Humans, whether we resist it or not, are drawn to apocalyptic content. Aliens? Pandemic? Whatever way a person can imagine the human race being almost--but not quite--wiped out, we want to hear about it. Not only hear about it, but we'd also love to watch a full-length film--heck, give us a 10 season series-- imagining the exact trials and tribulations of the human race in a fight against extinction.
There are many shows and films on Netflix right now which may fill this need, but some are much more worth your while than others. If we're going to talk about apocalypse, it better be in ways that say something interesting. Here are five things worth your screen on Netflix right now and five you might want to skip.
Watch: I Am Mother
I Am Mother is the story of a young girl living in a sealed-off, lab-like space with a single robot, which she calls 'mother'. The girl believes that she is the only human alive, and understand that her robot mother created her to re-start the human race.
However, the girl grows increasingly curious about what exists beyond her home of isolation and becomes suspicious of her mother. This film takes the common apocalypse theme of humans and robots and makes it fresh and thought-provoking.
Skip: Mother!
Anyone who has seen the film Black Swan will brace themselves for some freaky, surreal cinematography when walking into Darren Aronofsky's Mother!, but even then they won't be prepared for why they find. The film begins with the introduction of a loving couple living in a house that is isolated in the country. It's not clear when or where we are.
As the film progresses tensions between the couple heighten. People keep entering the house, and despite the mother's wishes, the husband won't see them out. This descends into absolute chaos, featuring extremely disturbing violence involving the mother's new-born baby. For whatever metaphors it poses, it's not worth it.
Watch: Doomsday Preppers
This show is both amusing and helpful. Have you ever considered stock-piling for a potential catastrophe? These people have.
Some have bunkers that could sustain them for up to 20 years. In a time of uncertainty and confusion, it's interesting to see the way that other people approach the idea of apocalypse and to reflect on the ways that we are both similar and different from such people. How much preparation is too much? When comes the point when we are more preoccupied with disaster than actual life at the moment?
Skip: The Purge: Anarchy
This film was pretty widely talked about when it came out and remains a recognizable pop culture reference today. It centers around the premise that society is allowed to let off some steam by giving people the right to a 12 hour period once a year in which they may commit any crime their heart desires.
This film may be more likely to induce panic and fear than any feeling of complicated thought or catharsis.
Watch: The Society
Inspired by the book Lord Of The Flies, an allegorical novel about a small group of children stranded on an island who then form their own civilization (or anti-civilization), The Society is (so far) a 1 series show the follows the lives of a town of teenagers who come home from a school trip one night to find that all adults in the town have disappeared.
The teens then go through the gradual process of forming their own laws and appointing leaders, which quickly becomes more difficult than they anticipated.
Skip: The Silence
This film was in production before the better known A Quiet Place, a film that is more well known and more well done, even if it doesn't have beloved actor Stanley Tucci. The films have so much similarity, they even repeat the narrative of having a deaf daughter.
The Silence includes a little more with the narrative of the daughter, as she runs into issues with a cult who wishes to exploit her for her heightened senses, but this doesn't make up for the overwhelming echo of A Quiet Place that this movie serves to be.
Watch: A Quiet Place
John Krasinski directs and stars in A Quiet Place, a film about a family trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic era in which any loud noise conjures the deathly attack of a mysterious creature. The film includes a touching romance between the husband and wife, who do their best to protect their children in a home tucked away in the country.
It's interesting to see the choices the creators made with the film involving gender roles in a time which basically reverts back to home-keeping and hunting. While the film definitely has some flaws and "huh" moments, they are moments that are worth the debate.
Skip: Black Summer
This series is just another story of a few people who have survived a zombie apocalypse and end up banding together to try to survive.
The repeated trope isn't so much the problem, as it's obvious at this time in entertainment that there seems to always be a way to push zombie stories to a new level. The problem lies in the fact that the series doesn't do anything all that new with the genre. One would be better off watching Zombieland.
Watch: Bird Box
Bird Box is in a similar vein as A Quiet Place. They have a similar atmosphere and filming style and came out around the same time. Sandra Bullock gives a great performance as Malorie, a woman fighting to take care of two children in a world where a person goes mad and commits suicide the moment they make eye with a mysterious force outside.
The film is frightening and full of strength, driven by Malorie's determination to persist. She is a character who gains our respect through her shifting toughness and tenderness, a female lead done well.
Skip: Day Of The Dead: Bloodline
This film takes a classic horror, Day Of The Dead, and does it a certain terrible injustice. Gore is part of the genre, and we expect it. However, pretty much every scene is overwrought with intensely indulgent gore and pretty much nothing else. The plot is lacking, some of the acting is decent, but we expect better of horror being done in 2018--especially a more careful ode to a work done much better.
Day Of The Dead spoke to the catastrophic behavior of humans working under pressure--this film doesn't say anything.