Sorting through Netflix's choices can be arduous, with many of us staring at our screen for 30 minutes while trying to decide what exact show or movie we want to procrastinate with.
To make our procrastination easier, sites like InstantWatcher.com are dedicated to finding the best Netflix streaming choices. You can filter by categories such as newest, most popular or "freshest" on Rotten Tomatoes.
With the list of nominations for the 66th Primetime Emmy Awards just announced, Netflix will once again be a huge player this awards season. "House of Cards" and "Orange is the New Black" make up a majority of Netflix's 31 nominations. With the showcase of such prominent Netflix shows, we thought it would be an apt time to display some lesser-known, hidden gems that can be found on Netflix.
Serenity (2005)
Serenity is a sci-fi hidden gem. The film is a continuation of Joss Whedon's cult classic television series Firefly. The story is about geeks on a spaceship, geeks that are extremely good-looking and have incredibly witty back-and-forth banter. According to InstantWatcher.com, Serenity is a New York Times Critics' Pick and has a Rotten Tomato rating of 82%. If that doesn't convince you, maybe the fact that Orson Scott Card, the famous sci-fi author of Ender's Game, called Serenity "the best science fiction movie, ever," will.
Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries
Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries tells the story of the fiercely independent female private detective, Phryne Fisher in 1920s Melbourne. As an Australian drama series, the show is not too well known in America but it is definitely worth a peruse. With a budget of $1 million per episode and a cast that delivers whip-smart and witty dialogue, the show is visually stunning and a feel-good, entertaining watch.
City of God (2002)
Just released for streaming this month, City of God definitely deserves a spot in your queue. Chosen as one of the 100 greatest films of all time by TIME, City of God is a film about Cidade de Deus, a slum in Rio de Janeiro. Rocket, the narrator, is a frightened youth who uses his passion for photography to try to avoid an inevitable life of organized crime. Filmed on handheld cameras, with a smart use of flashbacks and a cast that includes real-life slum residents, the film is a raw and authentic look at humanity.
A Young Doctor's Notebook
This series has been thoroughly praised by critics so if you still haven't seen it, it is definitely worth a watch. Adapted from the writings of the Russian author Mikhail Bulgakov, the series follows Dr. Bomgard, who takes us back to his days as an inexperienced doctor in Russia in the early 1900s. Daniel Radcliffe and Jon Hamm as the younger and older Dr. Bomgard are spectacular to watch, providing humor, melancholy and fantastic chemistry.
Indie Game: The Movie (2012)
Featured as one of the best Rotten Tomatoes certified "fresh" films on instantwatcher.com, Indie Game: The Movie is a documentary film that follows the highs and lows of independent gamers. A classic underdog story, the film reveals the sacrifices it takes to devote one's life to a creative passion and has all its viewers geeking out in the process.
