Between course work, part-time jobs, spending time with family and attempting to have a social life, who has time to waste browsing Netflix?
When you actually want to sit down and watch something, it’s easy to throw on the same episode of The Office you’ve seen at least nine times. But why not dive into something a little different?
If you’re looking for something new and exciting, check out these eight mind bending, atypical and sometimes downright shocking films and TV shows on Netflix.
Gantz: O (2016)
Kicking off the list is Gantz: O, a little something for anime fans. Gantz: O is based on the manga series Gantz, which was originally published back in 2000.
In the film, groups of people who have recently died are revived and given high-tech bodysuits and weaponry. A random black orb named Gantz asks the revived individuals to team up and defeat a legion of monsters in Japan. Some viewers have found the film hard to watch because of its subpar computer-generated imagery (CGI), but the inventive story makes it worth the watch.
XX (2017)
XX is a horror anthology film that tells stories of family, friends and terror. Each scary tale is told from a female character’s point of view, whether it be a mother trying to hide her husband’s dead body during her daughter’s seventh birthday, or a woman being possessed by an ancient spirit.
The film was helmed entirely by female directors, including none other than indie pop star St. Vincent. The female directing team is the reason the film is called XX — the symbol for female sex chromosomes. The more you know, eh?
Terrifier (2016)
Terrifier puts a strange spin on the traditional hack and slash killer movie. The film features Art the clown, a mass murderer assumed by many to be dead, who decides to go on a killing rampage on Halloween night. This all may seem typical for a horror movie, but some pretty strange stuff happens along the way, like Art using someone’s scalp as a hat. If you’re not into that kind of gore, maybe give this one a pass.
The Ritual (2017)
Several friends decide to take a hike together in the wilderness but get more than they bargained for when they discover a cult who inhabit the forest and make human sacrifices to a god from Scandinavian mythology. The friends desperately struggle to escape the clutches of the cult and Jötunn, a mysterious godlike creature that terrorizes the woods and looks like a really tall moose.
Annihilation (2018)
Annihilation follows microbiologist Lena (Natalie Portman) on her mission to find out what is beyond “the Shimmer” — a colourful fog that emerged after a meteor landed near a government facility. Along with her team, Lena discovers strange plants and animals in the fog, and even encounters an animal with a human cry. Annihilation has a tense atmosphere and examines horror through a microbiological lens.
Split (2016)
Split follows Kevin (James McAvoy) who deals with dissociative identity disorder (DID). The film was heavily criticized leading up to its release, with many voicing concerns about the ableist narrative of a villain with a mental illness and an unrealistic portrayal of DID, so keep that in mind should you choose to tune in.
In the story, Kevin has 23 alter egos, so it becomes a guessing game when he kidnaps three teenagers who are tasked with determining which personality will help them, and which will hurt them. It’s a horrifying journey for these young women who must figure out how to escape before Kevin releases his last and most dangerous personality.
What Did Jack Do? (2017)
This short film is in black and white and features famously weird director David Lynch interrogating a monkey. What more is there to say?
Devilman: Crybaby (2018)
At first glance, Devilman: Crybaby seems like an average anime series. But about 10 minutes in, things get weird. The film follows the life of Akira Fudo, a demon with the soul of a human. He tries to be a hero, but it turns out to be quite hard in a world of gratuitous violence and frequent demon orgies. Also, talk about an amazing title.
If you decide to watch any of these films or TV shows, buckle up. It’s going to be a strange ride.
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