Friday Night Netflix Pick: The Trip

The Trip (2010)

Ok, so two guys (just friends) in their late forties go on a road trip together in northern England with the purpose of going to different fancy restaurants to eat  ridiculously fancy food. One guy is married the other guy is single. They drive around, they eat food, sometimes they walk, and they talk a lot. Basically it sounds like the most boring film of all time, but it’s not. I failed to mention that those two guys are Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon and it’s a  a mockumentary. Well now that changes everything.

Everyone has that one really good friend that they are just on the same level with. You know, you two are such good friends that you can be blatantly sarcastic and make fun of each other and other random stuff just for laughs? This is what this film is like except way funnier because let’s face it, Steve and Rob are professional and we are not. You always think you’re funny until you see someone else who is actually funny and then you realize how unfunny you really are. Luckily my best friends thinks that puns about fruit are funny, so I’m hilarious.

Lot’s of hilarity ensues during the entirety of this film. Steve Coogan does this whole bit in a graveyard about what he would say at Rob Brydon’s funeral. Oh, and before I forget I must warn you, there are a lot of Michael Caine impressions in this film. Like a lot. If those offend you I would not suggest watching this movie.

The Trip was released as a TV series in 2010 but in 2011 it was edited together to make a full film and that is what will see on Netflix. The next series will come out later in 2014 and it will be set in Italy. You’re excited. I can tell.

So go watch The Trip because it’s Friday night and sitting on the couch is so much easier than anything else you could possibly do.

25 Thing I Learned From Arrested Development

25 Things I Learned From Arrested Development

 

1. There is always money in the banana stand

2. Tricks are things whores do for money

3. It will fly out on its own

4. The Blue Man Group is not a depressed man’s support group

5. It’s not easy being brown

6. The pet shop dead dove return policy is terrible

7. You cannot throw a letter into the ocean

8. Never charge the Aztec tomb to the company account

9. Swallowing keys is not easy

10. Always leave a note

11. Don’t touch the Cornballer

12. Never walk in front of the poppins

13. Don’t do the chicken dance in Mexico

14. Breakfast is the most important thing

15. Don’t call Orange County the OC

16. Free scrapbooking classes are always too good to be true

17. The prosecution is not a CBS show

18. Watch out for hop-ons

19. NO TOUCHING!

20. Don’t give up animation rights

21. Hot cops are not a good substitute for real cops

22. Children should neither be seen nor heard

23. The blue on the map is not land

24. There are ice cream sandwiches in prison

25. Some things are for British eyes only

House of Cards

House of Cards (2013- Present)

 

Staring: Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, Kate Mara, Corey Stoll, Michael Kelly

Developed By: Beau Willimon

Channel: Netflix

Related: Adaptation of the BBC show House of Cards (which was actually adapted from a novel by Michael Dobbs)

 

For some reason I have convinced myself that I don’t like political dramas. For the life of me I can’t understand why because every time I watch one I like it and yet I am still 100% convinced I don’t like the genre.

Every time I have logged into Netflix for the past few weeks (which trust me is often) I continually have seen House of Cards pop up on my recommended viewing list and in return I continually ignored it because “I don’t like political dramas.” So finally last week I decided that I would give the show a shot. I wasn’t expecting much (it is a political drama after all), but Kevin Spacey stars in it so that factor ultimately convinced me.

I sat down and watched the pilot episode. A few hours later I was 4 episodes in. Needless to say I was hooked.

The show follows US representative Frank Underwood as he manipulates and deceives his way around Washington after he is denied as US Secretary of State (he was ultimately the man who helped the president get elected in the first place. I’d be angry too!). He launches into a series of attacks that all revolve around Underwood getting revenge on those who betrayed him. He is the master manipulator and generally ends up getting what he wants. Even if at first his plans don’t succeed he always seems to find a way to fix everything, or so it seems (I’m not giving ANYTHING away!).

There are a slew of others characters that play an important role in Frank Underwood’s world. Underwood and his wife have an interesting relationship. Together he and his wife work to further his career. She leads a non profit organization that Frank also sometimes uses to his advantage. Underwood has a revolving door of pawns including Congressmen and other similar state officials. He also befriends a young journalist who becomes integral in his schemes. Underwood is relentless is getting what he wants, even if that means hurting everyone around him.

As season 1 has progressed, I often find myself wondering how Underwood keeps all his lies straight. I feel like he leaves too many loose ends lying around. A lot of what he does relies heavily on the fact that no one is going to speak out about his deceit. I think this can only come back to haunt him in the end because he has pushed way too many people to their limits and one of them is bound to crack eventually.

Kevin Spacey. What can I say about his on screen magic that you don’t already know? His character is my absolute favorite part of the show. He so devious and yet his southern charm leaves the audience captivated. He frequently breaks the fourth wall to talk to the audience about what he is really thinking in a situation. It’s an interesting touch and really displays how two faced he can really be all in the name of getting what he wants.

