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TV & Films Recommendations
- Thread starter Toshinden
- Start date
TV & Films Recommendations for the week of November 12th to November 18th
Movies
Movies
#Saburo
Film: Merantau (2009)
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
IMDb Synopsis: A young man from the countryside uses his skills in silat martial arts to survive the slave trade.
#Soft Flex
Film: Rocky
Genre: Drama, Sport
Description: I've been watching a lot of Hajime no Ippo lately and really enjoying it, but since we don't want to steal the A&M room's thunder, I will instead recommend this - the inaugural film in possibly my favourite film series! It's a fantastic film on its own, but those who haven't yet taken the time to watch it yet may not be aware of just how many moments or quotes from it (and its sequels) have made their way into all manner of media over the decades since. Highly recommend!
@ The Benz Mafia
Film: The Changeling (1980)
Genre: Horror, Mystery
IMDb Synopsis: After the death of his wife and daughter in a car crash, a music professor staying at a long-vacant Seattle mansion is dragged into a decades-old mystery by an inexplicable presence in the mansion's attic.
%Opple
Film: Dead Man's Shoes
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
IMDb Synopsis: A disaffected soldier returns to his hometown to get even with the thugs who brutalized his mentally-challenged brother years ago.
Television
+PenQuin
Show: The Wire
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
IMDb Synopsis: The Baltimore drug scene, as seen through the eyes of drug dealers and law enforcement.
PS Username: burpsicles
Film: Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Genre: Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi
IMDb Synopsis: When their relationship turns sour, a couple undergoes a medical procedure to have each other erased from their memories.
This is a beautiful and thought-provoking movie that I believe everyone needs to watch. Carrey has showcased that he can do much more than just comedic roles and the score of the movie sets the tone and atmosphere perfectly. I'm not huge into re-watching but this is certainly something that I can see myself watching again. Probably one of my favourites now.
Series: Fear The Walking Dead
Genre: Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi
Synopsis: A sign of the apocalypse has begun. Reports of a rapidly changing world for unknown reasons underscore this gritty drama, a prequel to AMC's uber-popular "Walking Dead." The story is told through the lens of high school guidance counselor Madison Clark. The widowed mother is raising two children single-handedly and maintains a relationship with English teacher Travis Manawa, her apocalyptic partner. The challenge of blending their families is exacerbated by unforeseen chaos, and a necessary survival of the fittest takes hold.
TV & Films Recommendations for the week of November 19th to November 25th
Movies
#SaburoMovies
Film: Avengement (2019)
Genre: Action, Crime
IMDb Synopsis: While released on furlough from prison, a lowly criminal evades his guards and returns to his old haunts to take revenge on the people who made him a cold-hearted killer. It's an epic, bloody battle to search for the soul he lost years ago on the streets of an unforgiving city.
#Soft Flex
Film: The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes
Genre: Action, Adventure, Drama
Description: This film chronicles the events leading up to just before Snow's rise to power in the Hunger Games series, detailed over the course of three chapters.
I won't lie, I was a bit skeptical about the runtime of 2 hrs. and 37 min., especially after they stretched the third (and let's be honest, probably worst) book into 2 movies despite a lack of content, but the movie flew by for me and a friend in theatres. The characters and their names are just as colourful as before, and the story goes through multiple refreshing tone shifts over its course. It's also pretty cool to see a plausible early version of the Games where the setting is much more primitive, and without the overall extravagance that we witnessed in the first 2 films.
@ mdm (◕‿◕✿) 234
Film: Birdemic: Shock and Terror (2010)
Genre: Horror, Thriller
IMDb Synopsis: A horde of mutated birds descends upon the quiet town of Half Moon Bay, California. As the death toll rises, two citizens manage to fight back, but will they survive Birdemic?
mdm description: One of the worst movies I've ever seen to the point that its fascinatingly hilarious, I highly recommend checking it out if you like awful movies.
@ The Benz Mafia
Film: Chicken Run (2000)
Genre: Animation, Comedy, Family
IMDb Synopsis: When a cockerel apparently flies into a chicken farm, the chickens see him as an opportunity to escape their evil owners.
+PenQuin
Film: Harcore Henry
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
IMDb Synopsis: Henry is resurrected from death with no memory, and he must save his wife from a telekinetic warlord with a plan to bio-engineer soldiers.
PQ Rate: 8/10 Cool first person pov. Worth watching once
Television
%Opple
Show: The Crown
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
IMDb Synopsis: Follows the political rivalries and romance of Queen Elizabeth II's reign and the events that shaped the second half of the 20th century.
