I’ve never been a huge one for watching TV box sets or going through movie after movie. Mainly because I’m pretty hard to please – either the acting hasn’t convinced me, the storyline isn’t gripping enough, or the script doesn’t excite me. I don’t know anyone who wasn’t hooked on Game of Thrones. I don’t know anyone who dislikes Scrubs. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t seen all the Harry Potter films. I mean, obviously I didn’t watch Game of Thrones, I hate Scrubs, and I was forced to watch one of the Harry Potter films but I fell asleep and have no idea which one it was. Don’t even get me started on Breaking Bad. You can do away with the ‘Breaking’ part – it’s just bad.
I’M NOT JUST BORING
‘But Claire, maybe that just means you’re hard to please, with no interests or personality’, I hear you say. Harsh, but a fair assumption. Although I assure you, I do like some things.
Charlie Brooker’s Black Mirror, for example, is small-screen magic. Okay, I’m a gadget geek with a love for technology, so I’m always going to like stuff like that. But it really got me, and each episode is cinematic genius.
JJ Abram’s Cloverfield franchise is clever, intriguing and thought-provoking.
So I do like some stuff. But most of the time I find that the stuff I like isn’t mainstream. I look for the little indie releases that don’t get the front page on Netflix. You know the ones – if they were people they’d own a record player and frequent independent coffee shops. I search by category and sometimes skip straight to page 14 so that I get the more unseen stuff. And you know what? Most of it’s crap.
But then you find a diamond in the rough – and it takes a proverbial piddle all over your Game of Thrones and Stranger Things. I tell you what, I’ll do you a favour and share some of my findings with you. Save you sifting through the rubbish. Thank me later.
TAKE MY ADVICE
If you want a movie full of the most unpredictable twists and turns, with totally unique cinematography, then let me introduce you to Searching. The entire movie is viewed through computer screens – whether it be video calls, CCTV footage, or YouTube clips. What starts life as a simple missing person thriller quickly takes you on the most realistic and chilling journey – purely because it’s executed through mediums that we engage in daily: social media.
If you’re searching for a new Netflix box set then don’t follow the crowd – click on The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. No, not the kids’ series about the teenage witch – the adult series about the teenage witch. That’s right, it really is THAT Sabrina, but with a dark and gruesome twist. Not one for the faint hearted or the underage – but my God it’s gripping. And there are 20 episodes on Netflix right now, so you know what to do.
Fancy watching a terrifying Stephen King? Obviously you’re thinking of The Shining or Carrie. But no. I’m just gonna leave 1408 here. You’ve probably never heard of it – but it’s a little hidden treasure. What existed previously as one of Stephen King’s short stories became a feature film starring John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson. It’s a haunted hotel movie with absolutely no clichés. If you like thrillers and you’re over 18, then grab a cushion to hide behind and get it watched.
For my last trick, I’m going to suggest another series that you need to watch – but you may struggle to as it’s hard to find. Worth the search, though. It’s called FlashForward. All I’m going to say about it is: pretty much everyone in the entire world blacks out at exactly the same time for two minutes and 17 seconds. Tell me that’s not gripping stuff right there.
EACH TO THEIR OWN
Now I can’t take away from the fact that Peaky Blinders, The Walking Dead, and the Marvel movies are all very good. But are they better than some of the lesser-known stuff out there? Was Avengers: Endgame better than Searching? Is the new series of The Walking Dead going to be better than the new series of Sabrina? I’ll leave that up to you.
Add a comment