125 Great Movies & TV Shows You May Not Have Known Are Available on Netflix Watch Instantly

For Netflix users, the "Watch Instantly" feature is one of the greatest no-extra-cost additions a movie lover could ask for, made even more enticing for Xbox 360 owners who can now stream directly from their consoles to their TVs. It's a feature that effortlessly allows you to access any of the movies or TV shows you have added to your "Instant Queue." The problem, however, comes with actually finding the movies you want to add. Navigating through their selection can be both awkward and tiresome, so you may not even realize all of the great movies and TV shows they have available on there. In an effort to remedy this though, I've compiled this list, which will hopefully help to give you more bang for your buck.

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Personal Favorites • TV Shows • Indie/Underrated Gems
Documentaries • The Hits/Classics

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PERSONAL FAVORITES

GRINDHOUSE: DOUBLE FEATURE (2007)
Directed by: Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Rose McGowan, Kurt Russell, Rosario Dawson
Plot Synopsis: Grindhouse is presented as one full-length feature comprised of two individual films helmed separately by each director. Death Proof centers on a killer who pursues his victims with a car, while Planet Terror tells the tale of a zombie outbreak.
Why You Should Watch It: For the first since the film was released theatrically in 2007, Grindhouse is available in all its blood-splattered, adrenaline-charged, exploitative glory! And yes, that does in fact mean the faux trailers (from Hostel director Eli Roth, Shaun of the Dead & Hot Fuzz director Edgar Wright, and The Devil's Rejects director Rob Zombie) are completely intact. Awesome.

L.A. CONFIDENTIAL (1997)
Directed by: Curtis Hanson
Starring: Kevin Spacey, Russell Crowe, Guy Pearce
Plot Synopsis: In 1950s Los Angeles, three wildly different cops form an uneasy alliance to ferret out deep-seated police corruption.
Why You Should Watch It: Unfairly robbed of the Best Picture Oscar in 1997 by Titanic, L.A. Confidential was more than just the best movie of that year: it's one of the best movies of all-time. Anchored by the excellent performances of the three male leads, this wonderfully complex neo-noir murder mystery manages to be as entertaining as it is smart. Even after having seen the film over a dozen times, I still struggle to find a single flaw with it.

LOCK, STOCK AND TWO SMOKING BARRELS (1998)
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Starring: Jason Flemyng, Jason Statham, Vinnie Jones
Plot Synopsis: Eddie is usually slick with a deck of cards, but after losing at a fixed table for London high rollers, he's in massive debt to a local porn kingpin. Eddie's irate father refuses to hand over his bar to save his son's fingers, leaving Eddie and his friends few options. To come out ahead, they craft a heist to steal the money from the criminals next door -- with overblown results.
Why You Should Watch It: Joining Snatch as one of the only two great movies Guy Ritchie has made, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels is above and beyond one of the best crime films Britain has to offer. It's got stylish and energetic direction, intricate interweaving storylines, and above all else, it introduced audiences to the ultimate kicker of asses, Jason Statham.

THE THING (1982)
Directed by: John Carpenter
Starring: Kurt Russell
Plot Synopsis: The uneventful lives of a team of American scientists at a base in Antarctica are disrupted by an alien that can take the shape of anyone in their midst.
Why You Should Watch It: Featuring grotesque yet completely awe-inspiring monster effects that easily rival any of the CGI crap from today's films, this is by far John Carpenter's best film. While most classic horror films like to effectively build suspense and keep audiences in the dark as to what exactly they're supposed to be afraid of (e.g. Alien), The Thing instead throws audiences headfirst into scene after scene of pure eye-raping terror until eventually you're left feeling exhausted from repeatedly grabbing your hair and shouting, "OH MY GOD! WHAT THE FUCK!?" For maximum fun, I highly recommend watching it with a group of people who haven't seen it before.

THE HOST (2006)
Directed by: Joon-ho Bong
Starring: Kang-ho Song
Plot Synopsis: Seoul's River Han is the watery birthplace of a giant mutant creature bent on the city's total destruction.
Why You Should Watch It: Little Miss Sunshine meets Godzilla. That's the best way I can think of to describe this excellent genre-bending Korean monster movie, which follows a lovable but completely incompetent family as they try to rescue their youngest member from the clutches of a creature that kind of looks like a giant booger. It's intense, funny, and extremely entertaining. The only downside is that the American actors in it are terrible, so some people may be compelled to turn it off before they realize the shitty acting only occupies a few short scenes.

TREMORS (1990)
Directed by: Ron Underwood
Starring: Kevin Bacon, Fred Ward, Michael Gross
Plot Synopsis: Natives of a small isolated town defend themselves against 30-foot-long carnivorous underground creatures which are killing them one by one.
Why You Should Watch It: Completing the trifecta of kickass monster movies (following The Thing and The Host), this hugely underrated '90s cult classic is like Jaws on land. It's type of film you can watch over and over again and never get bored, with Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward making for two of the most comically lovable heroes to ever grace the screen. To this day I still laugh whenever I see Kevin Bacon shouting "Fuuuuuck you!" at one of the creatures.

