Netflix recommendations

[Shechemite]

Thought it was pretty good myself

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

I started watching Somewhere Between, which has just popped up, because of the premise:

"A local news producer is given one chance to relive a deadly week and stop a serial killer. If she fails, she'll lose her daughter forever."

Because I thought the do-over thing sounded a bit Russian Doll (which is brilliant) and because I like dramas about journalists (and legal and political stuff).

But omg the lead woman is so annoyingly wooden, seems to veer between badly underacting and badly overacting and gurning.

Apparently, it's been cancelled after only one season, so that's a relief. I'm still watching it as the only thing more annoying than the lead woman's woeful acting would be not to know whodunnit, so I have to carry on watching till the bitter end.

I'm watching it so you don't have to. The do-over thing is like Somewhere Between is a Sunday league team to Russian Doll's Manchester United, ie not in the same league at all.

 

[Roseygirl]

Sherpa

An absolutely fantastic documentary film about mountaineer Sherpas and how the Everest industry affects their lives and communities. Absolutely fucking must watch fascinating documentary - it covers a side of things that you will probably never really hear about anywhere else. It has some beautiful scenery as you would expect and starts off in an unsurprising way - then (unexpectedly to the documentary crew, who were intending a thoughtful and quiet look into the lives of Sherpa communities) comes the 2014 avalanche which killed 16 mountaineer Sherpas and the aftermath and the thing takes a turn in direction and it is at the same time heartbreaking, enraging, and uplifting.

I fucking cried at one point When the Sherpas are striking after the tragedy and the white expedition leader lies to his wealthy clients that there are 5 troublemaker Sherpas who are threatening the others - one of his clients responds completely automatically "is there any way you could have a word with their owners?" - fuck me I fucking had tears running down my face and absolute hatred to these privileged fucking arsewipes thinking the people carrying all their shit and fixing the ropes are slaves or something and not even stopping to realise that was not a normal fucking thing to say I mean seriously the guy didn't even falter saying that, wtf, I was raging at the spoilt little shitbags

So yeah there are a couple of bits that might be a bit triggering but I highly recommend it - it isn't going to be at all what you expect and shows a side to the Everest industry that you aren't likely to see otherwise - fucking fantastic viewing, even if you think at first glance that it might not be your sort of thing.

A vote for Sherpa from me too

 

[Artaxerxes]

Quite enjoying the Korean historical zombie series Kingdom at the moment. Is it common for Korean dramas to have exaggerated comic characters in dramas?

Yes, very much so

 

[LDC]

What did you think of Charite at War LynnDoyleCooper ?

Not seen that, just had a look though, thanks! Looks good, I'll watch next few days.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

What!? Glow just ends like that?
I assume there is no series 4. Not a very tidy end.

 

[Epona]

Oh I really hope you like Burn After Reading, I thought it was fucking brilliant.

Finally found time to sit down and watch Burn After Reading together, absolutely excellent, we both thoroughly enjoyed it. Would recommend.

 

[Shechemite]

Blood of Zeus is fun, if a little fashy

 

[not-bono-ever]

Sherpa

An absolutely fantastic documentary film about mountaineer Sherpas and how the Everest industry affects their lives and communities. Absolutely fucking must watch fascinating documentary - it covers a side of things that you will probably never really hear about anywhere else. It has some beautiful scenery as you would expect and starts off in an unsurprising way - then (unexpectedly to the documentary crew, who were intending a thoughtful and quiet look into the lives of Sherpa communities) comes the 2014 avalanche which killed 16 mountaineer Sherpas and the aftermath and the thing takes a turn in direction and it is at the same time heartbreaking, enraging, and uplifting.

I fucking cried at one point When the Sherpas are striking after the tragedy and the white expedition leader lies to his wealthy clients that there are 5 troublemaker Sherpas who are threatening the others - one of his clients responds completely automatically "is there any way you could have a word with their owners?" - fuck me I fucking had tears running down my face and absolute hatred to these privileged fucking arsewipes thinking the people carrying all their shit and fixing the ropes are slaves or something and not even stopping to realise that was not a normal fucking thing to say I mean seriously the guy didn't even falter saying that, wtf, I was raging at the spoilt little shitbags

So yeah there are a couple of bits that might be a bit triggering but I highly recommend it - it isn't going to be at all what you expect and shows a side to the Everest industry that you aren't likely to see otherwise - fucking fantastic viewing, even if you think at first glance that it might not be your sort of thing.

