"We're not critics. We're professional fan-girls." --- This blog is dedicated to movies and the entertainment industry. We use random selection to bring into light the best and worst of streaming films and entertainment news.
Production/Distribution: Basque Films, Mr Miyagi
Films, Plataforma La Película AIE, Consejería de Cultura del Gobierno Vasco, Euskal
Irrati Telebista (EiTB), Eusko Jaurlaritza, Instituto de Crédito Oficial (ICO),
Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales (ICAA), Radio
Televisión Española (RTVE), Zentropa, Festival Films / Yedra Films, Latido
Films, Netflix
Director: Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia
Writer: David Desola, Pedro Rivero
Actors: Ivan Massagué, Zorion
Eguileor, Antonia San Juan, Emilio Buale, Alexandra Masangkay, Zihara Llana,
Mario Pardo, Algis Arlauskas, Txubio Fernández de Jáuregui, Eric Goode
Blurb
from IMDb: A
vertical prison with one cell per level. Two people per cell. One only food
platform and two minutes per day to feed from up to down. An endless nightmare
trapped in The Hole.
Selina’s
Point of View:
There
are movies with a message, and then there’s The Platform. It is the most
thinly veiled commentary on society that I’ve ever seen.
I’ve
seen a lot of people comparing this film to Snowpiercer (2013), to the
point of saying that it’s just a vertical version of it, but I can’t really
agree with that.
Snowpiercer does have a similar commentary on
the same thing, but it’s not nearly the same movie. Yes, there as some parallels,
but there are huge differences in the way the stories are handled. The tone and
feel of the films are completely different. At the end of Snowpiercer, I
felt like I’d just seen a comic book movie. At the end of The Platform, I
felt introspective and dread.
Of course,
that could also have something to do with the current climate of the world.
Watching
a film about how some people cause detriment and death to others by overusing
resources is… well… it’s a bit on the nose.
If
you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, you know I’m a sucker for
a good dystopian story. That’s what attracted me to The Platform. The
story is interesting and has a lot potential. I really feel like director
Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia (La casa del lago, 913, Crash) and writers David
Desola (Lunas de Marte, Warehoused, One for the Road) and Pedro Rivero (Lituania,
Birdboy, Unicorn Blood) put their all into this film and helped it reach
the highest level it could.
I was
glued to the screen, and eventually forgot I was reading subtitles. Even just
five minutes after the film’s end, I remember it as though I was hearing it in English.
It takes a lot to show anyone a film outside of their native language and make
them feel like it still spoke directly to them.
The Platform is about as subtle as smacking
someone in the face with a ton of bricks, but as someone who believes society
has been failing for a long time, I think that lack of subtlety is necessary. If
you want to explain to friends and family why trickle-down economics don’t work,
or the big issues with over-use of resources, have them watch this film. It’s
terrifying just how realistic it can seem.
I’ll
be honest, the ending seems a bit too janky for my liking. Almost like a strange
injection of religion into a film that didn’t seem to need it. I did like the
fact that they kept it open-ended though. Each person is going to have their
own opinion about what happens after-the-fact, and that leaves a discussion open
when the movie ends.
Personally,
I enjoyed it. Still, I don’t think it’s for everyone. Especially right now
while people are trying to get their minds off of what’s going on in the world.
I do wish I’d seen it at a different time, because I am left with a sinking pit
of dread in my chest that was already there and has now been amplified.
I
recommend that you watch this movie if you’re a fan of the horror/dystopian genre.
However, if you’re worried about exacerbating how you feel due to the
coronavirus – maybe wait on this one until the world has cleared up a little.
Cat’s
Point of View:
It’s
somewhat strange timing, watching this movie now with the world in the state it
is. Sure, we’re not exactly in a dystopian thriller at the moment, but we are
all in a state of suspense to varying degrees and some wackos have binge-bought
entire grocery stores clean. I digress…
I
love how the sci-fi element to this film’s story is so subtle. The movie
clearly takes place in an advanced technological future, or some magical
alternate reality, given the way the titular platform moves between levels of
‘the pit.’ That’s pretty much where the line is drawn. The rest is horror on
both a cerebral and physical level.
The
pacing is a bit of a slow burn, and the suspense just builds upon itself
throughout. The concept is really mad genius. I can’t say that I’ve seen this
sort of plot before – at least that I can recall.
The
Platform is available with an English dub (the way I watched it), but if you’re
easily annoyedby mouths not being
synced to the audio of the words they’re ‘saying,’ then you might want to leave
it on its original language and use the subtitles.
I
have to say that, as a think-piece, this film is extremely successful. The
points made on human nature and the like are well made. There was a fairly
satisfying ending, though I was still left with so many questions.
I
wonder if anyone has any intentions of making sequels or prequels that might
explain more about this world and the location the story takes place in, as the
Cube (1997) franchise did.
While
this was a solid movie, I can’t say it was my favorite on entertainment value.
That’s just based on my own personal preferences. It was, however, successful in
delivering its message and was well crafted, so I can easily make a
recommendation for the film accordingly.
Production/Distribution: Made Up Stories, Protagonist
Pictures, Snoot Entertainment, Altitude Films, Culture Publishers, Neon, Splendid
Film, VVS Films, Front Row Filmed Entertainment, Hulu, Loona Film, Lumix Media
Director: Abe Forsythe
Writer: Abe Forsythe
Actors: Lupita Nyong’o, Alexander
England, Josh Gad, Kat Stewart, Diesel la Torraca, Nadia Townsend, Marshall
Napier, Glenn Hazeldine, Ava Caryofyllis, Charlie Whitley, Mason Mansour, Kim Doan,
Wolfgang Gledhill, Caliah Pinones, Jack Schuback, Vivienne Albany, Shia Hamby,
Ashton Arokiaswamy, Gareth Davies, Jason Chong, Alan Dukes, Felix Williamson,
Rahel Romahn, Stephen Peacocke, Lincoln Younes
Blurb
from IMDb: A
washed-up musician teams up with a teacher and a kids show personality to
protect young children from a sudden outbreak of zombies.
