Category: Daily Recommendation

Six Feet Under

Posted on by Mikey

TV show or Movie: TV show

Where to watch: Netflix

Premise: A chronicle of the lives of a dysfunctional family who run an independent funeral home in Los Angeles.

Cast: Peter Krause, Michael C. Hall, Frances Conroy, Lauren Ambrose, Freddy Rodriguez, Mathew St. Patrick, Jeremy Sisto, Rachel Griffiths, James Cromwell, Justina Machado.

What it reminds me of: Rescue Me, Not Dead Yet, Parenthood.

Why I like it: I like any show that stars a dead character. Also, a show that has that character act as the other sub conscious of the cast members. That isn’t a spoiler alert, as it is the opening scene of the show.

The cast is so good, first of all. The formula of the show is great: Each episode focuses on the funeral of someone random, while character development furthers for the main cast.

The finale of this show is my favorite finale to any show ever. And it went on to inspire some other favorite finales.

Trailer:

Cunk on Earth

Posted on by Mikey

TV show or Movie: TV show

Where to watch: Netflix

Premise: From virtually nothing to virtual reality, Cunk comically tells the story of our greatest inventions such as the wheel, the Mona Lisa, and nuclear power. Along the way, she asks experts hard-hitting questions about humanity’s progress, as well as standing near impressive old ruins or inside museums.

Cast: Diane MorgN

What it reminds me of: Extras, Life’s Too Short, The Office

Why I like it:

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The Fall of the House of Usher

Posted on by Mikey

TV show or Movie: Miniseries

Where to watch: Netflix

Premise: To secure their fortune (and future) two ruthless siblings build a family dynasty that begins to crumble when their heirs mysteriously die, one by one.

Cast: Carla Gugino, Bruce Greenwood, Mary McDonnell, Carly Lumbly, Henry Thomas, Samantha Sloyan, T’Nia Miller, Raul Kohli, Kate Siegel, Sauriya Sapkota, Mark Hamill, Matt Biedel, Kyleigh Curran, Katie Parker, Michael Trucco, Willa Fitzgerald, Xavh Gilford.

What it reminds me of: The Midnight Club, Midnight Mass, The Haunting of Bly Manor, The Haunting of Hill House.

Why I like it: Poetic, of course. Super dark. Good jump scares. It is hard to turn it off, you just ant to binge it.

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Tucker & Dale vs. Evil

Posted on by Mikey

TV show or Movie: Movie

Where to watch: Hulu, Peacock, Netflix, Prime

Premise: Affable hillbillies Tucker and Dale are on vacation at their dilapidated mountain cabin when they are mistaken for murderers by a group of preppy college students.

Cast: Tyler Labine, Alan Tudyk, Katrina Bowden, Jesse Moss, Chelan Simmons

What it reminds me of: Cabin in the Woods, The Blackening

Why I like it: The movie had a limited release in the United States after it premiered at Sundance.

Trailer:

The Upside

Posted on by Mikey

TV show or Movie: Movie

Where to watch: Hulu (Free), NBC News, Freeform, Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV.

Premise: A comedic look at the relationship between a wealthy man with quadriplegia and an unemployed man with a criminal record who’s hired to help him. Director

Cast: Brian Cranston, Kevin Hart, Nicole Kidman.

What it reminds me of: Me Before You, Gigi and Nate. The Intouchables is the name of the French film that this was remade from. It is also based on a true story.

Why I like it: I like movies based off of true story. I also love dramedy movies. Besides horror. dramedy is a my favorite genre. This movie is split dramedy. It is super funny, super heartfelt. The character development is really strong in this movie. It has a great eding.

Trailer:

Twisted Metal

Posted on by Mikey

TV show or Movie: TV show

Where to watch: Peacock

Premise: Twisted Metal is an American post-apocalyptic action-comedy television series developed by Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick and Michael Jonathan Smith. Based on the vehicular combat video game franchise of the same name published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. In a post-apocalyptic wasteland, John Doe, a talkative milkman with amnesia, is given a mission to traverse the desolate world to deliver a cryptic package. He faces a life-altering opportunity but must confront ruthless marauders in deadly and destructive vehicles to secure a chance at a better future.

Cast: Anthony Mackie, Stephanie Beatriz, Joe Seanoa, Will Arnett, and Thomas Haden Church.

What it reminds me of: The Domestics, The Last of Us, and The Last Man on Earth.

Why I like it: 

Trailer:

Stand by Me

Posted on by Mikey

TV show or Movie: Movie

Where to watch: Amazon, iTunes, Apple TV, Vudu, YouTube, Google Play Movies

Premise: After learning that a stranger has been accidentally killed near their rural homes, four Oregon boys decide to go see the body. On the way, Gordie Lachance (Wil Wheaton), Vern Tessio (Jerry O’Connell), Chris Chambers (River Phoenix) and Teddy Duchamp (Corey Feldman) encounter a mean junk man and a marsh full of leeches, as they also learn more about one another and their very different home lives. Just a lark at first, the boys’ adventure evolves into a defining event in their lives.

Cast: River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton, Jerry O’Connell, Corey Feldman, Kiefer Sutherland, Richard Dreyfuss, John Cusack

What it reminds me of: Stranger Things, Super 8; both of these have been compared to Stand By Me. Mostly, due to the adventure, as well as the ensemble of young actors.

