Something to tickle your fancy while we wait in agony for the new movie and season of Arrested Development.
Forever Young: White Power Bill
The Netflix Diaries: All-time faves
Ahhhh, Netflix instant. Many a nightcap and rainy day spent in front of the computer or Xbox watching Netflix.
One of the best parts of being an underemployed 20 something gal is delving into the arts. And yes, Netflix counts as delving into the arts. Call them films, if that makes you feel artier, or cinéma if you’re pretty annoying.
It can sometimes prove daunting and a huge waste of time to click your way through most of the crap that gets put on Netflix. So in order to indulge your lazy butt, I’ve compiled my favorite Netflix selections for your ease and enjoyment.
Favorite Movies
2 Days in Paris is one of my favorite movies. A lovebird vacation gone awry, but not in a lame, slapstick predictable way. Written, directed and starred in by the amazing Julie Delpy. Adam Goldberg plays her boyfriend, an American interior decorator dealing with meeting his foreign girlfriend’s parents. Goldberg’s character keeps learning new things about Delpy, especially her past sex life and her extreme closeness with her parents.
Breakfast at Tiffany’s is one of those classic movies that you always hear about but may have never seen. Watch it. It’s a great glimpse into not really wanting to work or have a real job, but in the 60s with great clothes, no cell phones and lots of cigarettes.
Louis C.K. Chewed Up is hilarious. Great stand up comedian who I have a crush on in a ginger, balding, 40something comedian sort of way.
Eagle vs. Shark is an awkward and weird love story from New Zealand. Think Napoleon Dynamite meets 20 something nerdy love.
Howl’s Moving Castle is an instant, instant favorite the second you watch it. It’s a Hayao Miyazaki anime film with a beautiful and creative storyline. Based on a Japanese fantasy novel, it includes witches, flying castles and a oddly sweet love story. A wondrous fairy-tale for everyone.
Favorite TV
Downton Abbey Duh! A PBS mini series chronicling the upperclass elite, yet oddly kindhearted Crawley family and their servants. Both upstairs and downstairs have an equal amount of drama that ranges from the Titanic’s sinking in 1912 through World War I up to 1920 when season two finishes. Season one is all that’s available on Netflix now, but you can still catch some season 2 episodes at PBS.com! Lucky you.
Arrested Development Oh God. So many memorable quotes and episodes from the Bluth family. Once in a while I’ll meet a person who hasn’t seenArrested Development yet. If that is you, you’re welcome and start watching NOW!
Parks and Recreation/30 Rock I decided to put these two shows together because they are THAT GOOD. Both SNL alums Amy Poehler and Tina Fey shine in their respective NBC shows. Poehler plays Leslie Knope, a parks and rec lady who loves her town and parks more than anything. And Tina Fey’s Liz Lemon is the weirdo single gal/guy living inside us all who hates working out and loves philly cheese steaks. Perfection in both shows with amazing casts and even more amazing writing.
Cheers It’s impossible for me to even think about Cheers without hearing the theme song. “Where everybody knows your na-a-ame (bum bum bum!)” Friends, love and life at the neighborhood bar. And a young Ted Danson. Need I say more?
Coupling The pilot episode is one of the best written pilots I’ve ever seen in my life. Think a raunchier Friends with way more sex, swearing and yes, coupling.
The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret This show is absolutely hilarious. Todd Margaret is a deprecated, sad, pathetic American man who moves to England to try and sell toxic energy drinks. Todd Margaret- you guessed it!- makes increasingly poor decisions. The title sets up the show perfectly. Sometimes I feel so bad for characters with bad luck that I can’t watch the shows. But when it’s laid out so wonderfully in the title, you can sit back with ease and watch the beautiful shit storm happen.
Also, check out Lost (best show ever!), Workaholics, Party Down, United States of Tara, America’s Funniest Home Videos, Anthony Bourdain No Reservations, Never Been Kissed, Shutter Island
Guilty Pleasures
Keeping Up With the Kardashians, Hoarders, Intervention, Gossip Girl, Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami, The City
Television: ENTIRE ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT CAST IS CONFIRMED!!
YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!! A resounding cheer of joy is heard around the world as we learn that the whole cast of Arrested Development is confirmed for the new season. That means Jason Bateman, Will Arnett, Jeffrey Tambor, David Cross, Michael Cera, Portia De Rossi, Tony Hale, Alia Shawkat and Jessica Walter.
Writer Dean Lorey tells us via his blog that the new season of AD will premiere sometime in 2013 with 10 episodes exclusively airing on Netflix.
“We’re really doing this thing. Mitch Hurwitz, Jim Vallely and I are off writing the new season of ARRESTED to premiere on Netflix in 2013. The original cast is back. There are offices and parking spaces. We’re shooting this year. I wish I could give more specifics but, for the moment, even the schedule is being kept under wraps. But it’s happening and it’s great to be back with my pals from the show. More later as it becomes okay to release further details…”
The new season of Arrested Development will act as a sort of gateway into the movie that will follow the end of the upcoming season. I can’t wait to see what the Bluths have been up to for the past 7-8 years, because I’m betting they’ve gotten into some pretty weird shit.
YESSSSS!!!!!!!!!!
Movies: happythankyou moreplease
Ah, the indie film on Netflix instant. It’s always a hit or miss. This one, “happythankyoumoreplease,” is definitely a miss. I mean, just look at that post-modern title. One word. No spaces. Over it!
The movie proved to be good background noise though. And Ted from How I Met Your Mother is in it, which is good to know he’s trying to branch out because I’ve never seen him in anything else.
Rough Synopsis
There’s a lost foster kid in the movie, who goes home with Josh Radnor’s character, who is a failed writer. (The failed writer bit is getting old in movies, don’t you think?) His friend with alopecia played by Malin Ackerman is hot but insecure, and her ex-boyfriend is a jerkwad. Other people have relationship dramz, the kid gets returned a la “Big Daddy” and the movie ends with Kate Mara badly lip-synching a bad song in a dark bar.
So?
The acting was totally fine. And the plot was ok too. But it didn’t really seem to pull at any heart strings or go much of anywhere besides the thought that sometimes life is a little hard.
Buster from Arrested Development is in it also, but sadly not playing Buster.
All in all, “happythankyoumoreplease” wasn’t the worst movie I’ve ever seen. Which is probably “Thankskilling.” Look it up.
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