Selina’s
Point of View:
I
remember the month that this film came out, I didn’t get my hands on the
trailer in time for the Top 20 to be written. I was pretty upset because the
trailer looked great, and I was certain it would have been in my top 10.
It
absolutely should have been. The movie was hilarious.
I’ll
admit, it had its faults. I wasn’t a fan of the beginning. The script tried so
hard to paint the main character as a low life that made him distinctly
unlikeable. I really feel that part could have been done better. It did so much
to make the main character obnoxious that I still didn’t think he deserved a
win by the end of it.
I’m
also insanely sick of the asshole child entertainer trope. You know the one I’m
talking about.
You have a Barney or Wiggles type of character that’s a huge
success in child entertainment, but the moment the cameras turn off they turn
into a total dick. They usually have some kind of substance abuse problem, they
hate kids, and they have no filter between their brain and mouth. In horror
circumstances, they also tend to be cowards. It is SUCH an overused trope. I
hate it.
Still,
even with the issues, I really enjoyed Little Monsters. I was laughing
throughout the majority of it and Lupita Nyong’o (Black Panther, Us, Queen
of Katwe) is a goddess. Her character is impossible to look away from and actually
has some decent depth. SHE should have been the main character. I did not need
the underlying love story.
I think
a lot of parents are feeling the way Nyong’o’s character in this film was. Some
terrible shit is happening out there and we’re all just trying to make life as
normal and calm as possible for our kids. We’re scared inside and trying to
remain fully composed on the outside. It makes the film much more relatable
than a lot of other zombie movies.
Little
Monsters was
a newer take on this kind of story. It wasn’t perfect, but I really do
recommend it to fans of the zombie genre.
Cat’s
Point of View:
When
I saw that we were set to review Little Monsters, I was scratching my
head a bit because the first thing that came to mind was the 1989 movie. I
hadn’t realized (or I’d forgotten) that there was a new movie that had shared
the name.
Kudos
to the marketing team for this film. The poster is perfect for setting up the
right expectations for the movie.
I’m
generally down to watch any movie that Lupita Nyong'o is in. She’s absolutely
phenomenal, so I was instantly interested in seeing where this film would take
me. It started off a little rocky with the first few moments – my blood
pressure rose a little, but once it got past that section everything was smooth
sailing.
Comedy
horrors tend to be my favorite of the horror genre. It’s this amazing
combination of hilarity and OMG that, when in the right balance, makes for a
memorable experience you would want to revisit again and again.
If
someone told you that there was going to be a movie about a zombie outbreak
during a kindergarten field trip – your first thought would generally be that
the film would be full of horrific scenes that might leave you with a lingering
disturbed feeling even after the credits have rolled. The way that this movie
was handled was finessed so well that it not only avoided traumatizing its
audience, but I would almost refer to this film as a ‘what you need to do if
you have kids caught up in a zombie apocalypse’ guide.
I’m
not kidding. Brilliance.
Then
you add the bumbling guy, played by Alexander England (Gods of Egypt, Down
Under, Alien: Covenant), who has a significant growth arc through the film,
and Josh Gad (Beauty and the Beast, Murder on the Orient Express, Frozen II)
channeling the innocence of Olaf one minute and then the putz character from
Avenue 5 (2020-) the next.
This
movie was both wholesome and horrifying, and I absolutely loved it. I wouldn’t
hesitate to recommend this one, and I’m looking forward to watching it again
soon.
If you’re like me and are tired of hearing all the doom and gloom on
the news and scattered every 5 to 10 minutes throughout every program on
regular television, turning to premium streaming services is an excellent way
to pass some of the time while staying at home and social-distancing during the
pandemic.
Of course, some of us have more practice at social distancing than
others. Those jokes circling social media right now about the introverts
claiming ‘I’ve been training for this’ aren’t that far from the mark, really. So
from my introverted heart to yours, I wanted to share one of my tricks to
staying sane. (Or something like it.) When I’m feeling low, I enjoy a bit of
escapism as a coping method. Movies, TV shows, books, and writing have long
been standbys for me.
The trick is finding the right genres to take your mind off of what’s
going on and transport you elsewhere, or into someone else’s shoes for a while
– just long enough for you to re-center and face the rest of the day (or night)
a little less burdened by the weight of the world.
For this reason, I bring you a curated list of shows I’m currently
excited about – both coming soon and already released. Series are great because
you can adjust your ‘dosage’ as you see fit. Choose your own adventure… 1 or 2
episodes if you just want a quick break, or binge a whole season if you want.
Also, for the sake of taking a few moments to step back from the
current state and stresses of the world right now, I’ve left off a lot of the
titles that are too close to home with what’s going on in current events. While
series like Containment (2016) are
excellent, it seems to defeat the purpose of distancing to get a break from
over-inundation on the topic.
Lest I digress further, let’s start with some coming attractions!
1 – Ghost in
the Shell: SAC_2045
Premiere Date: Thursday,
4/23/2020
Streaming Service: Netflix
Genre: Animation, Action,
Sci-Fi
Length: Season 1, 12
Episodes
Rating: Unknown
Production/Distribution: Production
I.G., Sola Digital Arts, Netflix
IMDB Blurb: Hired as a mercenary unit, the former
members of Japan's elite Section 9 are faced with the sudden appearance of
"Post-Human," a being with tremendous intelligence and physical
capabilities.
I am so excited that this Netflix Original is happening. I absolutely
adore the Stand Alone Complex (SAC)
series, as well as the movies. (You can see my thoughts on the live-action one here.)
