OT: Let's talk about movies and TV - Part XXVII

[PavelBrendl]

Fargo lift itself up way too high during its debut season IMO.

All downhill after that IMO. Season 3 I couldn't even finish.

I'm not trying to crap on the series, just saying it how it feels like. What BBT and, especially Freeman did in season one can hardly be touched.

Season 1 was great, but 3 was on another level for me.

I loved the aspect of magical realism in it, and how storytelling and mythology played a huge part in much of the dialog, especially with the villains.

 

[Runner77]

Just finished episode 4 of Your Honor, damn, it is getting really good. It's one of those shows that works so smoothly, scene to scene. Each episode is roughly an hour but it feels like 20 minutes of viewing.

Too bad that it's a short series. Maybe the same writers can develop some other concept as they have our attention.

One of the better series I've seen this year, provided they don't pull an ending that sours the whole thing. Maybe they ought to give us a choice of endings.

 

[Runner77]

I picked it up on E-Bay and before the show there were several trailers of British TV shows on the DVD and I was salivating like crazy of all the potential stuff I would have to watch. Most of them I had no idea existed. I believe it's because they were all made but the same company called "Acorn". They have a website I plan to go to at some point.

Great suggestion.

I've gone to the Acorn site and it's a streaming service: The Best Shows on Acorn TV - I Heart British TV

They even provide you with a list of their best shows:

For those new or returning Acorn TV users who aren't sure where to start, we've created this list of what we believe are some of the best shows on Acorn TV. I'm sure there will be some disagreement here, so please feel free to share your favorites in the comments. Happy watching!

There are even a couple of guides one can buy and that offer info on helping you select shows:

British TV Streaming Guide, US Edition: Autumn 2020
The British TV Field Guide: Your Guide to the Best British Television Shows

Well, this one's interesting: 2020 British TV Year in Review - Special Limited Edition Magazine

Why don't they make them available in a virtual format?

 

[GoodKiwi]

@Runner77

More UK dramas you should check out:

Paranoid (love or hate type of a thing)
Collateral (this one's a gem)
Tin Star (it's a different type of a show. It is based solely on shocking your senses with its brutality).
Marcella (but the last season was very bad IMO)

 

[Runner77]

@Runner77

More UK dramas you should check out:

Paranoid (love or hate type of a thing)
Collateral (this one's a gem)
Tin Star (it's a different type of a show. It is based solely on shocking your senses with its brutality).
Marcella (but the last season was very bad IMO)

Thanks GoodKiwi.

About Collateral, seeing this description from the Acorn site:

Collateral – When a pizza delivery man is gunned down in London, DI Kip Glaspie refuses to accept that it's just a random act of violence. Her investigation drags her into a dark underworld she never could have predicted. Stars John Simm of Life on Mars, along with Nicola Walker (River), Billie Piper (Doctor Who), and Carey Mulligan (Never Let Me Go).

Also: Paranoid – What begins as a cozy British mystery quickly evolves into a massive European conspiracy.

Keeping this list handy. Nice to be able to have a few lined up.

 

[GoodKiwi]

"Collateral" is about the great divide in the British society. The show gets quiet, often, but it speaks to exactly that. There are more layers to it that you'd have to discover by yourself.

 

[Runner77]

"Collateral" is about the great divide in the British society. The show gets quiet, often, but it speaks to exactly that. There are more layers to it that you'd have to discover by yourself.

Plus it has that unmistakable GoodKiwi imprint -- a connection to River.

 

[GoodKiwi]

Plus it has that unmistakable GoodKiwi imprint -- a connection to River.

You already know my weakness. Don't abuse the knowledge.

 

[Runner77]

Just watched 1917 yesterday on Crave, loved it as well.

Just 17 minutes in, I was splitting a gut by the attitude of Lieutenant Leslie -- the superior who greets the two soldiers just before they cross toward enemy lines.

Jeez, how long is that trench the two soldiers have been walking through? CGI can be a beautiful thing I suppose.

I'm multi-watching, I'll pick it up later. Got a Brit show to finish and have to catch up on Your Honor.

