What are we watching these days?

[LennG]

I don't know if I had mentioned this previously, but I have started to watch the latest Star Trek saga, Star Trek Discovery. I think it was on Prime or something else, up to season 3 I think, but they released Season 1 on CBS broadcast TV. I believe it is 16 episodes long and I just finished episode 11 and like it very much.

To be clear, I was never, and still am not. a trekkie. I enjoyed the original Star Trek with Bill Shatner and also enjoyed a lot of The Next Generation. After that, I never watched any of the series and there were quite a few. I belong to a sort of TV Geek thing from a library where we met every week to discuss assorted TV shows and urge others to watch some of them. (It started with GOT, proceeded onto TWD and now we discuss whatever). Since there is no in library thing, we do this on Zoom every week (if anyone would like to join, they are more than welcome). So we are into SciFi now with most watching being the Expanse and also Discovery. I sort of dropped out of the Expanse thing as I wanted to binge-watch but they are releasing the series one week at a time so I forget from week to week. I'll catch up after the season. But I am really into Discovery. Yes, it is another Star Trek thing but it seems to rise above many of the cliques and is very entertaining. If you're a Trekkie or just like good Sci-Fi, I would recommend it along with The Expanse.

[GordonGekko80]

I don't know if I had mentioned this previously, but I have started to watch the latest Star Trek saga, Star Trek Discovery. I think it was on Prime or something else, up to season 3 I think, but they released Season 1 on CBS broadcast TV. I believe it is 16 episodes long and I just finished episode 11 and like it very much.

To be clear, I was never, and still am not. a trekkie. I enjoyed the original Star Trek with Bill Shatner and also enjoyed a lot of The Next Generation. After that, I never watched any of the series and there were quite a few. I belong to a sort of TV Geek thing from a library where we met every week to discuss assorted TV shows and urge others to watch some of them. (It started with GOT, proceeded onto TWD and now we discuss whatever). Since there is no in library thing, we do this on Zoom every week (if anyone would like to join, they are more than welcome). So we are into SciFi now with most watching being the Expanse and also Discovery. I sort of dropped out of the Expanse thing as I wanted to binge-watch but they are releasing the series one week at a time so I forget from week to week. I'll catch up after the season. But I am really into Discovery. Yes, it is another Star Trek thing but it seems to rise above many of the cliques and is very entertaining. If you're a Trekkie or just like good Sci-Fi, I would recommend it along with The Expanse.

Hey Lenny

I think we touched on it and we discussed about watching Picard or not.

I liked Discovery - but won't give away anything until you're through with it. 

[LennG]

Hey Lenny

I think we touched on it and we discussed about watching Picard or not.

I liked Discovery - but won't give away anything until you're through with it. 

If we did, my bad.

I am only into season 1, episode 11, so I have a long way to go to get 'caught up'.

[Bob In PA]

I'm not going to read the whole thread to determine if this has ever been mentioned or not, but in any event.......

Regardless whether you know/like chess, if you subscribe to Netflix don't miss the mini-series "The Queen's Gambit."

It is outstanding, and the performances are great.  A Golden Globe favorite, too (not that such things ever mattered to me).

I happen to know a little bit about the "chess world" and the presentation is spot-on.  Acting, lighting, music, direction, set-design, cinematography....  the works.  All are top-notch stuff. 

It's about nine hours long including a feature-ette "the making of Queen's Gambit" which to my knowledge can only be accessed by first watching the whole show (it comes on automatically during/after the end credits).

Bob

PS. If anyone knows/finds a way to access the "making of" feature separately please let me know. That, in itself, is worth re-watching just for the background info (and you get to see what the star really looks like).

[LennG]

I'm not going to read the whole thread to determine if this has ever been mentioned or not, but in any event.......

Regardless whether you know/like chess, if you subscribe to Netflix don't miss the mini-series "The Queen's Gambit."

It is outstanding, and the performances are great.  A Golden Globe favorite, too (not that such things ever mattered to me).

I happen to know a little bit about the "chess world" and the presentation is spot-on.  Acting, lighting, music, direction, set-design, cinematography....  the works.  All are top-notch stuff. 

It's about nine hours long including a feature-ette "the making of Queen's Gambit" which to my knowledge can only be accessed by first watching the whole show (it comes on automatically during/after the end credits).

Bob

PS. If anyone knows/finds a way to access the "making of" feature separately please let me know. That, in itself, is worth re-watching just for the background info (and you get to see what the star really looks like).

Yes Bob, this has been discussed, specifically by myself, maybe 2 pages back.

I also offered a fantastic review of the show. Every part of it, from script, to acting, to even the cinemaphotography was absolutely great. A DEFINATE watch for everyone.

