheer gallons. Peter Jackson still holds #1 which seems appropriate as TGP feels like Asia's answer to Dead Alive. I'll second it despite me being the one to recommend it in the first place. This one is for the freaks!

I'll recommend The Machine Girl as people who see it either flock to Tokyo Gore Police afterward or the other way around. The special FX guy is the director of TGP so similarities abound. The Machine Girl does eschew a lot of TGP's pseudo-commentary and in-jokes about Japanese culture though in favor of more intentionally comical gags and Power Rangers-esque action scenes. I preferred TGP but thought The Machine Girl was fun as well. Both are sick and bloody as hell.

There's a ton of excellent Asian films on Instant Play. Takashi Miike and Park Chanwook have quite a few on there. I'd recommend people watch all of them. The Host is on there as well. There's quite a few bad ones as well. A lot of them Japanese gore flicks. But you can always expect them to be bloody and absolutely bizarre.

If anyone likes crazy movies about drugs, Altered States takes the cake. Likewise, if anyone likes offbeat comedies featuring aberrant sexual acts, I'd check out Bobcat Goldthwait's Sleeping Dogs Lie and World's Greatest Dad. Pretty well done films despite how bizarre the plots are.

Thanks, Jeff.  My summer just got more interesting -- horror-wise.

Quoted from James McClung There's a ton of excellent Asian films on Instant Play. Takashi Miike and Park Chanwook have quite a few on there. I'd recommend people watch all of them.

Yeah, James -- reminded me of a couple more.  Jeff, see these if you haven't.

Ichi the Killer: Not obscure (to some of us maybe), but definitely a film to see if you haven't already.  This film is about style, with an unforgettable character anchoring the film.  One of those films that -- even if you end up not liking it much -- you will be glad you saw it once.

Three...Extremes: Three stories from three Asian directors.  Some of it is stomach-churning stuff, and they are all quite different.  The last one may be a bit arty for you, Jeff -- but I suspect the first two will be right up your alley.

Bargain bin? I watched Lost seasons 1-5 on instant watch on my Wii. It has a ton of classic films and a lot of stuff that is on IMDB's top 250 list (dipped into Fargo the other night). If you want to watch something, you're always bound to find something in there you'll like.

Ichi was too long though it was very strange.

The Host South Korean -  A sea monster runs rampant in Seoul's River Han. What's particularly interesting about this movie is that it is an allegory about the American interference in South Korea.

Quoted from George Willson Bargain bin?

Quoted from Grandma Bear What do you mean bargain bin?

Quoted from me (not Pia, but me) This is (generally) the "bargain bin" stuff

I said "generally", guys.  There is some good stuff in there, sure.

But when you go browsing for new horror flicks, it is reminiscent of walking the aisle at Blockbuster and only recognizing a third of the titles on boxes that may look good -- but you just never know.

That's all I am going for here.  "Good-looking" boxes that actually deliver the goods.


[Edit:  And it looks like our friends at The Asylum are at it again -- with "Paranormal Entity" -- a blatant knockoff of "Paranormal Activity".  Make sure not to queue that one up by accident haha.]

Quoted from Dreamscale I was severely underwhelmed by Hatchet, but I've discussed that one to death in other threads.  The acting, setup, sets, everything screamed low, low budget, and from all the positive word of mouth, I was hoping for so much more. Tried to watch Dead and Breakfast last night.  After about 15 minutes, I said "Fuck this piece of shit".  I literally hated it!  Supposed to be funny, I guess?  Sure wasn't, IMO. I saw Wendigo awhile back...didn't like it, but definitely didn't hate it either. I'll give Black Cadillac a shot.

Oh well, different strokes for different folks I guess!! Let me know what you thought of Black Cadillac. Again, I picked these based on budget and premise.

Really hated D&B, eh? Even with David and Ever Carradine???? haha. It's defintely a love it or hate it movie. The script was written over a weekend, if I remember correctly. If you stick with it, there is some major gore in the 2nd/3rd Act.

Try these:

The Cottage. Another low budget British horror movie that swings in a direction that most don't see coming.

Isolation - An Irish low budget horror movie. Nice cinematography and creepy feeling.

I would never queue up Asylum movies on accident. They get queued on purpose. That company is my inspiration. I figure if they can run a movie studio for as long as they have on what they make, I can do it on something better.

I've found a lot of parallels between Netflix Instant Watch, and what's available through my cable's On Demand section.  Here's a mixed bag of stuff.

Bronson - Nicolas Winding Refn's vivid and unflinching biopic delves into the life of Britain's most notorious prisoner, Charlie Bronson (Tom Hardy) -- who's been jailed for nearly 35 years -- and attempts to dissect the real man behind the deranged persona. While Bronson's primary ambition was to be famous, he became a celebrity of sorts as a criminal who seized myriad opportunities to demonstrate extreme and terrorizing savagery.