The CGI animation style on the new series might take a little getting used to,
but I love the franchise enough that I’m hopeful and willing to give it a try
before making a judgment. I encourage anyone that’s a fan of the original
animated series to do the same. The trailer does indicate that the character
designs are fairly true to the original animated series, at least. Just keep in
mind that this may be available in Japanese audio with subtitles only. I
haven’t seen any indication of an English-speaking cast for an alternate audio
track. Just save this one for when you’re not multi-tasking and can focus on
the screen for a while.
2 – Penny Dreadful:
City of Angels
Premiere Date: Sunday, 4/26/2020
Streaming Service/Network: Showtime
Genre: Drama, Fantasy,
Horror
Length: Season 1, 8 Episodes
Rating: TV-14
Production/Distribution: Desert
Wolf Productions, Showtime Networks
Actors: Natalie Dormer,
Daniel Zovatto, Adriana Barraza, Jessica Garza, Johnathan Nieves, Rory Kinnear,
Nathan Lane, Michael Gladis, Santino Barnard, Sebastian Chacon, Julian
Hilliard, Adam Rodriguez, Dominic Sherwood, Hudson West, Thomas Kretschmann,
Lorenza Izzo, Adan Rocha, Amy Madigan, Stephanie Arcila
IMDB Blurb: When a grisly murder shocks Los Angeles in
1938, Detective Tiago Vega and his partner Lewis Michener become embroiled in
an epic story that reflects the rich history of the city.
It was a sad day when I finished the final episode of the last Penny Dreadful (2014-2016) series. It’s
exciting that Showtime is revisiting the concept with a new spin. The cast
looks amazing and I can’t wait to see what this new iteration of the series has
in store. So far, it looks to stay true to its horror roots; and rather than
giving a fresh treatment to classic monsters in Victorian England, this series
apparently will be delving into Mexican-American folklore and the burgeoning
city of Los Angeles in the late 30s.
3 – Upload
Premiere Date: Friday,
5/1/2020
Streaming Service/Network: Amazon
Prime Video
Genre: Sci-Fi, Comedy
Length: Season 1, 10
Episodes
Rating: Unknown
Production/Distribution: Amazon
Studios, Baral Waley Productions, Reunion Pacific Entertainment, Amazon Prime
Video
Creator/Showrunner: Greg
Daniels
Director: Jeffrey Blitz
Writers: Greg Daniels, Mike
Lawrence, Shepard Boucher, Aasia LaShay Bullock, Owen Daniels, Mary Gulino,
Alyssa Lane, Alex J. Sherman
Actors: Andy Allo, Robbie
Amell, Kevin Bigley, Owen Daniels, Allegra Edwards, Zainab Johnson
IMDB Blurb: A man is able to choose his own afterlife
after his untimely death.
IMDb’s synopsis of the essence of Upload seems a bit sparse,
considering the wealth of information provided in the trailer. When you add
crazy dysfunctional relationships, a high-tech Sci-Fi world, a digital
existence as an afterlife, and intrigue, this seems to shape up to a rather
well-rounded show.The concept of
copying a person’s essence to a digital medium has been explored in various
ways through movies and shows (including another in this article). This
version, however, seems to be the first rooted in comedy and addressing a
post-mortem ‘life experience’ rather than focusing on living in the
here-and-now. With one of the comedic genius minds behind The Office
(2005-2013) onboard the writing team this should certainly be
entertaining. I can’t wait!
4 – Solar
Opposites
Premiere Date: Friday,
5/8/2020
Streaming Service/Network: Hulu
Genre: Animation, Comedy,
Sci-Fi
Length: Season 1, 8 Episodes
Rating: TV-MA
Production/Distribution: 20th
Century Fox Television, Disney Television Studios, Fox Television Animation,
Justin Roiland's Solo Vanity Card Productions, Hulu
Creators/Showrunners: Mike
McMahan, Justin Roiland
Directors: Mike McMahan,
Justin Roiland
Writers: Mike McMahan,
Justin Roiland
Actors: Sean Giambrone, Mary
Mack, Justin Roiland, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Amanda Leighton, Andrew Matarazzo,
Kari Wahlgren, Thomas Barbusca
IMDB Blurb: A family of aliens move to middle America,
where they debate whether life is better there or on their home planet.
The wild and wacky minds (or at least one of them) behind Rick and
Morty (2013-) have created another animated brainchild for Hulu. The root of
the concept has been done before, yes – aliens in middle America and
shenanigans follow. This time, however, it’s taking an animated turn and is
more geared for late teens and adults. It almost looks a little insane, but
some of the best ideas ever tend to be a little unhinged. It should certainly
be good for a lot of laughs to keep its audience entertained, and that’s the
point right?
5 – Space
Force
Premiere Date: Friday, 5/29/2020
Streaming Service/Network: Netflix
Genre: Comedy
Length: Season 1, 10
Episodes
Rating: Unknown
Production/Distribution: 3
Arts Entertainment, Netflix
Creators/Showrunners: Greg
Daniels, Steve Carell
Directors: Paul King, Tom
Marshall
Writers: Greg Daniels,
Shepard Boucher, Aasia LaShay Bullock, Steve Carell,Brent Forrester, Yael
Green, Connor Hines, Lauren Houseman, Maxwell Theodore Vivian
Actors: Steve Carell, Owen
Daniels, Noah Emmerich, John Malkovich, Tawny Newsome, Ben Schwartz, Diana
Silvers, Alex Sparrow, Jessica St. Clair, Fred Willard, Jimmy O. Yang
IMDB Blurb: The people tasked with creating a sixth
branch of the armed services: The Space Force.
