Amazon Prime streaming video recommendations thread
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Artaxerxes
Look out, he's got a gnu!
Yes! Watched this last weekend and it was wonderful
T & P
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Just watched that, really enjoyed it. Thanks for the tip
AnnO'Neemus
Is so vanilla
I've watched both. Ten percent, the UK remake was better than I expected.
Jack Davenport was kind of smarmy and sleazy enough for the role that's Mathieu in the original. (I liked how they called the dog Mathieu in this remake.)
Maggie Steed is okay as Stella, the matriarch of the agency. Although I think someone like Miriam Margolyes would have been magnificent. Liliane Rovère played Arlette in the original and when you know her backstory, it needs someone who's kind of nonchalant and knowing, who's kind of lived a bit, seen it all, with a twinkle in her eye.
The younger male agent, Dan, played by Prasanna Puwanarajah, I think nailed the right blend of puppy dog eagerness and creepy stalkerish behaviour from the original. Endearably likeable one moment and wtf are you doing the next.
And the receptionist, Zoe character, didn't seem to have the same kind of chemistry as the original French characters.
The secretary, I don't think the English one was sexy enough, sorry. She had the mousiness/subservience nailed, and the jealousy/anxiety/monitoring was there, but the French one was a more believable secret sexpot and also more funnily unhinged, I think Laure Calamy is a much better comedic actor as Noémie.
The gay male agent's assistant was pretty much a like for like, except I think the French version had a bit more hauteur, (a bit more BCBG), but they both were campy gossips.
I thought Misha was a good like for like as Camille in the original. Well played.
Was a bit disappointed by Lydia Leonard as Rebecca. But Camille Cottin as Andréa Martel was superb, an impossible act to follow. Brave of her to take on the role, but sometimes it felt more like she was playing someone playing someone else, like a photocopy of a photocopy, ie trying to play Camille Cottin playing Andréa Martel, iyswim? I mean, I think she was the star of the show in the original (even though the story ostensibly revolved round Camille (Misha in the remake).).
The Simon character (not in the original) was sweet albeit tragic to start off with, but became more and more annoying. Not sure what purpose he's supposed to serve.
Kirsten character (not in the original), seemed a bit like the injection of an Emily in Paris vibe, throw an American into the mix, for... not quite sure what reason.
The cameos, yes, David Harewood was good, although in the original, the actor who went native in a role had played an outdoorsman/hermit, and I think that was arguably funnier. The Dominic West one was good too, as was the Phoebe Dynevor episode.
The Clémence Poésy épisode echoed one from the original, I think, a commentary about women working in the film industry, expectations and how they combine family and filming, a bit farcical but making an important point.
Overall, it's not a line for line remake, it is slightly different, so worth watching, better than I expected, 8/10, will watch season two, if it happens.
Kaka Tim
Half Arsed and Slapdash till I Die
Saw the whole series and they layered on the mystery with each episode with nothing explained - presumably so they can keep people watching (a fault in a lot of these mega series) - but its really annoying and you get the sense that they are making it up as they go along.
Artaxerxes
Look out, he's got a gnu!
Got a trial for Britbox.
Really enjoying Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan - the Arctic one is an absolute joy.
Really enjoying Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan - the Arctic one is an absolute joy.
T & P
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Started the brand new series Night Sky. It’s a part drama part sci-fi story set in the present day in small US town.
editorial.rottentomatoes.com
The premise is intriguing and the two main leads great actors, but the first episode is excruciatingly slow, certainly if you’re expecting a mystery sci-fi tale from the off.
However it is still a pretty decent starter as a character-driven drama. And the sci-fi bit starts to kick in properly at the end of the first episode. Second one looking more engaging from the off, so an early series recommendation. I don’t think it’s going to end up much better than a 7/10 overall, but the premise is interesting enough to give it the benefit of the doubt.
Sissy Spacek and J.K. Simmons Praise Night Sky’s Intimate Sci-Fi
The veteran actors talk about their characters' charming relationship in the science fiction series grounded in human interaction — with each other and the unknown.
The premise is intriguing and the two main leads great actors, but the first episode is excruciatingly slow, certainly if you’re expecting a mystery sci-fi tale from the off.
However it is still a pretty decent starter as a character-driven drama. And the sci-fi bit starts to kick in properly at the end of the first episode. Second one looking more engaging from the off, so an early series recommendation. I don’t think it’s going to end up much better than a 7/10 overall, but the premise is interesting enough to give it the benefit of the doubt.
belboid
Exasperated, not angry.
Have you finished it? I may have to rewatch ep7 as I was three quarters of a way through a bottle of Talisker at the time. The boys are more annoying than the girls were, but it still worked pretty well. The bits with the singer whose name always confused me and the red jelly baby or blue jelly baby were funny.
T & P
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No, we somehow parked it after two episodes to concentrate on other series, but will definitely continue it at some point. It sounds as if S2 is similarly watchable
fucthest8
Cool people die horrible, preventable deaths.
It's my main reason for watching it tbh, I love them both and am just excited about watching them together, regardless of the premise.