GATTACA (1997)
Directed by: Andrew Niccol
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Jude Law, Uma Thurman
Plot Synopsis: Set in the future, a genetically inferior man assumes the identity of a superior one in order to pursue his lifelong dream of space travel.
Why You Should Watch It: These are the best kind of movies; the ones that are able to insightfully explore social issues and ethical questions without letting its dissection of these things detract at all from the narrative or entertainment value. Written and directed by Andrew Niccol (writer of The Truman Show, and writer/director of Lord of War), Gattaca presents a world where people are judged not by their ethnicity or sexual orientation, but by their genetics. It's a complete reversal of everything we know, and it makes for a fascinating film.

PRIMER (2004)
Directed by: Shane Carruth
Starring: Shane Carruth, David Sullivan
Plot Synopsis: An engineer builds a machine (quite by accident) that can transport the user back in time. But his discovery comes with an ominous caveat, because at the heart of this puzzling device, nothing is as it seems on the surface.
Why You Should Watch It: This no-budget indie effort presents the most believable, perfectly constructed, and scientifically accurate depiction of time travel ever seen on film. For those that have an interest in the topic, it's a must-see.

THE PROFESSIONAL (1994)
Directed by: Luc Besson
Starring: Jean Reno, Natalie Portman, Gary Oldman
Plot Synopsis: Leon is the top hit man in New York -- also known as a "cleaner." When his next-door neighbors are wiped out by a loose-cannon DEA agent, Leon becomes the unwilling custodian of 12-year-old Mathilda. Before long, Mathilda's thoughts turn to revenge, and she considers following in Leon's footsteps.
Why You Should Watch It: Masterfully directed and acted, The Professional is a badass action movie that manages to be intelligent, brutally violent, haunting, stylish, heartfelt, and completely deranged... All at the same time. Anchored by the brillianty executed dynamic between Jean Reno and Natalie Portman, you won't find a better hitman movie.

WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE (1995)
Directed by: Todd Solondz
Starring: Heather Matarazzo
Plot Synopsis: The horrors of junior high are vividly re-created in this darkly comic tale of painfully awkward Dawn Wiener, who must cope with a dreary, middle-child home life as well as with classmates who mercilessly taunt her.
Why You Should Watch It: By far Todd Solondz's best film, Welcome to the Dollhouse is like a much more depressingly realistic Napoleon Dynamite. The movie poignantly explores the life of an unattractive and unpopular 7th grade girl in a harsh yet darkly comedic manner, acting as an affecting reminder of the trials and tribulations of adolescence and then reaffirming at the end of it all that at least our childhoods didn't suck as bad as this poor girl's.

ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND (2004)
Directed by: Michel Gondry
Starring: Jim Carrey, Kate Winslet, Kirsten Dunst
Plot Synopsis: A couple undergo a procedure to erase each other from their memories when their relationship turns sour, but it is only through the process of loss that they discover what they had to begin with.
Why You Should Watch It: Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (Adaptation., Being John Malkovich) certainly has a way with telling bizarre, offbeat yet strangely wonderful tales. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is probably his best to date, thanks in large part to the intimate and visually creative direction by Michel Gondry and moving performances by Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. While Hollywood is off churning out a dozen cringe-inducing stock romantic comedies every year, it's nice to have a romance film that actually treats its subject matter with respect and intelligence.

NETWORK (1976)
Directed by: Sidney Lumet
Starring: Faye Dunaway, William Holden, Peter Finch
Plot Synopsis: A TV network cynically exploits a deranged ex-TV anchor's ravings and revelations about the media for their own profit.
Why You Should Watch It: Since its release over 30 years ago (and subsequent Oscar nominations/wins), this scathing, satiric dissection of the media has only become more relevant with age. If you haven't seen it yet, now's the time to do so.

AN EVENING WITH KEVIN SMITH (2002)
Starring: Kevin Smith
Plot Synopsis: Silent Bob finally breaks his silence in this no-hold-barred interview with brash and gifted filmmaker Kevin Smith.
Why You Should Watch It: Ranking up there with the best stand-up comics, director Kevin Smith (Clerks, Dogma, Zack and Miri Make a Porno) shows off his skills as a storyteller with this hilarious Q&A session that even non-fans should be able to enjoy. (Also on Netflix Watch Instantly is its follow-up, An Evening with Kevin Smith 2: Evening Harder.)

THE TICK (THE COMPLETE SERIES) (2001)
Directed by: Barry Sonnenfeld
Starring: Patrick Warburton
Plot Synopsis: Based on the cult comic book, this live-action series follows The Tick as he confronts evildoers.
Why You Should Watch It: Why are so many great TV shows so short-lived? The Tick may not have been perfect, but it was worthy live-action follow-up to its successful animated predecessor. It also featured the genius casting of Patrick Warburton as The Tick, who not only looks the part but acts it too.

