Netflix Favorites Update!

Although I apologize for the delay in movie updates, I am happy to report this short list of movies and shows that are all available on Netflix for you entertainment. Whether you’re looking for a show to binge on, a great movie or a show to watch every now and again, I’ve got something for you.

 

House of Cards was one of those shows that I heard much hype about but was too caught up being madly in love with the last season of Breaking Bad that I never gave it a chance. When the second season was being promoted, I decided to give it a chance and watch the first season. I was thoroughly impressed by every aspect of this show and found myself binge watching and speeding through the first season. The writing of the show is brilliant, despite the fact that it is definitely an overly dramatized version of government, the show is written in a way that the cynicism illustrated is very believable. It is full of strategy and allows a great opportunity for creative editing that drives the story full of surprises and incredible turns. A definite must see if you’re in a mood for binge watching a show this weekend. Season 2 is now available Netflix and I’ve heard nothing but good things. Unfortunately,  I have been far to busy to allow myself to binge watch season 2 but I’m sure it is also worth the watch.

The most frequent question I get (other than my height…I’m five feet), is what my favorite movie is. I always say it is a tie between The Sandlot (which is no longer available on Netflix) and Pulp Fiction. I grew up with Pulp Fiction constantly playing but was never able to actually sit through the movie. About three years ago I was reintroduced to the movie and was drawn into watching it over and over again.  In that moment Quentin Tarantino became one of my favorite directors. His creativity and style allowed him to push the envelope in film making. The movie follows the same strategy seen in Reservoir Dogs, which is storytelling in non-chronological order. Again, the impact that this style creates is amazing as it allows the audience the opportunity to attempt to solve a puzzle. The movie follows four different stories that eventually connect to one another. The story follows 2 hit men, a boxer, a gangster’s wife, and 2 robbers and how their violent ways and bad decisions eventually connect. It becomes so intriguing to see how Tarantino was able to combine these four stories into one amazing tale of violence and…more violence. However, don’t let the violence scare you away, the movie is full with great one liners and you’ll find yourself quoting the movie for quite sometime.

 

While I do binge watching and critically analyzing a movie, I do also enjoy a show that is sure to entertain no matter what episode I choose. Although I admit that I binge watched season 1-3 back in 2011, I respect the writing in the show because one doesn’t have to watch the episodes in chronological order to be entertained. If you randomly pick an episode you will see the same theme of a group of awful people just doing awful things. That works so perfectly with this show. Most shows and sitcoms illustrate a group of people learning from their mistakes and growing up. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia never illustrates that but it works because of the characters in the show are just a selfish group of friends willing to manipulate (or at least try to) other in order to get their ways. The show is highly inappropriate and rude but I absolutely love that they never play it safe in their plots and it makes for undoubtedly great humor.

Another movie I was rather late to jump into watching is Blackfish a documentary about Tilkim, the killer whale. The movie became a phenomenon when it openly criticized and bashed Sea World for it’s captive like ways that lead to dangerous environments for both the whales and the trainers. What is so great about this movie is that it is informative about the natural ways killer whales have and the unnatural behaviors they have under the conditions set at Sea Worlds. However, it is definitely bias as Sea World never made a convincing comment in order to defend themselves. The reason the movie is worth the watch is so people can be aware of subtle animal abuse but also open up minds as to what we see in media compared to what goes on behind the camera/stage.

Season 1 and 2 of Bob’s Burgers on Netflix

Being a film major I am often give lists of movies to watch that are offered on Netflix, but sometimes I just want to watch something silly that I don’t have to be so analytical about. For the past few weeks I have been sneaking in episodes of “Bob’s Burgers” during my break and at times laugh so loud that I worry people at the school cafeteria.

“Bob’s Burgers” didn’t grab my attention at first as I thought it was geared towards children, however after constantly seeing hysterical gifs of Tina on my Tumblr dashboard, I decided to give it a try. After the first episode I was hooked on the peculiar sense of humor full of inappropriateness, pop culture references, and puns. The animated comedy illustrates Bob as he struggles to maintain his restaurant open. Along we are introduced to his optimistic wife and his strange kids. Tina, Gene, and Louise are constantly getting themselves into trouble and distracting their parents from their duties. Tina instantly became my favorite character as she illustrates what most pre-teenagers are like, awkward and have a huge fascination for butts. Gene plays the role of the not-so-sharp middle child but his silly ways are rather charming to observe. Last, there is Louise who seems to be the brightest of the bunch, but uses her quick wit for bad rather than good.

The show is really for a particular sense of humor and may not be for everyone, but it’s definitely worth a shot. Personally, I love it and sped through seasons 1 and 2 on Netflix and even reopened my Hulu Plus account to continue watching the show during my free time. Overall, “Bob’s Burgers” is sure to entertain most and possibly make you sigh in disbelief at the use of puns.

Netflix Valentine’s Day Playlist

Valentine’s Day is here and love (or extreme bitterness) is in the air! While I do hope some of you were inspired to try the Red Line Speed Dating service, I understand some of you would rather indulge in a great Netflix marathon this weekend. Being that I blog about “movies and stuff” I made a short list of some movies that might have slipped your mind in categorizing under romance/love genre.

Amelie is easily one of my favorite romantic comedies due to it’s quirky and whimsical story line which follows a rather introvert girl who decides to make everyone’s lives a bit more special. Along her journey she runs into a man who is just as peculiar as Amelie, and love at first sight is inevitable.

My Week With Marilyn is a rather complicated story which illustrates an equally complicated woman. The tragic and painful life of Marilyn Monroe is illustrated through subtle images of insecurity and need of love. While the love story in this movie is enticing, the story overall is worth the watch.

