Netflix Streaming Report: Pariah, Alex of Venice, If I Stay, and More

Welcome to your Netflix Streaming Report for August 20, 2015. After the long week you deserve a relaxing staycation with a bowl of popcorn, a bucket of ice cream, and only your Netflix queue to judge you. This past week, Netflix Watch Instant has been kind enough to supply us with Pariah, Alex of Venice, If I Stay, and more.

If I Stay (R.J. Cutler) Rated PG-13 [106 min] – Life changes in an instant for young Mia Hall after a car accident puts her in a coma. During an out-of-body experience, she must decide whether to wake up and live a life far different than she had imagined.Chloë Grace Moretz, Mireille Enos, Jamie Blackley, and Joshua Leonard

I haven’t seen If I Stay, but the trailer made the film look hilariously predictable and overly contrived.

(Watch it now)

Alex of Venice (Chris Messina) Rated R [86 min] – A workaholic attorney is forced to reinvent her life after her husband suddenly leaves. Starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Chris Messina, Don Johnson, and Derek Luke

Netflix is a magical place that allows us to see films that we don’t have the time or convenience to when they hit theaters, such as this small indie darling Alex of Venice. I had read mostly positive headlines, and so I look forward to checking it out.

(Watch it now)

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (Lorene Scafaria) Rated R [101 min] – As an asteroid nears Earth, a man finds himself alone after his wife leaves in a panic. He decides to take a road trip to reunite with his high school sweetheart. Accompanying him is a neighbor who inadvertently puts a wrench in his plan. Starring Steve Carell, Keira Knightley, and Melanie Lynskey

There isn’t too much that stuck with me about Seeking a Friend. It has an awkward imbalance of quirky indie and poignant drama. It’s an extreme of either or with this movie, which makes it a frustrating yet interesting sit.

(Watch it now)

Pariah (2011) (Dee Rees) Rated R [86 min] – A Brooklyn teenager juggles conflicting identities and risks friendship, heartbreak, and family in a desperate search for sexual expression. Starring Adepero Oduye, Kim Wayans, and Aasha Davis

This movie has been on my to-do list for quite some time. I’ve heard really great things about Pariah, and it’s been on many critics’ “best of” lists, so I think I’ll give it a gander now that it’s available on Netflix streaming.