Holidays don’t really lend themselves to streaming video recommendations. It’s even harder when commemorating the Fourth; I mean, fireworks, beer, and some good ole fun in the sun are all hard to discourage. But you could argue that those American pastimes are synonymous with say, I don’t know, hideous burns, hangovers, and an agonizing tussle with skin disease, so maybe it’s best to stay indoors. After all, there’s no reason why you can’t consume your annual dose of patriotism through Netflix. Here are a few options that will, at most, only scar you emotionally.
Wet Hot American Summer
Director: David Wain
Wet Hot American Summer doesn’t just flip summer camp on its ear; it kicks its ass. Taking place on the final day of Camp Firewood in 1981, a group of angsty, comically self-aware teens make the most out of the little time they have to spend with one another. Along the way, tragedy is averted, a plummeting satellite is thrown off course, and an oafish goober finds love. David Wain’s magnum opus is a blast, blending both a subtle dryness and over-the-top slapstick when mixing its comic formula. It also features several titans of comedy — including Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, Elizabeth Banks, and Paul Rudd — long before any of them truly hit their stride. Considering the prequel series is only a few weeks away, set aside some time to get wet, hot, and above all else, American.
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Nightmares in Red, White and Blue
Director: Andrew Monument
Spawned from Joseph Maddrey’s book of the same name, Nightmares in Red, White and Blue takes an in-depth look at a cornerstone of American culture: horror cinema. Beginning with Thomas Edison’s rendition of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the documentary touches on the development of nearly every subset of horror, paying a particular attention to detail on the landmarks of each. Guided by the chilling voice of Lance Henriksen, this journey into American terror features the likes of John Carpenter, Geroge A. Romero, and Joe Dante. Yeah, maybe it’s a bit out of place here, and maybe it’s more appropriate for another holiday, but c’mon. This is an important piece of Americana, and I’m pretty sure the Revolutionary War had its fair share of gore.
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Inglorious Basterds
Director: Quentin Tarantino
This list would be remiss to exclude one of America’s favorite past times: killin’ Nazis. Quentin Tarantino’s take on World War II isn’t your average Clint Eastwood film, with blood, explosions, and a dash of that oh-so-necessary Tarantino dialogue. Recently added, removed, and then added again, it’s a stroke of luck that the Basterds are on Netflix to celebrate the Fourth. I, of course, won’t complain as Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, Christoph Waltz, and Diane Kruger make this ride through secret history one worth taking. On a side note, this was the first rated-R film I watched in theaters legally, so it’ll always hold a special place near my bleeding American heart.
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House of Cards
Director: Beau Willimon
It wasn’t the first, but House of Cards is certainly one of the most important original series Netflix has to offer. It follows Frank Underwood (Kevin Spacey) as he plots his rise to power in D.C. With some of the best writing of any television drama in recent memory, House of Cards elevated the status of Netflix exclusives, brushing against the pantheon of the best programs this past decade. Besides, we all could benefit from contemplating how human our elected officials are while we launch capsules of gunpowder into the atmosphere. Yep, just a bunch of adulterous, conniving, and often violent humans. Prepping for its fourth season, House of Cards is a significantly grim political drama to dive into.
