What else are you watching/reading/listening to right now?

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

As we've got a what else are you playing thread over in Games, I thought a recco thread for other fun, non-capey stuff might be a good thing to have around the place.

 

I've finally got access to watch Poker Face (niece's husband purloined my laptop on holiday to watch sportsball... but left his Sky Go app and code keys on there. Profitez-en.)

 

And it's good. It's another Rian Johnson joint, and it has all of the trademarks of the Knives Out series - particularly the fact that there is no cheating. The clues are there if you're watching, though marginally less obscure than the movies, and the whimsicality dialled down a fair bit. Nat Lyonne is basically... her usual charming, fast-talking self (faster with coffee).

 

But in this setting comes over as Columbo's overtalkative little sister, with a minor-league superpower - an unerring ability to spot direct lies - which gets her into all kinds of trouble. Despite being set in the present, there's also a pleasing 70s crime-of-the-week show vibe to it, from the opening titles through to the remarkable selection of guest stars.

 

Also - if you haven't yet, do get round to watching The Menu.
And stop instagramming your damn food.

 

What stuff have you found that's good out there lately? 

[Mr. Vee]

'Mrs. Davis' (Peacock) is the best one season series I've seen in a very long time. Sort of an absurdist Pynchon-esque ridiculous conspiracy kinda thing. Also liked 'A Spy Among Friends' (ITV/Britbox) quite a bit, slow burn old-schoolish spy miniseries with a great cast. 'The Diplomat' (the Kerry Russell Netflix one, I tapped out on the Alibi one early on) was also quite good with a great cast. It's in that sort of constant crisis political genre if you're into that sort of thing. That's about all I've been particularly impressed with of late.

[wjrasmussen]

Streaming:  Barry the final season.

 

Reading:  The outer limits of reason

 

Listening:  Not big into music but Beatles are being played too much.  Next up, Rush.

[Mr. Vee]

Jotting down Beatles and Rush in my to play list. Always up for discovering new interesting music

[TheOtherTed]

Watching:  Star Trek TOS (albeit remastered - though, strangely, the remastering itself is showing its age now).  Just finished watching "The Corbomite Maneuver," and though it's not my favorite episode by a long shot, I realized there were a couple of subtle "human element" moments that I'd completely missed previously.

 

Reading:  The Kalevala.  Again.  Its relation to Tolkien's story of Turin Turambar still completely eludes me.  The Kullervo in the version I'm reading seems more like Anakin from the cursed Star Wars Episodes 1-3 than anything else.  I might need to try a different translation.

 

Listening:  Very slowly building up my "evil genius" (aka "descent into madness") music playlist.  Strangely, other folks' ideas about "evil genius" music often feels neither very evil nor very genius.  I get the sense that I'm I'm picking through a haystack to find an occasional needle which, on discovery, I realize I'd already found.  If that makes sense.  On the plus side, though, I've discovered that there's a veritable cottage industry of violin players doing covers of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy."  A couple of them are even good enough to forgive the cheating!

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

I don't have an Evil Genius playlist, but I do have a collection of "position music" (music made for trailers, movie inserts, and other background stuff, often royalty free) which gets me in a particularly heroic or villainous mood when needs be.

 

There's a lot of 2WEI in there (who do an Epicized version of Crazy, Smoke On The Water, and... Toxic, of all things) plus Hidden Citizens, AudioMachine, Two Steps From Hell, Epic Score, James Dooley, and Baltic House Orchestra - for their ridiculously OTT cover of Whole Lotta Love if nothing else, though this YouTube version needs BIG speakers or headphones to do the mix justice - and a few more odd ones.

 

 

Then there's all the soundtrack stuff - John Williams, obviously, plus Brian Tyler, those lovable dorks Giacchino and Arnold, and so on.

 

 

[wjrasmussen]

On 6/6/2023 at 5:58 PM, TheOtherTed said:

Watching:  Star Trek TOS (albeit remastered - though, strangely, the remastering itself is showing its age now).  Just finished watching "The Corbomite Maneuver," and though it's not my favorite episode by a long shot, I realized there were a couple of subtle "human element" moments that I'd completely missed previously.

 

Reading:  The Kalevala.  Again.  Its relation to Tolkien's story of Turin Turambar still completely eludes me.  The Kullervo in the version I'm reading seems more like Anakin from the cursed Star Wars Episodes 1-3 than anything else.  I might need to try a different translation.

 

Listening:  Very slowly building up my "evil genius" (aka "descent into madness") music playlist.  Strangely, other folks' ideas about "evil genius" music often feels neither very evil nor very genius.  I get the sense that I'm I'm picking through a haystack to find an occasional needle which, on discovery, I realize I'd already found.  If that makes sense.  On the plus side, though, I've discovered that there's a veritable cottage industry of violin players doing covers of Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy."  A couple of them are even good enough to forgive the cheating!

I'm a doctor not a mechanic.

[honoroit]

this! the instant I can get hands on it. something, at last, for nanashi's team, kupo.

