I am all too familiar with the binge-watching culture associated with Netflix. You want to try out a new show, just one episode, and suddenly, your whole Saturday is gone. It’s really not anyone’s fault Amy Poehler is so funny and her show so addictive, but Netflix is also home to a wide array of indie movies that deserve a second glance. Because while laughter is often the best medicine, sometimes you need to get a little sappy to remember what’s truly important in life: love still exists, even after a horrible break-up. (Too sappy? I’ll just let the movies do the talking.)
1. Girl Most Likely (2012)
This flick starring Bridesmaids’ hilarious Kristen Wiig and Glee’s Darren Criss has the right balance of comedy and drama to really hit home the moral of the story: even when it feels the whole world has abandoned you, you’ll always have somebody. After Kristen Wiig’s character loses her job, her boyfriend, and all of her high-end belongings in her New York City highrise, she’s pretty sure her life is over. That is, until she makes amends with her mother back in her hometown and comes to terms with all of her skeletons in the closet. Not only does she remember what truly matters, but she meets a pretty cute guy in the process, too. I’m sure you won’t mind looking at Darren Criss in his Backstreet Boys impersonation get-up, either.
2. Camp Takota (2014)
This unintentional chick-flick is amazingly refreshing with youtubers Hannah Hart, Mamrie Hart, and Grace Helbig. Their real-world status makes the film that much more realistic, and in addition to their honest, lovable characters, the down-to-earth love story set in summer camp will have you feeling nostalgic for a type of love and relationship that- contrary to what you may feel- still exists. Some scenes are a little cheesy, but cheesy is my guilty pleasure.
3. Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
If you haven’t seen this movie yet, you’re seriously missing out. With dream team Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, this movie is as much about finding a friend in a lonely world as it is about finding a soulmate. It’s brilliantly acted, raw, and honest, and the dance scenes will have you feeling a little more confident in your own freestyle skills. All in all, Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) has hit rock-bottom, and it’s something everyone can relate to at one point in their life or another. It’s an inspirational love story that focuses on the importance of being yourself, accepting that which you cannot change, and loving unconditionally. Loving unconditionally is something dogs seem to have locked down, but not us, so here’s a movie to serve as your weekly reminder.
In the end, you’re not fooling anyone. You’re going to be wasting time on Netflix, anyway, so why not use that time to remind yourself that happy endings still exist? And no, I’m not talking about massages. But whatever keeps you going.
