Posted on 07/23/2017 4:56:36 AM PDT by Chickensoup
This is a slow Sunday morning.
I am not much of a vid watcher. And for over 25 years we didn't have a TV. Back a few years ago I found a TV, with Freeper input and have Netflix. To me the TV is a great going to the theater experience.
I have been watching different things on the TV for occasional entertainment for the past couple of years, Netflix both streaming and DVD.
I have discovered that most shows that I have watched, both the compelling ones that I have enjoyed like Longmire, Bluebloods, and even Father Brown have significant violence and show gross dead bodies.
I understand that the public is used to this and that over the past couple of decades, people have watched shows about dead and decaying bodies.
I am amazed at this turn of events. Almost every show and film I find has some sort of murder, often by some bizarre sicko. Death-porn packaged into otherwise nice storylines.
I enjoy shows like Last Man Standing, Mad Men, 30 Below, films like Primer, Silver Linings Playbook. I am looking for recommendations that are perhaps more about a story, a situation, a relational issue that is compelling.
I have started renting DVDs through Netflix and am going through their old films, where face it, film-makers did not use sensationalism in the place of fine script writing and directing. So I have some of the old films covered.
I think of that scene in The Searchers where John Wayne returns from finding the body of a girl whose kidnappers he was tracking, and he said when asked what happened, with full painful angry emotion in his voice: What do you want me to do? Draw you a picture? That one sentence, acted in such a profound way, gave the viewer everything he needed to know about this poor child and her death and how the protagonists were going to proceed.
So if you can recommend a film or series that you enjoyed that is interesting and doesn't make its centerpiece death and destruction, I would love to hear about it.
The International
Everyone, young and old, should see the film “Eight Below.” Google it.
“Beter Call Saul’. It’s the prequel to “ Breaking Bad” and shows how Jimmy McGill, an unscrupulous, hustling young lawyer becomes the totally corrupt Saul Goodman, the lawyer who advises Walter White, the protagonist of “Breaking Bad”, on how to launder money and many other illegal mattes. There’s not much violence, the characters are fascinating, and it’s the best serial on TV. If you can’t get it on Netflix, you should be able to do so on Amazon. Right now there are three complete seasons of 12 episodes each, so you’ll get a lot of viewing.
Placemarker
American Dreamer, with Jo Beth Williams and Tom Conti ... I’m looking for a DVD of it because I would watch it three or four times per year.
The Crown, about Elizabeth as a very young queen, is well acted and enjoyable. It’s a short miniseries.
“doesn’t make its centerpiece death and destruction”
Ok, I’ll make a recommendation that I feel still meets this description, although many may disagree. A series that is considered to be, by many, the greatest series ever.
It is....Breaking Bad.
Yes, there’s violence and death - but the show is also; funny, ironic, surprising, twisting, ...it touches at the heart of human nature - both good and bad. It displays how good intentions go wrong and the way we become addicted to experiences we never thought about before. The way the central characters evolve, where they start, as human beings, is vastly different from where hey end up...both good and bad in both directions. There are times when you laugh, other times are shocking.
The acting is stellar and the whole thing is an experience.
Oh, the biggest laugh is how much Kentucky looks like California.
“You’re talking about the original air disaster film that led them all, captained by no less than the Duke!”
You are correct. When I first saw it in the theater I thought it was great. I saw it recently, and that’s when I thought “soap opera”.
But I remember being introduced the concept of “point of no return” and of course the theme music which I bought the sheet music for and played it more than any other. I still have that sheet music, a simple, beautiful arrangement by the composer.
KDramas. Especially the ones starring my favorite actress, Jun Ji-hyun.
My Love From Another Star
Legend of the Blue Sea
And my favorite Korean movie, “My Sassy Girl”.
A lot of good movies have been listed but you might check out:
Inside Man, a bank robbery that is more cerebral than violent. In fact no one gets killed and the true bad guy gets his comeuppance. May be some rough language.
Touchback. A look back how a high school athletes life might have been had he not had a career ending injury.
Do I do the right thing for the team and ruin my life or do I play it safe and screw the team?
Choices, choices.
Hoosiers. A story loosely based on the smallest school to win Indiana’s winner take all state basketball tourney. A pretty good story about second chances and self redemption using a small town basketball team.
A little rough language and a drunken scene or two but they are necessary for the plot.
A Late Quartet.
Go to Youtube, they have so many free movies and old episodes of TV shows that I am probably going to get rid of Direct TV, just don’t use it enough.
A Beautiful Mind
Please resist the "I've got a better idea" response; it is extremely irritating!
I second The Lives of Others.
Also check out Ladyhawke. It stars Rutger Haur, Michelle Pfieffer and Matthew Broderick.
A love story that isn’t sickly sweet or boring.
Some sword play but not gory.
Great movie about honor and pig headedness
The Lake House. Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock.
No nudity, no violence, no profanity.
Just a “magic” mailbox and two people who fall in love without ever meeting.
Riding Giants.
I’ve never surfed in my life but I love this movie. Just excellent.
I had forgotten about that one. It's quite good.
Someone also earlier suggested I Am David, which is also good.
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