The Artist practices the art form of silent movies spectacularly all the while illustrating the interesting transition from silent movies to “talkies.” The movie follows a famous silent actor as he struggles with the new way of film making all the while he observes one of his mentees grow bigger than he ever was in the industry. The movie demonstrates love as an act of caring and support rather than in a romantic interest.

Like Crazy is a charming movie about young love learning to deal with the reality of every day struggles after college. These struggle threaten their relationship and leaves the viewer hoping for their relationship to last the obstacles. Though I was not a fan of the pace of the movie at first, I found the fast and slow pace of the movie to become rather symbolic of overall relationships.

Now, if you want to watch a rather dark romance movie, I highly suggest Blue Valentine which is among my top favorite movies. The movie embodies the reality of love that is almost crushingly accurate. The ups and downs of this movie leaves the viewer emotionally invested and hoping for the best for this beautiful couple who have gone through their share of troubles.

Again, these movies are all available on Netflix for easy streaming on this lovely holiday. Hope you spend a great day with loved ones and if you don’t have time to watch these movies this weekend, these movie are great to watch any day of the year. Let me know what your favorite love themed movies are in the comments below!

Don’t have a Valentines Day? Don’t worry MTA is playing Cupid this Valentines Day!

Ahhh yes, if I had a dime for every time I have temporarily fallen in love with someone on the train…If you have ever been in this predicament and are dateless this Valentines Day, don’t worry because Metro has got you covered. Metro is in the loving mood this February and is offering a speed dating service exclusively on Valentines day. While it sounds a tad awkward, I must admit I am quite tempted to try it out.

To participate in this event you must be 18+ years old and you must register at one of the Red Line stops from 10:30am-12:30pm and the speed dating will run from 11am-1pm. After registration you can begin speed dating but must sit in the cart decorated with hearts which will be the LAST car heading towards the North Hollywood station or the FIRST car headed towards Union Station.

If you’re concerned that you will be approached by a creep, know that there will be Metro staff in each cart and give everyone instructions or to answer any questions. The best part is that you can get off at any stop if things get too awkward. For more information visit the link provided above.

If speed dating isn’t your thing and you’d rather have a night in with Netflix, stay tuned with some of my favorite love themed movies for Valentines Day.

Reservoir Dogs

If you’re a fan of dark comedy films full of action and gore, then “Reservoir Dogs” is for you! This film served as Quentin Tarantino’s directorial debut, which soon turned into a cult classic. However, I must admit that I may have some bias opinions, considering the fact that it was filmed in my neighborhood. While it was this fact that played a huge factor in pushing me towards watching this movie, I was beyond impressed by Tarantino’s debut.

The film follows four robbers, whose real names are to never revealed, and go by the nicknames of Mr. Yellow, Mr. Pink, Mr. White, and Mr. Orange. In true Tarantino fashion, the movie does not follow a chronological order, but is quick to drop hints that something has gone wrong with the job, and that an undercover may be the cause. The movie illustrates the prepping and the results of a bank robbery, but never shows the full event itself. There is something that is so fascinating in this way of storytelling, because we see the consequences of certain actions, pushing us to the edge of our seat as we await to learn the origin and source of these results. Suddenly, one is so involved with the story as it becomes hard to resist guessing who the informant may be. The lack of a linear storyline just adds on to the challenge of solving the mystery, but the mystery is simply too good to just give up on.
The addition of gore and cynical humor in the film allows from a distraction from the whole mystery which otherwise would’ve been overwhelming.

This movie is certainly one of my favorites and what’s even greater about it is the fact that is available on Netflix for you to enjoy! Let me know what you think about the movie and what some of your cult favorites are.

Frozen

Tired of all the buzz regarding  “Frozen” and wondering when people are just going to Let it Go? Terrible puns aside, I decided to finally watch “Frozen” and found that Disney delivered yet another princess classic with quite the twist.

Disney has constantly been criticized for its illustrations of gender roles, specifically the roles of young female characters. The reputation of a young princess having to find her Prince Charming in order to achieve happiness is becoming increasingly controversial. While this view was challenged with Disney Pixar’s notorious movie “Brave,” “Frozen” adds on to the changing themes seen in Disney movies which have been incorporating the ever evolving norms of modern society.

When the kingdom of Arendelle undergoes a wild winter storm, Princess Anna goes on a journey to search for her sister, Queen Elsa, to stop the storm and bring back summer. Revolving around the theme of “an act of true love” the movie becomes such a joy to watch and brings out everyone’s inner child. With the help of beautiful songs, witty one liners, and loveable characters, the movie delivers a great message about love for young kids and serves as a fantastic reminder for adults.  Additionally, the movie illustrates a rather underlying message about depression and anxiety that many have found a deep connection with. Overall the movie has a storyline that is undeniably amusing to follow with great lessons to be learned.

(P.S. If you watch this movie good luck getting the songs out of your head and when you don’t you’ll understand how awful that pun in the beginning of this post actually was.)

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

“Jiro Dreams of Sushi” is definitely a must see documentary currently available for streaming on Netflix. This visually stunning film follows Jiro, an 85 year old world famous Sushi master, as he prepares his son to take over his place in the restaurant. The movie illustrates the very professional life of Jiro in such a way that the viewer is equally intimidated and inspired by Jiro’s love for sushi. A perfectionist full of passion, Jiro believes he will never stop learning and constantly pushes himself and his crew to work as hard as possible to prepare their delicacy. The movie is full of charm as the devotion of Jiro’s work is illustrated and guided through the  help of wonderful editing techniques. The meticulous prepping is then followed by the flawless handwork of forming the sushi. The complexity of creating such food immediately is seen as artwork as the film takes in all the beauty through pictures while driven by such a compelling and intriguing story.