SWINGERS (1996)
Directed by: Doug Liman
Starring: Jon Favreau, Vince Vaughn, Ron Livingston
Plot Synopsis: A struggling comedian's pitiable love life prompts his Hollywood wannabe pals to pump up his nightlife by introducing him to cocktail culture.
Why You Should Watch It: With top notch direction from Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, Go) and a witty and insightful script by Jon Favreau (director of Iron Man, Made, Zathura, Elf), Swingers is probably best known for being the film that single-handedly skyrocketed the career of Vince Vaughn due to his hilarious and memorable performance as Trent "You're so money!" Walker.

GROSS POINTE BLANK (1997)
Directed by: George Armitage
Starring: John Cusack, Dan Aykroyd, Minnie Driver
Plot Synopsis: A freelance assassin facing a crisis of conscience comes back home for his 10th anniversary high school reunion and finds himself forced to fend off a professional peer dead-set on inducting him into the newly formed assassins union, sort out his feelings for his high school sweetheart, and squeeze in a last-minute contract killing.
Why You Should Watch It: Arguably John Cusack's greatest movie, Gross Pointe Blank is a quirky dark comedy thriller that manages to keep viewers on the edge of their seats with its funny fast-paced dialogue and clever twisting of a worn-out genre.

BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA (1986)
Directed by: John Carpenter
Starring: Kurt Russell
Plot Synopsis: An All-American trucker gets dragged into a centuries-old mystical battle in Chinatown.
Why You Should Watch It: This film may be silly, cheesy, and ridiculous, but that's part of the point. It's an unapologetically outlandish B-movie send-up, combining wacky action scenes, insane visuals, and a fantastic performance from Kurt Russell as everyone's favorite action hero, Jack Burton ("Who!?"). You won't find many movies quite as unique as Big Trouble in Little China, that's for sure.

MISERY (1990)
Directed by: Rob Reiner
Starring: James Caan, Kathy Bates
Plot Synopsis: Based on Stephen King's book, an obsessed fan rescues her idol, romance novelist Paul Sheldon, after a horrible car accident. But she morphs from nurturing caregiver to sadistic jailer upon discovering that Sheldon plans to kill off his literary heroine, Misery, in his next volume.
Why You Should Watch It: Kathy Bates is one scary bitch. After seeing this film for the first time, I could not escape the image of her taking a hammer to my legs. It haunted me in my dreams. Sadly, seeing her naked in About Schmidt did little to help these nightmares. But that's beside the point; what matters is, Kathy Bates delivers a fantastically creepy performance as Annie Wilkes. And along with great suspense-building direction from Rob Reiner and a strong performance by James Caan, Misery is one of the few truly great Stephen King film adaptations.

THE HUDSUCKER PROXY (1994)
Directed by: The Coen Bros.
Starring: Tim Robbins, Paul Newman, Jennifer Jason Leigh
Plot Synopsis: A naive business graduate is installed as president of a manufacturing company as part of a stock scam.
Why You Should Watch It: Easily the Coen brothers most underappreciated movie, The Hudsucker Proxy offers a fantastical and visually stunning comedic tale that's a ton of fun to watch. It may be a minor work in the Coen's filmography, but that's only because the rest of their films are so damn brilliant. If you're a fan of screwball comedies but are also interested in trying something a little different, this one is definitely worth a look.

THE LAST BOY SCOUT (1991)
Directed by: Tony Scott
Starring: Bruce Willis, Damon Wayans, Halle Berry
Plot Synopsis: An ex-CIA agent and ex-football star team up to try and solve a murder case involving a pro football team and a politician.
Why You Should Watch It: I don't understand how people can not love this film. It may follows all of the conventions of your standard action film, but it also has some of the best and most hilarious dialogue of any movie of its genre (courtesy of writer Shane Black, who also wrote Lethal Weapon and wrote/directed Kiss Kiss Bang Bang). Add to that a badass performance by Bruce Willis and energetic direction by Tony Scott (True Romance, Top Gun, Man on Fire), and you have yourselves one fun fucking film.

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TV SHOWS

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (SEASONS 1 & 2) (2006)
Developed by: Peter Berg
Starring: Kyle Chandler, Minka Kelly, Taylor Kitsch
Plot Synopsis: In rural Texas, there's not much in life that matters more than high school football -- a point this series drives home searingly as it chronicles the ups and downs of a team that carries the heart and soul of its town on its players' backs. First-time coach Eric Taylor (Kyle Chandler) and quarterback Jason Street (Scott Porter) lead a stellar team, but the pressure is enormous in this drama adapted from the hit movie of the same name.

JERICHO (SEASONS 1 & 2) (2006)
Directed by: Jon Turteltaub
Starring: Skeet Ulrich
Plot Synopsis: Another entry in the new serial genre, this CBS drama revolves around a small town in Kansas that finds itself cut off from the rest of the world after a mushroom cloud appears on the horizon and a TV and radio blackout ensue. Has there been a terrorist attack or a pre-emptive nuclear strike? Faced with terrifying uncertainty, the town begins to come apart at its seams.

