Movie/TV recommendations

[Sully907]

I finally started watching the IT Crowd on netflix streaming, and it's pretty much as great as everyone said it was. Brilliant comedic timing.

[Garple]

I finally started watching the IT Crowd on netflix streaming, and it's pretty much as great as everyone said it was. Brilliant comedic timing.

I watched the first episode and it didn't work for me at all. Could it be I'm just not non-American enough? I love Monty Python and Ricky Gervais.

[syntheticgerbil]

Am I the only person in the world who thinks the Simpsons has always been good? What do you guys want that you only got from them for 5 seasons? I'm not necessarily saying this about you guys (synthgerbil being very experienced and knowledgeable in animated media, for one) but it seems like the kind of idea that has gained so much momentum and been so widely circulated that I'm pretty sure most people just take it for granted.

There was a big argument recently on Cartoonbrew as well about how stiff and expressionless the animation on The Simpsons has gotten over the last 20 years, but while the animation, even rough, in Seasons 1 and 2 are a plus (and to a lesser extent up to Season 5), I think what I was liking about the show was that the animation showed the cartoon quality and not the plots themselves to a great extent until I got to Season 5.

I mean the show is never anything I think anyone holds up for great quality in animation even though there is some remarkable staging, poses, and movements along the seasons I have revisited, but I'm guessing maybe it's a similar problem where the show got too wacky for it's own good?

But I'm guessing the people who wanted the show more grounded, Homer less idiotic, the plots less crazed probably are in a minority compared to those who wanted scathing pop culture references, the show to push boundaries, more satire on society, and more movie parodies since the show has been successful for so long and from what I've read, most of the early stuff no longer gets rerun.

I guess I liken it in this way for what fails for me: So Burns is inconsistently weak in the series, sometimes doing a full dance and number routine and other times not being able to crush a paper cup. At the same time, Homer becomes inconsistently stupid in the idiotic region or mean where as the first three seasons he may have only been a simple lunkhead or selfish. The Monty Burns inconsistencies don't bug me because it's always done for gags and it's not really essential to the episode or series at hand. Homer is the main the character so when he's stupid in a ridiculous or mean way at points when the episode's emotional crux is at hand, it ruins the believability of the characters and the show for me.

I don't usually watch anything simply for the gags, I really need to be hooked into caring about the characters to care about a show, movie, animation, or whatever else.

[brkl]

I watched the first episode and it didn't work for me at all. Could it be I'm just not non-American enough? I love Monty Python and Ricky Gervais.

I couldn't get into it at all, either. It's something you'd expect me to like, but I thought it was just annoying really.

[Nachimir]

I watched the first episode and it didn't work for me at all. Could it be I'm just not non-American enough? I love Monty Python and Ricky Gervais.

The first series was shit. Apparently it gets better. I tried the fourth season, and there was a marked improvement, but I haven't seen anything that came inbetween.

[Erkki]

I'm Still Here

Two Lovers

Serious Man

[Ben X]

Series/seasons 2 and 3 of The IT Crowd are the ace ones, and once you've watched those you may enjoy the first season a bit more.

[ThunderPeel2001]

I enjoyed the IT Crowd out of the gate, but Series 2 and 3 were the best so far.

[elmuerte]

Holy crap... Weeds actually had a proper ending. Quite shocking seeing how other series ended with utter crap (e.g. Heroes, Lost, etc.).

[Gwardinen]

Holy crap... Weeds actually had a proper ending. Quite shocking seeing how other series ended with utter crap (e.g. Heroes, Lost, etc.).

Weeds actually hasn't finished.

If this had been the last season I might have actually watched it but now that I know it's continuing I feel meh towards it. Each season has gradually lost my interest.

[elmuerte]

No! Weeds has finished. This ending is good.

[Roderick]

Buried. Engrossing and highly effective. They do SO MUCH with SO LITTLE. Surprising how they manage to keep it interesting throughout, considering the whole movie takes place in a coffin.

[ThunderPeel2001]

Buried. Engrossing and highly effective. They do SO MUCH with SO LITTLE. Surprising how they manage to keep it interesting throughout, considering the whole movie takes place in a coffin.

Yes, that is pretty amazing. I should see that.

[Garple]

Good points synthgerb. I'm tempted to give them a pass on inconsistency since the show's been on for decades, but I guess that's no excuse for not being true to your main character. However, I feel a connection to the characters in all the seasons. Like when Barney quits drinking to get his pilot's license and because of that is able to save Bart and Lisa or everybody tries to keep Moe from slipping irretrievably into lonely despair or when Maude dies or when Bart and Lisa team up so she can execute a prank on Skinner that will win her back the respect of her classmates.

[Kolzig]

I watched They Live yesterday.

1988 movie made by John Carpenter. Movie is starring Roddie Piper, who I guess was a big clown wrestling guy once.

The plot is amazing, though a bit slow as things start going to full gear only towards the end of this 94 minute movie.

This movie will tell you the true reason why global warming is happening.

The reason why I discovered this movie was a

regarding a scene where some famous words are being spoken that GeorgeB3DR & co. took to use in Duke Nukem 3D also.

The fight scene between Piper and Keith David is hilariously too long in the movie when Piper tries to make David to see the truth with the sunglasses

The idea behind this movie can still be very much discussed today as gathering money and greed is reality very much still today, so the message is still valid.

Edited November 18, 2010 by Kolzig

[ThunderPeel2001]

Classic movie! Some great moments, some terrible, but all done with enough... something... to keep it great.

