Netflix/Prime/Hulu Discoveries

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Seerek

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I like Emma Stone and Jonah Hill though they have never been personal favorites of mine. That might change because they are both blowing me away with their performances in "Maniac" on Netflix.

It must be said though, I'm finding the (diverse) supporting cast of "Maniac" quite the scene stealers (thus far); for example, I'm predicting bigger things for Sonoya Mizuno (Dr. Fujita) in the future.
 

TheGirlCanSkate

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Made in Mexico - Netflix - I like reality shows that have less drama than something like the Kardashians and this fits the bill. Beautiful people, clothing, settings and all of the characters are interesting.
 

screech

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OK, I love BC, but I giggled at your mangling of his name. I started watching this show late as well, though in my case it was about three seasons into it that I caught the Sherlock fever, LOL. This way you won't have the agonizingly long wait for the fourth season. ;)

For me, it was falling in love with his portrayal of the character that helped me see him as 'hot.' I first started watching the show because I was a fan of Martin Freeman, but I freely admit that I came to love Ben's Sherlock far more than Martin's John Watson (who at one point became a thoroughly loathsome character, IMO). I'll be interested to see what you think when you get through it.
So I started watching the series on Friday evening, and I'm already on the last episode of season 3 (just watched the wedding episode). I'm still absolutely loving it!! And Benadryl Cabbagepatch is absolutely brilliant in it.
I've read that Bendystraw is interested in doing a fifth series of the show (for which there is apparently a plot planned) though Martin Freeman doesn't seem as eager, and it's all still kind of up in the air.
 

vgerdes

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I've read that Bendystraw is interested in doing a fifth series of the show (for which there is apparently a plot planned) though Martin Freeman doesn't seem as eager, and it's all still kind of up in the air.
I would love it if they did a fifth series, but I'm not going to hold my breath. I think they ended series 4 the way they did (i.e., very few loose ends) because they knew a fifth one wasn't likely. Getting Ben and Martin's schedules to mesh has become increasingly problematic. When one of them is free, the other generally isn't. That's why there was such a gawdawful wait for series 4.
 

Cachoo

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Halloween: There are three films being released on Netflix that fall into the horror genre:

"Malevolent": Paranormal scam artists meet their other world match. Available Oct. 5

"Hold The Dark": Jeffrey Wright, Riley Keough and Alexander Skarsgard star in a film about a man searching in the wilderness for a missing child. Apparently there is a supernatural element but I don't know much more. The film is available now.

"Apostle": Set in early 20th century Britain this film is about a man (Dan Stevens) searching for his sister who was abducted by a wacky religious cult. Available Oct.12.

I didn't see anything listed for Amazon or Hulu but I wouldn't be surprised if they had their own Halloween offerings.
 

Miezekatze

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I'm watching "Maniac" at the moment, at first I found it rather weird, but the second episode was fantastic and now I think it's really hilarious (still weird though :lol: )Love Emma Stone!
 

Yehudi

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I’ve been watching the previews at NYCC

Good Omens looks amazing and David Tennant is perfect as Crowley.

Umbrella Academy also looks good but I am looking forward to Mary J Blige the most.

On the fence about “The Boys” but the Vought commercial touched my former agency heart.
 

DannyCurry

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I've been watching Meteor Garden (2018). After 20 episodes, I'm now used to mainland Chinese accents but I still don't like most voices. As it made me feel nostalgic, I've re-watched 2001 Taiwanese version as well. Both versions are so bad (mainly because of the storyline), but I love the show(s) lol.
 

VGThuy

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I've been watching Meteor Garden (2018). After 20 episodes, I'm now used to mainland Chinese accents but I still don't like most voices. As it made me feel nostalgic, I've re-watched 2001 Taiwanese version as well. Both versions are so bad (mainly because of the storyline), but I love the show(s) lol.

I haven't seen the Taiwanese version. I am enjoying this version but I'm only like 16 episodes in or so. I think it's hilarious and I actually appreciate the story even if the overarching story still plays on tropes. The only issue I have with all these mainland Chinese shows is that the dubbing is obvious. I have gotten over it for this show and A Love So Beautiful but couldn't for others, especially when I know what their real voices sound like.
 