Putting politics completely aside, it’s a fact that the current US
President has announced the creation of an off-planet branch of the military. When
you take the wacky brilliance behind The Office (2005-2013) and apply that to
the ‘how do we do that’ quandary which military leaders actually face, it’s a
recipe for comedy gold.
You might be thinking that budget constraints might prevent you from
partaking in some of these. I have good news for you!
Right now, in light of so many people isolating at home, several
streaming services have offered at least 30 days of trial subscriptions. You
are required to sign up with a payment method, but have the option to cancel
before you get charged at the end of the trial. Some cable providers have also
opened up or expanded their On-Demand titles available to those that don’t have
the premium bundles. Shudder and CBS All Access are among those that have
offered the 30-day trials. Xfinity, in addition to expanding their Wi-Fi
services for students is one of the providers that has opened up more
on-demand.
The following are 10 shows, in no particular order, which I’m looking
forward to watching while at home social-distancing. Some of these shows are
relatively new, and others have been around for a little bit, but are worth a
watch.
1 – Star Trek:
Picard
Series Name/Year: Star Trek:
Picard (2019-)
Streaming Service: CBS All
Access
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action,
Adventure, Drama
Length: Season 1, 10
Episodes, Run-time range of 44-57 min. per episode
Rating: TV-MA
Production/Distribution: CBS
Television Studios, Roddenberry Entertainment, Secret Hideout, CBS All Access,
Amazon Prime Video
Creators/Showrunners: Kirsten
Beyer, Michael Chabon, Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman
Directors: Hanelle M.
Culpepper, Jonathan Frakes, Akiva Goldsman, Maja Vrvilo, Douglas Aarniokoski
Writers: Gene Roddenberry, Kirsten
Beyer, Michael Chabon, Akiva Goldsman, Alex Kurtzman, James Duff, Sam Humphrey,
Ayelet Waldman, Nick Zayas
Actors: Patrick Stewart, Jonathan
Frakes, Marina Sirtis, Alison Pill, Isa Briones, Michelle Hurd, Santiago
Cabrera, Harry Treadaway, Evan Evagora, Peyton List, Tamlyn Tomita, Brent
Spiner
IMDB Blurb: Follow-up series to Star Trek: The Next
Generation (1987) and Star Trek: Nemesis (2002) that centers on Jean-Luc Picard
(Sir Patrick Stewart) in the next chapter of his life.
Star Trek (1966-1969) has
always been part of my life in one incarnation or another. I watched the
original series when I was little, and was determined to find a way to have a
tribble as a pet. (I seriously regret losing track of that old metal lunchbox,
too.) When Star Trek: The Next Generation
(1987-1994) hit the airwaves, I was instantly hooked. I can probably attribute
my love of science fiction finding inspiration amongst the Starfleet’s myriad
episodes.
When it was announced that some of the beloved characters from Next
Generation would be returning to their roles for Star Trek: Picard, I was rather giddy. Then I was abysmally sad
because I didn’t have CBS All Access at the time and didn’t see that changing
in the near future since we were already working Netflix, Prime, and
Disney+/Hulu into our budget.
With the 30 day trial that’s currently being offered, I hopped on that
at warp speed. I’ve watched a couple episodes so far and am very pleased, not
to mention excited for the rest of the season I haven’t seen yet. I might also
mention that before the first season was ever released, Season 2 already
received the green light. Considering delays in production around the world,
it’s unclear when that will be finished and released – but we still have this
first season and other Star Trek properties to tide us over until then.
2 – Star Trek:
Discovery
Series Name/Year: Star Trek:
Discovery (2017-)
Streaming Service: CBS All
Access
Genre: Sci-Fi, Action,
Adventure, Drama
Length: Season 1: 15
Episodes, Season 2: 14 Episodes, Run-time range of 37–65 min. per episode
Rating: TV-14
Production/Distribution: CBS
Television Studios, Living Dead Guy Productions, Master Key Production,
Roddenberry Entertainment, Secret Hideout, CBS All Access, CBS, CraveTV, Space,
Paramount Home Entertainment, Super! Drama TV, Universal Pictures, Z, Netflix
(Non-US markets only)
Creators/Showrunners: Bryan
Fuller, Alex Kurtzman
Directors: Olatunde
Osunsanmi, Jonathan Frakes, Douglas Aarniokoski, David Barrett, Lee Rose, Akiva
Goldsman, Hanelle M. Culpepper, T.J. Scott, Christopher J. Byrne, Adam Kane,
John Scott, David Semel, David Solomon, Marta Cunningham, Alex Kurtzman, Maja
Vrvilo
Writers: Bryan Fuller, Alex
Kurtzman, Gene Roddenberry, Kirsten Beyer, Sean Cochran, Bo Yeon Kim, Erika
Lippoldt, Gretchen J. Berg, Aaron Harberts, Kemp Powers, Ted Sullivan, Akiva
Goldsman, Michelle Paradise, Jesse Alexander, Aron Eli Coleite, Jordon Nardino,
Lisa Randolph, Andrew Colville, Jenny Lumet, Alan B. McElroy, Vaun Wilmott, Joe
Menosky, Craig Sweeny, Jay Beattie, Dan Dworkin, Anthony Maranville, Brandon
Schultz, Chris Silvestri
Actors: Sonequa
Martin-Green, Doug Jones, Anthony Rapp, Mary Wiseman, Emily Coutts, Shazad
Latif, Oyin Oladejo, Patrick Kwok-Choon, Julianne Grossman, Ronnie Rowe, Wilson
Cruz, Sara Mitich, Michelle Yeoh, Jason Isaacs, Anson Mount, Mary Chieffo,
Jayne Brook, Hannah Cheesman, Rachael Ancheril, James Frain, Ethan Peck
IMDB Blurb: Ten years before
Kirk, Spock, and the Enterprise, the USS Discovery discovers new worlds and
lifeforms as one Starfleet officer learns to understand all things alien.