Apparently that ridiculously long fight scene was because Piper and his co-star came to the set having worked out the whole thing. Carpenter was so impressed he shot it all. (My memory might be failing me here.)

Edit: Meh. I was kind of right...

The fight between Nada (Roddy Piper) and Frank (Keith David) was only supposed to last 20 seconds, but Piper and David decided to fight it out for real, only faking the hits to the face and groin. They rehearsed the fight for three weeks. Carpenter was so impressed he kept the 5 minute and 20 second scene intact.

Also

The Cripple fight in episode 67 of South Park that aired on June 27, 2001. was taken blow by blow from the fight between Frank and Nada in the alley. If you watch it its a match scene for scene of the alley fight.

Lol.

And...

Roddy Piper, being a married man at the time of filming, refused to take his wedding band off. That's why in several scenes you can see a wedding ring on.

What a guy!

[Orv]

So I enjoy The Dresden Files book series, even though Jim Butcher is kind of a dick.

I decided to go ahead and blow through the ill-fated TV series in two days.

I need more Terrence Mann in my life. Shame he's mostly a theatre actor.

Post-IMDB-dive edit: . . .That was him! Need to find my Critters VHSes.

[ThunderPeel2001]

You like films about Gladiators?

zkiZMFFNi44

[Roderick]

Say Joey... you ever been in a Turkish bath?

[Gwardinen]

So I enjoy The Dresden Files book series, even though Jim Butcher is kind of a dick.

I decided to go ahead and blow through the ill-fated TV series in two days.

Why is Jim Butcher a dick? I like the book series too but know little about the author.

I watched a few episodes of the TV series but pretty much came to the conclusion that it was neither good enough to watch on its own merits nor close enough to the book series to enjoy for that reason. I have no real issue with adaptations that don't follow the original medium closely, but changing it in that way made me not want to watch it simply for the sake of enjoying a new version of the books. Once that desire was gone, I found there wasn't much to hold me.

[DanJW]

So season 2 of Misfits has started. I hadn't watched the first series - it sounded like it was going to be as hokey as Torchwood and all the other current wave of mediocre British sci-fi TV.

But Ysbreker's recommendation earlier in this thread made me think twice and then the season 2 teaser trailer piqued my curiosity, so I caught the opener.

Then I went back and watched the entire first season in a few days. Yeah, I'm hooked.

It's really good! It's been half-dismissed as Heroes meets Skins (a UK teen drama), but I think it takes the best unused ideas of those shows and then really plays to the strengths of British writing. The dialogue is fantastic. The characters go places where almost no US series would dare. It redefines the word antihero.

For example: the character Simon can turn invisible. He is persecuted for being weird. In any other series he would be painted as shy but misunderstood and the 'heart' of the gang. For a while misfits does indeed follow that line. Then we learn that he uses his power to film women while they sleep and is very nearly as creepy as he is accused of being. Yet we still stay on his side, like Dexter Morgan without the people skills or body count (yet).

Nathan is just a complete arsehole and has some of the best lines I have heard on TV in years and utterly loveable as only a complete arsehole can be. Good stuff.

Edited November 19, 2010 by DanJW

[syntheticgerbil]

The reason why I discovered this movie was a

regarding a scene where some famous words are being spoken that GeorgeB3DR & co. took to use in Duke Nukem 3D also.

That movie was so scary when I was like 8. That fight was incredibly epic to me back then too.

Now it's just hilarious, but still good all the same.

[Orv]

Why is Jim Butcher a dick? I like the book series too but know little about the author.

I watched an interview with him at. . .DragonCon, I think? He was admittedly not full on dickosaurus, but he made a few comments that made him seem a bit stuck-up about The Dresden Files.

Coincidentally, what do you mean when you say they "changed it" from the books? I still thoroughly enjoyed it, even if I thought that the actors for Murphy and Susan should have been switched around.

[Gwardinen]

So season 2 of Misfits has started. I hadn't watched the first series - it sounded like it was going to be as hokey as Torchwood and all the other current wave of mediocre British sci-fi TV.

But Ysbreker's recommendation earlier in this thread made me think twice and then the season 2 teaser trailer piqued my curiosity, so I caught the opener.

Then I went back and watched the entire first season in a few days. Yeah, I'm hooked.

I always wrote this off as well, but I have been told recently by someone who occasionally has good taste that it's worth watching. I haven't done so yet, but I am considering it. I hate to say something like this but the actors just look and sound so stupid that it makes it hard for me to actually take the plunge. I'm sure that's deliberate but knowing it doesn't help.

Coincidentally, what do you mean when you say they "changed it" from the books? I still thoroughly enjoyed it, even if I thought that the actors for Murphy and Susan should have been switched around.

There are a number of little changes, such as Bob being completely different, Murphy having a kid and not being blonde (weird thing to be annoyed about but it's there) or particularly short (less weird to be annoyed about because it informs a lot of her character) and a bunch of minor story changes and name changes (High Council instead of White Council, etc.).

None of the changes are particularly important on their own, but they add up to contribute to a different tone in the TV series, and this is acknowledged by Butcher and the creators. I'm told the idea is that the TV series was designed to be completely separate and should be viewed as such, which is what I attempted to do - but as I previously mentioned, cutting that link to the books left me with little to actually recommend the series to me.

[Nachimir]

Misfits really is pretty good. ASBO kids with super powers and little motivation to be virtuous.