General Netflix Discussion-TV Shows

[Sock Monkey]

I watched INFESTED on Shudder, a French film about increasingly large spiders infesting an apartment building. The compressed time frame for the massive volume of spiders reproducing is absolutely ridiculous, and the film completely fell apart for me in the last 15 minutes, but it was still a fun, well-made bug flick.

I also revisited GHOSTWATCH for the first time in a few decades, also on Shudder, and it still holds up remarkably well.

My wife and I continued to chip away at FRANKLIN on Apple+, which we're really enjoying, and CONAN O'BRIEN MUST GO, on Max, is absolutely hilarious.

So I checked out INFESTED with lowered expectations and I'm quite torn about it. On one hand, the film excels on capitalizing on the icky creepy-crawly fear of spiders, which almost covers over some pretty large weaknesses in the script. One being, as Dannyboy mentions in his post, the incredibly fast reproduction and infestation of the spiders. But on top of that, there is also the quick assumption by our group of heroes that the spiders are poisonous, though they don't really have a lot of information to support that other than the first death, but the script doesn't connect the dots for the viewer and it seems like a leap that's made.

On top of that we also have the following, which I struggled with:

Spoiler!

First is the when the dog eats the dead spider and it somehow reproduces inside the dog. I'm assuming that the film is suggesting that the dead spider carried babies inside of it, but dogs' stomach acid is stronger than humans and should have just destroyed eggs. I can understand maybe dying from ingesting the poison, but not the whole birthing thing. Second, why is the guy who first is bitten--and knows he's been bitten by spiders--continuing to call the main character instead of calling for an ambulance? And finally, the whole "the spiders won't move in light" makes no sense considering that they attack the guys in the desert in broad daylight in the beginning of the film.

The film also tries to weave in two emotional arcs--one between the main character and an estranged friend and the other between the main character and his sister--but it's too much for the film to execute effectively. I did feel like the film lost something as it moved from massification (lots of smaller spiders) to magnification (gigantic spiders). This could be personal preference as a bunch of little things that I can't see are scarier than a one large bugger that can be taken out with a shotgun.

Anyways, it sounds like I didn't like the movie, but there is quite a lot to enjoy, it is well made, and you could do a lot worse. Just bring a more "go with it" attitude to the plotting. The movie did win Best Horror Feature and Best Horror Director at last year's Fantastic Fest so there is some love for it. All this being said, I would absolutely check out the director's next feature. Grade: B- (Mostly because it did such a great job with the horror aspect of the film).

[TacomaDiver]

I had to break down and use subtitles for TALK TO ME, as the Aussie accents were just too much for me, and I was amazed at how much stuff that was REALLY important to the story was unintelligibly mumbled by side characters during busy party scenes. I would have missed a ton of it. The accents in HORSES became easier to understand after a few episodes of hearing them.

I had to do that with Derry Girls. The Irish accents were just too thick for me to understand them well enough. Eventually though my ears learned how to listen but it was rough for a bit.

[dannyboy121070]

When they first showed Aleida, I said to my wife "That's the magical child that will grow up to do magical things." She always felt shoehorned in, at least to me. And I agree with both of your spoilers.

[Sock Monkey]

FOR ALL MANKIND was great, aside from the fact that I fucking loathe Margo and that fucking magical math prodigy girl. Looking forward to season five and the Star City spinoff.

LOL! I actually like Margo, even though part of how she is written is to be unlikeable. If the "magical math prodigy girl" is Aleida, then I absolutely agree. I didn't find her that bad in season one, but I just can't stand her in season two. I'm also a little over the whole

Spoiler!

Ellen and Pam relationship

storyline. Nothing against the characters in particular but the storyline for season two was essentially the same as season one. I really don't need a further retread of it in another season. Or if they do, they better do something a little different with it. I will say that I am bummed about

Spoiler!

Gordo's death as I really came to like his character in the latter part of season one and into season two.

I still have two more seasons before I'm caught up to date, but I'm glad to hear about the fifth season and the spinoff. I'm not necessarily keen on everything having a spinoff, but if it can be done right (and Better Call Saul proved that it could be), then I'm all for it.

[dannyboy121070]

Finished the second season of For All Mankind last night and thought it was even better than the first season. The resolution to character arcs in the finale was, in my mind, perfect. It might have been a little too neat for some, but it felt right to me. I still think that a couple more episodes in each season would help to build out some of the storylines a little bit better. There's a decision a character makes in the latter part of the season that kind of feels like its out of nowhere on their part and a little more space (no pun intended) in the season might have made that a little less jarring to me. There is also one character in this season I just can't stand. Now, the series does play with making their characters rather unlikeable, but, man, I'm struggling with caring at all about this one. Anyways, a rather minor quibble over a show that is overall very enjoyable. Looking forward to starting season three!