I think the only reason I haven’t already finished Star Trek: Picard,
is because I got lost down the rabbit hole watching Discovery. I’ve almost
finished the first season, and I’m hooked. The plot and characters are
interesting, the cast is amazing, and the production value is top notch. I also
adore that there are little references here and there – Easter eggs peppered
throughout to give nods to the original series. If you love the Star Trek franchise,
then you certainly won’t want to miss this series (especially when you have a
chance to watch it for free).
There is a 3rd season forthcoming, though the release
information only says ‘sometime in 2020’ thus far.
3 – The
Twilight Zone
Series Name/Year: The
Twilight Zone (2019-)
Streaming Service: CBS All
Access
Genre: Drama, Fantasy,
Mystery, Horror, Sci-Fi
Length: Season 1, 10
Episodes, Run-time range of 37-56 min. per episode
Rating: TV-MA
Production/Distribution: CBS
Television Studios, Genre Films, Monkeypaw Productions, CBS All Access
Creator/Showrunners: Rod
Serling, Simon Kinberg, Jordan Peele, Marco Ramirez
Directors: Mathias Herndl,
Ana Lily Amirpour, Christina Choe, Owen Harris, Simon Kinberg, Craig William
Macneill, Gerard McMurray, Richard Shepard, Jakob Verbruggen, Greg Yaitanes,
Alonso Alvarez, Peter Atencio
Writers: Simon Kinberg,
Jordan Peele, Marco Ramirez, Rod Serling, Glen Morgan, Heather Anne Campbell,
Alex Rubens, John Griffin, Andrew Guest, Selwyn Seyfu Hinds, Richard Matheson,
Steven Barnes, Tananarive Due
Actors: Jordan Peele, David
Epstein, Kelly Ann Woods, Paolo Maiolo, Nagin Rezaiean, Shalyn Ferdinand, Lloyd
Cunningham, Zazie Beetz, John Cho, Taissa Farmiga,
Ginnifer Goodwin, Sanaa Lathan, Kumail Nanjiani, Tracy Morgan, Seth Rogen,
Greg Kinnear, John Larroquette, Jason Priestley
IMDB Blurb: An updated version of the classic anthology
series featuring various tales of science fiction, mystery, and horror.
Another of my favorite shows from yester-year is the original Twilight Zone
(1959-1964) series. Episodes such as William Shatner’s (Batman vs/ Two-Face,
The Indian Detective, The Steam Engines of Oz) Nightmare at 20,000 Feet (1963)
may very well be where I began my love for the horror/thriller genres.
I’ve watched most of the first episode, leaving it unfinished only
because I was having internet issues causing the episode to freeze. I’ll get
back to it, don’t worry! I was thoroughly enjoying the creepy premise until I
was involuntarily interrupted.
From what I’ve gathered, there are quite a few Easter eggs in this new
iteration of the series that harken back to the original. Die-hard fans should
certainly have fun picking them out along the way. The showrunners have taken
great care to maintain respect for the original within the new series. There
will be a second season of this show, as well. Unfortunately, it is also
subject to that nebulous ‘sometime in 2020’ projection, without a definitive
release date. I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed that it’s sooner rather than later.
4 – Altered
Carbon
Series Name/Year: Altered
Carbon (2018-)
Streaming Service: Netflix
Genre: Action, Drama,
Mystery, Sci-Fi
Length: Season 1: 10 Episodes,
Season 2: 8 Episodes, Run-time range of 46-66 min. per episode
Directors: Uta Briesewitz,
Alex Graves, Peter Hoar, Nick Hurran, M.J. Bassett, Ciaran Donnelly, Salli
Richardson-Whitfield, Jeremy Webb, Andy Goddard, Miguel Sapochnik
Writers: Laeta Kalogridis,
Nevin Densham, Richard Morgan, Alison Schapker, Steve Blackman, Russel Friend,
Garrett Lerner, Brian Nelson, Casey Fisher, Sang Kyu Kim, Michael R. Perry
Actors: Chris Conner, Renée
Elise Goldsberry, Will Yun Lee, Dichen Lachman, Martha Higareda, Ato Essandoh,
Joel Kinnaman, James Purefoy, Kristin Lehman, Trieu Tran, Hayley Law, Anthony
Mackie, Lela Loren, Simone Missick, Dina Shihabi, Torben Liebrecht, Hiro
Kanagawa, Waleed Zuaiter, Adam Busch, Marlene Forte, Antonio Marziale, Zahf
Paroo, James Saito, Tamara Taylor, Sharon Taylor, Dalias Blake, Orphée
Ladouceur-Nguyen, Skyler Mowatt, Mitra Suri, Fiona Vroom, Daniel Bernhardt
IMDB Blurb: Set in a future where consciousness is
digitized and stored, a prisoner returns to life in a new body and must solve a
mind-bending murder to win his freedom.
I’ve found this to be quite an interesting, entertaining, and
intriguing Sci-Fi series. Imagine a world where everything you are can be
stored in a device implanted in your neck and backed up to the Cloud. Bodies
are no longer your core identity – and are even called ‘sleeves’ which are
interchangeable as long as your ‘stack’ is intact and the data uncorrupted.
What a way to cheat death!
There obviously would be quite the dark side to such technology – and
this series explores that a bit. I love how it blends so many genres at once
throughout the story. The interchangeable body factor also comes in handy as
the series progresses between seasons – for instance, the lead for season 1 is
different from season 2 without a break in continuity.
The back-story is nuanced and the characters have depth. I am excited
as I begin to delve into the second season, wondering where they could go from
the point that the first season ends, and how they plan to top it to further
the story. There’s also an animated feature in the same ‘universe’ as the
series – it seems to take place between the seasons of the live-action show.