Why I like it: 

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Jury Duty

Posted on by Mikey

TV show or Movie: TV show

Where to watch: Freevee, Amazon Prime Video

Premise: The series chronicles the inner workings of a jury trial in the US through the eyes of juror Ronald Gladden, a solar contractor from San Diego, who is unaware that his jury duty summons was not official, and that everyone in the courtroom aside from him is an actor. Everything that happens, inside and outside the courtroom, is planned.

Cast: James Marsden, Ronald Gladden, Alan Barinholtz, Kirk Fox, Susan Berg, David Brown, Ross Kimball, Pramode Kumar, Mekki Leeper, Edy Modica, Brandon Loeser, Ishmel Sahid, Ron Song, Maria Russell, Trisha LaFache, Rashida “Sheedz” Olayiwola.

What it reminds me of: Punk’d, Jackass, The Prank Panel, The Truman Show.

Why I like it: James Marsden. Kirk Fox. Ike Barinholtz’s dad. This show’s premise is so wild. There is no way it should have worked. I don’t know how they pulled it off, but they sure did. This show is so laugh-out-loud funny. The acting is crazy good, across the whole cast. I don’t know why it took so long to make a show like this. James Marsden plays a fictionalized version of himself. In each episode, he becomes more and more of a selfish, over-confident actor. Which seems to be the exact opposite of who he is in real life.

Since following this show, I have followed the cast on social media and read interviews with some of them, including Ronald Gladden. One thing that stuck out to me is that James Marsden kept in close contact with Ronald after the show ended and helped him readjust to real life.

I still don’t know how nobody recognized Kirk Fox. The San Diego native is known for shows such as Parks & Rec, Community, and FXX’s Reservation Dogs. Check these shows out along with his hilarious and deadpan stand-up comedy.

Trailer:

The Leftovers

Posted on by Mikey

TV show or Movie: TV show

Where to watch: Max

Premise: In a global cataclysm, “The Sudden Departure,” 140 million people disappeared without a trace. Three years later, residents of Mapleton, N.Y., try to maintain equilibrium when the notion of “normal” no longer applies. Intense grief has divided families and turned faith to cynicism, paranoia and madness, leading some of the traumatized to join the Guilty Remnant, a cultlike group. Kevin Garvey, a beleaguered police chief, must keep peace between townspeople and the cult, a task made tougher with concern about his kids. His daughter alternates between apathy and rebellion, and his wayward son befriends a charismatic prophet. “The Leftovers” is based on the best-seller by Tom Perrotta, who is one of the series’ executive producers.

Cast: Justin Theroux, Amy Brenneman, Christopher Eccleston, Liv Tyler, Chris Zylka, Margaret Qualley, Carrie Coon, Emily Meade, Amanda Warren, Ann Dowd.

What it reminds me of: You know how every few years a television network releases a new show about a plane/group of people dissapearing? It’s like those shows, but much better. Really, this show is very original and just so interesting.

Why I like it: Damon Lindelof. I know, a lot of times on this website I just say a name and say, “That should tell you enough.” He is behind shows like Lost and The Watchmen. Justin Theroux is so damn good in this show. Ann Dowd is absolutely crazy, as always. The third and final season is so good. There is something in the finale that is one of the emotional things that I have ever seen on a television show.

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The Brady Bunch Movie

Posted on by Mikey

TV show or Movie: Movie

Where to watch: Everywhere! It’s worth the rental money

Premise: The Bradys of the popular ’70s sitcom get thrust into the ’90s, with a whole new set of problems. The family’s house is in danger of being taken away by developer Larry Dittmeyer (Michael McKean) if the ever-positive brood can’t come up with $20,000. Parents Mike (Gary Cole) and Carol (Shelley Long) initially don’t fret, until Mike has difficulty getting any of his architectural designs sold. Fearing the worst, the six Brady kids decide to enter a talent contest and raise the money themselves.

Cast: Shelley Long, Gary Cole, Christine Taylor, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Jennifer Elise Cox, Paul Sutera, Olivia Hack, Jesse Lee Soffer, Henriette Mantel

What it reminds me of: There was a television show from the 70s that it reminds me of, but I can’t put my finger on it.

Why I like it: A lot of people don’t understand that this movie is a parody. It pokes fun at the corniness of the family that so many people grew up with. It parodies how straight edge the family members are, how naive they are to any actual inconvenience or bad thing that could occur, and how the family can break out in synchronized song and dance at any given time. One of my favorite scenes is when Greg and Marcia are held up in a carjacking, but they accidentally get away by telling the criminal that it is a car, but their name is definitely not Jack.

The movie is chock-full of stars, some with some great cameos. Michael McKean and Jean Smart play the neighbors, with McKean being one of the main antagonists. The original Alice and Bobby pop up in the movie playing small, but great parts. Ru Paul plays Jan’s guidance counselor and helps her reinvent herself after she is driven mad from jealousy for Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.

It has been too long since I have seen this movie last year, but I will tell you I still know the songs by heart. I still occasionally break out singing when I am in a Macy’s or another department store.

If you are a fan of the original show, the Monkees, satire, this movie is for you.

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