NEWSRADIO (SEASONS 1 & 2) (1995)
Created by: Paul Simms
Starring: Dave Foley, Stephen Root, Andy Dick
Plot Synopsis: WNYX director Dave Nelson tries to boost ratings while dealing with his quirky employees and impulsive boss in this hilarious ensemble comedy.

SURFACE (THE COMPLETE SERIES) (2005)
Created by: Josh Pate, Jonas Pate
Starring: Lake Bell, Jay R. Ferguson, Carter Jenkins
Plot Synopsis: "Dragnet" creators Josh and Jonas Pate take the action below the surface in this compelling science-fiction drama. When an unsuspecting boy brings a mysterious creature ashore, he's shocked to learn he's discovered a new species. But as the episodes unravel, his actions end up changing the world.

LITTLE BRITAIN (SERIES 1 & 2) (2003)
Created by: David Walliams, Matt Lucas
Starring: Matt Lucas, David Walliams, Tom Baker
Plot Synopsis: Featuring shamelessly puerile comedy sketches, this BBC3 series takes viewers on a hysterical tour of the British Isles, introducing a wealth of warped characters played by Matt Lucas and David Walliams.

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DOCTOR WHO (SEASON 1, 2 & 3) (2005)
Created by: Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber, Donald Wilson
Starring: David Tennant, Billie Piper
Plot Synopsis: More than 15 years after "Doctor Who" went off the air, the venerable sci-fi series got a well-received 21st-century makeover, complete with younger actors, modern editing and CGI animation.

DILBERT (SEASON 1) (1999)
Developed by: Scott Adams, Larry Charles
Starring: Daniel Stern, Kathy Griffin, Chris Elliott
Plot Synopsis: Dilbert -- the office drone from Scott Adams's comic strip whose pain was felt by workers everywhere -- comes to life in this animated series.

MACGYVER (SEASON 1) (1985)
Created by: Lee David Zlotoff
Starring: Richard Dean Anderson
Plot Synopsis: Meet ex-Special Forces agent Angus MacGyver. No longer an official spy, the brilliant MacGyver still manages to be recruited to solve the toughest cases, relying primarily on his uncanny ability to extricate himself from any perilous situation using everyday materials to fashion weapons and tools.

STAR TREK (SEASON 1) (1966)
Created by: Gene Roddenberry
Starring: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy
Plot Synopsis: "Space … the final frontier." Easily one of the most beloved television series of all time, Gene Roddenberry's groundbreaking sci-fi classic has captured the minds and hearts of fans across generations.

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INDIE/UNDERRATED GEMS

PUSHER (1996)
Directed by: Nicolas Winding Refn
Starring: Kim Bodnia, Zlatco Buric
Plot Synopsis: A small-scale pusher blows a big-time heroin deal and gets in trouble with a powerful drug lord. As the week drags on, he scrambles to pay back the money he lost, but his attempts to raise serious cash take him into dangerous territory. (Also on Netflix Watch Instantly are its two sequels, Pusher 2: With Blood on My Hands and Pusher 3: I'm the Angel of Death.)

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY (2007)
Directed by: Julian Schnabel
Starring: Mathieu Amalric, Max von Sydow
Plot Synopsis: In 1995, author and Elle magazine editor Jean-Dominique Bauby suffered a stroke that put him in a coma; he awakened mute and completely paralyzed. Mathieu Amalric stars in this adaptation of Bauby's autobiography, which he dictated by blinking.

THE ORPHANAGE (2007)
Directed by: Juan Antonio Bayona, Fernando Cayo
Starring: Belén Rueda
Plot Synopsis: With fond memories of the seaside orphanage where she was raised, Laura persuades her husband to help her revamp it as a facility for disabled children. But once they move in, their son Simón begins to exhibit dark and disturbing behavior. As Laura tries to understand Simón's increasingly malevolent actions, she becomes drawn into the house's terrifying secrets.

HALF NELSON (2006)
Directed by: Ryan Fleck
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps
Plot Synopsis: In his struggle to balance his personal and professional lives, inner-city teacher Dan Dunne spends most of his time nursing hangovers. But who could've known that a life-changing lesson would come from one of his students?

ZERO EFFECT (1998)
Directed by: Jake Kasdan
Starring: Bill Pullman, Ben Stiller
Plot Synopsis: Steve Arlo and Daryl Zero have private investigation covered from A to Z, even with their newest case -- finding a shady tycoon's missing keys. For this duo, crime-solving is easy ... but when love zeroes in on Zero, the world's best detective suddenly hasn't got a clue.

THE SIGNAL (2006)
Directed by: Jacob Gentry, David Bruckner, Dan Bush
Starring: Cheri Christian, AJ Bowen, Chad McKnight
Plot Synopsis: When the phones, radios and TVs in the city of Terminus begin to broadcast the same strange signal, the transmission causes jealousy and hate to spew, turning once sane people into murderous lunatics. Trapped in a world gone mad, a faithless wife seeks the safety of her lover, while her affected husband hunts for her.

