It’s that time when Netflix cleans house (yes, yes, we know!), but you can count on the originals keeping its place for a long time. There are so many options on Netflix that they all can’t be advertised, unfortunately. So how in the world would you ever learn about the many original movies on Netflix you ask? This is where we come in. Hold on to your seats as we give you the rundown of Netflix 10 best original movies you will be sure to watch in 2020, yet alone by the end of January. Enjoy.
1. Roma
Cleo is one of two domestic workers who help Antonio and Sofía take care of their four children in 1970s Mexico City. Complications soon arise when Antonio suddenly runs away with his mistress and Cleo finds out that she's pregnant. When Sofía decides to take the kids on vacation, she invites Cleo for a much-needed getaway to clear her mind and bond with the family.
2. Beasts of No Nation
As civil war rages in Africa, a fierce warlord (Idris Elba) trains a young orphan (Abraham Attah) to join his group of guerrilla soldiers.
3. The Fundamentals of Caring
A writer (Paul Rudd) retires after a personal tragedy and becomes a disabled teen's caregiver. When the two embark on an impromptu road trip, their ability to cope is tested as they start to understand the importance of hope and friendship.
4. I don’t Feel at Home in this World Anymore
After being burglarized, a depressed woman (Melanie Lynskey) and her obnoxious neighbor set out to find the thieves, but they soon find themselves up against a group of dangerous criminals.
5. Bird Box
When a mysterious force decimates the population, only one thing is certain -- if you see it, you die. The survivors must now avoid coming face to face with an entity that takes the form of their worst fears. Searching for hope and a new beginning, a woman and her children embark on a dangerous journey through the woods and down a river to find the one place that may offer sanctuary. To make it, they'll have to cover their eyes from the evil that chases them -- and complete the trip blindfolded.
6. Always Be My Maybe
Childhood sweethearts have a falling out and don't speak for 15 years, only reconnecting as adults when Sasha runs into Marcus in San Francisco. Although the old sparks are still there, the couple live in different worlds.
7. Mudbound
Laura McAllan is trying to raise her children on her husband's Mississippi Delta farm, a place she finds foreign and frightening. In the midst of the family's struggles, two young men return from the war to work the land. Jamie McAllan, Laura's brother-in-law, is everything her husband is not - charming and handsome, but he is haunted by his memories of combat. Ronsel Jackson, eldest son of the black sharecroppers who live on the McAllan farm, now battles the prejudice in the Jim Crow South.
8. Okja
For 10 idyllic years, young Mija has been caretaker and constant companion to Okja - a massive animal and an even bigger friend - at her home in the mountains of South Korea. But that changes when family-owned, multinational conglomerate Mirando Corporation takes Okja for themselves and transports her to New York, where an image-obsessed and self-promoting CEO has big plans for Mija's dearest friend. With no particular plan but single-minded in intent, Mija sets out on a rescue mission.
9. Tallulah
A young woman takes a baby from an irresponsible mother and pretends the child is her own. Without a place of her own, she asks for help of her ex-boyfriend's mother, telling her the baby is her granddaughter.
10. Marriage Story
A stage director and his actor wife struggle through a gruelling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal and creative extremes.
Note: Movie descriptions belong to IMDB.
If you feel differently about these picks, share your best Netflix OG movies in the comments section. No beef here!
Better Netflix This: The TV Series to Binge Watch in 2020
Spoiler Alert!
What Netflix TV series is sending the internet crazy these days? Bruno and Pol in Merlí, a Spanish television series produced by the Catalan channel TV3 about a philosophy teacher of the same name who encourages students to think freely using unorthodox methods.
The series, created and written by Hector Lozano and directed by Eduard Cortés, premiered on September 14, 2015 in prime time and reached 566K plus viewers. The second and third and final seasons of the series premiered on September 19, 2016 and September 18, 2017, respectively, bidding us farewell on January 15, 2018.
Each episode is named after a different philosopher. Influenced by films like Dead Poets Society, Merlí attempts to bring philosophy to the public. Each episode includes a great thinker or school, such as the Peripatetics, Nietzsche or Schopenhauer, linking their teachings with fictional events and characters.
Bruno and Pol’s story – a love that starts out as a one-way, emotion filled ride for David Solans as Bruno Bergeron, who lives with and attends school at the place of employment of his father, Merlí. Bruno is challenged daily as he is confronted with the eccentric teachings of his father and his feelings for the known stud of Àngel Guimerà Institute, Merlí ’s favorite student (wink wink!) and straight best friend (did I say hot?!), Carlos Cuevas as Pol Rubio. Seasons 1 through 3 highlights Bruno’s coming out, Pol’s rejection and experimentation of Bruno’s feelings (and his own), and ultimately, a perfect series finale ending with Bruno and Pol together as the lovely couple they are [fast-forward] seven years later. It took some time, but the in-betweens are definitely worth it.
It’s only the beginning – Bruno and Pol can be seen in the Merlí’s spin-off, Merlí: Sapere Aude, which premiered on December 5, 2019. This series is more mature than the previous series and follows Pol’s life as he continues his studies in Philosophy, within the seven years before and during his relationship with Bruno. A lot can happen during this time, and given the complex and most exhilarating writing by Hector Lozano and direction by Eduard Cortés for Merlí and now Merlí: Sapere Aude, it should be a wild ride.
Get your popcorn ready. You can binge watch seasons 1 through 3 of Merlí on Netflix. Catch Merlí: Sapere Aude now, made available by Movie Star+ as of December 5, 2019.
While Kho Phi Phi was a quick stop during my trip to Thailand, I am happy I went. It is beautiful (beware of tourist traps and crowded locations) and I hope the government of Thailand can work to preserve the beauty of these islands. Railay Beach (East versus the West) is a bit more rustic and less crowded, at least during low season, and may provide a more authentic experience of the island experience. Enjoy!
ATLAS in Singapore. One of The Top Ten Bars in the World.
Atlar Bar in Singapore, one of the top ten bars in the world, is not only jaw dropping and unlike any bar I’ve ever seen or visited, the service and drinks are unmatched.
I could go on and on about the wonderful time I had mixing it up with the lead bartender, my private tour of their world reknown collection of spirits, and the crazy sick bathroom set up (it had to be mentioned!), but I’ll leave you with a fun fact instead. Check out this bar when you’re in Singapore!
Fact: Atlas has the world’s largest gin collection.
Now you know travel and food go hand-in-hand for me, y’all. Can we talk about the food in Italy?! The food scene and the markets are divine - positively fragrant, fresh, colorful, and of course, tasty!
I have a thing about sunsets, okay?! Clearly! Sunsets are a beautiful sight to behold.
This picture was captured during sunset in a preserved military building on the island of Palmaria. This 1.9 sq. km. Island features Mediterranean vegetation, old military buildings and cliffs with caves.
You can access this island by taking a short car ride from La Spezia, which is also a must-see guys!
This salad y'all. So simple, yet delicious! Make at home: Iceberg lettuce, bacon (forget the store bought bacon bits), radish (daikon), and blue cheese dressing. A big plus if you make this simple dressing yourself. If not, add a touch of blue cheese crumble. Yum! Live.Love.Be Happy.
