This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Ariana Mushnick.
Finals season is winding down, and chances are you’ll soon be home for the holidays with little to no responsibilities. Take advantage of your free time with the best of Netflix’s latest, from Britney Spears’ 2002 cinematic debut to 236 hours of “Friends.”
“Almost Famous”
Available: Dec. 1
Take a journey into the ‘70s with a movie full of corduroy, platform shoes and Kate Hudson circa 2000 rocking round blue-tinted sunglasses at all hours of the night. The semi-autobiographical film directed by Cameron Crowe tells the story of an aspiring teenage music journalist who has the adventure of a lifetime. Touring with a rock band as a writer for Rolling Stone at age 15, he witnesses all the sex, drugs and rock n’ roll with hilarious awkwardness and coming-of-age moments.
“Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues”
Available: Dec. 6
Ron Burgundy is back in action. The 763 new jokes the trailer brags about may be stupid, but they sure will make you laugh. Unwind from finals season with this cast packed with comedic icons: Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd and David Koechner. Even if the plot seems silly, watch until the end for the epic fight scene even funnier than the first film’s, this time featuring Harrison Ford, Kanye West, Will Smith and Tina Fey.
“American Beauty”
Available: Dec. 1
Before Frank Underwood, Kevin Spacey was Lester Burnham, who leads just about the opposite life of his “House of Cards” character. Watch Spacey’s Academy Award-winning performance as a miserable father facing a mid-life crisis. The twisted plot unravels as Lester becomes fed up with his neurotic wife and infatuated with his teenage daughter’s best friend. You may be dreading a month of holiday family dinners, but after this you’ll be glad you weren’t born into the Burnham family.
“Crossroads”
Available: Dec. 1
If you’re looking for a more casual movie night, “Crossroads” is an option for some fluffy entertainment. Three young friends bury a box and make a pact to open it the night of their high school graduation, but by the time senior year rolls around, they’ve ended up in separate cliques. Kit (Zoe Saldana) is the popular prom queen, Mimi (Taryn Manning) is a pregnant rebel and Lucy is the innocent good girl, who is played – ironically – by Britney Spears. Despite their diverging paths, they fulfill their pact to open the box and end up reuniting for a roadtrip in a yellow convertible with jam sessions to “Bye, Bye, Bye” along the way.
“Friends”
Available: Jan. 1
If binge watching TV shows is more your style, Jan. 1 is your lucky day. All 10 seasons (that’s 236 episodes, 83 hours) of the iconic series will be available New Year’s Day to help you kick off 2015. “Friends” is on just about every list of “Top TV Shows of All Time,” but if you’re not familiar with the series, it follows Rachel, Joey, Chandler, Phoebe, Ross and Monica as they try to make their way through life as young adults in Manhattan.