Opple note: New Series out now!
%Zipzapadam
Show: Scavengers Reign
Genre: Animated, Adventure, Drama
IMDb Synopsis: Follows the crew of a damaged deep space freighter stranded on a beautiful but dangerous planet.
+Yackback
Show: Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
Genre: Action, Adventure
Description: Bryan Lee O'Malley's comic book series, previously adapted by Edgar Wright in his 2006 movie Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, gets adapted again, to an animated series from Science Saru (Tatami Galaxy, Ping Pong the Animation), Wright, O'Malley, and 95% of the cast of the 2006 movie. Definitely watch the movie first, though.
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PS Username: burpsicles
Show: Mr Inbetween
Genre: Crime, Drama
IMDb Synopsis: Ray Shoesmith is a father, ex-husband, boyfriend, brother and best friend, tough roles to juggle in the modern age. Especially when you're also a criminal for hire.
One of the most entertaining shows I've watched in a long while. Even though I initially watched it for the dark humor and for being based in 'Straya, it just so happens to have one of the best acting performances I've seen. Easily bingable, I think it's worth a watch for anyone.
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
Synopsis: Bea Smith ruled Wentworth Detention Centre. She was gutsy and fearless. But who was Bea Smith before prison? How did a wife and mother from the suburbs become a top dog without rival? Where did the confidence and fortitude come from that enabled her to get there, and what injustices and misadventures fuelled her determination to do it? Wentworth is a dynamic, often confronting, drama series that begins with Bea's early days in prison. Set in the present day, it's a modern re-imagination of Prisoner.
TV & Films Recommendations for the week of November 26th to December 2nd
Movies
Movies
#Saburo
Film: Found (2012)
Genre: Drama, Horror, Thriller
IMDb Synopsis: A horror-obsessed boy discovers his older brother is a serial killer.
#Soft Flex
Film: The Killer
Genre: Action, Adventure, Crime
Description: This hitman flick just made its Netflix debut not too long ago after a limited theatre release and I'm a big fan. More importantly, my boy Michael Fassbender is back after an acting hiatus! Many will say the film is slow and at times perhaps less than engaging, but I love that the story lingers on the less flashy side of what being an assassin is probably like - planning, stakeouts, waiting, mental preparation, most of which is on display alongside Fassbender's elegant deadpan narration. The John Wick series may be more exciting, but I like getting alternate viewpoints on familiar film genres and this one is done very well!
@ The Benz Mafia
Film: Damage (1992)
Genre: Drama, Romance
IMDb Synopsis: A member of Parliament falls passionately in love with his son's fiancée despite the dangers of discovery.
%Opple
Film: Kes (1969)
Genre: Drama, Family
IMDb Synopsis: A working-class English boy spends his free time caring for and training his pet kestrel.
+PenQuin
Film: Behind Enemy Lines (2001)
Genre: Action, Drama, Thriller
IMDb Synopsis: A disillusioned pilot shot down over war-torn Bosnia goes on the run from the local military and an assassin, as his commanding officer risks all to save him.
PQ Rating: 9/10 Very cool, worth the watch.
Television
%Opple
Show: Doctor Who (1963-Present)
Genre: Sci-fi, Adventure, Drama
IMDb Synopsis: The further adventures in time and space of the alien adventurer known as the Doctor and his companions from planet Earth.
Opple Note: 60th anniversary special on Disney+!
+yackback
Show: Blue Eye Samurai
Genre: Action, Adventure
Description: A half-Japanese half-White samurai's quest for revenge in Edo-period Japan. Like John Wick with swords. From the creator of Logan and Blade Runner 2049. Also, the first episode is on YouTube:
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(Available on Star+)
Genre: Mystery Drama, Crime (Whoddunit)
IMDb Synopsis: In post-World War II Venice, Poirot, now retired and living in his own exile, reluctantly attends a seance. But when one of the guests is murdered, it is up to the former detective to once again uncover the killer.
Genre: Talent Show, Reality-TV
Synopsis: In order to win the title, the people of Britain showcase their talent ranging from mundane to the most extraordinary acts that are seemingly impossible. The winner receives 250,000 pounds and gets to perform at the Royal Variety Performance in front of the British Royal Family!
