New to Netflix in the New Year

As I sit here typing this I can see the snow falling outside of our Niskayuna home and it reminds me that in addition to the pandemic it's early in the Winter season and we need more movies to watch to help pass the time.

I just got an email from Netflix with an update on the latest additions to the network for the new year. I am going to share my top 4 favorites. Maybe you can revisit these or watch the for the first time.

The Departed - 2006 - 2hr 30min - The South Boston state police taking on the Irish-American mob! Who wouldn't love this? Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson lead a tremendous cast for this remake of a 2002 film titled :Infernal Affairs". Actor Brad Pitt and partners bought the rights to "Infernal Affairs" for $1.7 million. With that they landed Director Martin Scorsese. Though some of the film was shot in Boston, much of it was shot in New York.
Goodfellas - 1990 - 2hr 26 min - Holy Karolyi that came out over 30 years ago! Goodfellas should have come out earlier but Martin Scorsese went forward with The Last Temptation of Christ first. The Departed. Goodfellas is about New York police taking on the Italian mob! Who wouldn't love this? Robert De Niro and Ray Liotta partner in this masterpiece, originally titled "Wise Guy".
Into The Wild - 2007 - 2hr 28min - Directed by Sean Penn this true story of Christopher McCandless and his adventure across North America to the Alaskan wilderness. SPOILER ALERT - Christopher does not survive his time in Alaska. As a matter of fact his final destination was so remote that the film crew for the movie had to shoot it 50 miles south in Cantwell, Alaska. According to Military.com the McCandless bus had to be flown out of its location as it was too dangerous for people trying to find it in the wilderness. The soundtrack to this movie is actually the debut solo album for Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam.
Cool Hand Luke - 1967 - 2hr 7min - Yes, 1967 but it's Paul Newman as a decorated war hero that gets sentenced to 2 years in Florida State prison, which he continues to escape from. Who wouldn't love this? The lead role was originally intended for Telly Savalas.