Movies and TV shows (general recommendation thread)

[rukawa]

Get Shorty (the show not the movie)

Silicon Valley is excellent

Humans (UK show)

Viking is in my opinion the best show on television

Black Mirror

Planet Earth 2 and Blue Planet 2

First season of True Detective

House of Cards (UK version)

Yes, Minister (this is the greatest political comedy ever)

[DooDiligence]

This is my new favorite show.

 

https://www.pbs.org/show/gzero-world/

[investmd]

Movies:

Get Out - Pscyhological Thriller that is so Intelligent - the twist at the end is a neat surprise worth waiting for

Imitation Game - biography of Alan Turing - using math and computers to solve encryption in war time; role of homophobia in recent history

 

TV Series:

Breaking Bad - Plot of a generally good, very bright individual trying to help his family that crosses a fine line and evolves into another character; great exposure to societal price of illicit drugs and effects on young, old, men and women; good musical score; Worth watching entire series second time

True Detective - Season 1 - Takes about 10 episodes to solve the crime - so not all neatly tied up in 1 hour like a usual TV series. Season 2 is completely different story and not in the same Class. The redeeming feature of Season 2 is the music of Leonard Cohen.

Silicon Valley - Comedy/Drama of life as a start up company in Silicon Valley

[gfp]

If you liked Get Out (as I did) and Lakieith Stanfield (as I do) - he's in 'Get Out' and hilarious in 'Atlanta' - you might enjoy a movie we saw over the holidays called "Sorry to Bother You." 

 

Written and directed by Boots Riley, a first time filmmaker, it is pretty entertaining for a debut.  It's not polished like 'Get Out' though.

 

My Brother-in-law is one of those voting/nominating members for the film awards shows, so our family holidays have become a kind of mini film festival with 20-30 academy screeners to watch over a few weeks time.  Really great to see stuff I wouldn't otherwise get to the theater to see.

 

Movies:

Get Out - Pscyhological Thriller that is so Intelligent - the twist at the end is a neat surprise worth waiting for

Imitation Game - biography of Alan Turing - using math and computers to solve encryption in war time; role of homophobia in recent history

 

TV Series:

Breaking Bad - Plot of a generally good, very bright individual trying to help his family that crosses a fine line and evolves into another character; great exposure to societal price of illicit drugs and effects on young, old, men and women; good musical score; Worth watching entire series second time

True Detective - Season 1 - Takes about 10 episodes to solve the crime - so not all neatly tied up in 1 hour like a usual TV series. Season 2 is completely different story and not in the same Class. The redeeming feature of Season 2 is the music of Leonard Cohen.

Silicon Valley - Comedy/Drama of life as a start up company in Silicon Valley

[meiroy]

 

I just binged Netflix' Russian Doll.  Dang that was far better than I'd expected.

 

[Jurgis]

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. 9/10

 

 

might as well mention

 

In Bruges 9/10.

[writser]

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. 9/10

 

 

might as well mention

 

In Bruges 9/10.

 

You have a midget obsession? But yeah, both are great movies. I like Snatch as well.

[Liberty]

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. 9/10

 

I saw that at the recommendation of a friend.

 

I thought it had some flashes of a really good movie, some really good scenes and characters, but that overall it didn't quite gel together and wasn't entirely satisfying.

[rkbabang]

I just binged Netflix' Russian Doll.  Dang that was far better than I'd expected.

 

I agree.  When I started watching it I was thinking that there was a 80% chance it was going to be stupid and I wouldn't get through 2 episodes.  I'm glad I gave it a chance, it was a pretty good show.  Like groundhog day only darker with a better story.

 

[SmoothSailor]

I really enjoyed HBO's Sharp Objects. Great writing, complex characters, and a wonderful cast (Amy Adams and Patricia Clarkson killed it w/ their performances). It's a mini-series (~ 8 episodes), so not much commitment either.

[DTEJD1997]

Hey all:

 

if you like crime thrillers & action movies, I've got two recommendations:

 

A). "HEAT", absolutely the best bank heist movie ever made, bar none.  Also, probably the best gun battle ever filmed.  A+ list actors, just incredibly well done all the way around.

 

B). "The Usual Suspects", great acting, engaging story line.  An incredible plot twist at the end.  Very well done!

[Spekulatius]

Currently watching:

 

“The Expanse”, Season 3

“Perfume”  Germain Film noire series (loved the book from Süsskind too)

“Russian Doll” - I agree it’s a great script

“ Babylon Berlin” - very athmosperical Film Noir/ crime (of course I am biased towards German TV series)

 

[gfp]

Thanks for the rec on Russian Doll - I enjoyed it and never would have checked it out otherwise

 

I just binged Netflix' Russian Doll.  Dang that was far better than I'd expected.

 

I agree.  When I started watching it I was thinking that there was a 80% chance it was going to be stupid and I wouldn't get through 2 episodes.  I'm glad I gave it a chance, it was a pretty good show.  Like groundhog day only darker with a better story.

