Black Mirror Episode 2: "15 Million Merits"

Name: Black Mirror 1.2: “15 Million Merits”

Service: Netflix ($8.99/month)

Type: TV Show

Genre: Mystery/drama

This episode of Black Mirror takes place in a future-world. I did not understand completely what was happening right away, but after a few minutes it started to become clear. Each individual in this world works-out in a gym-like setting in order to obtain personal ‘points’ that they can use to purchase virtual items to put on his/her avatar. One person opts to give a fellow female companion his points so she can go on a game show. She does, and what ends up happening is not what I expected.

Should I watch? Maybe. Remember, all episodes of this show are individual stories so you won’t be confused if you skip one or two. This episode had my interest but it was nowhere near as good as the first one.

The story of a Boston crime boss

Name: Whitey: U.S.A. v. James J. Bulger

Service: Netflix ($8.99/month

Genre: Documentary

This is a very interesting documentary about the Unites States of America against mobster “Whitey” Bulger. Bulger had been a fugitive and was off the radar for a long time until his capture. After his capture is what this documentary is about and the whole court process. Over the course of the documentary you will learn who James Bulger was and why it took so long to make a Federal case against him. Turns out he was an informant for the FBI. Or was he? There are so many fascinating aspects to this story that I cannot do justice typing them out here. I highly suggest you watch it if you are in the mood for some thought provoking stuff on Netflix tonight.

Should I watch? Maybe. It is one of the best documentaries that I have seen in a long time and it goes through, in detail, all of the aspects of the case. There might be some legal jargon here and there, but nothing to detract from the understanding of the overall film. It is a crime documentary so if you are one who does not enjoy ‘cop’ shows it might not be for you.

Silicon Valley: A dry, funny comedy from the director of "Office Space".

Name: Silicon Valley

Season/Episode: 1.1 “ Minimum Viable Product”

Service: HBO-GO (Free w/ HBO cable subscription, soon to be offered stand-alone in 2015)

Genre: Comedy

Type: TV show

Silicon Valley had to live up to some personal expectations of mine since it is based in my hometown/region of the San Francisco bay area. I have to say, so far, it has exceeded those expectations. S.V revolves around a group of friends who work and live together in Palo Alto. A place known for its booming tech-businesses like Facebook. The first episode focuses on Richard, who created a software program named “Pied Piper” that has garnered the attention of some industry leaders. A bidding war ensues and RIchard must decide which path he will go down: Will he sell his product that he worked so hard on? Or will he try and run a business himself?

Should I watch? Yes. You don’t have to understand computers or tech (though it couldn’t hurt) to enjoy this show. The premise may sound bland, but this show is very funny. The creator Mike Judge has thrown in his touch of what made Office Space so great. Dry-witty humor mixed in with some crude yet thought-provoking jokes as well.

"I am in a place you cannot find. Held by one you cannot trace."

Name: Black Mirror Episode 1: “The National Anthem”

Service: Netflix ($8.99/month)

Genre: Drama/Thriller

Type: TV show

I heard about this show on a podcast that I listen to and thought I’d give it a go.

It had been described in the podcast as the Twilight Zone of this generation and I can concur with that statement. Each episode is its own separate story. In the premier episode (“The National Anthem”) it deals with the kidnapping of a princess, the kidnappers demands, and the possible repercussions if those demands are not met. The main focus is on the Prime Minister of Britain. He is faced with a rather tough decision that could affect the well-being of the princess. That tough decision is the real hook here, as I almost did not believe what I heard. Don’t be surprised if you have to rewind (do we still say that?) that part.

Should I watch? Yes. This is perhaps the most intrigued I have been by a show in a while. There is no pressure/obligation to keep up with the episodes since they appear to show no continuity. It makes each one stand on it’s own. If there is any drawback, it would be that it is a British show and the accents might give people some trouble. If you can deal with British accents and are open to something refreshing compared to what is on these days, give Black Mirror a shot!

NXT for 11/27/2014

Name: NXT 11/27/14 Episode

Service: WWE Network ($9.99/month)

Genre: Pro-Wrestling

Type: TV show

One thing I love about streaming services: I can watch whenever I have the time. This is last week’s episode but am only getting around to it now. The main-event is Finn Balor vs. Tyson Kidd which didn’t quite live up to expectation. Bayley and Sasha Banks furthered their feud with Sasha attacking Bayley during her speech (called a ‘promo’ in the wrestling world) leaving her laying in the ring, Those were the two most noteworthy things to happen in this episode. There were four matches on the card but 3 were very quick and boring while the main-event, as I stated, was not very good.

Should I watch? No. This episode was primarily to build hype for the show next week, which is NXT’s version of a pay-per-view/special entitled “R:Evolution”. Although there is still one more show before that one which I may cover (as I said, I am a bit behind) in the next few days. You can get by skipping this one.

"No more dark. No more hiding. No more caves."

Name: The Croods

Service: Netflix

Genre: Comedy/Childrens

Type: Movie

I will admit, I haphazardly watched this while doing school-work. I don’t believe that is an issue as in this day and age I figure most people who do not have time to sit and enjoy a movie casually have them playing in the background while doing other things. ‘The Croods’ is about a cave-man family trying to survive in the world that they live in. What struck me first was the animation of the movie. It just isn’t all that great. Especially when compared to almost anything Pixar puts out. Not to say Dreamworks can’t make a pretty movie (see ‘How to Train Your Dragon’) but the visuals seem to be lacking here.

The characters are your typical modern-day family with a father, mother, daughter, son, baby and grandmother thrown in for good measure. The movie centers around the daughter and how she hates being confined to the family cave and wants nothing more than to explore the outside world. She leaves the cave and her family is forced to leave to look for her, thus exposing themselves to the dangers of the outside world.

Should I watch? Yes. I thought it was entertaining. There are some spots where it can get ‘cheesy’ but that is to be expected of a movie where adults are not the target audience. Definitely watch if you have kids and worth a watch if you feel like something more light-hearted.

Thoughts on "In a World..."

Name: In a World...

Service: Netflix

Genre: Comedy/Drama

Type: Movie

My girlfriend and I decided to put this on after some endless scrolling on Netflix. I knew the actress, Lake Bell, from a role on the short lived How To Make It in America on HBO. I knew it had to do with voice over/acting work; a field that I find intriguing. We gave it a shot.

Long story short this movie is about a daughter of a very well known voice-over actor trying to make it her own way in the field with some love story mixed in. The female lead, Lake Bell (who also wrote and directed the film) has a strong, almost annoying personality that I didn’t find endearing and kind of took me out of the movie. It made me not care for her character. Luckily, the film has a good supporting cast and when the camera was on them I was a little more interested.

Should you watch? Maybe. I didn’t hate the movie (i’ve seen far worse),  but I found myself doing other things like checking my phone while it was on. It failed to hold my attention like other movies do. I just could not stand the main character. If you do watch it and find yourself drifting just a little bit, don’t hesitate to find something else to watch.