FALLING DOWN (1993)
Directed by: Joel Schumacher
Starring: Michael Douglas, Robert Duvall, Barbara Hershey
Plot Synopsis: It's a hot summer day in L.A., and Bill Foster is having a very bad day. He's just been fired from his defense-industry job and a traffic jam is making him late to his daughter's birthday party. With his temper fraying, Foster begins walking and runs into one obstacle after another, including an overzealous cop who's determined to bring Foster down.

MATCHSTICK MEN (2003)
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Starring: Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell, Alison Lohman
Plot Synopsis: A professional con man struggling with an obsessive-compulsive disorder meets the daughter he never knew he had, inadvertently jeopardizing his very organized and artificially controlled life.

THE ICE STORM (1997)
Directed by: Ang Lee
Starring: Kevin Kline, Joan Allen , Sigourney Weaver, Tobey Maguire, Christina Ricci
Plot Synopsis: A prep-schooler returns home one winter weekend and finds his family on the verge of imploding. His father tries to douse his unhappiness with booze and infidelity while his mother searches for answers in self-help books. The experimentation and permissiveness that defined the times lead to ruin as the family's surroundings literally turn to ice during a freakish storm.

2 DAYS IN PARIS (2007)
Directed by: Julie Delpy
Starring: Julie Delpy, Adam Goldberg
Plot Synopsis: Returning from a disastrous "romantic" trip to Venice, Marion and Jack stop in Paris for two days to visit Marion's parents. But Marion's Parisian ex-lovers, her overbearing parents and culture shock all conspire to make American-born Jack feel even more estranged from Marion in this quirky comedy.

BROKEN FLOWERS (2005)
Directed by: Jim Jarmusch
Starring: Bill Murray, Julie Delpy , Jeffrey Wright, Frances Conroy, Jessica Lange, Sharon Stone , Tilda Swinton
Plot Synopsis: After being dumped by yet another girlfriend, Don Johnston vows he'll be alone forever. But when a mysterious unsigned letter arrives in the mail, he's surprised to learn he has a 19-year-old son. With no idea who the mother could be, Don sets out on a cross-country journey to confront his past, surprising a series of old flames along the way.

MIDNIGHT RUN (1988)
Directed by: Martin Brest
Starring: Robert De Niro, Charles Grodin
Plot Synopsis: Jack Walsh is an ex-cop turned bounty hunter who's offered $100,000 to transport prisoner Jonathan "The Duke" Mardukas -- an accountant who embezzled millions from the mob -- from New York to Los Angeles. But the FBI is after The Duke to testify against the mob, and the mob's put out a hit on him. Can Walsh deliver the neurotic accountant to L.A. on time -- and alive?

BOILER ROOM (2000)
Directed by: Ben Younger
Starring: Giovanni Ribisi, Nia Long, Vin Diesel
Plot Synopsis: A college dropout with chutzpah to spare runs a successful gambling casino out of his Queens apartment. But then a friend comes knocking with a better deal: the chance to join an up-and-coming securities firm as a top-line stockbroker. There's only one hitch to this sure thing: The firm is shadier than the dark side of the moon.

RIGHT AT YOUR DOOR (2006)
Directed by: Chris Gorak
Starring: Rory Cochrane, Mary McCormack
Plot Synopsis: What begins as just another day for everyman Brad quickly disintegrates into an ordeal of terror when a dirty bomb is unleashed on Los Angeles. Unable to contact his wife, Brad decides to barricade himself in his house while awaiting her return from work, facing isolation and panic during his tense vigil

PARIS, JE T'AIME (2006)
Directed by: Alfonso Cuarón , Gus Van Sant, The Coen Brothers, Wes Craven
Starring: Elijah Wood, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Steve Buscemi, Bob Hoskins, Juliette Binoche
Plot Synopsis: A collection of five-minute films about the City of Lights brings Paris to life with a unique patchwork of 20 stories. Numerous writers, directors and actors lend their distinctive vision to the project, employing a wide variety of styles and subject matter.

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CANNIBAL! THE MUSICAL (1996)
Directed by: Trey Parker
Starring: Trey Parker, Matt Stone , Dian Bachar
Plot Synopsis: Featuring riotous tunes, crass humor and sight gags galore, this hilarious genre bender set in 1873 chronicles the tale of Alferd Packer -- the only American ever found guilty of cannibalism. With Packer at the helm, a party of gold prospectors gets stranded in the midst of a savage Rocky Mountain winter, and next thing you know, ribs and liver are on the menu.

DEAD CALM (1989)
Directed by: Phillip Noyce
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Sam Neill, Billy Zane
Plot Synopsis: A couple set off for an extended sailing trip after their young son dies tragically in a car crash. When they come across another seafarer feverishly paddling away from a sinking schooner, they bring him aboard -- and quickly realize he's a murderous sociopath.