Once more, I’ve found a book that I need to add to my reading list. I’m
afraid I can’t speak to how true the series is to the source material aside
from what bits are mentioned in IMDb’s trivia section. It doesn’t seem like the
changes were earth-shattering, from what I’ve read. Honestly, I prefer the way
it turned out in the show for some of the decisions!
Parents, just keep in mind that this one’s rated TV-MA due to violence
(rather bloody at times) and sexual content.
5 –
Supernatural
Series Name/Year: Supernatural
(2005-2020)
Streaming Service: Netflix
Genre: Drama, Fantasy,
Horror
Length: 15 Seasons, 16-23
episodes per season, Run-time approx. 44 min. per episode
Rating: TV-14
Production/Distribution: KEI
Kripke Enterprises Scrap Metal & Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television,
Wonderland Sound and Vision, Supernatural Films, Warner Bros. Television, The
WB Television Network, Independent Television, Premiere, RTL Klub Televízió,
Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão, SubTV, TV Norge,TV3 Danmark, The CW Network,
Veronica, Warner Home Video,Network Ten, Nippon Television Network, ProSieben
Television, Super! Drama TV, VT4, Argentina Video Home, Kanal 2, Net5,TNT, Sky
Cinema, Viasat3, Österreichischer Rundfunk, LivingTV, Sky Living, Sky Atlantic
HD, Sky Deutschland, ProSieben Maxx, E4, Netflix, Sky 1, AXN, DiziMax, HBO Max
Creator/Showrunner: Eric
Kripke
Directors: Robert Singer,
Philip Sgriccia, John F. Showalter, Thomas J. Wright, Kim Manners, Charles
Beeson, Guy Norman Bee, Richard Speight Jr., Mike Rohl, Steve Boyum, John
Badham, Amyn Kaderali, Jensen Ackles, Tim Andrew, Nina Lopez-Corrado, Jeannot
Szwarc, P.J. Pesce, Eduardo Sánchez, J. Miller Tobin
Writers: Eric Kripke, Andrew Dabb, Robert Berens, Brad
Buckner, Eugenie Ross-Leming, Davy Perez, Jenny Klein, Sera Gamble, Ben Edlund,
Jeremy Carver, Daniel Loflin, Robbie Thompson, Meredith Glynn, Adam Glass,
Steve Yockey, Jeremy Adams, John Shiban, Eric C. Charmelo, Nicole Snyder,
Raelle Tucker, Cathryn Humphris, Julie Siege, Robert Singer
Actors: Jared Padalecki Jensen Ackles, Misha Collins, Mark Sheppard,
Jim Beaver, Alexander Calvert, Samantha Smith, Mark Pellegrino, Ruth Connell,
Rob Benedict, Osric Chau, David Haydn-Jones, Kim Rhodes, Curtis Armstrong, Lisa
Berry, Genevieve Padalecki, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Richard Speight Jr., Cindy
Sampson, Emily Swallow, Ty Olsson, Felicia Day, Amanda Tapping, Samantha
Ferris, Keith Szarabajka, Erica Carroll, Mitch Pileggi, Kurt Fuller, Katie
Cassidy, Lauren Cohan, DJ Qualls, Tahmoh Penikett, Danneel Ackles, Jake Abel,
Rick Springfield, Timothy Omundson
IMDB Blurb: Two brothers follow their father's
footsteps as hunters, fighting evil supernatural beings of many kinds,
including monsters, demons and gods that roam the earth.
Supernatural is one of those shows that likely could go on forever as
long as the production team and cast were willing. There’s no shortage of fuel
for stories out there. After 15 seasons, however, I can’t say that I blame the
cast members for wanting to wrap things up and spend more time with their
families.
Before now, I’ve caught an episode here or there out of order –
realizing that I was missing some of the inside jokes and references but at the
same time I was able to follow right along what was happening. Between that,
the many friends who watched regularly and discussed episodes with me, and the
plethora of memes and other posts and videos out there, I’ve generally had a
handle on what’s going on.
Now that the series is ending with the close of this 15th
season, there’s no time like the present to give a watch to the whole thing in
order. I’m up to season 5!
Considering the amount of time some of us have on our hands right now –
what better way to spend some of it than an immersive and emotive story that
sucks you in and takes you on a wild rollercoaster ride? Don’t forget your
salt!
For bonus laughs, look up the blooper reels on YouTube. You won’t be
disappointed.
6 – Neil
Gaiman’s Likely Stories
Series Name/Year: Neil
Gaiman’s Likely Stories (2016)
Streaming Service: Shudder
Genre: Drama, Horror
Length: Season 1, 4
Episodes, Run-time 30 min. per episode
Rating: Unrated
Production/Distribution: Sid
Gentle Films, Sky Arts
Creator/Showrunner: Neil
Gaiman
Directors: Iain Forsyth,
Jane Pollard
Writers: Iain Forsyth, Neil
Gaiman, Kevin Lehane, Jane Pollard
Actors: Montserrat Lombard,
Monica Dolan, Paul Ritter, Kirk Lake, Chloe Hayward, Simon Manyonda, Denise
Gough, Johann Myers, Neil Gaiman, Dioni Tabbers, Kenneth Cranham, Tom Hughes,
George MacKay, Johnny Vegas, Rita Tushingham, Steve Barnett, Destiny Clare,
Charly Flyte, Mark Haldor, Alex Hardy, Charmaine Ireland, Christina Pennant,
Joey Price, Sonnyboy Skelton, Richard Syms, Symara A. Templeman, Noah
Yeneralski, Toby Yeneralski
IMDB Blurb: Adaptations of
the fantastical short stories written by author, Neil Gaiman.
This is one of the few shows on this list that I haven’t actually seen
yet. I am, however, familiar with Neil Gaiman’s (Stardust, Eternals, American
Gods) work. This was one of the first series that I added to my watch list when
I signed up for Shudder’s trial period.
