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.
As mentioned earlier, The Kings Speech. Most excellent and a true story, but Queen Elizabeth refused to allow the story out until her Mother passed away.
‘The Artist’ won the Academy Award for Best Picture - a difficult thing to do when the film is:
Shot in black & white,
Full frame (NOT wide screen)
Silent.
It’s a wonderful love story with an excellent ending (and the subtitles are very easy to get used to)!
Lastly I recommend ‘Dead Again’ - it’s based upon a murder that took place 40 years in the past...there is some violence (though no worse than ‘Three Days of the Condor mentioned previously) but it is necessary to set the stage for the unfolding of the plot and the rightful revenge at the end. It has some foul language. Robin Williams has a small, but excellent, role and He’s very good.
DO watch the other two films! They are extraordinary!
Oh my gosh, where to start?
For “situational” or “relational issues” I recommend:
“The Lion in Winter” (Peter O’Toole, Katherine Hepburn, Anthony Hopkins, and others)
“A Man For All Seasons” (Paul Scofield, Robert Shaw)
And to lighten the mood with a comedy, try:
“Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House” (Cary Grant, Myrna Loy)
Regards,
Cerebral of course. Please could this be changed to correct spelling in Title so it can be searched correctly? So sorry Jim and Admin!
Chickensoup
I didn’t look at the spell checker change.
Mush for brains is common. But you have given them a great foundation. Often it will firm up as reality strikes.
Just watched “Sea of Trees” yesterday. Beautiful movie and thought provoking.
Angels in the Outfield. (1951)
On Borrowed Time (1939)
You Can't Take It With You (1938)
You won't be disappointed.
Bridge of Spies, Sully.
“Dr. Strangelove.”
Peter Sellers plays three roles in this movie.
btt
I like odd Thomas...
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I think I dated him in high school...lol
Since I wanted Roy and Dale to adopt me and wore my cowboy boots until age 8 I would love to find their series.
Hey Trigger!
Hey Buttermilk!
‘The Piano’ has some nekkedidity, so I don’t know if that’s within Chickensoup’s criteria. But it is a good movie.
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Nekkedity is ok, vulgar? I pass.
Scanning the posts, I see a lot of my faves have already been suggested so I’ll off “The Lives of Others.” After watching it, William F. Buckley turned to his friend and said, “I think that is the best movie I ever saw.” In German with subtitles. Not a very talky movie so you soon find yourself watching the movie and “hearing” the subtitles.
I’ve got a great mini-series for you, a sequel to “Lonesome Dove.” Try to find “Streets of Laredo” with James Garner, Randy Quaid, Sissy Spacek, Sam Shepard, George Carlin, Ned Beatty, Charles Martin Smith, and Alexis Cruz who plays a teenage stone cold killer.
All stellar performances, but Randy Quaid as John Wesley Hardin steals the show. Instead of one bad protagonist, this mini-series has two. It is my favorite of the Lonesome Dove series.
I was him... am him... hehehe
If you are not set against animation, then I heartily recommend the movie “From up on Poppy Hill.” I think it fits your criteria perfectly, no real violence, just a sweet, emotionally compelling story.
Try TV shows from the 1950s perhaps, Go to the memorable TV channel and watch Father Knows Best, Hazel, The Joey Bishop Show, along with many others, like Green Acres or I love Genie.
For Treat, may I suggest, the Disney movie “Follow ME Boys”?
Here are 3 movie recommendations off the top of my head:
Galaxy Quest (Tim Allen)
Mystery Men (Ben Stiller, Geoffrey Rush)
Charlotte’s Web
(Isn’t it amazing how hard one has to think to come up with movies or shows without violence? Hmm.)
Ok..... here’s the deal.
Abandon American TV and go foreign on Netflix.
On Netflix search type in Australia. Lots or programs will come up. some are actually Canadian and perhaps British.
One that will be on the list is Miss Fisher Mysteries. It is the story of Pryne Fisher, a very elegant Australian lady who solves crimes as a sort of hobby
The second is Anne.....of Green Gables. Anne is a foster child on a Nova Scotia Farm taken in by an elderly brother and sister. Very good
Foyles War is also very very good and relates how an out of mainstream police officer deals with various events in Britain that deal directly with WW II very good
Also, there is Doc Martin, a Masterpiece theater production about a doctor in a small village. He is some what out of balance but straightens out.
Ok here’s q good one...... When calls the Heart, on the Australia list but is actually canadian.It takes place in western Canada in the early 1900’s. The main characters are a Royal Mounted Policeman and a school teacher. Although there is some crime solving the show is mostly about Romance.
Lastly, there is Heartland. Heartland takes place on a ranch in Alberta where they take care of horses. There are lots of characters and it is I guess is a Dallas like sopa opera.
The key here is British, Australia and Canada.All have good tv that islike TV was here years ago.
Next Lesson: East Asian TV. Lots of it on Netflix and some is very good but has subtitles.
Oh yes..... as you watch them Netflix will make a list “Continue Watching for” . You can easily find them later
I was him... am him... hehehe
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Tommy! is that you??
"The Girl With the Pearl Earring" - historical romance starring Colin Firth, Scarlett Johansen based on the Vermeer painting. PG13 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8awflTA4QYE
"The Man From The Earth" - a science fiction-ish story of a young professor hosting a going away party at his cabin while he tells the story of an immortal man. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mOIxyRTY5I
"Copying Beethoven" and "Immortal Beloved" if you're into historically based dramas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xkj0TeZeZuo https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qWbcosJdtU
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