By Jessica Klinner
Netflix: the best tool for procrastination. We all do it. There’s an assignment due tomorrow, but instead of getting it out of the way, we decide to catch up on the latest season of our favorite TV show. During the cold, winter months, most of our time is spent indoors trying to keep warm, and what better way to spend that time than cuddling up and watching a great movie or TV show on Netflix? Here are a few of my suggestions for what to watch on Netflix when you need to procrastinate or just want to relax.
1. Stuck In Love
Stuck In Love follows the story of an acclaimed writer, his ex-wife and their two teenaged children as they all come to terms with love in its various forms over the course of one year. Each member of the family battles their own personal struggles with love as well as trying to mend their broken home. Starring Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connelly, Lily Collins and Logan Lerman, this film will have you reminiscing about first love and realizing the importance of second chances.
For fans of: The Spectacular Now, Definitely, Maybe and The Perks of Being a Wallflower
2. Parks and Recreation
This hilarious sitcom follows the lives of the workers in Pawnee, Indiana’s Parks and Recreation department. Some of the notable actors and actresses in this series are Amy Poehler, Aziz Ansari, Rob Lowe, Rashida Jones and Aubrey Plaza. This hilarious cast never ceases to provide an escape form reality for a matter of 30 minutes. Their sharp wit and humor make for a great comedy mockumentary very much like The Office.
For fans of: 30 Rock, The Office and Arrested Development
3. The Aristocats
One of the greatest things about Netflix is its extensive selection of classic Disney movies. The Aristocats is only one of the few Disney classics on the Netflix roster. Others include Dumbo, Pinnochio, Pocahontas and more! Instead of having to pull our your old VHS tapes and VCR to watch these classics, simply turn to Netflix for your classic Disney fix.
For fans of: Pocahontas, Dumbo and Cinderella
4. Arrested Development
After losing airtime in 2006, Arrested Development returned last year with a brand new season only available to stream on Netflix. The beloved show gained tons of publicity with its long awaited return and gave fans the satisfaction of continuing a story that was left open ended. The show follows the shenanigans of the dysfunctional Bluth family. After his father is imprisoned, level-headed son Michael Bluth tries to hold his family together, but often, his attempts are in vain. Arrested Development provides endless laughs as the Bluth family gets into all sorts of crazy situations.
For fans of: The Office, Community and It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia
5. Aziz Ansari: Buried Alive
Aziz Ansari, best known for his role as Tom Haverford on NBC’s Parks and Recreation, steps out in fashion in this stand-up comedy show. On the cusp of turning 30, Ansari delivers an hour full of laughs, covering topics such as babies, love and marriage. If you love Ansari in Parks and Recreation, you’re sure to enjoy his stand-up act. It’s great entertainment after a long, tough day at work or school.
For fans of: Parks and Recreation, Dane Cook and Kevin Hart
6. House of Cards
This political drama series aired exclusively on Netflix last February. The entire season was available for stream, allowing viewers to watch the show at their own pace. House of Cards introduces us to a new way of watching original content online. It was nominated for nine Emmy Awards and won three of those nominations. House of Cards is a step in a new direction of how consumers will view television series.
For fans of: Scandal, The West Wing and The Newsroom
7. My Strange Addiction
TLC has a way of creating shows that make you feel a lot better about your quirks and weird antics. My Strange Addiction is certainly no different. The show reveals true stories of people who have a strange addiction. Some examples of cases on the show are eating drywall, pulling hair out of shower drains, having an intimate relationship with a car and sniffing baby powder. It is a show that presents such unbelievable habits that it’s hard to look away or change the channel.
For fans of: Hoarders, My Crazy Obsession and Extreme Couponing
8. Good Ol’ Freda
Freda Kelly was a shy girl living in Liverpool when she was asked to work for a local band aspiring to make it big. Little did she know, the local band was on their way to becoming one of the most legendary bands in history. Good Ol’ Freda tells the story of long time secretary of famous rock and roll band, The Beatles. In this documentary, Kelly opens up for the first time in 50 years about her experience working for The Beatles. The film features appearances from Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr and gives an insider perspective of the band that forever changed the shape of music.
For fans of: Salinger, Almost Famous and Nowhere Boy
9. Freaks and Geeks
Freaks and Geeks tells the story of two groups of teenagers dealing with the hardships of high school during the 80’s and honestly displays the awkward years between adolescence and adulthood. NBC only aired 12 episodes before cancelling the show in 2000. Eventually, the network released the rest of the first and only season of the hit TV show. Looking back, I’m sure NBC regrets cancelling the show that inevitably launched the careers of acting sensations Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and James Franco.
For fans of: My So-Called Life, That 70s Show and The Inbetweeners
10. The Avengers
This action packed movie was all anyone talked about for months after the release. Featuring the combined efforts of Captain America, Thor, the Hulk and Iron Man, The Avengers makes for one of the best action packed superhero movies of the past decade. The film is based after the Marvel Comics superhero team of the same name. Prior to the release, each hero’s story had been told in their own movie, making The Avengers a more powerful story than it might have been on its own. The movie created so much buzz that a sequel will be released in 2015.
For fans of: Thor, Captain America and Iron Man