Great Movies and Series [Not Sci-Fi]

[Ivan Seeking]

I have a seen a number of great series about women lately.

The Queens Gambit: Loved it!

Set during the Cold War era, orphaned chess prodigy Beth Harmon struggles with addiction in a quest to become the greatest chess player in the world.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel:

It's the late 1950s and Miriam "Midge" Maisel has everything she has ever wanted -- the perfect husband, two kids and an elegant apartment on New York's Upper West Side. Her seemingly idyllic life takes a surprising turn when she discovers a hidden talent she didn't previously know she had -- stand-up comedy

Of course this has been around since 2013 and just concluded last year
Orange is the New Black

Piper Chapman is a public relations executive with a career and a fiance when her past suddenly catches up to her. In her mid-30s she is sentenced to spend time in a minimum-security women's prison in Connecticut for her association with a drug runner 10 years earlier.

All on Netflix

 

[MikeeMiracle]

Often referred to as "The best film you have never heard of" by those who see it, I can highly recommend the movie "City of God." It's a gangland style movie based in the slums of Rio in Brazil.

 

[fresh_42]

This is a difficult question. What is great? If I watch great movies in the sense of qualitatively good art, I have to be in the mood for it. It is like food. You cannot have a great dinner without a certain attitude. Instead I usually want to be entertained, the drive-through at McDonalds so to say. I know a lot of of very entertaining movies and series, but can they be called great? I observed that I prefer those with good (funny) side kicks over those with prominent lead actors, and those with strange plots, which touches the definition of sci-fi which you excluded. Are plots which play with the afterlife, like e.g. Pushing Daisies or Dead like me already sci-fi? Is The Pretender sci-fi? They are almost always fiction, so only the scientific part remains as distinction. But scientific are none of them, even the sci-fi movies aren't.

Hence if I exclude all these: too much fiction, too "fast food", and concentrate on real art, then few movies are left. I'd say Finding Forrester and Smilla's Sense of Snow are two examples I'd call great movies. But there are more - only harder than Lucifer to think of when asked.

 

[Buzz Bloom]

I have a large collection of movies on tape which I watch multiple times. The following are my most favorite non-SF favorites, which I consider to be great.
Beat the Devil
Bull Durham
The Horse's Mouth
The Lion in Winter
Pretty Woman
The Red Shoes
A Stranger Among Us
The Turning Point

 

[Janus]

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel:

All on Netflix

My wife and I love this one. ( though I think is is on Amazon Prime and not Netflix)

Another series we enjoy is

The Kominsky Method With Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin.(Netflix)

 

[BillTre]

I think Matewan is a great movie.
Its from the late 1980's, about unions and coal mining in 1920's in West Virginia.
This movie has it all, great acting, music, gunfights, ...
IMDb

Workers Unite speech.
Climatic Shootout

 

[PeroK]

The Queens Gambit: Loved it!

The funny thing is that all the chess positions are taken from games between male players!

 

[bobob]

"Spotless" on Netflix

 

[Ivan Seeking]

My wife and I love this one. ( though I think is is on Amazon Prime and not Netflix)

I did too. The last I heard, the filming of season 4 was delayed because of Covid [I think it was season 4...]

I read somewhere that it is based loosely on Joan Rivers, which fits.

Another series we enjoy is

The Kominsky Method With Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin.(Netflix)

I will talk a look!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

The funny thing is that all the chess positions are taken from games between male players!

But she's a lot cuter so she wins. :D

 

[fresh_42]

I will talk a look!

Makes sense! First you came here to look for a talk and now it's time to talk for a look.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Dead like me already sci-fi?

That is fantasy, just like Harry Potter. I did very much enjoy Dead Like Me.

I LOVED The OA too. But that is fantasy.

 

[fresh_42]

That is fantasy, just like Harry Potter.

Guess I'm a fantasy fan then: Dead like me, Lucifer, Haven, Pushing Daisies, Charmed (original version), Dr. Who, Warehouse 13, The Librarians ...

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Guess I'm a fantasy fan then: Dead like me, Lucifer, Haven, Pushing Daisies, Charmed (original version), Dr. Who, Warehouse 13, The Librarians ...

Oh no, Dr Who is real.

 

[Jarvis323]

Often referred to as "The best film you have never heard of" by those who see it, I can highly recommend the movie "City of God." It's a gangland style movie based in the slums of Rio in Brazil.

You might like Tsotsi also.

 

[Jarvis323]

Here are a few must see historical films.



An some more recent films worth watching.

 

[Jarvis323]

This one is good, but caution it is disturbing.

