For What It's Worth


Friday, September 28, 2018

The Friday 5 - Netflix picks



What I’ve been watching on Netflix!

1.

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I was really looking forward to this one. The unpopular, nerdy, average looking girl gets the jock. Yes please!

Unfortunately, Sierra Burgess is a loser. But it’s not because of her looks, or her nerdiness, or awkwardness around guys. It’s because she’s ugly on the inside. She’s a bad friend and a liar.

She, accidentally, gets herself in a catfishing situation and relies on hot cheerleader, Veronica, to do the talking for her in person after she misleads cute jock, Jamey, while texting.

The problem is – that she goes far beyond duping Jamey and takes away his consent and choices. It’s gross.

Veronica, who is supposed to be the stuck up, shallow cheerleader is a wonderful person with a lot of problems at home. She’s a good friend to Sierra. She has a MUCH better character arc that Sierra does.

Sierra may feel awkward and ugly but there is nothing in this movie to indicate that is true. She has great friends, Jamey actually does show interest in the *real* her when he meets her, her family is wonderful…

I’m fine with flawed characters and their journey to redemption but that story was Veronica’s – Sierra was just a horrible person who didn’t deserve to get the guy and win her friend back in the end.

Take a hard pass on this one!

2.

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Ghoul – subtitled

Ghoul is an Indian horror mini series ( 3 episodes) – set in a dystopian future India is based on the Arab folklore monster ghoul.

Nida, played by the wonderful Radhika Apte, is a new military officer serving under an authoritarian government.  In order to prove her loyalty to the regime she turns in her own father for sedition and is recruited by a covert military installation to interrogate the high profile resistance fighter, Ali Saeed.

She starts to realize there’s more going on as the ghoul gets into the interrogators heads (& flesh!) as all hell breaks lose at the detention center.

3 episodes of psychological torture and gore are the perfect length to tell this story. The first episode is a tad slow with all the setup required before it kicks into gear but well worth your time if you love horror and want something a touch different.

3.

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The Wailing – subtitled

This is a South Korean horror film about a police officer who investigates a series of murders and zombie like illnesses in small villages.

Ghosts, shamans, and plenty of gore with a very cool ending mixed with some lighter slapstick moments make for an odd combo that doesn't always work but I really enjoyed this one.

4.

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This had a lot of mixed reviews so I almost didn’t watch it. But I did and I loved it!

I’m curious why some people didn’t like it. Was it because they were expecting Lucy Lu and Taye Diggs to have bigger roles? If so, I get that. That’s what I thought it was about too.

However, Set It Up is more about their beleaguered assistants. It follows all the romcom rules starting with the meet cute but had a fresh, modern spin on it, IMO.

I loved how Harper found her backbone without compromising her ethics.


Charlie does cross those lines in his quest for a promotion but he gets his shit together and I enjoyed his redemption/grovel arc.

5.

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Crazy Rich Asians

This isn’t on Netflix but worth going to see in theaters.

I was avoiding it because I’m not a big fan of the lifestyles of the rich and famous, shopping, glamorous parties…etc and the previews make it seem like this is the focus – but this was an incredibly sweet film about families, generational and class differences.

The romance was probably the least interesting thing to me, even though Rachel and Nick are cute enough.

Rachel, played by Constance Wu, is the breakout star and Michelle Yeoh managed to give a pretty cruel mother a lot of nuance. And I thought I was going to hate Awkwafina’s over-the-top performance based on the previews and yes, she gets most of the one liners and laughs but she’s an amazing friend and added more to the roll than funny bff sidekick.

Do you have any Netflix rec's for me?

I've had Netflix for a long time but have used it more int he last month than I have in the last decade! lol Personally, I love the original programming = especially the foreign offerings. I get really bored with how predictable US entertainment can be.

34 comments:

  1. I plan to watch The Kissing Both with Carole. I watched like 5 min of the Good cop and gave up so nothing from me

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    1. I didn't like The Kissing Booth but look forward to what you think about it!

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  2. Sorry to hear that Sierra B. didn't work out. I didn't get good vibes from the trailer on Netflix and after reading your review, I think I will pass.

    The Mister has been watching Maniac on Netflix. It's an interesting show.

    I watched the Kissing Booth... didn't like it. At. All.

    Loved To All the Boys I've Loved Before (although I'm pretty sure I watched it because you talked about it)

    Not sure if you are a fan of Bleach (the anime/manga), but the Netflix live action movie was pretty good.

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    1. Sierra is worse than The Kissing Booth - which I didn't like either.

      I'm waffling on Maniac - I need to look into that one a bit more but I think I'll try Bleach. Thanks! And do you know anything about American Vandal? That's another one I was looking into.

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  3. I don't mind watch subtitled movies. I've seen a few of them.