VIDEODROME (1983)
Directed by: David Cronenberg
Starring: James Woods
Plot Synopsis: A sleazy TV executive needs cheap, exciting programming for his fly-by-night channel. Fortuitously, he stumbles across a fuzzy satellite feed showing torture, punishment ... and possibly murder. A conspiracy is afoot as two competing groups fight for the 20th century's soul, using the airwaves as their battlefield.

SEVERANCE (2006)
Directed by: Christopher Smith
Starring: Toby Stephens, Claudie Blakley , Andy Nyman, Laura Harris, Danny Dyer
Plot Synopsis: A sales group -- employed by an international weapons company -- head for a team-building retreat at a remote lodge in Hungary. Before you can say "mayhem," a band of vengeful, psychotic commandos turns the tables and puts the merchants on the wrong end of their wares.

BEHIND THE MASK: THE RISE OF LESLIE VERNON (2007)
Directed by: Scott Glosserman
Starring: Robert Englund, Scott Wilson , Nathan Baesel
Plot Synopsis: A self-promoting serial killer who dreams of being the most infamous slasher of all time hires a documentary film crew to follow him as he launches a reign of terror on a small town. Preparing tirelessly for his murderous debut, Leslie Vernon shares his bloody ambitions with director Taylor Gentry and her crew.

FIDO (2006)
Directed by: Andrew Currie
Starring: Carrie-Anne Moss, Billy Connolly, Dylan Baker, Tim Blake Nelson
Plot Synopsis: Fido is a typical movie about the boy next door and his pet -- except in this case the loyal "pet" is a lumbering zombie named Fido. Problems arise when he breaks loose and noshes on the next-door neighbor, forcing owner Timmy Robinson into damage-control mode while he tries to persuade his parents to keep Fido.

13 TZAMETI (2005)
Directed by: Gela Babluani
Starring: Gela Babluani
Plot Synopsis: Not one to seek adventure, Sébastien uncharacteristically throws caution to the wind when he decides to follow a set of instructions intended for someone else, leading him to a nightmarish destination from which he may never return.

4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS AND 2 DAYS (2007)
Directed by: Cristian Mungiu
Starring: Laura Vasiliu, Anamaria Marinca
Plot Synopsis: In the last days of communism in Romania, a young college student wants to end her unplanned pregnancy. With the help of her best friend she seeks an abortion, illegal under the oppressive Ceaucescu regime.

THIS IS ENGLAND (2006)
Directed by: Shane Meadows
Starring: Thomas Turgoose, Andrew Shim , Stephen Graham
Plot Synopsis: Set in 1983, this drama follows a lonely 11-year-old boy named Shaun, grieving over the recent death of his father who was killed fighting in the Falkland War. When he falls in with a gang of young skinheads, Shaun's pain and anger make him susceptible to carrying out the group's hateful agenda.

SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE (1989)
Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: James Spader, Andie MacDowell , Peter Gallagher
Plot Synopsis: This voyeuristic indie film paints an intense, intimate portrait of discord among a frigid housewife, her philandering husband , her adulterous sibling and an out-of-towner. Spader arrives with a trunk load of videotapes -- interviews with women he's known confessing their sexual secrets -- and his presence gradually turns the quartet's lives inside out.

IN THE COMPANY OF MEN (1997)
Directed by: Neil LaBute
Starring: Aaron Eckhart, Stacy Edwards
Plot Synopsis: Two corporate middle-managers, exiled to a branch office for 6 weeks, come up with a way to kill time: Find an insecure woman, independently romance her and then simultaneously dump her.

THE SHAPE OF THINGS (2003)
Directed by: Neil LaBute
Starring: Paul Rudd, Rachel Weisz , Gretchen Mol
Plot Synopsis: After nerdy English student and museum guard Adam meets attractive art student Evelyn during one of his shifts, his life takes on an interesting new direction. As Adam's friends notice the changes in him, they begin to wonder what's behind the mysterious transformation; could it be his new girlfriend, or is it something else he's not revealing?

CITY OF MEN (2007)
Directed by: Paulo Morelli
Starring: Douglas Silva, Darlan Cunha , Jonathan Haagensen, Rodrigo dos Santos
Plot Synopsis: In this follow-up to Fernando Meirelles's Oscar-nominated City of God, 18-year-old best friends Acerola and Laranjinha are struggling to come to terms with the pressures of manhood in the midst a bloody neighborhood gang war.

KONTROLL (2004)
Directed by: Nimród Antal
Starring: Sándor Csányi, Zoltan Mucsi, Csaba Pindroch
Plot Synopsis: This Hungarian box office smash hit and winner of the Prix de la Jeunes award at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival takes place entirely underground in the Budapest subway system. A variety of personalities converge on the turnstiles, including a dashing young man, an exotic woman and a murderer, all of whom are desperately racing against time and their surroundings to find one another … before they are found themselves.