 

[Runner77]

Oh wow, Your Honor comes through again for a 4th consecutive week. Ramping up the stakes big time.

That closing scene, completely caught me off guard.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Just finished episode 4 of Your Honor, damn, it is getting really good. It's one of those shows that works so smoothly, scene to scene. Each episode is roughly an hour but it feels like 20 minutes of viewing.

I haven't watched episode 4 yet, but it's so damn good and pisses me off having to wait in between episodes, that i think I might just wait for all episodes to be out before watching the rest.

 

[Runner77]

Just watched 1917 yesterday on Crave, loved it as well.

Finished 1917, good movie. Loosely based on a true story inspired by the grandfather of the director.

The movie shows what looks like an endless trench from which two soldiers emerge. I was wrong, I thought it was produced by CGI:

The filmmakers shot the film in southwestern England, where they dug about 2,500 feet of trenches — a defining characteristic of the war’s Western Front — for the set.

The True History Behind the Movie '1917'

Thanks for recommending it.

 

[OldCraig71]

Finished 1917, good movie. Loosely based on a true story inspired by the grandfather of the director.

The movie shows what looks like an endless trench from which two soldiers emerge. I was wrong, I thought it was produced by CGI:

The filmmakers shot the film in southwestern England, where they dug about 2,500 feet of trenches — a defining characteristic of the war’s Western Front — for the set.

The True History Behind the Movie '1917'

Thanks for recommending it.

Your welcome Runner number 77.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

"Collateral" is about the great divide in the British society. The show gets quiet, often, but it speaks to exactly that. There are more layers to it that you'd have to discover by yourself.

For some reason I thought I had already seen Collateral, so I went to look at the trailer and apparently I never did get around to this one, I know what’s next on my list now. I’ll check this out tonight.

 

[GoodKiwi]

For some reason I thought I had already seen Collateral, so I went to look at the trailer and apparently I never did get around to this one, I know what’s next on my list now. I’ll check this out tonight.

It's one of the shortest limited series that I know of. Only about 3 hours long total. I think I "killed" it in one sitting.

Both Mulligan and Walker are great here.

 

[Kimota]

Something I've been intrigued about for a while is the original House of Cards, the British show. Given english is not my original language I would probably have to need subtitles for this one though. lol Same with the LeCarré show the original Tinker, Soldier, Spy.

But my coup de coeur this year has been the whole Sean Bean TV series called Sharpe. It's not the most original thing but when you catch something that's in your area of interest, it's like meeting a long lost best friend. I didn't know this show existed and really Bean has never been better. He was younger then and he plays this complex shades of grey soldier during the Napoleon years. He's this British officer who is low born yet has an important position and nobody respect him. But he keep doing badass things and has the biggest balls so he keeps getting promoted. And for him it's just more shores and problems that he would prefer not get. lol It's an adventure historical show about a squadron of British Army fighting Napoleonian forces in Spain. Nothing too complicated but it just does everything right and never take the audience for morons. If somebody has to die, it happens. They don't plot armor anybody(except for Sharpe cause he's the hero). It's just fun to watch. Lot of good stuff and old school pratical effects as well.

What's cool and what shocked me was that there has been many chapters of this series I mean that seems to have lasted for long time so there are many to watch, you can easily be immersed in that World and just have a blast.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

It's one of the shortest limited series that I know of. Only about 3 hours long total. I think I "killed" it in one sitting.

Both Mulligan and Walker are great here.

Halfway through episode one. Glad I found your post in this thread. Loving it.

 

[Runner77]

Finished the first CB Strike series (The Cuckoo's Calling , 3 parts) and loved it.

It wrapped up beautifully, with a bow on top.

@GoodKiwi coming through yet again.

 

[GoodKiwi]

Finished the first CB Strike series (The Cuckoo's Calling , 3 parts) and loved it.

It wrapped up beautifully, with a bow on top.

@GoodKiwi coming through yet again.

Thank you.

The second part is even better IMO. That ending I still can't forget about in it.