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    1. For years I couldn't' handle it but then I watched a French subtitled series and it doesn't bother me at all!

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  4. I've heard so many bad things about Sierra Burgess :-/ I'm not a horror person, but Ghoul sounds interesting for anyone who is! I also thought Set It Up was cute. I was about to say, I didn't think Crazy Rich Asians was on Netflix lol. I'll have to watch it if it ever does though!

    I have been in such a Netflix funk ever since watching Eastsiders. Major Netflix hangover. It has ruined me, and I can't seem to enjoy anything else! But I'm currently Sadie's Last Days on Earth.

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    1. Yeah, Sierra B is just soooooo bad - on so many levels. I can't believe it even made it through.

      Yes, You'll have to wait a bit for Crazy Rich Asians but it was fun!

      I'll have to look those two up. I think I've heard of Eastenders but not the other one.

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  5. I think that first one would piss me off...

    I've heard other people say Crazy Rich Asians is good! We usually wait until we can rent them anyways. Kids and theaters don't mix. We've never even tried, haha.

    Lindsi @ Do You Dog-ear?

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    1. It was bad Lindsi. very bad.

      It's great that there are so many ways to watch things at home now!

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  6. Oh, another blogger friend introduced me to The Wailing for her zombie fest event. It was alright but did push me horror wuss self to the limit. :)

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    1. It was really gory lol I don't mind that though. It takes a lot to scare me

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  7. I haven't seen anyone like Sierra Burgess yet- wow. They really dropped the ball on that one, sounds like. And Ghoul popped up for me as a recommendation the other day and I was like huh? Ghoul? lol but hey it sounds good, so maybe...

    Crazy Rich Asians- same here, I wasn't really thinking it would be my thing, but so many people are raving about it!

    Have you seen The Returned (French version)? Very eerie!

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    1. It's baaaaad. Not acting wise but Sierra...yikes.

      Ghoul is weird but very cool once it kicks in.

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    2. And yes! I did watch The Returned and that's the show that got me over subtitles and why I watch so much foreign entertainment now.

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  8. I agree with you 100% on Sierra Burgess is a Loser. I couldn't believe what I was seeing with that one! The others I haven't seen but I really want to watch Crazy Rich Asians. :)

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    1. I know! She's just an awful person. And I don't think writing a song at the end even begins to make up for it.

      Crazy Rich Asians was so much better than I was expecting.

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  9. I've gone back and forth on Crazy Rich Asians. I haven't read the book, and I don't go see any movies (at all), but I've heard so many good things about this one. And it might be a nice escape ftom all the unpacking! LOL

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    1. I didn't read the books either and I'm so not into over-the-top characters and flashy clothes/money but Constance Woo was so amazing and the family aspect was wonderful.

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  10. I loved Set It Up!!! I thought it was adorable.

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    1. I did too! i don't know why so many people didn't love it.

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  11. Ghoul looked SO different when I stumbled upon it! I don't think I have seen anything quite like it, I am definitely going to need to watch that. I also am probably going to have to check out The Wailing! Sadly, I have heard similar stuff about Sierra Burgess. Shame, that. Glad that most of these worked for you though! And thanks for recommending stuff!

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    1. The first episode its pretty slow and it's mostly just generic gore but I love the ending.

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  12. I wish I had the internet to watch Netflix lol. My sister is always going on and on about Daredevil and I recently heard that Josh Groban has a show on there that is supposed to be funny so I'm wondering about that.

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    1. That is a bummer. Can you borrow shows from the library? Ours has a pretty good selection.

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  13. I want to watch Set It Up, and I've heard the same things about Sierra Burgess is a Loser so definitely not watching that. I really liked Crazy Rich Asians too, and I thought Awkwafina did a great job in her role. I need to watch Netflix more!

    -lauren
    www.shootingstarsmag.net

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    1. I've had Netflix for YEARS and barely watched it. I gave myself an ultimatum - use it or lose it lol And apparently I decided to use it!

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  14. I kept seeing ads for Sierra Burgess is a Loser, glad you said this or I would have tried and gotten mad at the catfishing :/ haha

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    1. It's awful! Skip it. It's not even just the catfishing - she's just a horrible person.

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  15. I haven't heard anything positive about Sierra.

    You like slasher/horror right? Check out season one of SLASHER. I really liked it.

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    1. Kevin is the horror guy - I just come along for the ride lol But I do like some of it so I'll check that out.

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  16. Sierra sounds great, I didn't even hear of Ghoul, but your description has me interested. Everyone I know has loved Crazy Rich Asians too. There's so much I'm in the middle of on Netflix

    Tori @ In Tori Lex

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  17. I've not done any of those :/ Right now I'm binge watching Supernatural. I'm not totally won over and gaga over it like most but it's good background noise :)

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