DANCER IN THE DARK (2000)
Directed by: Lars von Trier
Starring: Björk, Catherine Deneuve, David Morse, Peter Stormare
Plot Synopsis: Cursed with a disease that threatens to take her sight, Selma Yeskova struggles to raise money for an operation that could save her son from the same fate. To ease her anxiety, Selma relies on a dream life that takes the form of elaborate musical numbers. After she's accused of stealing, Selma's musical reverie helps her persevere against mounting odds.

PAPRIKA (2007)
Directed by: Satoshi Kon
Starring: Megumi Hayashibara, Toru Emori , Akio Ôtsuka
Plot Synopsis: In this cautionary anime tale, reality and the dream world are on a collision course after a DC-Mini -- an experimental device that can record dreams -- is stolen from a psychiatric research facility. When the thief begins intertwining the patients' nightmares with the staff's dreams, it's clear that the DC-Mini has fallen into dangerous hands. Can Dr. Atsuko Chiba and her alter ego, a sprightly avatar named Paprika, stop the madness?

CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER WOMEN (2006)
Directed by: Hans Canosa
Starring: Helena Bonham Carter, Aaron Eckhart
Plot Synopsis: Sparks fly at a wedding reception when a man and a woman with a mysterious past are reunited in this bittersweet tale inventively shot in split screen. The complex layers of their past relationship are slowly revealed as the pair rekindles their flirtation. One thing leads to another and the old flames leave the party for a private hotel room, but passion gives way to regret when the champagne wears off.

LIVING IN OBLIVION (1995)
Directed by: Tom DiCillo
Starring: Steve Buscemi, Catherine Keener, Dermot Mulroney
Plot Synopsis: Living in Oblivion takes you through one hellaciously funny day in the life of small-time independent filmmaker Nick Reve. All Nick wants is to realize his artistic vision within the confines of an extremely low budget. Unfortunately, he keeps encountering a maddening number of obstacles, both real and imagined.

SHERRYBABY (2006)
Directed by: Laurie Collyer
Starring: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Plot Synopsis: After being released from prison, Sherry Swanson returns to the realities of life, visiting with her parole officer, finding a job and being a mother to her 5-year-old daughter. But complications arise when Swanson learns that in her absence her brother and his wife have become surrogate parents.

ROXANNE (1987)
Directed by: Fred Schepisi
Starring: Steve Martin, Daryl Hannah, Rick Rossovich, Shelley Duvall , Damon Wayans
Plot Synopsis: Fearless small-town firefighter C.D. Bales becomes smitten with beautiful stargazer Roxanne Kowalski but is self-conscious about his exceedingly long proboscis. The fair maiden has also captured the fancy of C.D.'s handsome but tongue-tied chum Chris. C.D. thinks he's too ugly to snag Roxanne's heart, so he woos her vicariously by supplying his rival with florid sentiments and poignant poetry.

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DOCUMENTARIES

SPELLBOUND (2002)
Directed by: Jeffrey Blitz
Plot Synopsis: This documentary presents the intense, real-life experience of the National Spelling Bee as seen through the eyes of eight young spellers. We share in their private lives as they train for and compete in this ultimate intellectual showdown. Within these stories, we discover not only their idiosyncrasies, their obsessive study habits and their sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes inspiring family dynamics, but also the story of America itself.

THE KING OF KONG (2007)
Directed by: Seth Gordon
Plot Synopsis: When Steve Wiebe got laid off, he turned to the classic arcade game Donkey Kong for solace; soon, he decided to challenge Billy Mitchell's long-standing record score. So began the bitter rivalry that lies at the heart of this curiously compelling documentary.

JESUS CAMP (2006)
Directed by: Heidi Ewing, Rachel Grady
Plot Synopsis: This riveting Oscar-nominated documentary offers an unfiltered look at a revivalist subculture where devout Christian youngsters are being primed to deliver the fundamentalist community's religious and political messages. Building an evangelical army of tomorrow, the Kids on Fire summer camp in Devil's Lake, N.D., is dedicated to deepening the preteens' spirituality and sowing the seeds of political activism as they're exhorted to "take back America for Christ."

CAPTURING THE FRIEDMANS (2003)
Directed by: Andrew Jarecki
Plot Synopsis: A family in crisis is "captured" through real home video. The Friedmans, an average upper-middle-class Jewish family in Great Neck, NY, found their world turned upside down when the father and son were charged with child molestation in 1987. The media inundated the airwaves with coverage of the alleged crime, but some of the best footage was shot by the family themselves -- seen publicly for the first time in this documentary.

CRUMB (1994)
Directed by: Terry Zwigoff
Plot Synopsis: Director Terry Zwigoff spent six years compiling this portrait of the underground cartoonist whose characters Fritz the Cat and Mr. Natural became counterculture icons. Candid interviews with Robert Crumb and his spouses, offspring, siblings and peers render a compelling profile of a tormented man who transcended a harrowing upbringing to produce stunningly original art.