 

[phinds]

Oldies but goldies++
The West Wing
Hill Street Blues

 

[Bandersnatch]

on tape

I have heard of those. People of yore used to read movies off of them with a magnifying glass. In-between calling each other on the telegraph and redecorating caves.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

One night I saw Anthony Bourdain and a buddy talking with Bill Murray. They discovered that they are all huge fans of a movie from 1989, called Roadhouse. Bill Murray said he had never met anyone who loves Roadhouse as much as he does. So with a referral like that I had to watch it. It was good, especially for a movie of it's kind. I liked it and normally wouldn't care for a movie with that type of plot. But I didn't see why they thought it was such a great movie. My theory is that they were all doing cocaine at the time and it just seemed like one of the greatest movies ever made.

 

[phinds]

I have heard of those. People of yore used to read movies off of them with a magnifying glass. In-between calling each other on the telegraph and redecorating caves.

Ah yes. Those days when all us guys had to walk to and from school, uphill both ways, in the snow, without shoes, carrying our sisters on our backs and our only toys were sticks and cow patties while living in a one room log cabin with no heating or air conditioning . I remember those days well. I used to tell my children about them often.

 

[mcastillo356]

"Monster", (2003), biographical crime drama with Charlize Theron and Christina Ricci. One of my favourite films.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monster_(2003_film)

 

[Ivan Seeking]

My wife and I love this one. ( though I think is is on Amazon Prime and not Netflix)

Another series we enjoy is

The Kominsky Method With Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin.(Netflix)

Just finished The Kominsky Method. Loved it! They say season 3 is coming.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

PS I didn't even recognize Paul Reiser at first. It was only when I noticed his name in the credits that realized that is him!

Getting old is hell. I feel sorry for all of you people getting old like Paul.

 

[phinds]

I feel sorry for all of you people getting old like Paul.

Are you kidding me? Guy's a spring chicken. He's hardly even moved INTO old yet.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Are you kidding me? Guy's a spring chicken. He's hardly even moved INTO old yet.

Haha, and I'm younger than Reiser but people keep trying to make me old. I won't do it. I'm 25 and I know there is some numbering system in which I can justify that statement.

 

[fresh_42]

Are you kidding me? Guy's a spring chicken. He's hardly even moved INTO old yet.

If you two now start talking about diseases, who has recently left, and what aches the most ...

 

[phinds]

If you two now start talking about diseases, who has recently left, and what aches the most ...

Oh, don't get me started ...

 

[phinds]

I'm 25 and I know there is some numbering system in which I can justify that statement.

No, change it to 39 and go with Jack Benny.

 

[fresh_42]

No, change it to 39 and go with Jack Benny.

I found a base for 32. Guess I stick with that.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

No, change it to 39 and go with Jack Benny.

39? That's an old man. I'm 25. You can tell by my incredible good looks and total hard body. I just have to remind the women I date that I am far younger and better looking than I appear.

 

[waternohitter]

This one is good, but caution it is disturbing.

Charlie Chaplin is my favorite movie to watch on this list.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

My GF wanted me to watch her favorite romantic movie last night - The Notebook. Apparently it is based on a true story and it is a real tear jerker. Great movie!

 

[Fervent Freyja]

My GF wanted me to watch her favorite romantic movie last night - The Notebook. Apparently it is based on a true story and it is a real tear jerker. Great movie!

I like the Notebook, too, but you should watch Ever After if you haven’t! It’s my favorite movie, period. You can’t go wrong with Drew Barrymore and Leonardo da Vinci! It’s where Cinderella saves herself and still gets the prince. I wish that Auccasin and Nicolette would be made into a more modern movie! I have 1 of 350 first English editions published. I enjoy the prose style. It would be my absolute favorite love story if only she had made some different choices.

-

Marvel’s Jessica Jones is very good. I’ve been binging on it this week. I can relate to her so much. Whether it’s considered Sci-fi is debatable?

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I like the Notebook, too, but you should watch Ever After if you haven’t! It’s my favorite movie, period. You can’t go wrong with Drew Barrymore and Leonardo da Vinci! It’s where Cinderella saves herself and still gets the prince.

Cool. I will surprise her with that movie choice. But if it doesn't lead to a great evening I'm blaming you.

 

[Fervent Freyja]

Cool. I will surprise her with that movie choice. But if it doesn't lead to a great evening I'm blaming you.

Good chance that it’ll awaken her dominating, queenly side... That’s all I can say. Gotta keep it PG in here.

