Every week sees some cool movies being added to Netflix, but this week’s crop was particularly exciting. We got a couple of 90s classics, an all-time great and some big nostalgia hits. Let’s jump right in and look at the highlights.
Looming over everything is the Jurassic Park trilogy, comprising 1993’s Jurassic Park, 1997’s The Lost World: Jurassic Park and 1999’s Jurassic Park III. Obviously, the real cinematic treat there is Spielberg’s original. Now approaching its thirtieth birthday, the blockbuster smash has aged like a fine wine and somehow, its CGI is still impressive even after huge technological strides in the intervening years. If you haven’t seen it before, grab some popcorn, crank up the subwoofer, turn down the lights and enjoy two hours of lawyer-munching, Samuel L. Jackson-eating, goat-destroying perfection.
As for the sequels? Well, I have a soft spot for The Lost World, but it’s a shadow of the first movie despite several cool setpieces. Jurassic Park III, meanwhile, is perhaps best skipped. It’s not terrible, but it’s simply a bit bland.
Beyond that hot dino action, we also got Michel Gondry’s iconic Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, which stars Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet in career-best performances. The endlessly creative movie is about a couple trying to wipe their memories of one another after a break-up. It was a hit when it released in 2004, won a bunch of awards and showcases how good Carrey can be in a relatively restrained dramatic role.
The first Mad Max from way back in 1979 also landed this week. To those who’ve only seen Mad Max: Fury Road, George Miller’s low-budget, grimy and vicious original might come as a shock. It’s a mean little feature, set in the days just after civilization collapses. With Mad Max: The Wasteland set to shoot fairly soon, maybe now’s a good time to catch up with Max’s indie DIY roots?
On the nostalgia side, meanwhile, is The NeverEnding Story, a 1984 children’s movie that’s a cultural touchstone for a generation. Hot tip, if you want tears to well up in the eyes of a Gen-Xer, sidle up to them and whisper one word in their ear: “Artax.”
Finally, we also got 1993’s Dennis the Menace which is… well… I got nothing to say about this. I guess Walter Matthau is pretty fun in it, though.
My advice is to go with the dinosaurs on Netflix and follow it up with a Jim Carrey chaser. You won’t be disappointed.