Four Great Late Night Movies on Netflix

You’ve got Netflix, right? If you haven’t what are you doing with your evenings? Going out, meeting new people, breathing the sweet diesel fumes of nature?

For those of us with more important things to do (like sitting inside with the blinds closed, drinking cheap wine, and eating a whole block of cheddar cheese) here’s a list of ‘late night movies’ for you to check out; the kind with sex, monsters, and important social commentary.

The Guest (Dir: Adam Wingard, 2014)

A family is visited by a mysterious man claiming to be a friend of their dead soldier son. Very bad things then begin to happen.

This is about as much as can be said about the plot without revealing spoilers. Dan Stevens (formerly of Downton Abbey) plays Adam, the mysterious stranger and titular guest. Did I mention Stevens was in Downton Abbey? Don’t let this put you off. As Adam, Stevens is easily one of the best parts of the film: equal parts charm, menace, and muscle, it’s difficult not be beguiled by him.

In addition, Maika Monroe (from It Follows) makes for a solid heroine while the film’s soundtrack is worthy of an entire article of its own: pounding, synth-heavy, instrumentals and haunting goth rock combine to give the film a very unique and dreamlike atmosphere.

Adam’s backstory is a little shaky, but this is one of the few negatives in an otherwise compelling thriller.

Obvious Child (Dir: Gillian Robespierre, 2014)

For stand-up comedian Donna (Jenny Slate) nothing seems to be going right. Her boyfriend’s just broken up with her, she’s lost her job, and now she’s pregnant after a one night stand. Comedy and unwanted pregnancy are not new bedfellows (see Juno) but rather than deciding to go to term as Ellen Page’s titular character does, Donna decides to go for the other option and get an abortion. 

In a world where most of the people vying to be next president of the United States have such a detached view of the issue it’s nice to see a film that approaches it through a very human perspective. 

Jenny Slate is likeable as Donna while Gaby Hoffman and Gabe Liedman both provide strong support as her friends.

A witty script keeps the film ticking along nicely and tracks familiar rom-com territory without falling into cliché. If you want something that’s both funny and has real substance be sure to give it a look in.

Spring Breakers (Dir: Harmony Korine, 2012)

Four college students want to go to Florida for spring break, but they don’t have the money. What would you do in their situation? Exactly…steal your professor’s car, rob a fast food restaurant, and use the money to make the trip. When the girls reach Florida they engage in rampant booze and drug-fuelled hedonism and become entangled with gangster rapper/drug dealer ‘Alien’ (James Franco.) 

Written off by some during its initial release as an exploitative beer and boobs-fest, Spring Breakers is, in fact, a genuinely interesting film that casts a stark light on a culture where the pursuit of pleasure is placed above all other values.

James Franco is fantastically memorable as ‘Alien’: his ‘look at my shit’ speech in which he shows off his horde of weaponry, his array of aftershave, and claims to have Scarface on repeat on his TV, is worth anyone’s time alone.

Throw in some beautiful cinematography courtesy of Benoit Debie (Enter the Void, Irreversible) and possibly the greatest use of a Brittney Spears song in a film sequence ever and you have a film you can really lose yourself in. 

The Babadook (Dir: Jennifer Kent, 2014)

Ever thought that insomnia might be your thing but haven’t yet had the courage to try it? Don’t worry, this film will help.

Jennifer Kent’s directorial debut tells the story of Amelia (Essie Davis), a woman who’s been forced to raise her son Samuel (Noah Wiseman) alone since her husband died in a car crash while driving her to the hospital to give birth. As Samuel’s seventh birthday and the anniversary of the accident approaches, Samuel’s behaviour grows increasingly erratic. He becomes obsessed with a storybook monster called the Babadook, something which Amelia at first disregards as childish fantasy. Until she sees evidence of the Babadook’s presence herself that is.

With its bleak suburban setting, Kent finds the perfect locale for a film about the dark forces festering in the corners of everyday life. The Babadook itself makes for a very scary monster indeed and one that is made all the more terrifying by what it represents.

Essie Davis and Noah Wiseman are convincing as the imperilled mother and son in a film that’s sure to become a classic of the horror genre in years to come.

And remember before watching: you can’t get rid of the Babadook.