VGThuy

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I finally saw The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and I thought it was just adequate but not very good to watch. My favorite part was when they were debating The Bronte sisters. I didn't care about the romance at all as I didn't think the romantic leads had any chemistry whatsoever, and the American character was super one-note and that whole relationship was underdeveloped. I did enjoy the platonic chemistry between Juliet and Isola and wish the movie was just about friendship. I wish the whole movie was about the Elizabeth character. The slow reveals turned out to be not very interesting. The theme of books bringing people together was hardly explored. Lily James is really pretty. Also, between Downton Abbey, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and this movie, I'm starting to think Penelope Wilton has become one of the most annoying actresses I've seen or an actress who has made it her mission to play the characters that annoy me the most. With what little she had to work with, I found Katherine Parkinson to be the MVP. She gave a lot of nuance and depth to that underwritten character.
 
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DannyCurry

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I haven't seen the Taiwanese version. I am enjoying this version but I'm only like 16 episodes in or so. I think it's hilarious and I actually appreciate the story even if the overarching story still plays on tropes. The only issue I have with all these mainland Chinese shows is that the dubbing is obvious. I have gotten over it for this show and A Love So Beautiful but couldn't for others, especially when I know what their real voices sound like.

I forced myself to watch A Love So Beautiful to the end. The female lead was insufferable !!! She got (slightly) better towards the last episodes but was still annoying as hell and stupid ! I mean, banging her head to a concussion after spinning on a chair ?!!! Can she be even dumber ? It reminded me of the female lead trying to put out the fire (while actually fanning it ?!!) on Back to 1989 :lol:

Well, at least Shancai is a strong-willed character (at times) and in both versions I love Daoming Si's sister, as well as some iconic moments between Shancai and Si's mom.
 

VGThuy

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Asian dramas, especially ones based on mangas, have forced me to find the dignity in female characters who are written as seriously dumb. It's like Elaine May's character in Small Time Crooks. I actually liked the female lead in A Love So Beautiful because she was clearly modeled after the lead in It Started with a Kiss but not as extreme, and I liked the parts where she drove the lead male crazy and discovered art. I just wish they didn't gloss over university.

The issue I'm having with Meteor Garden right now is that the girl got into what seems like a very elite university and I get feeling inadequate when you come from a certain background and feeling the need to catch up, but they make her play the same sort of dumb they make all these female characters play where she seems to have some unexplained inability to read social cues when it comes to her lead male. I call that Asian drama girl protagonist syndrome.
 

VGThuy

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@DannyCurry , my brother recommended this show on Amazon Prime called Tokyo Girl that follows a female character from age 23 to 40 as she navigates her life in Tokyo moving neighborhoods and going through different life milestones. I'll let you know what I think of it.
 

omuma

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Ehem.......*clears throat*. Apologies if this has been mentioned but is anyone watching Rise of the Phoenixes? I came just to gush. Chinese dramas are my newest discoveries and I can't get enough. Love love them.
 
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LeafOnTheWind

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I've been watching Switched on Netflix. It's a Japanese teen body switching drama that deals largely with high school bullying of the unpopular kid. It's been pretty interesting. I would recommend it so far.
 

omuma

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I don't know why but I am really biased against Japanese and Korean dramas. Sticking with Chinese only for now.
 

screech

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Just started on season 3 of "The Man in the High Castle", which returned last week after an almost 2 year hiatus. Despite loving the premise (I need to read the book!) I don't particularly love the actual show, so I don't really know why I'm watching. I guess since I watched seasons 1 and 2 I'm just sticking with it.
I'd almost forgotten just how pretty Luke Kleintank is (despite the horrible Geico caveman beard they gave him in the first bit of the season premiere). And Rufus Sewell will never not be Count Adhemar from "A Knight's Tale" to me.
 

DannyCurry

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Although I've recently started to watch mainland Chinese dramas (still pretending it's to keep up on my listening skills), I still prefer taiwanese ones (probably because my first mandarin teachers were from Taiwan and the way they speak sounds natural to me). Also, although I'm not biased again Japanese and Korean dramas, I haven't watched any of those yet. However, despite its lame storyline, I love Meteor Garden, so I might at one point take some time to watch Hana Yori Dango and Boys Over Flowers.

But I also need to take time to watch season 3 of The Man in the High Castle. Thanks @screech for mentioning it ! I <3 Luke Kleintank. I probably won't mind the caveman beard haha.
 