Netflix debuted the show by posting all 13 episodes of the first season at once rather than showing one episode at a time like the way we are accustomed to viewing television. This brings up an interesting question. Is it better to get small doses of a show or is it better to binge watch it. Personally I prefer to binge watch a television show. I prefer to watch the entire season and then wait for the next. It’s that new need for everything to come to us instantly. At any time in the day we have access to the internet. That means that we have instant answers, instant news and instant entertainment all just sitting there in our back pocket. We have become so accustomed to instant gratification that it has become a necessity (I know this all too well).

Bring on season 2!   (I’m waiting!)

 

Top 10 Shows I Watch Over and Over Again on Netflix

Top 10 Shows I Watch Over and Over Again on Netflix

There are dozens of shows to watch on Netflix. When it comes to series like Mad Men, Sons of Anarchy or Supernatural I generally watch an episode once and then move on to the next episode. These kinds of shows I hardly ever go back and watch episodes I’ve already seen because I like to move on with the story. Of course there are some memorable episodes that are exceptions (ex: S6E15 “The French Mistake” of Supernatural), but generally once I watch the series in its entirety I move onto the next show.

Then there are shows on Netflix that don’t need to be seen in order. These are the shows that I go back to watch over and over again. It’s Sunday night and I could watch anything yet I choose to go back and watch the same episode of Arrested Development again because Gob attempting to throw a letter into the ocean is still funny (even if it is the 9^th time I have seen that episode).

The list that follows are the shows that I habitually watch over and over again because let’s face it watching the Gang solve the gas crisis is ALWAYS hilarious.

1. Psych (2005-Present)

• Shawn Spencer is a fake psychic detective who, with his best friend Gus, attempts to solve cases for the Santa Barbara police department.

2. Arrested Development (2003-2005)

• The Bluths, a wealthy Newport Beach based family, find their company in trouble  due to shady business dealings. It’s now up to Michael Bluth to save his wacky family from self destruction.

3. It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005-Present)

• Five selfish, self destructive friends own a bar in Philadelphia. They come up with elaborate schemes and generally escalate situations much further than they ever need to go. Chaos generally ensues.

4. Spaced (1999-2001)

• “Friends” Tim and Daisy move into a flat where they befriend odd ball neighbors and even throw their own zany friends into the mix.

5. Hey Arnold (1996-2001)

• A football headed kid deals with growing up in his urban neighborhood in this animated children’s show.

6. Cheers (1982-992)

•  Ex baseball player Sam Malone owns a bar in Boston that attracts several quirky regulars.

7. Family Ties (1982-1988)

• A family of all seemingly different members unite  to overcome everyday challenges in the 80’s.

8. The Twilight Zone (1959-1963)

• Dark and mysterious things happen in a dimension beyond the door you can only unlock with the key of imagination

9. Saturday Night Live: The 1970s (1975-1979)

• Original cast members gather in a series of legendary sketches that helped to launch SNL

10. The IT Crowd (2006-2010)

• A tech challenged girl finds herself in charge of an IT department where she must cope with her two nerdy coworkers.

Friday Night Netflix Pick: Clue

Clue (1985)

Director: Jonathan Lynn
Cast: Eileen Brennan, Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren, Colleen Camp, Lee Ving, Bill Henderson
Screenplay: Jonathan Lynn, John Landis
Producer: Debra Hill

Yes, this is a film about a board game. Wait! Before you run screaming in terror from this page let me assure you, you won’t be bored while watching this film (pun intended, sorry).

Six strangers are brought together to attend a dinner party in an old mansion and as all dinner parties usually do this one quickly snowballs out of control. There’s murder, blackmail and mystery. All the things you could want in your typical board game film (don’t tell me you’ve never seen Trivial Pursuit: The Movie).

This film brilliantly incorporates all the elements of the board game. Secret passages and all! Every character is brilliantly extravagant and the cast fits together well. Each character has their own unique over the top personality that fits right in with the quick witted quips and retorts that the dinner guests throw back and forth at each other.

The highlight of this film for me truly is the dialogue. There are so many great one liners and the banter between characters is superb. It’s great comedy for the whole family.

Though this is a comedy it also really is an actual mystery. You WILL laugh but you will also get wrapped up in the mystery of deciding who among the group is the deceiving murdered.

You Will Like This Film If: Do you like silly? Then this is the film for you. If you appreciate a good laugh I can almost guarantee you will find something to enjoy about this film. It’s ridiculous, but in the best way possible.

You Will Not Like This Film If: If you don’t like silly campy films you may not be amused by this. It gets VERY silly. It’s not over the top campy, but it has a healthy dose of silly (I’m turning into a Monty Python sketch).