 

[Hacker Jack]

Sherlock Holmes movies from 2009 onwards. New one is coming out next year 2021, only movie I'm looking forward to!

 

[BillTre]

I like the Jeremy Bret series. Most true to the books of any series or movies. Also almost did all of the Holmes stories, but Bret died first.

I also like the Benedict Cumberbatch series. I like the way they modernized it.

It and most modern versions lack the appreciation for the mysteries in sometimes rather common appearing several events. There are several Holmes stories that start off as apparently uninteresting events.

The Robert Downey/Jude Law movies are fun.

 

[mcastillo356]

Hi, didn't you enjoy "Young Sherlock Holmes and the Piramyd of Fear" (1985)?

 

[BillTre]

Hi, didn't you enjoy "Young Sherlock Holmes and the Piramyd of Fear" (1985)?

I don't think I ever saw that one.

 

[mcastillo356]

I don't think I ever saw that one.

Well, I had fun, but it is kind of childish

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I didn't see another thread for this sort of thing. I know there are others but didn't spot them. So...

I have become quite a fan of Netflix productions. They have done some great stuff! One of my favorite Netflix originals is Russian Doll

But generally...

One of my absolute favorites has been https://www.netflix.com/title/80113701 - a comedy about what happens after you die. It also provides an overview of classical philosophy and ethics. I love that show and fell madly in love with Kristen Bell LOL! She has a beautiful voice too!
In spite of my mixed loyalties, my girlfriend and I are watching The Good Place together. For me it's the 3rd time.

Pretty harsh at times especially in the opening scene, but very funny, I thought Fleabag was excellent. By the time it was over I was in love with Phoebe Waller-Bridge

A wonderful comedy that hooked me was The Marvelous Mrs Maisel. I immediately fell in love with Rachel Brosnahan

Another highly creative series that delves into the mystical that I enjoyed was The OA. Course I fell in love with Brit Marling... :)

I seem to be noticing a pattern in my viewing preferences...

 

[phinds]

LOVE Mrs. Maisel.

I'm a big fan of ensemble shows. Best ever were The West Wing and Hill Street Blues. These days I watch NCIS and Bones. Blue Bloods is also good, but it's no Hill Street Blues.

 

[Mondayman]

Band of Brothers is a must see. The Pacific was great as well.

Generation War is a WW2 series from the German side that was pretty good. It follows five close friends, two of whom are brothers who serve in the Wehrmacht on the Eastern Front.

Generation Kill is a series based on a book written by a reporter who was with the Recon Marines who spearheaded the invasion of Iraq. It doesn't glorify or justify, just shows what they did and went through. It's one of the better war movies/series. One of the Marines actually plays himself, Rudy Reyes.

 

[Mondayman]

I'm going to throw out one more. I've studied WW2 my whole life, particularly the Eastern Front, and this movie stuck out.

Come and See is a an 80's film made in the USSR that tells the story of a young boy who joins Belorussian partisans in 1943. It's more of a story of German atrocity in the East than it is about combat. It's quite traumatic and disturbing. It can be rented easily for $5 online with subtitles. Not sure how available it is on DVD or Blu ray.

 

[DaveC426913]

One of my favorite Netflix originals is Russian Doll

++++++++++1!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

++++++++++1!

Have you watched The OA?

Funny, I thought I started a movie thread the last time I visited PF but it didn't come up in a search.
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/great-movies-and-series-not-sci-fi.996688/

One great but short series that I mentioned there was The Queen's Gambit

In the other thread, @Janus mentioned The Kominski Method, which I watched and really enjoyed!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

While I was joking about falling in love with all of these actresses, it is notable that there are so many great series with female leads.

Also, I am far more practical than my jokes suggest. In reality I only fell in love with two of them. And as soon Kristen Bell dumps that loser husband of hers I am sure my phone will be ringing. Check out her video of their trip to Africa.

 

[DaveC426913]

Have you watched The OA?

I've never even heard of The OA, but I really liked Stranger Things, and, of course, Black Mirror.

 

[DaveC426913]

The following are my most favorite non-SF favorites, which I consider to be great.
...
Pretty Woman

God why?

(That post is old, but I think my question is timeless).

My wife and I watched this and spent almost as much time looking at each other and blinking audibly as we did watching this dreck.

Don't get me wrong - we like Roberts* (and Gere) but we just could not choke back the Kool-aid.

(Best I can figure, we did not see Pretty Woman when it first came out - it was a few years later. And I guess sometimes the freshness of certain films fades quickly).**** great in Ocean's Twelve - and I just watched Notting Hill for the fifth time last week.