So here we are! Another year almost in the books. And a year its been. In case you’re not aware, I started a segment in the past where I highlight certain TV series/movies/music I really enjoyed & want to spread the “love” if you will. I’m sure you’ve heard of/seen some of these, others maybe you haven’t. Either way, do yourself a favor and check them out! You won’t be disappointed.
Let’s get down to it! Here are my “Netflix & Chill” picks for December 2020..
Funny thing about this show is how I randomly stumbled up on it on Netflix. It looked interesting so I gave it a shot-and I’m really glad I did. Set in the Cold War era, The Queens’s Gambit stars Anya-Taylor Joy as Beth Harmon, a young chess prodigy who lives in an orphanage during her early years only to discover her love of the game of chess and drug dependency in the form of pills. You learn the two can become mutually exclusive. The story moves forward as Beth faces sexism and abuse in her life & in the sport while at the same time, rising in the ranks to become the best chess player in the world.
I can’t say one enough great things about this show. It had me crying in the end, something rare for me when it comes to shows. OK, maybe I’ve cried a few times over the years with certain shows yada yada but you can’t help but root for Beth the entire time because she’s gone through so much trauma! Great acting, great writing, great story! I wouldn’t be surprised at all if this gets major hype/nominations during the upcoming award season. And it recently became the most-watched limited series on Netflix.
If you’ve seen “The Haunting of Hill House” then you know you’re in for a ride. I was a late bloomer to that show and it seriously was one of the scariest shows I can remember watching. The horror imagery was something I don’t think I’ll ever forget. It just stuck with me.
So here we go for Round 2! “The Haunting of Bly Manor”. Totally different story. Totally different time period. Same spooky shit! Oh, and some of the actors from Hill House are back! Most notably Victoria Pedretti (Danielle) and Oliver Jackson-Cohen (Peter Quint). Tasking place in a quaint countryside somewhere in the UK, a young American au-pair arrives hired to take care of two young children who live in the manor. Unbeknownst to her (and maybe the children too) she quickly finds out theres more than meets the eye at Bly and everybody is in for a ride..
Personally, I really enjoyed “Haunting of Bly Manor”. In my opinion, if we’re comparing, its not as great as “Haunting of Hill House” was but it doesn’t matter. It’s a solid stand alone story that is part gothic-horror/part love story. And it deserves a viewing. Just to be sure to watch it with the lights on..
First off, I’ll say this, anything with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Grant I’m down for! This is a who done it type psychological-thriller mini-series that left me intrigued. The series stars Grace Fraser, (Kidman) a successful therapist, and her husband, Jonathan (Grant) and their young son who attends an elite private school in New York City. Things start to unravel for Grace and her family: a violent death, a missing spouse and a chair of terrible revelations.
One thing I will say is I never got bored watching this throughout. It leaves you guessing as to who’s responsible for the death, err murder. Theres a lot going on here but I’ve always liked TV that makes you think and question the world I’ve been thrown into. I think you’ll do the same here when you dive in.
Who doesn’t love vampires lurking on innocents in an inner city? Oh, and Method Man is in this too? Damn, sign me up! “Vampires” is a horror/comedy directed by Oz Rodriguez and follows a group of teenagers who are forced to protect themselves in the Bronx when a horde of vampires invade. It makes great for a great setup and I really loved this movie. Big shout-outs to the kids here-especially Jaden Michael, Coco Jones and Gerard W. Jones III. You’ll find yourself laughing and jumping out of your seat at the same time.
“Happiest Season” is a romantic comedy (rom/com) that I never thought I’d enjoy…until I watched it. Never judge a book (movie) by its cover, right? Set partially in Pittsburgh (shout out to the 412! Pens & Steelers baby!) HS stars Kristen Stewart (Abby) as a gay woman who is in a relationship only to be told by her partner that she’d like her to come to her parent’s house for the holidays (five days to be exact). The catch is she told her parents Kristen is her roommate. Not her girlfriend..and thats the premise of the film.
Throughout the film, I was a bit sad for Abby and her girlfriend Haper having to portray this lie to her family seemingly only for their satisfaction. But as these things usually go, better things await for the couple. And I found myself better off for watching this film. Its got a strong message at its core-acceptance. And we all need a bit of this now more than ever, nowadays, don’t we?