TheGirlCanSkate

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I saw The Invitation and The Shining today. Both are on Netflix. I feel like all these parts are sliding into place after The Shining. So many pieces of the movie have been reused over and over and I am just getting the jokes now.
 

screech

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But I also need to take time to watch season 3 of The Man in the High Castle. Thanks @screech for mentioning it ! I <3 Luke Kleintank. I probably won't mind the caveman beard haha.
I'm halfway through the season now. So far the first episode is definitely the slowest/most confusing/worst. It definitely picks up, with some surprises along the way...
Also, I'd forgotten how brilliant Chelah Horsdal (Helen Smith) is in this show!
And I hated Bella Heathcote's character last season. Unfortunately there's even more of her this year.
 

elka_sk8

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I'm halfway through the season now. So far the first episode is definitely the slowest/most confusing/worst. It definitely picks up, with some surprises along the way...
Also, I'd forgotten how brilliant Chelah Horsdal (Helen Smith) is in this show!
And I hated Bella Heathcote's character last season. Unfortunately there's even more of her this year.

I’m about 3/4 of the way through season 3 and I don’t really get the point of the Nicole subplot at all- I guess the writers wanted another Nazi character story line? But there are too many characters already, they would have been better off developing some of the other story lines further.

Can’t help but love the Japanese trade minister.
 

screech

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I’m about 3/4 of the way through season 3 and I don’t really get the point of the Nicole subplot at all- I guess the writers wanted another Nazi character story line? But there are too many characters already, they would have been better off developing some of the other story lines further.

Can’t help but love the Japanese trade minister.
I love Tagomi, but I get a bit bored with some of his scenes with extraneous characters. It still throws me off all the time to see DJ Qualls in a dramatic role. I can't believe he's 40 (he still looks like 12)

Maybe they wanted to show another side of the 'gay lifestyle'? Since Ed was getting to live in the open, we got to see the persecution side? Or maybe they just needed a tie-in for the propaganda storyline (I felt so bad for the Smiths for having Thomas turned into a Nazi symbol.)

Finished the season. And wow, did they make me look forward to season 4!!! The season started with a whimper but holy hell did it go out with a bang
So Juliana is now a traveller? And Helen left John? And Himmler may be dead (will John become the new Führer?)
I won't be surprised if Juliana meets Frank and Joe in the next world. I was EXTREMELY surprised they killed off both of her love interests, especially since they spent 2.5 seasons kind of building up Julianna/Joe, just to have him become pure evil and for her to kill him right after they start hooking up. I never liked Frank, though.
I'm glad they didn't (blatantly) make her and Wyatt/Liam into a couple. I like him!
And I really felt for John this season.
 

Yehudi

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Watched the first two episodes of The Romanoffs. I can see what they are trying to say about privilege and entitlement, but the execution (excuse the bad pun) was uneven. The resolution of the first story came out of nowhere. Meanwhile the second story just fell flat.
 

DannyCurry

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Even if a show isn't particularly innovative, once I've seen 2 episodes, I just won't stop.
Last month I think I binge watched Insatiable.
And in the past 2 evenings I watched the whole first season of Elite. Throw me some sassy rich girls, cute gay romance and minority inclusion, I'm all in !
Netflix will really be my undoing :slinkaway
 

Allskate

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I finally saw The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and I thought it was just adequate but not very good to watch.

I thought the book was much better. It was a strange choice to turn into a movie. But, books related to World War II are so popular that there is a big temptation to turn them into movies. I don't think either this book or The Book Thief (which is an incredible book) were good choices for movies. "The Nightingale" is being made into a movie. That book definitely could be made into a good movie. But, there have been delays, which is not a great sign.
 

Cachoo

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I don't like a lot of horror films that feature a repeat villain like Freddy or Michael or Jason. And when someone says "the kills" were good or interesting I know that creative killing is not my thing either. I think a romantic film (that includes witches) like "Practical Magic" is more my speed. Or if I am going to be frightened I like a less bloody film like "Paranormal Activity" or "The Ring" or something done so well like "The Exorcist" or "The Shining." My favorite horror film is "30 Days of Night."

So Netflix released "Sabrina" just in time for Halloween and I find myself entertained. Kiernan Shipka plays Sabrina---it took me awhile to figure out she was on "Mad Men." I think she does a good job. This "Sabrina" is a shade or two darker than the network television series that we've seen in the past. But it is still a fairly lighthearted show. The setting is excellent and it is well cast too. Happy Halloween!
 
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