If you’re looking for a quality show with all the punch and polish of
the longer-running productions, but with less of a commitment to time spent
watching, this may be the show for you. With four, thirty-minute episodes, it’s
an easy binge in less time than most current theater release movies. The show
is a Shudder exclusive, so it is definitely on my must-see list before my trial
runs out.
7 – Creepshow
Series Name/Year: Creepshow (2019-)
Streaming Service: Shudder
Genre: Fantasy, Horror
Length: Season 1, 6
Episodes, Run-time 44 min. per episode
Rating: TV-MA
Production/Distribution: Cartel
Pictures, Monster Agency Productions, Striker Entertainment, Taurus
Entertainment Company, The Cartel, Shudder
Creator/Showrunner: Greg
Nicotero
Directors: John Harrison,
Roxanne Benjamin, David Bruckner, Greg Nicotero, Tom Savini, Rob Schrab
Writers: Christopher
Buehlman, Jason Ciaramella, Paul Dini, John Esposito, John Harrison, Joe Hill,
Bruce Jones, Stephen King, Stephen Langford, Joe R. Lansdale, Kasey Lansdale, Keith Lansdale,
Josh Malerman, Dori Miller, Greg Nicotero, David J. Schow, Rob Schrab, John
Skipp, Matt Venne, Byron Willinger, Philip de Blasi
Actors: Carey Jones, Logan
Allen, Adrienne Barbeau, David Arquette, Connor Christie, Bruce Davison, David
A MacDonald, Melissa Saint-Amand, Hannah Barefoot, Chad Michael Collins,
Giancarlo Esposito, Dylan Gage, Madison Thompson, Callan Wilson, Voltaire Colin
Council, Kid Cudi, Susannah Devereux, Dana Gould, Christopher Nathan, Jasun
Jabbar Wardlaw Jr., Tobin Bell, Nelson Bonilla, Andrew Eakle, Hina Khan, Grace
Toso, Jesse C. Boyd, Ryan Clay, Jeffrey Combs, Beth Keener, Michael May, Afemo
Omilami, Julia Denton, Kate Freund, Jason Graham, Addison Hershey, Dane Rhodes,
Andy Rusk, Cailey Fleming, Tricia Helfer, Scott Johnson, DJ Qualls, Karen Strassman,
Darin Toonder, Rachel Hendrix, Antwan Mills, Tom Olson, Michael Scialabba,
Sydney Wease, Erica Frene, Jake Garber, Connor Jones, Tommy Kane, Danielle Lyn,
David Shae, Tracey Bonner, Gino Crognale, David Alexander Kaplan, Will
Kindrachuk, Guy Messenger, Jordan Patrick, Madison Bailey, Dennis Bouldin,
James Devoti, Kermit Rolison, Connor Hammond, Gena Shaw, Ian Gregg
IMDB Blurb: The fictional
Creepshow comic books come to life in this anthology series of terrifying tales
hosted by the silent Creepshow ghoul.
I have been excited and looking forward to seeing this series ever
since Greg Nicotero (Predators, The Grey, Annabelle) was discussing it while a
guest on Talking Dead (2011-) following a The Walking Dead (2010-) episode. I
was sad, at first, because this show is only available on Shudder. With the
current trial underway, I have hopes I can give this one a watch soon!
Not only is SFX genius Nicotero running this production, none other
than Tom Savini (Inhuman Resources, Django Unchained, From Dusk Til Dawn: The
Series) actually directs one of the episodes. For old-school horror fans, this
is huge!
This series is supposed to follow the first 2 movies of the franchise and even has some returning cast members. If you want to brush up on the movies
before watching this series, you can find Creepshow (1982) as a $2.99 rental on
Amazon Video and Creepshow 2 (1987) is available on Prime Video or Shudder.
I love anthologies like this. The concept reminds me of Tales From the
Crypt (1989–1996), which is one of my favorite shows from yesteryear. I can’t
wait to watch!
8 – Locke
& Key
Series Name/Year: Locke
& Key (2020-)
Streaming Service: Netflix
Genre: Drama, Fantasy,
Horror
Length: Season 1, 10
Episodes, Run-time 48 min. per episode
Rating: TV-14
Production/Distribution: IDW
Entertainment, Circle of Confusion, Take 5 Productions, Netflix
Creator/Showrunner: Joe
Hill, Meredith Averill, Carlton Cuse, Aron Eli Coleite
Directors: Michael Morris,
Vincenzo Natali, Tim Southam, Mark Tonderai, Dawn Wilkinson
Writers: Meredith Averill,
Carlton Cuse, Joe Hill, Aron Eli Coleite, Gabriel Rodriguez, Elizabeth Ann
Phang, Mackenzie Dohr, Andres Fischer-Centeno, Michael D. Fuller, Vanessa
Rojas, Brett Treacy, Dan Woodward
Actors: Darby Stanchfield,
Connor Jessup, Emilia Jones, Jackson Robert Scott, Petrice Jones, Sherri Saum,
Genevieve Kang, Laysla De Oliveira, Hallea Jones, Griffin Gluck, Coby Bird,
Bill Heck, Thomas Mitchell Barnet, Aaron Ashmore, Steven Williams, Felix
Mallard, Eric Graise
IMDB Blurb: After their
father is murdered under mysterious circumstances, the three Locke siblings and
their mother move into their ancestral home, Keyhouse, which they discover is
full of magical keys that may be connected to their father's death.
I have eagerly awaited the release of this series on Netflix since their
first teaser dropped. There’s something whimsical about the magic keys and yet
the undercurrent of something darker at work in the background is a thrilling
contrast. The story seems to be full of magic, wonder, danger, and mystery.