I like slow, character driven things anyway and I'm really enjoying it. Pretty unflinching in its portrayal of the realities of getting older too, but sympathetic. Really interesting.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
Looking through the Westerns on Prime and found this little gem.
Spaghetti Western on Prime called " Django Kill, If you live shoot."
Looked up the director and found this review.
www.spaghetti-western.net
Guilio Questi was the post war generation of directors from a leftist background. Agree with the review the film is allegory on Fascist Italy. At time it was heavily cut due to its violence and homosexual overtones. This I think is the full version.
Directors like Questi used popular form to talk about politics.
It reminded slightly of Clint Eastwood High Plain Drifter. With more social critique.
The "stranger" is double crossed in a robbery. Killed he comes back to life aided by two Indians. They tell him the stolen gold is in the town they call "The Unhappy Place". And it is well and truly unhappy.
The obvious reference to Fascism is the local landlord Sorrow/ Zorro and his gang of identically clad in black cowboys. Film partly in Villa Mussolini.
The Stranger is part Christ like figure part observer of the decadent violent society that this town is. The gold leads to all major figures in the town falling out. The petty self righteous bourgeois in the town and the thuggish Zorro.
What makes the film is the surreal side to it. The way a lot of it is shot makes it cut above the average run of the mill Spaghetti western.
Its overall a grim view of "civilised" society. Where the law abiding are as bad a the criminals.
The stranger is the last remnant of civilised decency in the end.
BTW Django had nothing to do with it. This was put in title to get people interested as Django had been very popular.
Spaghetti Western on Prime called " Django Kill, If you live shoot."
Looked up the director and found this review.
The Unique Worldview of Giulio Questi – Part 1 - The Spaghetti Western Database
www.spaghetti-western.net
Guilio Questi was the post war generation of directors from a leftist background. Agree with the review the film is allegory on Fascist Italy. At time it was heavily cut due to its violence and homosexual overtones. This I think is the full version.
Directors like Questi used popular form to talk about politics.
It reminded slightly of Clint Eastwood High Plain Drifter. With more social critique.
The "stranger" is double crossed in a robbery. Killed he comes back to life aided by two Indians. They tell him the stolen gold is in the town they call "The Unhappy Place". And it is well and truly unhappy.
The obvious reference to Fascism is the local landlord Sorrow/ Zorro and his gang of identically clad in black cowboys. Film partly in Villa Mussolini.
The Stranger is part Christ like figure part observer of the decadent violent society that this town is. The gold leads to all major figures in the town falling out. The petty self righteous bourgeois in the town and the thuggish Zorro.
What makes the film is the surreal side to it. The way a lot of it is shot makes it cut above the average run of the mill Spaghetti western.
Its overall a grim view of "civilised" society. Where the law abiding are as bad a the criminals.
The stranger is the last remnant of civilised decency in the end.
BTW Django had nothing to do with it. This was put in title to get people interested as Django had been very popular.
Gramsci
Well-Known Member
Also on C4 Sea Fever
Highly effective and topical horror film. Irish film.
Scientist joins a trawler as part of academic studies. The captain takes the trawler into an exclusion zone in desparate attempt to catch fish. Not a good idea.
What they find endangers the whole crew. This is very good film. All takes place on small ship. Uses the limited location well. Manages to straddle more cerabral with action.
The crew have to decide whether to go back onshore with risk of contaminating the population.
Cranks up the tension. Genuinely scary at times. In best way. Not showing but drawing one into how those on board react.
Interesting subtext in that nature isn't cruel it just wants to survive. In some ways its also beautiful.
Highly effective and topical horror film. Irish film.
Scientist joins a trawler as part of academic studies. The captain takes the trawler into an exclusion zone in desparate attempt to catch fish. Not a good idea.
What they find endangers the whole crew. This is very good film. All takes place on small ship. Uses the limited location well. Manages to straddle more cerabral with action.
The crew have to decide whether to go back onshore with risk of contaminating the population.
Cranks up the tension. Genuinely scary at times. In best way. Not showing but drawing one into how those on board react.
Interesting subtext in that nature isn't cruel it just wants to survive. In some ways its also beautiful.
twistedAM
Left Of The Dial
Thanks. It would have never occurred to me to watch it without your recommendation. Very funny.
8ball
AV REFUGEES WELCOME
Outrageous scene in the first fifteen minutes of The Boys’ first episode. You’ll know which one when you see it
Ooh! It's out?
T & P
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Yes, first three episodesOoh! It's out?
krtek a houby
Anger is Hi-NRG
Slightly confused (as ever); are the C4 and Britbox films supposed to be on Amazon?
Spymaster
Plastic Paddy
Pros and Cons. A Danish 10 parter about a married couple of long-retired con artists who go back for one last job to rip off a pharma company.
3 episodes in and it's a jolly good fun romp so far. Don't be put off by the first, slightly dull, episode. It really takes off after that.
3 episodes in and it's a jolly good fun romp so far. Don't be put off by the first, slightly dull, episode. It really takes off after that.
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I got a free trial via Amazon then kept it on for 3 months at a discount
T & P
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It wasn’t for me, but one of several interesting twists.
So far I’m enjoying this season as much as S1, and more than S2.
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