In honor of the 4th of July, I've an exercise in movie marathoning for you if you dare to undertake it. I'm going to leave wildly different suggestions for red, white, and blue films you can stream right now (and where you can stream them) and let you make your own visually patriotic celebration. Let's start at the very beginning. It's a very good place to start.
Red
American Mary (Netflix)
Red stands for blood. American Mary, what I chose as the top film of 2013, is a psychological horror film mashing together slasher, descent into madness, and Frankenstein tropes into something beautiful, disturbing, and new. Mary is a medical student behind on her bills. By chance, she winds up being pulled into the world of back alley surgery and body modification when hunting down a job. It's a scary film, but also a surprisingly positive and even inspirational one.
Trigger warning for sexual abuse and violence against women.
The Apple (Netflix)
Red is the color of the title. In the mood for a ridiculous, poorly planned, but strongly choreographed musical? Then look no further than The Apple. This is (brace yourself) a sci-fi disco musical jam-packed with biblical allegory and set in the distant future of 1994. I told you it was ridiculous.
Amelie (Netflix, Amazon Prime)
Red is for the beautiful graphics and set dressings of Amelie. It's been years since I've watched this and I still remember the gorgeous image of the beating heart. Maybe you want some romance and fantasy today. Amelie, forced into a lonely life by her parents, discovers a memory box from a previous tenant in her apartment and sets off on a wild and fanciful adventure to discover the identity of the long-grown child.
White
Jiro Dreams of Sushi (Netflix)
White is for the robes and the rice in this charming documentary about master sushi chef Jiro Ono. It's a beautiful documentary perfect for foodies and fans of unique single-subject documentaries. I excluded documentaries from my top films of 2011 list, otherwise Jiro probably would have come out on top.
Fargo (Netflix)
White is for the snow in Fargo, North Dakota. Quick, what color do you see more than any other onscreen in this Academy Award-winning Coen Brothers' classic? This dark comedy has everything: an amazing cast, great tension, the best accent, enough snow to make you cool off even in the heat of summer, and dat wood chipper.
The Trial (Netflix)
White is for black and white. Orson Welles is obviously best known for his masterpiece Citizen Kane, but I'm big on the underdog. The Trial is a strange adaptation of Franz Kafka's story of the same name (and not his most popular or acclaimed story, at that) starring, of all actors, Anthony Perkins, also best known for another leading turn (in Psycho). This is a film that should be seen but is often ignored to look at other connected works better remembered in the canon.
Blue
The Moth Diaries (Netflix)
Blue is for the cinematography in this misunderstood vampire suspense story. The Moth Diaries is a gentle kind of horror, focusing on the relationships between girls at a boarding school and the rivalries that can form. It looks great and has a great rhythm to it.
Blue is the Warmest Color (Netflix)
Blue is for Emma's beautiful hair, dyed perfectly to the shade I could never quite get right during my punk days. This critically acclaimed French romance is the perfectly bittersweet end to your holiday festivities. It's a long journey, but ultimately a rewarding one to see young Adele's growth into a strong woman.
Nosferatu (Netflix, Amazon Prime)
Blue is for those gorgeous cyan-tinted night sequences in Nosferatu. I personally believe this silent classic is the best vampire film of all time. It's scary, beautiful, and has an ending unlike any other. Just pay attention to who the real hero is and if that person gets credit for their bravery before the screen goes black.