Netflix recommendations

[nagapie]

I don't really like Wham by the way. Not by any stretch of the imagination. . . But this was engaging and looked beautiful. It's just it was textbook excellence. Flawlessly cut pre existing audio interviews and Incredibly creative dynamic edited archive footage and stills.
Next time I have to edit a music doc, I'm watching this again first.

I don't really like Wham. And usually I don't watch any of your recommendations as they're for genres I'm disinterested in. Interesting that you mention how it looks, that's not generally something I care about in a documentary, I'm all about the story, so wonder if we'll have crossover taste here.

 

[BigMoaner]

Watch Bad Surgeon, it’s fricking WILD!

True crime and absolutely captivating/horrifying. Ignore the shite title. How it didn’t go more viral I don’t know.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I haven't seen this, but might look out for it now.

I know you're an expert, but sometimes I think even us non-professionals* can watch something and appreciate the craftsmanship in beautiful editing/filmmaking.

Of course, just because I make telly doesn't mean I can enjoy the final product any more or less. To be honest all that generally switches off when I'm watching. It's usually only when something really is jarring that my work brain kicks in. Or maybe when something is frustratingly almost good.
The Wham doc stood out though. Even top film makers tend to go for interview, voice over, fill in the blanks with archive.
The Wham doc tells an engaging and thoughtfully well paced story. I think it was also 100% active interviews and footage and no VO (something i generally favor, but almost always get pushed back on) which gave it a very unique feel. Like a time capsule a real document of events of the time. (A documentary if you will. )

I've probably built it up too much. Maybe I am too aware of the struggle it would have been to collate (and budget for) all that archive. .

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

I don't really like Wham. And usually I don't watch any of your recommendations as they're for genres I'm disinterested in. Interesting that you mention how it looks

It's more about how it uses music an archive stills very creatively, but to also pace the 'story'. It's not just wallpaper over the cracks.
I think what sets this doc apart in some ways is that it's paced and presented more like a story (even if it doesn't look that way). It's not a set of interviews and info dumps with semi appropriate GV covering jump cuts and voice over.

As I've said previously, I've probably built it up too much now. I've only seen it once, and that was in two sittings. Maybe I focused on it more because it's a stand out example of excellence in something I sometimes do in my job.

 

[krtek a houby]

The Wham doc is very well made and whether you like the band or not, it's worth a watch. Imho.

 

[AnnO'Neemus]

Of course, just because I make telly doesn't mean I can enjoy the final product any more or less. To be honest all that generally switches off when I'm watching. It's usually only when something really is jarring that my work brain kicks in. Or maybe when something is frustratingly almost good.
The Wham doc stood out though. Even top film makers tend to go for interview, voice over, fill in the blanks with archive.
The Wham doc tells an engaging and thoughtfully well paced story. I think it was also 100% active interviews and footage and no VO (something i generally favor, but almost always get pushed back on) which gave it a very unique feel. Like a time capsule a real document of events of the time. (A documentary if you will. )

I've probably built it up too much. Maybe I am too aware of the struggle it would have been to collate (and budget for) all that archive. .

Yeah, too true, the usual convention is current interviews interspersed with archive footage and use of judicious cutting with 'noddies' and B roll to cover up/smooth over the edits.

 

[krtek a houby]

In fact, would say it made me appreciate the band; as was more a fan of George's solo career.

 

[nagapie]

It's more about how it uses music an archive stills very creatively, but to also pace the 'story'. It's not just wallpaper over the cracks.
I think what sets this doc apart in some ways is that it's paced and presented more like a story (even if it doesn't look that way). It's not a set of interviews and info dumps with semi appropriate GV covering jump cuts and voice over.

As I've said previously, I've probably built it up too much now. I've only seen it once, and that was in two sittings. Maybe I focused on it more because it's a stand out example of excellence in something I sometimes do in my job.

It's well made but just over half way through and I'm finding it a bit dull.
I appreciate that George was a genius songwriter and musician and all round creative, but I like documentaries about the inner lives and environments that shaped people, this is a lot about the processes of creativity which I admire, but don't want to watch a whole documentary about.
Maybe if I liked Wham more I'd find it more enjoyable because then at least I would be into the song clips.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

It's well made but just over half way through and I'm finding it a bit dull.
I appreciate that George was a genius songwriter and musician and all round creative, but I like documentaries about the inner lives and environments that shaped people, this is a lot about the processes of creativity which I admire, but don't want to watch a whole documentary about.
Maybe if I liked Wham more I'd find it more enjoyable because then at least I would be into the song clips.