I was less than impressed with the positions that that climbers and tour leaders took. Really showed the tour leader as selfish wankers. Excellent doc tho, - most only hear about tragedy when it involves their own nationals on Everest

 

[Epona]

I was less than impressed with the positions that that climbers and tour leaders took. Really showed the tour leader as selfish wankers. Excellent doc tho, - most only hear about tragedy when it involves their own nationals on Everest

Yep it does sometimes make the news that x number of people die but the focus tends to be on the mountaineer tourists rather than the Sherpas - and historically is the Sherpas who often take more risks and suffer heavier losses to get clients to the summit and back.

 

[T & P]

So, anyone checked yet Netflix’s brand new big(ish) fantasy series, Shadow and Bone? Feels a bit like a somewhat sanitised and teen-friendly version of Game of Thrones.

Generally positive reception by critics and audiences, though not everyone likes it. Half way through the first episode and so far seems okay but only if you usually like light fantasy entertainment more suited for late teens than adults.

 

[Epona]

Not yet, OH had been waiting for it and is desperate to watch it so we will be having a look when he gets home from work. I fear he will be disappointed and I will be watching it by myself by episode 3.

 

[T & P]

Not yet, OH had been waiting for it and is desperate to watch it so we will be having a look when he gets home from work. I fear he will be disappointed and I will be watching it by myself by episode 3.

Near the end of ep2 and whilst not great it’s not bad either. I will expand on what I said earlier about genre preferences: ignoring any temptations to compare the two, this feels generally similar in genre and feel to the recent His Dark Materials BBC series. So if you like that kind of stuff on principle, you might potentially like this, to some degree at least. To anyone who doesn’t like that kind of genre and didn’t think much of His Dark Materials I would advise to give it a miss.

I am in the former group, so in the current period of pandemic-driven drought of new series and films, I’m perfectly happy to to take this. Seen worse anyway.

 

[Epona]

Ah, OH didn't like His Dark Materials so I predict that he is going to watch the first episode of this with me, fall asleep and start snoring halfway through it, then insist that I don't watch it on my own because he "really" wants to see it and that means I will still be sitting here 6 months from now wanting to watch it. Ahh, life.

 

[Duncan2]

Also thought Sherpa was well worth watching.

 

[DaveCinzano]

Finally there’s Rosie Perez’s character. She also only exists in terms of her relationship to men: lover and mother. She’s a nag, and then she’s a literal sex object in one of the most gratuitous and unpleasant sex scenes I’ve seen. Her body is literally parcelled up and objectified into its constituent parts with no focus on the face, emotions, reactions of this woman. It’s revolting.

Btw, I read later that Perez, who was a local woman that Spike Lee picked up in a club, was really unprofessionally treated in the shooting of that scene. Dodgy stuff.

I'd not really heard anything about the making of the movie, so I had a look after reading your post.

Perez talks a little about it in this thing in the NYT Magazine from 2000.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Watched death becomes her for the first time since the 90s.
I oddly remembered every single bit, which is really not like me at all.
It not amazing and it's not terrible, but what struck me most was that it's very nice and neat. A short dark take, that is quite refreshing in the modern era of a million subplots and over the top long drawn out CGI sequences.

 

[Epona]

Watched death becomes her for the first time since the 90s.
I oddly remembered every single bit, which is really not like me at all.
It not amazing and it's not terrible, but what struck me most was that it's very nice and neat. A short dark take, that is quite refreshing in the modern era of a million subplots and over the top long drawn out CGI sequences.

Absolutely, it is a very straightforward comedy film. Doesn't promise anything that it doesn't deliver.

It isn't going to be to everyones' taste, but it is a basically enjoyable way to spend 1 and a half hours.

 

[keybored]

I started this and didnt get into it.
Might give it another go...

I tried the first 20 minutes of the first episode and it looks dogshit terrible. I think I'll just watch the film again.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Absolutely, it is a very straightforward comedy film. Doesn't promise anything that it doesn't deliver.

It isn't going to be to everyones' taste, but it is a basically enjoyable way to spend 1 and a half hours.

