Monday 15 July 2013

New to Netflix UK - 15/07/13

Where the hell did all these TV shows come from? It will take a good month just to get through them...
On the plus side, a lot of obscure material from broadcast history is creeping into the catalogue so get ready for some nostalgic fun.


Orange is the New Black (TV) - A woman finds herself in prison to make up for her brief life of crime and has to survive the harsh environment and oddball inmates. It manages to exceed expectations, even when they were already set very high and the series is another successful hit for Netflix Originals, even if the sexual content may put a few viewers off.

Rome (TV) - Both series of the highly acclaimed series (and yes, it is the one with the violence/nudity) have been made available. The second series suffers from pacing problems but that was due to high production costs resulting in the series' cancellation and the writers wanted to tie up the story as best they could.

Dead Like Me (TV) - All episodes of this short lived fan-favourite show are available, which follows a group of grim reapers as they go about their daily business. It's from the same creator as Pushing Daisies so you can expect the same offbeat humour but well-fleshed (pun?) characters.

Whitechapel (TV) - The series follows a group of modern-day detectives trying to twart a Jack the Ripper copycat. It plays a little too much like Sherlock and the episodes vary in strength but you could do a lot worse in terms of criminal thrills.

Stargate: Atlantis (TV) - The complete series has been added of this spin-off of the original which sees the Stargate scientists stranded in a foreign system fighting an old and powerful enemy. SG-1 was solid sci-fi and while Atlantis doesn't live up to expectations, it is still mostly good fun (and way better than Universe).

Primeval (TV) - The first three seasons are up in this British show where a group of scientists tackle strange anomalies that are sending creatures from past and future into the present. I personally disliked this series a lot and never understood the love for it but the series has a lot of devoted fans who will defend it until their dying breath.

Sharpe (TV) - The two latest adventures of the popular character (Challenge and Peril) are up, which sees the soldier transitioned over to India. They aren't quite as good as the original 90's episodes but there's no denying Sharpe is still one of the greatest fictional characters in popular culture and the new episodes don't fail on ensuring that status.

The L Word (TV) - Cutting edge series that follows of a group of lesbians living in LA as they deal with day-to-day problems in their public and private lives. It's one of the few L/G/B shows out there, and there are a few stereotypes that people had issues with, but for the most part it is a really well made drama series.

My Hero (TV) - The complete series is available which follows the antics of an alien struggling with the basic concepts of life on earth. For the most part it is a decent sitcom, though episode quality does vary especially towards the later seasons.

Kröd Mändoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire (TV) - A spoof of the TV fantasy genre with a reluctant freedom-fighter trying to overthrow the rule of an oppressive warlord. It's...odd...very odd...and probably not everyone's cup of tea...but I thought it was pretty hilarious at times.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time - A young prince must clear his name of his father's murder and prevent the 'Dagger of Time' from falling into the wrong hands. From the description alone, this is a very very silly film (and lets forget it was ever related to the awesome game), however there is a 50/50 chance that the film will surprise you and completely charm your socks off...otherwise it will probably just annoy you.

The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) - A playboy millionaire who indulges in high-profile thefts for fun and the investigator out to get him find themselves the object of each others' affection. It has a lot more style than the remake, and McQueen is the true Mr Crown, but the movie doesn't feel to aged as well as it should have.

People Like Us - A revelation at his fathers funeral causes a man to rethink his own life choices as he embarks on a journey to reunite with an estranged sibling. It's a very simple drama trying too hard to be a complex emotional experience but the performances are good (if somewhat two-dimensional) and the film is still heart-warming in its own way.


There's also two fan-boy documentaries available: The Achievers, which looks at the Big Lebowski community, and Done the Impossible, which tracks the Firefly "Browncoats" community and their efforts to bring Serenity to fruition. Worth watching if you're devoted to either films.



No comments:

Post a Comment