Netflix Study Breaks

Students are supposed to be studying, attending review sessions, and finishing papers. But in a world where Netflix is a thing—and at a school where HBO Go is free—now is about when everything can (and, in all likelihood, will) quickly disintegrate into watching period. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t still spend this time learning, in one way or another.

Here is a list of some movies, shows, and videos you should watch during your “occasional” study breaks in the next few days if you A) don’t want to feel too bad about procrastination and B) are trying to gain some knowledge you won’t find by burying your head in a textbook.

The Wire

David Simon’s The Wire (2002-2008), a show centered around policemen and drug dealers in Baltimore, Maryland, is widely regarded as one of the greatest television shows ever produced. In the wake of the controversial grand jury decisions on the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, this in-depth look at the relationship between the police and citizens of low-income communities could not be more relevant. Available on HBO Go, this show is definitely worth checking out, even if it won’t exactly create a relaxing distraction from studying.

Killer Mike’s Speech on Ferguson

If you don’t have the time to binge-watch five epic seasons of The Wire, spend five minutes watching rapper Killer Mike’s speech to a St. Louis crowd the night of the Ferguson grand jury’s decision. In this video, Mike puts into words the thoughts and emotions of thousands of people throughout the country and follows it up with a high-octane performance off of his new album “Run The Jewels 2.”

Good Will Hunting and/or Stand and Deliver

If you’re having trouble motivating for a math final, put on Good Will Hunting (available on Netflix) to remind you that math can be cool (after all, Matt Damon does it) and that you live in one of the most awesome cities in the world. If that doesn’t get the job done, then watch the 1988 classic Stand and Deliver (available on Amazon Instant), a film in which teacher Jaime Escalante (Edward James Olmos) motivates struggling students at a struggling school to learn calculus. If they could do it, so can you!

Top Five

If you (gasp!) decide to leave Cambridge and head to a movie theater, go see Chris Rock play a struggling comic in his latest film, Top Five. Rock (who also wrote and directed the movie) has been making waves in the last week on his press tour for the film, commenting on issues from Bill Cosby to Ferguson, but Rock is, first and foremost, hilarious. And according to critics, this film is no exception. Rock’s character in Top Five, comedian/actor Andre Allen, repeatedly asks reporters in the movie: “Can we talk about the film?” By seeing Top Five, you’ll be able to do just that.