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OVERNIGHT (2003)
Directed by: Tony Montana, Mark Brian Smith
Plot Synopsis: Lose yourself in this riveting documentary that chronicles the rise and ignoble fall of Troy Duffy, a bartender whose script for The Boondock Saints was picked up by Miramax bigwig Harvey Weinstein and made into a film. Like a freight train careening out of control, the arrogant Duffy -- once considered Hollywood's new wunderkind -- burns all his bridges, alienating his colleagues, his friends and his long-suffering brother, Taylor.

TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE (2007)
Directed by: Alex Gibney
Plot Synopsis: Just days after an Afghan taxi driver picked up three passengers and never returned home, he wound up dead at Bagram Air Base, killed by injuries inflicted by U.S. soldiers. Interviews, news footage and firsthand reports provide a gripping look at the case and the Bush administration's policy on torture.

NO END IN SIGHT (2007)
Directed by: Charles Ferguson
Plot Synopsis: This in-depth, Oscar-nominated documentary from filmmaker (and former Brookings Institution fellow) Charles Ferguson examines the decisions that led to the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq and the handling of the subsequent occupation by President George W. Bush and his administration. Featuring exclusive interviews with central players and detailed analysis, the film pulls no punches as it chronicles the twists and turns America took on the path to war.

DARK DAYS (2000)
Directed by: Marc Singer
Plot Synopsis: Documentarian Marc Singer focuses his camera on a group of homeless people who live deep underground in an abandoned New York City railroad tunnel. By day, they scavenge for food on the mean streets of Manhattan. At night, they retreat to the tunnel, where they've built huts out of scrap metal, plastic and plywood. Amazingly, they have electricity, furniture, working kitchens and a sense of community many surface dwellers would envy.

BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER (2008)
Directed by: Chris Bell
Plot Synopsis: In sports, winning is everything, and the pressure to succeed can drive some athletes to start taking banned substances. Filmmaker Chris Bell points the camera at his brothers and himself, all users of steroids. By exploring the reasons behind and effects of steroid use within his family, Bell calls into question the win-at-all-cost attitude so prevalent within American society.

ENRON: THE SMARTEST GUYS IN THE ROOM (2005)
Directed by: Alex Gibney
Plot Synopsis: Based on the book of the same name by Peter Elkin, director Alex Gibney's documentary takes a behind-the-scenes look at the powerful energy company whose downfall forever changed the landscape of the business world. With a blend of fascinating footage, fast-paced interviews and a wealth of information, this film is a serious lesson in the potential trappings of dishonesty and unethical behavior dogging corporate America today.

GONZO: LIFE AND WORK OF DR. HUNTER S. THOMPSON (2007)
Directed by: Alex Gibney
Plot Synopsis: Always willing to hurl himself right in the middle of the action, journalist and author Hunter S. Thompson was fearless as well as reckless. This documentary looks beyond his wild antics to focus on the courage and principles that made him a success. Rare home movies, audiotapes and unpublished materials offer added insight into this complex man, who was well-known for his fondness for sex, drugs and alcohol.

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THE HITS/CLASSICS

Groundhog Day (1993)

Unbreakable (2000)

Donnie Brasco (1997)

Spaceballs (1987)

Fatal Attraction (1987)

Contact (1997)

Manhattan (1979)

Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)

Stand by Me (1986)

Deliverance (1972)

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988)

Bonnie and Clyde (1967)

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Weird Science (1985)

Enter the Dragon (1973)

Casablanca (1942)

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

The Exorcist (1973)

Psycho (1960)

Vertigo (1958)

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)

Once Upon a Time in America (1984)

Sling Blade (1996)

The Last of the Mohicans (1992)

Jerry Maguire (1996)

Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)

The Meaning of Life (1983)

THX 1138 (1971)

Barry Lyndon (1975)

Being There (1979)

Tootsie (1982)

Bullitt (1968)

Das Boot (1981)

The People vs. Larry Flynt (1996)

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966)

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)

Bull Durham (1988)

Risky Business (1983)

Legend (1986)

Fallen (1998)

Malcolm X (1992)

Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

Strangers on a Train (1951)

Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)

Empire of the Sun (1987)

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NOTE: I have intentionally refrained from including any of the films/shows currently listed on Netflix's Top 50 Movies to Watch Instantly (which includes: Last Week, Last 3 Months, and All Time). I felt that including any of the items from those lists would negate the point of the article. So if you haven't yet checked out those sections, you should do so now. (And be sure to give the following a second-look in case you passed them by before: Gone Baby Gone, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, Man on Wire, Dead Like Me (Season 1 & 2), and Transsiberian.)

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Did we miss some? If you know of other great movies or TV shows that are available on Netflix Watch Instantly, let us know in the comments and we'll update the list. Be sure to give your name so we can credit you.

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USER UPDATES!

(Suggested by: MrCavanagh)

Young Frankenstein (1974)

The Wind That Shakes The Barley (2006)

All The President's Men (1976)

Twilight Zone: Season 1 (Original Series) (1959)

Fahrenheit 451 (1966)

The Lady From Shanghai (1948)

Double Indemnity (1944)