TV Friday!

So for all you true crime lovers out there, I’ve got a show for you!

Forensic Files is a great show. Each episode is short, about twenty minutes long. There’s no fluff or repetition of things like some shows do after commercial breaks. There aren’t a lot of dramatizations either – which usually has horrible, sometimes even comical, acting. It also doesn’t usually get very graphic. They tell you what happens, but they don’t usually show you pictures or videos of someone’s death or something gory that happened. The cases are interesting. They’re not all in the US. Some are in Canada and I believe there are a few from the UK.

It’s a good show. I like to use it as a study break show because of the length of it. Sometimes I just turn it on while I’m doing something else that doesn’t require all of my attention. Anyway, I highly recommend it if you’re into true crime without all the gore.

It’s available on Amazon Prime Video (with certain subscriptions) and also on Netflix.

Time Travel!

Safety Not Guaranteed is a cute little movie about time travel (like the picture says)… So this movie has Aubrey Plaza, Jake Johnson, Karan Soni, and Mark Duplass in it. I saw it on Netflix a long time ago and I don’t want to give away any spoilers… I haven’t been able to find it again, but if you can you should definitely watch it! It’s just a good, happy movie that I absolutely adore!

If you find it somewhere, let me know! I’d love to watch it again!

More British Crime

Luther, starring Idris Elba. One of my favorite shows. I can go back and watch it again and again. It’s intense, but good. Even the “villain” (Ruth Wilson) is one of my favorite characters! It’s just good.

In later seasons (which you can find them all on Amazon Prime Video), one of the characters gets killed off and it just gets to me like no other crime show does. I’ll begrudgingly admit that yes, I did cry when this particular character dies (no spoilers!).

It is intense, a little dark, heavy, but so good. There are a lot of recognizable faces in there. Luther’s friend, DCI Ian Reed, actually plays the cheerful nephew of Scrooge in The Muppet Christmas Carol (which is a Christmas movie my family has watched every year for as long as I can remember). Luther’s boss, Saskia Reeves, has been in many other British crime shows, but just in episodes not any recurring role.

I guarantee, watch the first episode and you’ll be hooked. Make it through the first season and you’ll be begging for more! (I’m currently re-watching this series as I write this.). Watch it! Let me know what you think! Like if you’ve seen it before!

Movie Friday!

This week, it’s a horror/sci-fi/thriller movie from 2008, Cloverfield.

I’ve never heard about it anywhere. Honestly, I can see why. Maybe it was advertised, I don’t know. It’s one of those recovered footage type films. But I have to admit, I did find it entertaining (but then I’ll watch almost anything).

It’s found footage of a going away party turned into disaster. It takes place in New York City. Some big thing happens (trying to avoid spoilers), people wonder if it’s another terrorist attack on the city, then it might be a wrecked oil tanker. Anyway, the film starts in the going away party and follows the main group as they go searching for a missing friend deeper into the city, where everyone is being evacuated. So naturally, bad things happen. What I remember as I’m rewatching it right now (my posts are queued), I have to admit the guy holding the camera, Hud, I find to be hilarious as he narrates everything that’s happening.

As for the people in the film… there are a lot of recognizable faces, but you might not know them from a specific show/movie. So I’ll throw out some names and links. The “main” guy, Rob, isn’t anyone I’ve seen before. But the guy who plays his brother is someone I’ve seen many times but can’t recall any specifics. His name is Mike Vogel. There’s his girlfriend, Lily, who’s played by Jessica Lucas. And everyone’s friend and the biggest name I think in the movie, Marlena, played by Lizzy Caplan, who has been a star in many things. Then, of course, my favorite character, Hudson ‘Hud’ who isn’t anyone that I know but I think he deserves to be mentioned. Hud is played by T.J. Miller. You may have seen him in something, if you have comment below!

Overall, I’d say the movie is mildly entertaining. I was never on the edge of my seat, but I did laugh a few times. So if there’s nothing else on but Cloverfield is playing, you might want to give it a go (maybe while you’re also doing something else).

British Crime Show

Vera

Vera is a show about a slightly frumpy woman, Brenda Blethyn, who is very good at her job. She’s a Detective Chief Inspector in Northumberland. So you might need subtitles at first, but your ears adjust to the accents pretty quickly. It’s a slower paced show. Something to watch while you’re doing something else that requires a little concentration if that makes sense. Each episode is about an hour and a half long, which explains the pacing. There are lots of characters and side stories you get to know in every episode. Vera is witty and emotional sometimes-just a good show. You can find it on Amazon Prime and a couple seasons on Acorn TV.

Overall, would I recommend the show? Yes. I rewatch it every now and then. Give it a shot. Let me know if you do in the comments and what you think!

More British Comedy…

This week it’s a movie. I watched this first with my mother at the beach. We had the patio doors open. I’m pretty sure the entire condo building and some of those on the beach heard us cackling. It was so funny and just got funnier. If you’re having a down day and just want something to make you smile, try Death at a Funeral.

With Matthew Macfadyen, Keeley Hawes, and Peter Dinklage (to name a few), this stellar cast brings nothing but pure British comedy.

You don’t know my mother, but she rarely laughs at movies or TV (with the exception of Friends). Until this movie, that is. During this, at one point I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one with tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.

It truly did just get funnier and funnier as the movie went along. And it was ridiculous but so funny. I’ve seen it more than once and each time it never loses any of its humor. It’s well worth watching. Pick a night when you’ve had a hard day or when you’re with someone funny and watch it! Just do it! You won’t regret it! And let me know what you think in the comments!

A Netflix Original

Messiah

I binge-watched this Netflix original. I think that’s what you’re supposed to do with Netflix originals because of the way they tell the story. Slowly. So if you watch this, be prepared to binge because otherwise you’ll watch an episode and easily sum it up in one sentence. “X happened and then Y happened.” (I don’t want to give away any spoilers.)

But if you don’t mind the slow pace, the story itself is intriguing. There’s always this air of “what is happening” while at the same time you think you know exactly what is going on. Also, there are subtitles a lot. So if you don’t like to read subtitles in your shows/movies, this isn’t for you. There was some language and nudity so I’m not sure I’d watch it with younger kids or like your parents (if you’re like me).

The way the last episode ended was like there could be more or that could be it. I have a feeling there will be more episodes later, but am I desperate for them to come out, dying to see what happens next? No. I might not even watch the second season unless I’m really bored.

If you’re willing to give it a shot, and are interested in faith and religion, this show might be something you enjoy (I did while watching it). Would I recommend it as a ‘must watch’ TV show? I don’t think so.

Happy Valentine’s!

Is it romantic? Not really. Definitely creepy, but here it is. I’m not into Valentine’s Day and I tried to pick something romantic, but I don’t really watch much romance. So I went with something that was supposed to be romantic. I’ve heard that some people actually do find it romantic and like the character Penn Badgley plays, Joe.

It’s not for the faint-hearted. If you don’t like creepy, violent things… do not watch this. But if you’re into true crime (this isn’t true though), like me, and TV, like me, try it. I guarantee after the first episode you’ll want to watch the second. Now, I haven’t seen the second season yet. I’m still reeling from the first season. It’s a very good show, very well done. The content, however, is frightening. But it isn’t horror or anything.

If you like crime TV, drama stories, this is the one to watch.