FOR ALL MANKIND was great, aside from the fact that I fucking loathe Margo and that fucking magical math prodigy girl. Looking forward to season five and the Star City spinoff.

[Sock Monkey]

Finished the second season of For All Mankind last night and thought it was even better than the first season. The resolution to character arcs in the finale was, in my mind, perfect. It might have been a little too neat for some, but it felt right to me. I still think that a couple more episodes in each season would help to build out some of the storylines a little bit better. There's a decision a character makes in the latter part of the season that kind of feels like its out of nowhere on their part and a little more space (no pun intended) in the season might have made that a little less jarring to me. There is also one character in this season I just can't stand. Now, the series does play with making their characters rather unlikeable, but, man, I'm struggling with caring at all about this one. Anyways, a rather minor quibble over a show that is overall very enjoyable. Looking forward to starting season three!

[dannyboy121070]

I had to break down and use subtitles for TALK TO ME, as the Aussie accents were just too much for me, and I was amazed at how much stuff that was REALLY important to the story was unintelligibly mumbled by side characters during busy party scenes. I would have missed a ton of it. The accents in HORSES became easier to understand after a few episodes of hearing them.

[Sock Monkey]

We just wrapped up the first season of SLOW HORSES. I was ready to bail after two episodes...I was struggling with some of the accents, and the show wasn't moving fast enough, but by the third episode, I was hooked. Great twists, funny, action and intrigue packed, and Gary Oldman, as always, just kills it. Apple has some of the best shows on streaming.

I love Gary Oldman and am looking forward diving into this soon. My wife struggles with accents as well so we do a lot of subtitles. We watch a ton of foreign movies so it doesn't bother me. It does require a little more effort, in my opinion, but it eliminates the whole stopping and rewinding and trying to figure what was said. I normally never used subtitles for English-speaking movies, but I did it when I showed my wife Trainspotting for the first time a few years back and I couldn't believe how much I'd missed on the 6+ previous viewings I had of the film.

[Sock Monkey]

One man's turd is another man's treasure?



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I don't know. My sister likes the show, but she also watches stuff like VelociPastor, so...

[dannyboy121070]

We just wrapped up the first season of SLOW HORSES. I was ready to bail after two episodes...I was struggling with some of the accents, and the show wasn't moving fast enough, but by the third episode, I was hooked. Great twists, funny, action and intrigue packed, and Gary Oldman, as always, just kills it.  Apple has some of the best shows on streaming.

[Ben Staad]

One man's turd is another man's treasure?

I've gotten some recommendations for this in the past, but I've always skipped over it. I don't think your review of it being "a steamy turd" is going to change my mind otherwise.

 

[Sock Monkey]

Finished season one and started season two of For All Mankind last night. I was a little wary about midway through the first season if the show was going to pick up steam, but the final three or four episodes really pulled various story arcs together and made some captivating television. For those who might be looking to give it a shot, just go in expecting a slow burn, but stick it out. As for season two, I'm only one episode in and I'm a little wary about the time jumps between seasons. Season one finally found its footing and now we have a slightly different status quo to get adjusted to and with only like 10 episodes a season, I'd like to spend more time in one spot before moving on. However, this is slowly becoming a new favorite so I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt.

[Sock Monkey]

Tried out Evil which looks like it was something aired on CBS. This is a steamy turd in my opinion.

Interesting idea for a show and then it was twisted up, spun around, and dumbed up for network TV.

I gave it 5 episodes and then bailed.

I've gotten some recommendations for this in the past, but I've always skipped over it. I don't think your review of it being "a steamy turd" is going to change my mind otherwise.

[Ben Staad]

Tried out Evil which looks like it was something aired on CBS. This is a steamy turd in my opinion.

Interesting idea for a show and then it was twisted up, spun around, and dumbed up for network TV.

I gave it 5 episodes and then bailed.

[mhatchett]

Glad you liked the MASTERS OF THE AIR documentary!

My wife and I are debating whether to start SLOW HORSES or FOUNDATION next....

FOR ALL MANKIND was phenomenal. The first three seasons were what my wife called "Hate to go to bed" television. Every night we'd see how long the next episode was, and be pissed that we were just too exhausted to watch another one. Season four was very good, but the first three seasons were perfection, aside from a couple of characters that I'm sure you're supposed to like, but I can't fucking stand, lol.

Slow Horses is just wicked on so many levels. That would be my suggestion.