Nerdflix: 3 Geeky Gems You Can Stream RIGHT NOW.

I use MS Paint, because I can’t afford KidPix.

On a recent episode of my podcast Nerd of Mouth we discussed the first-worldiest of problems; making the most of one’s Netflix subscription. Sure, it seems harmless, sitting there on its own Wii channel or iPad app. Yet most of the time I find myself staring slack-jawed at the unending river of content, looking for some brave soul to help me ford my way across.  Here’s some particularly geeky finds I’ve made this past week that get a big time recommendation. Note: Netflix is constantly shifting its streaming selections due to licensing issues, so act now!

1. Daybreakers

Get Ready for Post-Busey Levels of Insanity Ham.

When this movie was released in 2009, it was like a porn stash in the woods, by that I mean it made a lasting impression on a select few weirdos. This Australian-produced sci-fi film imagines a world where Vampirism slowly and organically becomes the norm in society as the corporate world eagerly steps in to ease the transition with luxury sunlight-proof cars and factory farms quickly commodifying the uninfected human race. The whole concept of consumer-as-vampire is so thoughtfully done it feels like the kind of thing you’d think of in college (while on drugs of course). Then around the halfway point, the movie explodes with the intense tornado of human life-force that is Willem Dafoe! The former Green Goblin plays a character called “Elvis” who  is this world’s John Conner, but way higher on cocaine. Willem Dafoe fits in this movie the same way a thousand live wolverines belong on the Monorail at Disney World. It is a beautiful sight as every inch of scenery is chewed beyond recognition and you genuinely cannot tell  if he is having fun, or doing some sort of commentary on the idea of having fun. MUST WATCH.

2. Dead Leaves.

The Key to Understanding Japanese Humor is to Understand That Everything is Also a Penis.

Hiroyuki Imaishi is an anime director known for his frantic, energetic animation style. He is the man responsible for Gurren Lagann and worked on FLCL, but let’s face it, all that boring corporate work for Gainax was just for the paycheck (/sarcasm). His REAL creative vision was splattered against the collective retinas of humanity in this 2004 OVA. Prison riots, Space caterpillars, buttsex jokes and planetary violence all come spinning at you in a barrage of color and liquids. I can’t overstate how cool this thing looks. This isn’t exactly an intellectual journey but I can guarantee it is the cure for boredom.

3.  Soultaker (MST3K edition)

My Only Goal in Life is to be as Memorable as That Guy’s Chin.

Netflix has a great selection of classic Mystery Science Theater 3000 episodes, but this one is my favorite. This low budget horror-thriller is written by and starring actress Vivian Schilling, and the premise is “Vivian Schilling is the most desirable thing in the universe”. The bare-faced schlock in this movie leaves Mike Nelson and his robot pals so many openings for great jokes and moments. Furthermore, this is the only episode online that features Robert Z’Dar, a man with the facial structure equivalent of the Burj Dubai. If you’re the drinking type, take a shot every time Joe Estevez looks like he’s going to leap out of the screen and molest you.

We discussed a lot more on the podcast, but I chose these because they were fun one-sitting affairs. Sometimes you just don’t have the time to watch an entire season of Torchwood (now I sound like a crazy person). Feel like there’s a hidden treasure everyone must see? Post ’em in the comments.

*****

Jake Young is a Standup Comedian living in Brooklyn. He can be seen performing alongside The Geek Comedy Tour (geekcomedytour.com) and posts amusements at getbacktowork.tumblr.com. Also, he co-hosts the podcast “Nerd of Mouth” on cavecomedyradio.com.