Hulk Vs.
Netflix Streaming
DVD | Blu-ray
Directed by Sam Liu and Frank Paur
Starring Fred Tatasciore, Bryce Johnson, Steven Blum, Matthew Wolf, Nolan North
Marvel Animation and Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Originally Released: January 27, 2009

For Marvel Fans, the summer release of The Avengers directed by Joss Whedon has been a challenging act to follow up with. It was an impressive epic release of geekporn, complete with its faults, and since its release, it’s been tough to find other previous Marvel releases to fill the void left by Whedon’s stunning success.

And while it’s no alternative for The Avengers film, Netflix does have a bunch of Marvel flicks worth having a look at, including their animated line of releases. One that proves to be a fun diversion is Hulk Vs., an animated double feature that sets everyone’s favorite green giant against Thor and Wolverine.

Goon
Netflix Streaming
DVD | Blu-ray
Directed by Michael Dowse
Starring Seann William Scott, Liev Schreiber, Jay Baruchel, Marc-Andre Grondin, Alison Pill, Kim Coates, David Lawrence, Robb Wells, John Paul Tremblay, Mike Smith
Magnet Films
Originally Released: September 10, 2011

Goon is one of those movies that will sneak up on you and surprise you. You see it for what seems like forever pop up in your suggestions on Netflix, and then when you finally decide to give it a shot; it hits you across the back of the head with its cleverness and its subtleties as well. Primarily a comedy film, Goon has some deep-rooted social commentary within, with a unique and noteworthy performance from Seann William Scott.

Directed by Michael Dowse, and roughly based on a true story that served as inspiration for the basis of the tale, Goon follows Doug Glatt (Scott) caught in a rut in his daily life. He feels despondent and isolated, and unconnected – the black sheep of the family, and only one buddy in the form of foul-mouthed hockey TV commentator Pat (Jay Baruchel). With a talent in fighting, Glatt goes through life as a bouncer for a local club, while passionately keeping track of his favorite sport, hockey.

Cutthroat Island
Netflix Streaming
DVD | Blu-ray
Directed by Renny Harlin
Starring Geena Davis, Matthew Modine, Frank Langella, Maury Chaykin
Carolco and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Originally Released: December 22, 1995

Being the week upon which Talk Like A Pirate Day falls, I opted to look at a pirate flick for this week’s Netflix Review. So, grab your cutlass, affix your patch and wooden legs – we’re headed for Cutthroat Island.

Directed by Renny Harlin, Cutthroat Island is a movie that was made too early for its time, cursed by the financial woes from a dying studio. But despite its weaknesses, the movie does capture the fun element most remembered in some of the old Errol Flynn classics, and has matured into a movie that audiences can enjoy without taking it too seriously.

The plot follows a notorious wanted female pirate named Morgan Adams (Geena Davis) who finds a treasure map tattooed on the scalp of her dead father. The map is one third of the full piece, with one in the hands of Adams’ uncle, and another in the grubby evil mitts of antagonist Dawg Brown (Frank Langella). Taking command of her father’s ship and crew, and taking doctor and linguist William Shaw (Matthew Modine) on board, she leads a crusade to find the treasure of Cutthroat Island. It develops into a race against time as Brown chases Adams down, across the treacherous waters of the Caribbean.

Boy Wonder
Netflix Streaming
DVD
Directed by Michael Morrissey
Starring Caleb Steinmeyer, Zulay Henao, James Russo, Bill Sage, Tracy Middendorf
Inception Media Group
Originally Released: August 12, 2010

As geeks, we’ve often posed the question: “What if someone really tried to do what Batman does?” The Christopher Nolan Dark Knight trilogy affixed a gritty, yet epic realism to the concept of The Batman, and Kick-Ass gives us a look at a teenager having a shot at being a superhero… but neither is rooted in the darker nature of reality. Enter: Boy Wonder – in spite of its name, the indie film is essentially a vigilante revenge movie, but takes on the concept of a teenager taking on board vigilante justice, without costumes and without the resources of one Mr. Bruce Wayne of the 1%.

Penned and directed by Michael Morrissey, Boy Wonder tells the story of Sean Donovan, a brooding teenager portrayed by Caleb Steinmeyer, who from all appearances is a quiet, isolate teenager striving to do well at school. Yet behind the daytime mask, Donovan carries the weight of being witness to the murder of his mother when he was a younger boy.

Drive
Netflix Streaming
DVD | Blu-ray
Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn
Starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, Ron Perlman, Oscar Isaac, Kaden Leos
FilmDistrict
Originally Released: May 20, 2011

Let me just begin this article by pointing out the final paragraph of this post is the most important of the review.

Featuring Ryan Gosling amidst an impressive cast, the Nicholas Winding Refn-directed Drive is one of those rare films that become immediate classics. While touting some action and crime thriller material, the film is essentially a character study, with extraordinary technical work and some significant symbolism – all of which when combined demand your attention throughout the entire movie.

Drive focuses around an unnamed protagonist known only as The Driver, who leads a life of dichotomy involving cars – working as a mechanic and stunt driver by day, but by night works as a getaway driver for criminals in Los Angeles working heists. Moving to a new apartment, he lives next door to neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her son Benicio (Kaden Leos). The three develop a new friendship that seems to put The Driver onto a new passageway in life.