The movie industry produces a plethora of films annually; the most popular of these films make it to mainstream cinemas while other films are forgotten in a sea of cinematic overflow. This category starts with a few film gems that have actually made it to Netflix.
My personal favorite is the “The Lodgers,” a horror-esque film with a creative but chilling story about a horrible family curse that keeps the protagonist and her brother under strict rules enforced by malevolent spirits in their home. Interestingly enough, the mansion where it was shot is one ofIreland’s most haunted buildings.
Two Oscar-nominated films last year, “I, Tonya” and “The Shape of Water,” were excellent works of cinema that only made it to select theatres. Upon the request of many fans and critics, the two films were eventually released to a few more theatres, but not enough for all audiences to see it if they wished to.
Another great film that was shown in limited release was the found-footage horror film “Grave Encounters.” There is much debate on whether this film mocks the popular television show “Ghost Adventures,” about a group of guys who lock themselves in places that are known to be haunted. “Grave Encounters” does contain a hint of satire towards ghost-hunting shows while bringing the uneasiness and jump-scares that these films are known for. There is a second “Grave Encounters” that was just as enjoyable, as well as a possible untitled third sequel.
On the topic of found-footage horror movies with limited releases in movie theaters, the first “Paranormal Activity” and the first “V/H/S” were given limited releases after finding popularity at film festivals. The “Paranormal Activity” series has gone on to make various sequels that, debatably, got worse with each new film.
The “V/H/S” series, because of its unique montage of found-footage videos, has continued with its gory yet uncommon plots. If you want to watch either of these films, “Paranormal Activity” can be found on Amazon Prime while “V/H/S 2” can be found on Netflix.
The British romantic comedy “The Decoy Bride” is another film released only at film festivals and as a limited release in America. This cute movie, starring many famous British and Scottish actors, tells the story of two celebrities trying to get married without the paparazzi finding out, so they travel to a remote Scottish island where a local woman is needed to step in and become the decoy bride. After a series of crazy events, and a lot of fighting, the groom-to-be has to figure out whether he truly loves his fiancée or the local woman with whom he has shared many crazy experiences. If you are interested, this film can be found on Netflix.
It is so hard to search through all these unreleased films to find the one that truly speaks to you, but there are many fantastic movies out there waiting to be discovered, if you just do some digging.