I think beyond that it's a reminder that a lot of modern films are overly complicated. This whole film takes place in so few sets with so few actors it could be a stage play.

 

[krtek a houby]

So, anyone checked yet Netflix’s brand new big(ish) fantasy series, Shadow and Bone? Feels a bit like a somewhat sanitised and teen-friendly version of Game of Thrones.

Generally positive reception by critics and audiences, though not everyone likes it. Half way through the first episode and so far seems okay but only if you usually like light fantasy entertainment more suited for late teens than adults.

Might start it tonight. Need something easy after finishing the traumatic Them, over on Amazon.

 

[T & P]

I think beyond that it's a reminder that a lot of modern films are overly complicated.

I am glad I’m not the only one who thinks that. Sometimes I almost find myself wondering if my IQ has plummeted in the last few years, as there are so many subplots or even characters in so many films and series, half of the time I have no idea of how they relate to the main. My piss-poor memory doesn’t help either.

I spent the last season of Star Trek Discovery wondering wtf was going on half of the time, or feeling I was missing out on the full drama of what was happening as it was clearly linked to previous season events I barely remembered at all. There’s so many multiverse twists and references to past seasons my brain can recall. I miss the simpler days of Star Trek TNG...

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Orange Is The New Black is worth persevering with, esp after the focus shifts away from Piper.

Ok I'm quite a few episodes in now. Started great, really harrowing stuff, but it seems to have descended quite quickly into a chummy girl soap drama and is less threatening and worrysome. I'm never worried about the blonde lead character, because every scrape, however shitty, is easily overcome within one or two episodes.
Hope it picks up again, but I'm getting worried this is how it will play out to the end.

One thing that is a shame is that you don't get villain flashbacks. If someone gets a flashback, you know they will be a sympathetic character and you are emotionally being placed on their side. I'd like to see the ones you hate, get some sympathy. I thought the horrible meth god botherer was getting one, but it turned out to be the 'that seventies show' girls boo hoo backstory.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Orange Is The New Black is worth persevering with, esp after the focus shifts away from Piper.

Ok I'm quite a few episodes in now. Started great, really harrowing stuff, but it seems to have descended quite quickly into a chummy girl soap drama and is less threatening and worrysome. I'm never worried about the blonde lead character, because every scrape, however shitty, is easily overcome within one or two episodes.
Hope it picks up again, but I'm getting worried this is how it will play out to the end.

One thing that is a shame is that you don't get villain flashbacks. If someone gets a flashback, you know they will be a sympathetic character and you are emotionally being placed on their side. I'd like to see the ones you hate, get some sympathy. I thought the horrible meth god botherer was getting one, but it turned out to be the 'that seventies show' girls boo hoo backstory.

 

[krtek a houby]

Ok I'm quite a few episodes in now. Started great, really harrowing stuff, but it seems to have descended quite quickly into a chummy girl soap drama and is less threatening and worrysome. I'm never worried about the blonde lead character, because every scrape, however shitty, is easily overcome within one or two episodes.
Hope it picks up again, but I'm getting worried this is how it will play out to the end.

One thing that is a shame is that you don't get villain flashbacks. If someone gets a flashback, you know they will be a sympathetic character and you are emotionally being placed on their side. I'd like to see the ones you hate, get some sympathy. I thought the horrible meth god botherer was getting one, but it turned out to be the 'that seventies show' girls boo hoo backstory.

Patience.

 

[danny la rouge]

Right, I finished Netflix. What else is there?

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Patience.

OK so I got up to the god botherers flashback. . . but it just jumps straight in at mentalist druggy who then murders someone. unlike the other 'heroes' we don't see them having it rough or a victim of circumstance.
Unless you meant patience in general and in series two it stops being sex and the city.

 

[Brainaddict]

Right, I finished Netflix. What else is there?

I know you're joking but the selection of films on Netflix is often so poor that if I didn't illegally torrent I would probably try Mubi. I actually have better luck finding good films on iplayer than on Netflix.

 

[Badgers]

The Trial of the Chicago 7
Directed by Aaron Sorkin (West Wing etc)

Enjoying this a lot.

 

[Badgers]

Watched My Octopus Teacher this morning, pretty amazing.

Love it