by Michael Pickle, MoreHorror.com

Since Netflix lifted it's restrictions on online viewing in 2008, their instant viewing has become a cultural phenomenon providing 1,000's of movies at your disposal 24/7 causing their number of subscriptions to explode. This is a blessing for Horror lovers like myself. Their Horror section is pretty impressive and boasts tons of films from every sub-genre you can think of spanning every type of film from main-stream to no-budget indies. Sure it was a blessing at first until I realized that there is such thing as having too many choices.

I often spend the amount of time I could be spending watching a movie on clicking through the endless pages of films just trying to decide. This is why I felt compelled to provide a service to you, the MoreHorror readers, by sharing my discoveries. My choices will be somewhat random so they won't all be gems, but I hope this will help you save a little time on deciding which films to watch.

Our first installment of Netflix Nuggets is HEARTLESS. The UK import from writer / director Phillip Ridley stars the mesmerizing Jim Sturgess (Across the Universe) as Jamie Morgan. A young man with a huge heart-shaped birth mark covering half his face. An affliction that causes him to be a lonely, self-loathing outcast who is mercilessly teased by thugs in the streets of East London.

As an amateur photographer, Jamie sees beauty in things that other people see as ugly. In his search for beauty in the mean streets he discovers a gang of hooded figures terrorizing the city and murdering people with Molotov Cocktails. Everyone in the city is under the impression that the delinquents wear demon masks, but Jamie soon realizes that they are real and have their sights set on him and the ones he loves.

This is a very serious and often beautiful film. It does have many of the characteristics of a top-notch horror film, but ultimately it's more of an intense and moody drama. The emotional impact is apparent and seems to clash with the horror elements at times, but things like a man chewing off the face of a still living severed head and demons waiting around every corner to scare the crap out of you makes the horror elements undeniable.

Another impressive element of the film that deserves mentioning is the music. The many musical breaks give it a hip, edgy feel and play an integral part in the impact of the film. All the songs were written by director Philip Ridley and Nick Bicat and were an essential element from the time the script was first written. This songwriting collaboration is a continuation of what was started in Ridley's 1995 film The Passion of Darkly Noon.

It may be a little heavy for some horror fans, but Heartless is made so well and features such great acting that the heaviness lingers. It leaves you with a feeling that, while very dark, is not a feeling I am used to getting from a horror film. I hesitate to fully endorse it for that reason, but this deserves a viewing. Ridley captures a mood that stays with you and finds a way to repulse, attract and provoke thought. All at the same time. Beware the slow build and hidden meanings, but if you have an interest in both horror and gritty indie drama, like I do, then you won't want to miss this one.