[GordonGekko80]

I've watched Tenet last weekend

Directed by Chris Nolan

Starred with John David Washington (Denzel's son) and Robert Pattinson

I have to admit, every time I watch a Chris Nolan movie I have to watch it at least twice to get a grip of it

Same happened with Interstellar and Inception previously.

Worth watching for sure, but don't even walk away to get a cup of tea or anything because otherwise you don't follow the movie anymore.

[LennG]

Not sure if this is the place to post these, but I watched a couple of decent movies over the weekend. Nothing new, maybe  several years old but both were very good.

#1 was 'Executioners Song' with a very young Tommie Lee Jones as Gary Gilmore.  It is a true story, of Gilmore, who murdered a couple of people and was sentenced to death but he wanted to die and the sort of media circus that ensured when others tried to get him a stay. I vaguely remembered some of the actual facts, but Jone's performance was over the top, with a young Rosanna Arquette and a great performance by Eli Wallach. It took some time to develop the entire story, but I enjoyed it thoroughly.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0083909/

#2 was a movie called 'Birth' with a very young Nicole Kidman and a pretty old Lauren Bacall among others.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0337876/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_4
My darling wife also watched this one and we both liked it. It is a sort of spooky drama of a lady whose husband dies. 10 years later she is about to remarry when a 10-year-old boy appears at her door saying he is her dead husband ---reincarnated. Of course, no one believes him but he continues to tells people facts that only her dead husband would know and soon has some convinced he could really be him. As I said, it is sort of spooky, although the premise could also have been done as a comedy. It did get a bit ridiculous towards the end (more unbelievable than ridiculous) but overall, if you enjoy movies like this, about reincarnation and the possibility of it, spooky or not, it was an enjoyable watch.

[Bob In PA]

My friend sent me two links related to "The Queen's Gambit."

If you're interested in movie-making and the show generally, here is a separate way to access the "making-of" featurette without having to watch the whole show first.    https://youtu.be/LzDhpEInMIg

And if you're more than a casual a chess player, here's a guy explaining the final (world championship) game of the show.  https://youtu.be/oIMaTKOZG-8   

It's brilliantly done.  I don't know who he is, inasmuch as I haven't been part of the "chess world" for a very long time. 

In any event, he talks and moves the pieces very quickly, but if you know chess, are interested, and focus, you can follow along and see "into" the minds of the type of person who plays world-class chess.

Bob

PS. The analogy between that guy and our own Coach Judge at the "whiteboard" is noteworthy!!!!!

[ozzie]

Funny you mentioned the movie "Birth" Lenn. I saw that on the guide and thought it might be interesting. I'll have to see if I can find it again and give it a look. Thanks for the review.

[ozzie]

I watched a movie this week called "Identity".
It's a film from 2003 that is a combination of mystery, crime drama & physcological thriller that is well acted with a good cast.
There is some blood, but it's not what I would call "gory" and keeps you guessing until the end.
If this sounds interesting to you I would highly recommend it.
Here is the trailer for it:
https://www.imdb.com/video/vi848363801?playlistId=tt0309698&ref_=tt_ov_vi

[LennG]

I watched a movie this week called "Identity".
It's a film from 2003 that is a combination of mystery, crime drama & physcological thriller that is well acted with a good cast.
There is some blood, but it's not what I would call "gory" and keeps you guessing until the end.
If this sounds interesting to you I would highly recommend it.
Here is the trailer for it:
https://www.imdb.com/video/vi848363801?playlistId=tt0309698&ref_=tt_ov_vi

Seen it, liked it. Thought John Cuzack's performance was a bit over the top, but he is usually always good.

[philo43]

Wife and I started to watch Shooter on Netflix, based on the movie, which is based on Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter.

Who couldn't like the movie - Kate Mara is in it 

Only have seen a few episodes - haven't decided yet.

[Sem]

I spent pretty much all day on Saturday feeling a bit crappy due to the effects of receiving the Covid vaccine the day before. Figured it would be a good excuse to find something on Netflix to occupy my time. I settled on a British crime/mystery series called Safe, just right since it was only one season of eight episodes. It starred Michael C. Hall (of Dexter fame), complete with an English accent. Pretty good story and acting, with lots of plot twists. Definitely held my attention and kept me guessing throughout. I watched seven episodes on Saturday and watched the final episode Sunday morning. I enjoyed the series and can recommend it if you happen to like that genre, (I do).

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7902072/

Next up on Netflix - The End of the F***ing World a British dark comedy/drama series.

[ozzie]

Sounds good, Sem. Thanks for the tip. I'll check it out.

[T200]

Just finished watching the two seasons of "You" on Netflix. It's a series very similar to "Dexter" in many ways. Some of it is predictable but entertaining.