Choice paralysis is a byproduct of the digital age and late capitalism. Everyone has felt it—you’re standing in the blindingly fluorescent supermarket aisle, surrounded by hundreds of brands of crackers, wondering just which one you want, thinking that it would almost feel easier to live in a totalitarian society with one simple choice (‘Crackers-Brand Crackers’). People experience this in the streaming world as well, scrolling through title after title, reading or doing research about each, until more time has been spent searching for a movie onNetflixthan it would’ve taken to watch one.
Algorithms don’t exactly make it easier, either. These predictive strings of mathematical code anticipate one’s every want, changing the titles on a home page based upon what’s previously been watched. The problem is, this can create a feedback loop in which one only sees what one has already seen (or something close to it). The anticipatory algorithm can keep people onNetflixlocked in the same loop of similar movies, often with diminishing returns. It’s akin to what happens on Facebook or social media in general with ‘filter bubbles’ or ‘ideological bubbles,’ in which the algorithms only show you what you already like or agree with, keeping anyone from learning anything new.
Fortunately, there’s a hack of sorts for the Netflixconundrum. There are literally hundreds of secret codes for Netflix which allows for a very specific look at what to watch. The Netflix browsing menu can be notoriously vague or difficult, so these codes narrow things down into palatable groupings which are so distinct that you’re sure to find what you’re looking for. The codes have a wide range, with everything from sub-sub-subgenres (‘Feel-Good Sports Movies for Ages 8-10’) to very specific casting decisions (‘Dark MoviesStarring Robert De Niro’). You can find what to watch for any possible type of cinema with these codes.
You can simply use any search engine and type ‘Netflix’ followed by the specific code, and the first item to appear will be the curated collection of movies on Netflix based on the code. To use the codes if you’re using a web browser, you can type:http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/
At the end of the URL, type in the specific code that you’re using, and you’ll be taken to that page. Below are a few great codes to find out what to watch on Netflix, followed by links to the complete listing of the codes.
75804 (Vampire Horror Movies)
Netflixhas a small but fantastic collection of vampire films, which can probably only be beat by Shudder. There are a couple of retro classics, prerequisite films likeThe Lost BoysandInterview With the Vampire,along with the underrated and most Gothic Dracula tale,Bram Stoker’s Draculafrom Francis Ford Coppola. It’s a surprisingly beautifulblend of romance and horror, with excellent performances from Gary Oldman, Anthony Hopkins, and Winona Ryder. The sound and costume design, sets, and makeup are all especially incredible (and Oscar-winning), and the cinematography and entire tactile feel of the film is wonderful.
One of the most underrated vampire films of recent years,He Never Died, is also on Netflix. The movie features the great punk rocker Henry Rollins (from the band Black Flag, along with his excellent spoken-word career), in a bulked-up and intimidating turn as a depressed immortal who is debating whether to stop eating people and finally let go of life. It’s a wryly comic, surprisingly moving, delightfullydark little horror comedythat has gone underrated for too long.
5286 (Sports Comedies)
Netflix has a surprisingly large amount of international sports movies, but the best are arguably their sports comedies. They have a great selection of international sports comedies, especially Indian ones (Sur Supata, Hattrick, Ferrari Ki Sawaari), but also Mexican (Penalty Kick) and even Chinese, including the extremely fast-pacedPegasus, a very fun and energetic racing comedy.
Of course, Netflixalso hasCaddyshack 2, if you’d prefer to go the ‘so bad it’s good’ route and see one of the most disliked sequels ever made.Wheels of Fortuneis another racing comedy, a very dark and offbeat one featuring Matt Jones fromBreaking Badin a hilarious turn. Netflix also has theGoonsequel,Goon: Last of the Enforcers.
Related:These Are Some Offbeat Funny Movies You Can Watch on Netflix
The original is one of the greatest (and startlingly authentic and heartfelt) sports comedies of all time, but the sequel deserves more love. Most of the whole cast (Sean Williams Scott, Allison Pill, Liev Schreiber) returns, and it’s directed by Jay Baruchel, who shows off his aptitude for comedic timing seen before inThis is the EndandMan Seeking Woman. It’s a genuinely great sequel to a classic film (sorry,Caddyshack 2).
9916 (Romantic Independent Movies)
Netflix isn’t playing around with this code, which features not only several of the best romantic films of all time, but some of the best movies of recent years. With the codes, it’s a little unclear how Netflix qualifies and defines ‘independent;’ it seems to be more of a feeling than a budgetary situation for Netflix.
Nonetheless, many of the films featured here are stunning—Howard’s End, Phantom Thread, Middle of Nowhere,andThe Artistare all excellent and extremely different, but unified by an aching and beautiful love at their core. The collection in the Netflix code also hasSilver Linings Playbook, a great romantic dramedy about mental health with some of the best acting in a romance film in decades.
One of the best and most understated of the films here is the excellent littleBlue Jay, starring indie darling Mark Duplass and Ryan Murphygo-to Sarah Paulson. The two make an unlikely but sweet couple as a pair of old high school sweethearts who meet again by chance at a grocery store 20 years later and proceed to spend some time catching up and rehashing old business. Beautifully filmed in black and white, and with an utterly magnetic charm,Blue Jaywas the best romantic dramedy nobody saw.
Related:These Are the Best New Movies Netflix Made in 2021
74652 (Cult TV Shows)
Again, what classifies as ‘cult’ is rather abstract and vague, but judging by the excellent suggestions from this Netflixcode, it seems like anything pretty offbeat or niche which has developed a rabid cult following. This could be something massively (and surprisingly) popular likeThe Walking Dead, or it could be something a bit more obscure, like the wacky British sitcomKath & Kim. TheFrom Dusk Til DawnTV series is here, along with offbeat cult comedy classics likeTrailer Park Boysand the endlessly rewardingMonty Python’s Flying Circus.
There’s also the tremendousStargate SG-1, which remains one of the greatest sci-fi shows of all time;Star Trek, Babylon 5,andBattlestar Galacticaare often mentioned, butStargate SG-1deserves a strong reconsideration as one of the most consistently excellent and downright cool sci-fi shows ever made, with a wonderful cast of characters who became easy to fall in love with. Another ‘Cult TV Show’ that deserves ceaseless praise is the absurdist British sitcomThe IT Crowd, starring Richard Aoyade, Chris O’Dowd, and Katherin Parkinson as the three bickering members of a massive corporation’s IT department. Over the course of four seasons (plus a final episode), the show created some of the deepestbelly-laughs of any British TV seriesin history, and is utterly repeatable and quote-worthy.
While some only work in certain countries, and others only have a small selection of movies and TV shows onNetflix, these codes are ultimately rewarding nonetheless. They help narrow down the infinite queue and specify titles in the sea of streaming, something which everyone can use from time to time. you may check out a truncated versionhere, courtesy of Netflix-Codes. Happy streaming.
