I’ve been a Netflix subscriber on and off for quite a while now, mostly as a supplement to our satellite TV service. However, earlier this year I realized that we were paying quite a bit for our satellite TV service, even on one of the lower packages and we rarely spent enough time watching the thing to justify that cost. So, the decision was to drop satellite TV, continue with Netflix and the Amazon Prime membership and possibly Hulu as well, if there was enough interest.
For now, Netflix is my main go-to. Naturally, Netflix has its ups and downs. There are some real gems available to stream but also some real duds. The main thing is that there’s a lot of stuff I have never seen before, good or bad, which means it gives me a lot of opportunity to broaden my horizons.
Since that disconnect day a few months back, I have had the opportunity to watch some good movies and shows, some bad. As I dive deeper into this exploration in the next few months, I figured I’d share my thoughts on what I’m watching. These will be posted as mini-reviews of sorts.
For this first post, I’d like to summarize what I’ve seen so far and what my thoughts are about these shows and movies.
The Following
For those looking for a bit of suspense, here’s one to take a look at. With Kevin Bacon starring as a washed out FBI agent with a drinking problem, suddenly he faces the same foe he thought he put away…operating from within jail cell from where he’s created a cult following out to get Kevin’s character. Well worth watching the first two seasons at the very least.
Helix
Helix is set in the arctic in a research facility. A super-bug gets out of its cage in a manner of speaking which requires a visit from a team of CDC scientists. They soon get pulled into the intrigue of dark forces working behind the scenes. From a sci-fi perspective, it’s not all that bad, although the second season that I saw parts of on SyFy didn’t seem as good (probably why it was cancelled)
Sherlock
Looking for mind benders or just drawn to the name? Either way, Sherlock is a great show following a modern day Sherlock Holmes through a variety of adventures. With episodes that range in the 1.5hr range, each episode is like a movie in itself. The companion Android game is interesting too.
The 100
The 100 is a fresh look at the future, where an uninhabitable Earth has forced survivors into space, split between numerous space stations. Down to just one, they have to find out whether Earth is once again a place where humanity can live. The first season follows the drama that plays out between factions that think it is too dangerous and those that feel it has to happen. In the end, 100 criminals are sent down to explore. A great first season, I’m hoping the second one will show up on Netflix as well.
Robocop
Just had to watch this since I saw the originals. Not bad.
Parallels
A story about parallel universes that starts going somewhere and then ends without a satisfactory conclusion. Could have been good.
Ragnarok
A Scandinavian movie set around the research of old Viking archaeology that takes some unexpected turns. Actually better than I thought it was going to be.
Hansel & Gretel
Worth skipping. The classic children’s story has turned into a scary, all-out war on witches. Ok, so that sounds like a good story but I’m just not sure this is the continuation of Hansel and Gretel I wanted to see.
Beyond
Aliens, relationships, chaos. Ingredients for an apocalyptic type of movie. You follow a couple, get to know them, how they met and so on and how they handle the alien invasion. The first part of the movie could easily stand on its own but the last part of it really makes it good, in my opinion. Perhaps a bit predicable after a certain point but entertaining.
Daredevil
It’s always interesting to see reboots of movies or series. Daredevil is an interesting take on Daredevil and one that I in particular like.
Atari: Game Over
Ok, so all computer geeks need to watch this. It’s the story of the hunt for the lost E.T. Atari games and includes tons of historical info on Atari and how E.T. as a game came to be…and is it really as bad as everyone says?
Noah
Much hyped and with much controversy, I figured I’d watch it at least. Knowing the story the movie is based on, it’s hard to step away from how different the movie is. It’s too bad, if they had stuck to the original story, it could have been a truly great movie.
Inspector Gadget
A reboot of the classic cartoon with a more modern look. I used to love this show as a kid so i had to at least check it out. For some reason, it just didn’t feel the same. I guess that could be that I’m not a kid anymore…
Left Behind
Ok, so Nicholas Cage in a Christian movie? At the very least, I think it’s a better movie from a production standpoint that the original ones, partially helped by a more experienced cast I think. If you’ve seen the original movies, it’s worth watching, I think.
I, Frankenstein
Frankenstein lives! Not a bad movie if you like a bit of fantasy.
Europa Report
One of my favorite movies I’ve watched randomly on Netflix. It follows the crew of a space ship heading to Mars. A number of unexpected things happen, as you may expect. If you like space movies and sci-fi, well worth the time.
Icetastrophe
Avoid. The idea is interesting but the acting is terrible, the dialogue is terrible, the sets are terrible. I still can’t believe I watched the whole thing.
The Walking Deceased
Ok, so an obvious parody of the Walking Dead. Didn’t finish it.
The Transporter (Series)
An expansion of the Transporter movies, less Jason Statham. I guess it’s not a bad idea in itself but honestly, it seems like every episode is just more of the same: heavy Audi product placement, lots of martial arts type of fighting (all the time), rules that can’t be broken but always are by someone. The part that I think bugs me the most is the sound of the car. The accelerating, the revving and all that, it’s so hard to imagine that fit well with an Audi and with how the car is driven on screen. I watched the first season, I’ll skip the second one.
The Office
I’ve been watching this with my wife for a while now. I expect we’ll get to the end of this one before the end of the year. If you haven’t seen it, it’s a must!
X-Files
I never was really able to watch the X-Files and I always felt strange about jumping in mid-series. So, I’ve decided to watch the show from the beginning. I’m just starting season two.
Anyway, that’s a summary…there are others as well, naturally, but those are the ones I can think of at the moment. The mini-reviews I’ll post going forward will be a little longer!
What are your favorite Netflix shows?