While a good number of these series are geared to older audiences, this
one appears to be appealing and likely more appropriate for a slightly younger
set – which makes this perfect for a family watch night or so.
9 – Channel
Zero
Series Name/Year: Channel
Zero (2016-2018)
Streaming Service: Shudder
Genre: Drama, Fantasy,
Horror
Length: 4 Seasons, 6
Episodes each, Run-time 44 min. per episode
Rating: TV-14
Production/Distribution: Eat
the Cat, Universal Cable Productions, Syfy, 5 Star, C More, DiziMax, Film1
Drama, Hulu, TNT Serie, Universal Pictures
Creator/Showrunner: Nick
Antosca
Directors: Craig William
Macneill, Steven Piet, E.L. Katz, Arkasha Stevenson
Writers: Nick Antosca,
Harley Peyton, Kris Straub, Brian Alan Russell, Charlotte Bywater, Kerry
Hammond, Angela LaManna, Mallory Westfall, Don Mancini, Lisa Long, Angel
Varak-Iglar, Justin Boyd, Katie Gruel, Erica Saleh, Isabella Gutierrez,
Alexandra Pechman, Lenore Zion
Actors: Brandon Scott,
Marina Stephenson Kerr, Abigail Pniowsky, Diana Bentley, Keenan Lehmann, Amy Forsyth,
Rutger Hauer, Maria Sten, Aisha Dee, Holland Roden, Jeff Ward, Olivia Luccardi,
Steven Robertson, Krisha Fairchild, John Carroll Lynch, Troy James, Bradley
Sawatzky, Paul Schneider, Fiona Shaw, Luisa d'Oliveira, Shaun Benson, Luca
Villacis, Linden Porco, Cassandra Consiglio
IMDB Blurb: An anthology
series based on popular Internet Creepypastas Candle Cove, The No-End House,
Butcher's Block, and The Dream Door.
This series originally aired on the SyFy channel and was streamable
after-the-fact on Hulu. Since the series conclusion, however, it is no longer
available on that network or service. Shudder is the place to go if you want to
watch the full series.
One thing the internet is really great at is making up really creepy
scary stories. These Creepypastas, as they’ve come to be called, have spawned
things such as The Slenderman and The Rake. There are quite a few stories out
there that are just begging to be told with a cinematic treatment. This
anthology series does just that. Rottentomatoes even gave a couple of the seasons a 100% score.
10 – The
Expanse
Series Name/Year: The
Expanse (2019-)
Streaming Service: Amazon
Prime Video
Genre: Sci-Fi
Length: 4 Seasons, 10-13
Episodes each, Run-time range of 45-60 min. per episode
Rating: TV-14
Production/Distribution: Alcon
Entertainment, Sean Daniel Company, Syfy, Space, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix
(Non-US Markets Only), Pandastorm Pictures, Sky TV, Universal Pictures
Creator/Showrunner: Mark
Fergus, Hawk Ostby
Directors: Breck Eisner,
Jeff Woolnough, Terry McDonough, Robert Lieberman, Kenneth Fink, David
Grossman, Thor Freudenthal, Bill Johnson, Mikael Salomon, Jennifer Phang, Sarah
Harding, David Petrarca, Simon Cellan Jones, Thomas Jane
Writers: Daniel Abraham,
Mark Fergus, Ty Franck, Hawk Ostby, Hallie Lambert, Georgia Lee, Denise
Harkavy, Matthew Rasmussen,Dan Nowak, Naren Shankar, Robin Veith, Jason Ning,
Alan DiFiore, Laura Marks
Actors: Steven Strait, Cas
Anvar, Dominique Tipper, Wes Chatham, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Frankie Adams, Shawn
Doyle, Cara Gee, Thomas Jane, Florence Faivre, Chad L. Coleman, Andrew Rotilio,
Nick E. Tarabay, François Chau, David Strathairn, Terry Chen, Elizabeth
Mitchell, Burn Gorman, Rosa Gilmore, Lyndie Greenwood,
Jess Salgueiro, Ted Atherton, Leah Madison Jung, Jonathan Whittaker,
Elias Toufexis, Steven McCarthy, Paulo Costanzo, Nadine Nicole, Patti Kim, Zach
Smadu, Byron Mann, Kyla Madeira, Martin Roach, Athena Karkanis, Jared Harris,
Nathaniel McParland
IMDB Blurb: A police
detective in the asteroid belt, the first officer of an interplanetary ice
freighter, and an earth-bound United Nations executive slowly discover a vast
conspiracy that threatens the Earth's rebellious colony on the asteroid belt.
Unlike most of the series on this list, I have actually seen every
single episode of The Expanse. I watched the new season right after it became
available in December, and I am chomping at the bit for Season 5 to become a
reality. The show was renewed by Amazon Prime Video, however, with the state of
things in the world, it is unclear when it will actually be ready for release.
The Expanse has won accolades and awards and is also recognized as one of
the few space Sci-Fi series to get the physics of space spot on. Not only is
the show awesome for the story and phenomenal cast, but it also wins with science!
It’s easy to get pulled into the far-future universe where Mars has
been colonized and humans mine asteroid belts for resources. There’s mystery,
political intrigue, romance, action, horror…. You name it and this series has
it. The story is rich and layered, driven by compelling characters. I also love
that the main characters grow and develop over a well-thought-out arc.
This one’s definitely worth spending hours watching – and you may
not even realize you have!
Honorable mentions:
There are so many other shows out there available for streaming that
are also worth the time spent. There was just no way to include them all. I
can, however, point you in the direction of three additional shows that I have
already reviewed for Trust the Dice. You can find them here, with their
respective links: The
Witcher, Stranger
Things, Castlevania
Whatever you decide to do with your time during social distancing,
please be safe and try to find kindness in the world even when things look
bleak.