TV & Films Recommendations for the week of December 3rd to December 9th
Movies
#SaburoMovies
Film: Ghost Town (2008)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
IMDb Synopsis: Bertram Pincus is a man whose people skills leave much to be desired. When Pincus dies unexpectedly, but is miraculously revived after seven minutes, he wakes up to discover that he now has the annoying ability to see ghosts.
#Soft Flex
Film: Old Dads
Genre: Comedy
Description: My favourite comedian (Bill Burr) starred, directed in and co-wrote this recent Netflix drop and it has everything long-time fans will expect from him in a coming-of-age (but a much later age than your typical comedy) film. Definitely recommend!
@ The Benz Mafia
Film: Breaking Away (1979)
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sport
IMDb Synopsis: A working-class Indiana teen obsessed with the Italian cycling team vies for the affections of a college girl while searching for life goals with his friends.
+PenQuin
Film: Gummo (1997)
Genre: Experimental, Documentary, Comedy
IMDb Synopsis: Lonely residents of a tornado-stricken Ohio town wander the deserted landscape trying to fulfill their boring, nihilistic lives.
PQ Rating: ig this is where the Ohio memes come from. Very weird movie. 7/10
Television
%Opple
Show: Absolutely Fabulous (1992-2012)
Genre: Comedy
IMDb Synopsis: The wild misadventures of Edina "Eddy" Monsoon and her best friend Patsy Stone, who live in a nearly constant haze of drugged, drunken selfishness.
Genre: Comedy, Drama
IMDb Synopsis: Set in a fictional American desert town circa 1955, the itinerary of a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention (organized to bring together students and parents from across the country for fellowship and scholarly competition) is spectacularly disrupted by a world-changing event.
to quote the movie: "i still don't understand the play." (except the play in question is this movie because i still do not understand, but honestly, it's a vibe)
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Series: Let The Right One In
Genre: Drama, Horror
Synopsis: The series centers on Mark and his daughter Eleanor whose lives were changed forever 10 years earlier when she was turned into a vampire. Locked in at age 12, perhaps forever, Eleanor lives a closed-in life, able to go out only at night, while her father does his best to provide her with the human blood she needs to stay alive. With these emotionally charged and terrifying ingredients as a starting point, LET THE RIGHT ONE IN will upend genre expectations, turning a naturalistic lens on human frailty, strength and compassion.
TV & Films Recommendations for the week of December 10th to December 16th
Movies
Movies
#Saburo
Film: Wait Until Dark (1967)
Genre: Thriller
IMDb Synopsis: A recently blinded woman is terrorized by a trio of thugs while they search for a heroin-stuffed doll they believe is in her apartment.
%Zipzapadam
Film: Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
Genre: Comedy, Family
IMDb Synopsis: A youth embarks on a journey to find his missing grandmother and prove that Santa Claus is real.
Television
#Soft Flex
Show: Love, Death & Robots
Genre: Animation, Short, Action
Description: A beautiful anthology series of self-contained stories, typically set in the future and in some combination of sci-fi, fantasy, drama and action.
@ The Benz Mafia
Show: Penny Dreadful (2014)
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Horror
IMDb Synopsis: Explorer Sir Malcolm Murray, American gunslinger Ethan Chandler, scientist Victor Frankenstein and medium Vanessa Ives unite to combat supernatural threats in Victorian London.
%Opple
Show: Happy Valley (2014-2023)
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
IMDb Synopsis: Yorkshire-based crime drama centering on the personal and professional life of Police Sergeant Catherine Cawood.
(Available on Netflix)
Genre: Drama. Crime
IMDb Synopsis: Liza dreams of a better life for herself and her daughter. Hired to work for a bankrupt pharmaceutical company, Liza skyrockets with sales and into the high life, putting her in the middle of a federal criminal conspiracy.
Film: Killer Klowns from Outer Space (1988)
Genre: Sci-Fi (Alien Invasion), Comedy, Horror
Synopsis: Aliens who look like clowns come from outer space and terrorize a small beachside California town. Teens of the town and a pair of zany Ice Cream truckers take it upon themselves to stop the "Klowns" from capturing, killing and harvesting the townsfolk to use as sustenance.
it didn't garner much attention on its release back in 1988 but now its considered a cult-classic and an icon of the 80's cheesy B-horror films. The slapstick comedy coated 80's monster-horror along with the impressive practical special effects by the industry veterans "The Chiodo Brothers" (who also wrote and directed the movie) really gives the movie it's unique charm and makes for an overall enjoyable experience.
