So this is a new thing I am going to try to do every month. Being a person who watches a lot of TV, I am going to start picking my favorite shows/movies/specials/events/etc. to come out during the month and rate them in a top 5 list. I will also let you know where you can view these items and if it’s a network show what time and channel it is. Now, this is 100% biased. I am picking shows I have watched during the month of February that are relatively new during that month. So that includes things that may not be totally brand new but possibly debuted on Netflix/Hulu/On-Demand/torrented during the month/etc. I will be picking mostly tv shows, but I will throw in some movies that I may have watched during that last month. I will also do a preview for the things I am looking forward to in the upcoming month. Also, for the purpose of these rankings I am going to assume that everyone has access to a netflix account. (Because everyone has that one friend who forgot to sign out of their account on your PS4 that one night you guys were super bored.)
I am excited to talk not sports on this blog, hopefully, you all enjoy!
#5 Horace and Pete
Web-Series, found on Louis C.K.’s personal site, cost $5/episode
This surprise web-series show created by Louis C.K. debuted right around the super bowl, and so far has received positive reviews. The show is similar to his self-titled show Louie on FX but, with C.K. only wanting to work on his network show when he has “good ideas”, there is no real return time for his hit show. However, he seems very focused on this current web series, which has a Cheers type of feel but is filmed like a live play instead of a TV show. The show is about Horace (C.K.) who is a bar owner that is in constant despair, drinking and complaining with his friends about life (including the likes of Alan Alda and Steve Buscemi). Each show will cost you $5, but they each run 67 minutes, which made me feel like I was getting “more bang for my buck” I guess. Overall, if you like Louie’s comedic style, give Horace and Pete a watch
4.2/5 rating
#4 New Girl
Fox, Tuesdays @ 7:30 and Hulu Plus, cable or requires a Hulu Plus account (only has the 5 most current episodes)
The show is in it’s 5th season, and for being a some-what dumb-comedy show at times, I am always amazed how impressively funny the show is. Currently, the main character Jess (Zooey Deschanel) was only in the first three episodes this season as she has been sequestered after being called to jury duty (is on pregnancy leave in real life). So the show has replaced Deschanel with Megan Fox, who has been a good addition so far this season. However, what makes the show so great is the interactions between the other three loft mates, in Nick, Schmidt, and Winston, as the three seem to get into ridiculous antics and gut-bustingly hilarious moments. Plenty of jokes within jokes, the one that comes to mind is about a tree house Nick is building in his room that he has told everyone but Schmidt about. If you watched the show already and were nervous the absence of Deschanel would hurt the show, you have nothing to fear. This gets a bump in the top 5 simply because the show is free on cable, I think Horace and Pete is a better show, but $20 for all four shows is a little annoying.
4/5 rating (so far, we’ll see how that holds up with more episodes without Jess)
#3 Triumph’s Election Special 2016
Hulu Exclusive, free
This is flat out hilarious. Triumph the insult comic dog has appeared everywhere, including MTV, Conan O’Brien’s late night shows (both NBC and TBS) and is currently working with Funny or Die, but is most remembered for this bit he did when Star Wars episode 2, Attack of the Clones premiered. But he is a dog puppet, voiced by Robert Smigel, who was popular in the early 2000’s for making wise-cracking jokes at the expense of the innocent people answering his staged questions. It’s definitely for a certain type of crowd. So Hulu sent Smigel as Triumph to report at multiple primary states to harass GOP candidates at rallies and debates, while also interviewing the people voting for these Republican candidates. The result is pure comedy, as Triumph chases Ted Cruz’s campaign bus, coaches up Mike Huckabee’s debate skills (all while making fun of the fact that Huckabee would do anything to get votes), and even pulling together a political roundtable that included former defense attorney in the O.J. Simpson case Alan Dershowitz and American Idol fan favorite Sanjaya. (Also had a pretty funny Ben Carson bit that was done during the Iowa State v Kansas game this January) It was seriously one of the funniest things I’ve seen so far this year.
4.5/5 rating
#2 Dope
Netflix
Dope is about a high school senior named Malcolm and his two friends who get involved with a drug dealer at a party. I won’t go too deep into the plot, but the group ends up with a large amount of ecstasy that gets planted in Malcolm’s backpack during the party. The group then goes on a wild adventure trying to avoid people attempting to steal the misplaced drugs. I originally thought this movie took place in the 90’s, but it turns out it’s a current day movie with characters obsessed with the 90’s hip-hop/rap scene. The soundtrack is beyond cool, with plenty of throwbacks and a couple of newer tracks. Also the movie is jam packed with rapper cameos like Tyga, ASAP Rocky, Casey Veggies, and Vince Staples just to name a few. The movie was executive produced by Forest Whitaker, who is also the narrator, and all the original music was created by Pharrell. It was just a cool movie and one I had been meaning to see this past summer but had completely forgotten about until it found it’s way to Netflix this month. A perfect movie to watch when bored, especially if you’re a fan of rap, like myself.
4.6/5 rating
#1 Spotlight
Available to rent on itunes, youtube, vudu, google play, amazon, on demand for $4.99
Spotlight came out early November, but hadn’t really gained any public attention until it’s Oscar nominations earlier this month. The film stars Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, and Rachel McAdams as the Boston Globe’s investigative team “Spotlight” in 2001. The group of journalists dig for evidence on the Catholic Church’s cover up of child rape allegations. What made Spotlight such a fantastic film to me was the effort the actors and director Tom McCarthy went to show the process of real investigative journalism in the early 21st century. I appreciated this film quite a bit coming from a journalistic background, and it actually peaked my interest in investigative journalism. But for now, I’ll stick to this blog. Whether you’re a journalist or just a fan of good movies, take the time to go see this film. It does a fantastic job of showing the lengths the Church went to keep these secrets in the dark.
This movie was shown on campus a few weeks ago, and I was so glad I went to the showing. (I also have the movie torrented on my laptop, but I will buy it when on DVD, pinky promise FBI)
4.8/5 rating
Modern Barbershop 