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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Mix a bit of nutrition into your nightly movie watching

Dan Webster

Above: Stanley Kubrick's 1971 film "A Clockwork Orange" is streaming on Netflix. (Warner Bros.)

One of the biggest complaints I hear from movie fans is that the art of cinema has devolved into a collection of Michael Bay moments.

You know, fast cars, explosions, lots of gunplay and a bit of suggested sex scenes.

Not that I’m above watching some of what Bay has wrought. I liked the first “Bad Boys” movie, plus “The Rock” and the first of the “Transformers” series.

At times, as I’ve heard people say, all you want to do is sit back, munch on some popcorn, turn off your mind and enjoy the spectacle.

That’s true even in my house. As I have written of late, my wife is a fan of crime stories. Which is something that, if you scour the streaming services, you can find plenty examples of. Especially from Nordic countries such as Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark.

Yet like the guy who has consumed too much chocolate cake, I sometimes feel the need for something a tad more serious. More … classic.

Here are a few example of some meaty films that will be streaming on Netflix in November:

“A Clockwork Orange”: Stanley Kubrick’s 1971 adaptation of Anthony Burgess’ dystopian novel about London street gangs. This is the movie that made Malcolm McDowell a star.

“Boyz n the Hood”: John Singleton’s 1991 film about life in urban Los Angeles. Future stars Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ice Cube star alongside the great Laurence Fishburne.

“Ocean’s Eleven”: Steven Soderbergh’s 2001 remake of the 1960 Frank Sinatra heist film about a group of friends who rob not just one but three Las Vegas casinos. Starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Don Cheadle and a whole lot of others.

“Platoon”: Oliver Stone’s 1986 Vietnam War study that helped shaped our view of that past conflict. Winner of four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, it stars Charlie Sheen, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe, Forest Whitaker and (who remembers this?) Johnny Depp.

Anyway, that’s just a taste of what Netflix November has to offer. Make sure to have a full movie meal this month instead of just downing dessert.

And I promise to do my best to follow my own advice.

Below: Steven Soderbergh's 2001 remake "Ocean's Eleven."