Takes a bit of left turn, but it's my favorite of all of the collection.

Strap in, you're in for a wild ride as you make your way through the entire series.

 

[zx81]

I just finished Goliath season 1.
While I was entertained it was objectively terribly written. Many plot holes, unbelievable character behaviors and many caricatural characters. What's worse is that there is no way the main character would have won the case in real life with what he presented in court (even his closing argument was very weak).

Oh and don't get me started on some of the things written seemingly only to flatter the ego of old male actors. 3 times a character tells Billy Bob Thornton that he looks good (his first female client, his daughter and I kid you not, a random dude drawing his face at the beach). William Hurt character, a near 70 year old disfigured man introduces himself naked to a 20 something year old girl who apparently falls in love instantly. Absolutely ridiculous.

 

[Runner77]

From Nov. 2019:

Saw it yesterday afternoon. One of the better movies I’ve seen in quite some time regardless of genre. Damon was good but Bale was excellent. All the actors were good actually and I enjoyed Bernthal’s performance. The race scenes were also spectacular.

​

I don’t know much about the actual history of this and I do suspect they took a lot of creative liberties but regardless I was very entertained. This is also coming from someone who is not into cars at all. Solid 8/10.

From July 2020:

I just watched Ford vs Ferrari and I absolutely loved it.

Dug up the above quotes from prior versions of this thread.

Having just now seen Ford vs. Ferrari, I concur completely.

Great film. Had no idea about the historical events that the movie represented but no matter how much liberty the filmmakers took, it was well worth watching.

 

[OldCraig71]

From Nov. 2019:



From July 2020:



Dug up the above quotes from prior versions of this thread.

Having just now seen Ford vs. Ferrari, I concur completely.

Great film. Had no idea about the historical events that the movie represented but no matter how much liberty the filmmakers took, it was well worth watching.

I have watched it 3 times and I still find myself rooting for Shelby and Miles each time, excellent film.

 

[Runner77]

I have watched it 3 times and I still find myself rooting for Shelby and Miles each time, excellent film.

Can you believe that sycophant right hand man for Ford? What a useless POS.

And to think that all of this was borne out of Enzo Ferrari's big mouth and condescension. Just love it how Ford stuck it to him.

 

[OldCraig71]

Can you believe that sycophant right hand man for Ford? What a useless POS.

And to think that all of this was borne out of Enzo Ferrari's big mouth and condescension. Just love it how Ford stuck it to him.

When Miles was at the launch of the Mustang and was critical of its design and engine, he definitely got off on the wrong foot with Beebe. I don't know if it actually happened that way in real life, or if it was exaggerated as a means of advancing the narrative of big bad corporate vs the little guy, which most of us would embrace because we can all relate to it.

In the end, I found myself more a fan of Enzo Ferrari than Ford, he was the little man that built cars based on his enthusiasm for racing and not to try and dominate the world in auto sales. Up until the point that Ford entered and dominated Le Mans, he had won the title 6 years in a row, he probably felt invincible and it cost him.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I just finished Goliath season 1.
While I was entertained it was objectively terribly written. Many plot holes, unbelievable character behaviors and many caricatural characters. What's worse is that there is no way the main character would have won the case in real life with what he presented in court (even his closing argument was very weak).

Oh and don't get me started on some of the things written seemingly only to flatter the ego of old male actors. 3 times a character tells Billy Bob Thornton that he looks good (his first female client, his daughter and I kid you not, a random dude drawing his face at the beach). William Hurt character, a near 70 year old disfigured man introduces himself naked to a 20 something year old girl who apparently falls in love instantly. Absolutely ridiculous.

His closing argument was definitely lame, but they did open-up the door to this, the many times they say how jurors love him, which has nothing to do with what he argues, but his charisma.

Aa for BBT's looks... i always thought he looked like a rat, but thing is, the guy must have massive charisma if you consider who he's been with. He's got quite a repute as a lady killer.

As for Hurt, I've heard worst stories. You can never stop a corporate climber. He'd have warts all over his body and she'd still do him.