World's Greatest Dad - After his son (Daryl Sabara) dies in an awkward freak accident, high school poetry teacher Lance (Robin Williams) ghostwrites a suicide note to spare the family embarrassment. But when the note becomes an unexpected hit, Lance sees a chance to resurrect his writing career. In a bid for literary fame, Lance writes his son's journal and passes it off as his own. Writer-director Bob Goldthwait's comedy debuted at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival.

Moon - As he nears the end of a lonely three-year stint on the moon base Sarang, astronaut Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) begins to hear and see strange things. It's not long before Sam suspects that his employer -- the conglomerate LUNAR -- has other plans for him. Featuring Kevin Spacey as the voice of a robot, this sci-fi thriller also stars Matt Berry and Kaya Scodelario. The film was an official selection at the Sundance Film Festival.

These next two are geared toward kids, but are still very entertaining.  I can't recommend Up enough.

Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs - Inventor Flint Lockwood creates a machine that makes clouds rain food, enabling the down-and-out citizens of Chewandswallow to feed themselves. But when the falling food reaches gargantuan proportions, Flint must scramble to avert disaster. Can he regain control of the machine and put an end to the wild weather before the town is destroyed? Bill Hader and Anna Faris lend their vocal talents to this Golden Globe-nominated animated adventure.

Up - After a lifetime of dreaming of traveling the world, 78-year-old homebody Carl (voiced by Ed Asner) flies away on an unbelievable adventure with Russell, an 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer (Jordan Nagai), unexpectedly in tow. Together, the unlikely pair embarks on a thrilling odyssey full of jungle beasts and rough terrain. Other voices in the Oscar-winning film include the renowned Christopher Plummer and Pixar stalwart John Ratzenberger.

Zombie classic Fido is On Demand...In addition to the original Planet of the Apes, Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, On the Waterfront, Rebel Without a Cause, Stagecoach...Still need Citizen Kane, Casablanca and the 1932 Frankenstien to round out my selection of personal favorites...

In addition, suggest "It might get Loud" with Jimmy Page, The Edge and Jack White...very cool.

No idea what's available but if you get a chance to see ANY Chanwook Park I suggest you don't hesitate for a second.  He's one of the most important filmmakers working today in my opinion.  Especially note his last two, Thirst and I'm A Cyborg (But That's OK).

With the wife and kids out of town for a bit, I have a few additions to what I have been watching on the ol' Netflix Instant Queue:

The Butcher:  Queue this one up, Jeff.  A strong torture-porn where the twist is that the killers and victims have cameras strapped to their heads, and the film is pieced together from that footage.  Korean-made and unflinching -- and once or twice this film digs way deeper than it has a right to, asking some powerful questions of the victims -- and the viewer. 7/10

The Stoning of Soraya M:  This one is movie broccoli -- watch it because it is good for you.  Amazing acting, even with subtitles.  As you watch, you will want to strangle some people in this film.  You cannot believe this stuff really happens, but it is filmed by Iranians in Iran, who I guess would know better than anyone.  This one will turn you into Screenrider -- outraged, and wanting to do something -- but I have no idea what.  Perhaps it is enough to watch and make yourself aware.  Really worth a look, but I cannot give this one a perfect score, as it pissed me off too much.  9/10

Train:  Jeff dug this one, and I can see why.  It is for Hostel fans, and while competently put-together, I found it to be kind of by-the-numbers.  I was also disappointed to see that my beloved Thora Birch is not aging as gracefully as I had hoped, as evidenced here by the fact that she plays a wrestler (wtf?) and never once pops the ol' top. Sigh.  5/10

Rampage:  Haha -- another piece of trash from Uwe Boll -- this one about a guy who dons some Kevlar, arms himself to the teeth, and marches around town shooting people.  I am sure Uwe thinks this is "Falling Down", but it is just cr*p, though fun to watch for fans of Uwe's continued downward spiral. Maybe "fans" is too strong a word, but you know what I mean.  4/10

Surrogates:  A surprise appearance by a big-budget movie.  Bruce Willis is likable as ever.  Matrix-inspired, maybe, but different enough to stand on its own.  Good story, good effects, not bad at all.  7/10

Triangle:  Looks like a standard-issue slasher, but has a great little WTF twist about a third of the way through, and then tells a really good story with only a few holes that you should just ignore.  Liked this a lot more than I expected.  8/10

Amelie: For some reason I have blown off watching this French film for years, but I watched it for the heck of it, and really enjoyed it, despite the very liberal use of voice-over.  This one was acclaimed (at the time) for good reason.  Feel-good stuff without too much sap.  Watch it with a girl and you might get lucky. 8/10