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Genre: Drama, Mystery, Sci-Fi
Synopsis: Taken spans five decades and four generations, centering on three families: the Keys, Crawfords, and Clarkes. World War II veteran Russell Keys is plagued by nightmares of his abduction by aliens during the war; the Roswell incident transforms Owen Crawford from ambitious Air Force captain to evil shadow government conspirator; the unhappily married Sally Clarke is impregnated by an alien visitor. As the decades go by, the heirs of each are affected by the machinations of the aliens, culminating with the birth of Allie Keys, who is the final product of the aliens' experimentation and holds the key to their future.
TV & Films Recommendations for the week of December 17th to December 23rd
Movies
Movies
#Soft Flex
Film: Shin Godzilla
Genre: Action, Drama, Horror
Description: Shin Godzilla sees the return of the King of the Monsters in a standalone feature that mixes both modern and classic effects to create a very unique atmosphere. It focuses more on the human response and the decision making process that precedes their military tactics than other films tend to (hey we all know this part is always gonna be more boring than atomic breath destruction, but we gotta fill those minutes and add suspense somehow!), but since Godzilla undergoes changes throughout the film it's a nice way to explain them without being too heavy-handed in the script.
@ mdm 234
Film: Fateful Findings
Genre: Drama I guess? idk Neil Breen is really his own genre
IMDb Synopsis: A computer-scientist/novelist reunites with his childhood friend, hacks into government databases, and faces the dire and fateful consequences of the mystical actions he obtained as a child.
@ The Benz Mafia
Film: Irma la Douce (1963)
Genre: Comedy, Romance
IMDb Synopsis: When a policeman falls in love with a prostitute, he doesn't want her to see other men, so he creates an alter-ego who will be her only customer.
Television
%Zipzapadam
Show: Cheers
Genre: Sitcom
IMDb Synopsis: The regulars of the Boston bar "Cheers" share their experiences and lives with each other while drinking or working at the bar where everybody knows your name.
Genre: Drama
Synopsis: The uplifting movie is based on the true story of the Doyle family in December of 1953 Ireland. Desmond Doyle is abandoned by his wife who runs off to Australia and leaves him with their three small children. He tries his best to continue supporting them singing in the pub and doing painting here and there, only to have the government and child services remove his children. stating there has never been a precedent of a father raising his children without a mother in the picture. He goes to court, loses, and is told he cannot appeal his case. He then happily finds a retired lawyer who has taken on constitutional law successfully in the past, who willingly helps him take his case to The Supreme Court.
TV & Films Recommendations for the week of December 24th to December 30th
Movies
Movies
#Saburo
Film: While You Were Sleeping (1995)
Genre: Comedy. Drama, Romance
IMDb Synopsis: A hopelessly romantic Chicago Transit Authority ticket booth operator is mistaken for the fiancée of a comatose patient.
#Soft Flex
Film: Cat Soup
Genre: Animation, Short, Comedy
Description: Ever wonder what it's like to take drugs but don't want to take drugs? It's probably this film right here - a very psychedelic short flick from 2001.
@ The Benz Mafia
Film: The Ref (1994)
Genre: Comedy, Crime, Drama
IMDb Synopsis: A cat burglar is forced to take a bickering, dysfunctional family hostage on Christmas Eve.
Television
%Opple
Show: Tuca & Bertie
Genre: Animation, Comedy
Description: The show's title characters are two anthropomorphic birds who are friends living in the same apartment complex, Tuca Toucan (voiced by Tiffany Haddish) and Roberta "Bertie" Songthrush (voiced by Ali Wong). Tuca is a toco toucan with an impulsive personality, while Bertie is a nervous and career-minded song thrush.
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With the year now over almost, I thought I'd rec my favourite movie I watched this year (Not a 2023 film)
Film: The Broken Circle Breakdown
Genre: Drama, Music, Romance
Synopsis: Elise and Didier fall in love at first sight. She has her own tattoo shop and he plays the banjo in a bluegrass band. They bond over their shared enthusiasm for American music and culture, and dive headfirst into a sweeping romance that plays out on and off stage - but when an unexpected tragedy hits their new family, everything they know and love is tested. An intensely moving portrait of a relationship from beginning to end, propelled by a soundtrack of foot-stomping bluegrass, The Broken Circle Breakdown is a romantic melodrama of the highest order.
Film: Joy Ride
Genre(s): Comedy
Synopsis: Four Asian-American friends travel through Asia in search of one of their birth mothers. Along the way, their experience becomes one of bonding, friendship, belonging and no-holds-barred debauchery.