Personally I thought there was really rather a lot about his life. Much much more so than the creative process which I felt was glossed over somewhat.

 

[nagapie]

Personally I thought there was really rather a lot about his life. Much much more so than the creative process which I felt was glossed over somewhat.

Really? I'm halfway through and it's just about how he met his friends, but really just where, and how they used to hang out and party - not much depth in that.
I haven't watched the second half so maybe that side of things gets deeper but as the premise is around the release of the song, I doubt it.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Really? I'm halfway through and it's just about how he met his friends, but really just where, and how they used to hang out and party -

What more do you need? You have George's dad, his upbringing, greek background, moving school, his personality at school, meeting friends, making music. . . later you get his discovering his sexuality and coming out to his friends and all that. The separation of the 'band' and what that meant to two great friends. It felt like more of an emotional and personal story than one about the music making process. I don't remember much detail about recording other than where it was done and how there was more attention to detail, creative input and less corporate interference than you might imagine.

 

[nagapie]

What more do you need? You have George's dad, his upbringing, greek background, moving school, his personality at school, meeting friends, making music. . . later you get his discovering his sexuality and coming out to his friends and all that. The separation of the 'band' and what that meant to two great friends. It felt like more of an emotional and personal story than one about the music making process. I don't remember much detail about recording other than where it was done and how there was more attention to detail, creative input and less corporate interference than you might imagine.

The bit about school and meeting his friends was really quick and not much depth. I haven't seen the bit about him coming out or the band splitting so fair enough, maybe that's the bit with depth and maybe I should watch to the end. But I've watched 35min already and I definitely wouldn't class that first half as having depth about his character. I'd say there's as much in the first half about the creative process as his personal life, so then not much depth on either.
I'll finish it and see what happens.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

The bit about school and meeting his friends was really quick and not much depth. I haven't seen the bit about him coming out or the band splitting so fair enough, maybe that's the bit with depth and maybe I should watch to the end. But I've watched 35min already and I definitely wouldn't class that first half as having depth about his character. I'd say there's as much in the first half about the creative process as his personal life, so then not much depth on either.
I'll finish it and see what happens.

I'm no wham fan and I understand that nobody really want's to hear about how eq nobs are twiddled, but I learned things I didn't know and thought the balance was pretty good.
I LOVE reading music autobiographies (NOT biographies), i'll read them about almost anyone. This was the closest TV doc I have seen to that experience. . . most concentrate too much on what 'other' people thought about the artists carrier, which for me is only biog filler. This was mostly all in Yog and the bands voice and from their point of view.

 

[nagapie]

I'm no wham fan and I understand that nobody really want's to hear about how eq nobs are twiddled, but I learned things I didn't know and thought the balance was pretty good.
I LOVE reading music autobiographies (NOT biographies), i'll read them about almost anyone. This was the closest TV doc I have seen to that experience. . . most concentrate too much on what 'other' people thought about the artists carrier, which for me is only biog filler. This was mostly all in Yog and the bands voice and from their point of view.

Sure, but maybe it's a genre preference as I don't really read music autobiographies. I love music but I'm not a non fiction reader often.
However I do love documentaries but the bit about him coming out and the band split would be more the human interest side that would be interesting to me, so I'll watch to the end and then decide.

 

[Spymaster]

I didn't think it would be good tbh. But as a former postal worker I thought I'd give it a go. It's more about the racism and discrimination they faced than the post sorting (which I thought could have been better organised). But I did get into it.

Watched this yesterday. It was ok but could have been done way better.

I've read up about it since and it's a great story that wasn't given enough technical attention. All the way through it was said to be impossible, and they were failing, then they just get it all done in the last 10 minutes with no explanation. All the actresses being drop dead gorgeous models in perfect make-up didn't work for wartime Europe either!

Definitely worth a watch though.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Sure, but maybe it's a genre preference as I don't really read music autobiographies. I love music but I'm not a non fiction reader often.

Quite possibly. I litteraly can't read anything that isn't an autobiography these days. I've not managed to finish a work of fiction for some years now.

 

[Tooter]

Very pleasantly surprised with the Arcane animation, it's beautiful and really good!

That's both Blue Eyed Samurai and Arcane I really like! May have to revise my position on this style of animation

 

[kabbes]

Violent Night. Think Die Hard meets Bad Santa but he’s the real Santa. Very amusing adult dark comedy nonsense

Just enjoyed this, in a very very silly way. Amusingly references Die Hard and Home Alone in a deliberately subversive way. In a way, the whole film is one big meta joke on both Christmas films and action films. That means it does get bit tired towards the end, but fuck it. Worth it anyway.