[Liberty]

I saw the 2016 sci-fi movie Passengers. It wasn't my pick and I had very low expectations, which probably explains why I was pleasantly surprised.

 

I was expecting a 6/10 and it was something like a 7.3/10, so I'm not saying it's great, but there are so few decent sci-fi films and series that I'm mentioning it anyway.

 

It basically felt like a short-story from the 1950s. Passenger wakes up early from cryo-sleep on a long interstellar flight. What to do next?

 

I can easily imagine how someone seeing it with high expectations could not like it, though, so be warned. It's not deep or anything, but it's decent entertainment.

[investmd]

I just binged Netflix' Russian Doll.  Dang that was far better than I'd expected.

 

I agree.  When I started watching it I was thinking that there was a 80% chance it was going to be stupid and I wouldn't get through 2 episodes.  I'm glad I gave it a chance, it was a pretty good show.  Like groundhog day only darker with a better story.

 

Watched Russian Doll - it draws you in - but what the hell happened at the end? Didn't understand how they got out of the death spiral. Thought the ending was a let down.

[rkbabang]

Just finished "Unauthorized Living"  it is a Netflix original based in Spain.  You can set the audio to English, so you don't need to turn on subtitles.  It was excellent.  The best show I've seen lately.

 

[Liberty]

I recommend the 'Eleven Madison Park' episode (#2) of the documentary series '7 Days Out' on Netflix.

 

I thought it was really good, showing some of what it takes to be the best; the attention to detail, going above and beyond, and constantly solving unexpected problems.

 

https://www.netflix.com/ca/title/80207124

 

Update: great podcast interview with the restaurant's owner:

 

https://overcast.fm/+BgXD0aAaA

[QuickFS]

 

I recommend The Young Pope on HBO (which you can get through Hulu). It's about an agnostic pope who's not particularly innocent. The series is directed and written by Paolo Sorrentino, who also directed and wrote one of my all-time favorite foreign-language films:

(Italian language, but still enjoyable with English subtitles).

[Liberty]

There's a line in 'Bridges of Spies' that I still think about once in a while. A soviet spy and his lawyer, telling him about the possibility of the electric chair. Spy doesn't react. Lawyer says: "You don't seem alarmed." He replies... "Would it help?"

 

[Jurgis]

That makes sense.  I generally thought it was a lot more serious than what one might expect from a black comedy film.  Viewers should calibrate their expectations going in - because it isn't another Dr. Strangelove.

 

That's correct. I was also surprised (I didn't know much about it going on), but it actually increased my enjoyment because I think it's important that we get reminders once in a while of just how vile these regimes were. Historical distance and the death of first-hand victims is making it all more fuzzy over time...

 

"The Death of Stalin" was banned in Russia ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Death_of_Stalin ). People in power there don't want any reminders.

[DanielGMask]

Just finished "Unauthorized Living"  it is a Netflix original based in Spain.  You can set the audio to English, so you don't need to turn on subtitles.  It was excellent.  The best show I've seen lately.

 

Just finished it. I watched it because of your post and I totally agree with you! Great recommendation.

[rkbabang]

Just finished "Unauthorized Living"  it is a Netflix original based in Spain.  You can set the audio to English, so you don't need to turn on subtitles.  It was excellent.  The best show I've seen lately.

 

Just finished it. I watched it because of your post and I totally agree with you! Great recommendation.

 

No problem.  Another Spanish show on Netflix that was pretty good (although not as good as Unauthorized Living) is "Fugitiva", it's worth watching.

 

I'm watching the Amazon original "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel" now, it's a little silly at times, but it is funny and worth watching as well.

 

[DooDiligence]

Netflix - Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage

 

I wore out 2112 when I was a kid & have liked them ever since.

 

This documentary shows a trio of unique & amazing musicians who are also great guys.

 

Very down to earth & no overblown egos.

 

What a body of work too.

[DooDiligence]

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs on Netflix.

 

Funny, tragic, sweet to super sad & odd.

 

Liked it.

[writser]

I guess all of you heard already heard about Chernobyl, the latest HBO miniseries. Super hyped and now the highest rated tv series ever on IMDB. Not sure if that will last, but we watched it and both thought it was very good. Highly recommended.

 

I'm a big fan of the Coen brothers but I watched the first 10 minutes of 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs' and thought it was awful and switched it off. Was more of a gay musical rather than a cool film. Bit of a taste thing I guess. Usually I like my entertainment dark and gritty, and especially without singing. Talking about dark and gritty, recently I rewatched 'Sicario'. Underrated movie.

 

I'm a big Ricky Gervais fan too. His latest mini-series, 'After life', was also very enjoyable though not mind-blowing.

 

And last but not least, the next season of Rick and Morty will air in a few months! Wubba lubba dub dub!