[ZorkNemesis]

When i'm not playing games I find myself watching anime as of late.  Usually vanilla slice-of-life stuff (recent examples include Non Non Biyori, Bocchi the Rock, and K-on!) unless something else catches my eye (which is the case right now).  I'm currently watching Pokemon Horizons and the new Konosuba Megumin spinoff as they're airing.  Both good though it's quite a difference in humor and style going immediately from one to the other.

 

Edited June 12, 2023 by ZorkNemesis

[Fire Chief]

Watching: NCIS (Leroy Jethro Gibbs is my hero). 

C.B. Strike (Holliday Grainger 😍 )

 

Listening: The Mavericks (Oh what a Thrill, All that Heaven will allow).

 

Reading: Anything Digital (mostly DC comics).

[JasperStone]

Streaming: Locke & Key and Warrior Nun.

                   Three episodes into Lock & Key I was like ... meh. But once I start a series I finish it. Glad I did. A few plot ... surprises made it interesting. Solid Finale. Same with Warrior Nun, but... screw Netflix for finishing Season 2 on a cliffhanger (not a spoiler) and then canceling. Solid casting for both.

 

Reading: Self Made Man - a woman disguises herself and experiences life as a man for a year? Have to check on that. She is totally passable as a man.  Worth a read. Part of a research project. 

              SuperGirl - Woman of Tomorrow. I do like Tom Kings work here. This would be a great movie. (Re-Read)

              Booster Gold- 2007-2011 I do like this series and to me ... has Nathan Fillion written allover it. (Re-Read)

              Battle Angel Alita Vol 1-6 - movie was sorta close. There were things I liked better in the book and some in the movie.

              Girl in the box Series by Robert 55 book series. Trying to see where I left off. A good superhero/villian storyline. Books 1-10 are fantastic(to me). After that the books are hit or miss. Basically follows during one year of her life.

 

Music:    Digging the Sweet Lizzy Project. Lead singer has an impressive range and range of styles she can sing. Live concerts on Tik Tok

 

 

              

 

[Herotu]

I'm trudging through The Witcher. I never really loved The Witcher franchise, and I can say the same for the TV series. It's okay ... fine ... meh. I don't understand my apathy - I thought fantasy was my bag.

 

Maybe there are just so many different worlds... maybe it's Franchise Fatigue? Maybe it's because it says nothing to me about my life?

 

Edited June 15, 2023 by Herotu

[wjrasmussen]

On 6/12/2023 at 2:31 AM, Fire Chief said:

Watching: NCIS (Leroy Jethro Gibbs is my hero). 

C.B. Strike (Holliday Grainger 😍 )

 

Listening: The Mavericks (Oh what a Thrill, All that Heaven will allow).

 

Reading: Anything Digital (mostly DC comics).

I loved NCIS, but kind of watched it less after what they did to Mike Franks.

[InvaderStych]

Currently Reading:

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18656030-cibola-burn

 

Recently discovered these guys via frequent appearances on one of my Pandora stations. Have them on repeat in the mornings and sometimes after work, just too good:

 

 

Pandora is neat (insert Spotify if you're inclined); great way to discover new stuff. Currently exploring more music from Australia as a result. Same way I discovered Akala (British) who is an absolute genius of a lyricist.

 

 

[honoroit]

some of you will appreciate this:

 

 

[honoroit]

 

theres a live action one coming too in  august.

 

its about a guy who works for an exploitative company, who works him near dead. he keeps at it because the first girl hes liked works there, and keeps his spirits up.

 

however, everyone turns into zombies suddenly - and he is happy. because he doesnt have to go to work the next day.

 

its on netflix. this, devilman crybaby, love-sexy-robots (approximate title), castlevania, and cyberpunk edgerunners are all worth the time on netflix, imo.

 

oh, and 'keep your hands off Eizoken!'

 

 

-- easy breezy honoroit

 

Edited July 11, 2023 by honoroit

[InvaderStych]

Since last post I've gotten to about 1/3 of the way into Book #8 of The Expanse.

 

Read This Series.

[InvaderStych]

At the risk of talking to myself ... Wrapped up The Expanse a bit a go.

 

Had Highfire next on my list. Tore through it in a matter of days. Absolutely hilarious, definitely recommend.

 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/44890077-highfire

 

Might need to dip into my non-fiction list next for a little palette cleansing. Tonal shift between those books above sort of broke my brain for a minute. 🤣

[gameboy1234]

There are, like, these daft punks I sometimes listen to.

 

 

[honoroit]

good night world,  -🌙 -  on netflix. i very much empathize with ichi.

Figs, of happiness

 

[Mr. Vee]

Just finished Fall of the House of Usher on the Nettedflix. Thought it'd be one of those 15 minutes and nope out series but ended up really liking it. And is only the one season so no cancellation on a cliffhanger worries

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

On 10/18/2023 at 11:12 PM, Mr. Vee said:

Just finished Fall of the House of Usher on the Nettedflix. Thought it'd be one of those 15 minutes and nope out series but ended up really liking it. And is only the one season so no cancellation on a cliffhanger worries

Great writing, goes for the throat both philosophically (the Sacklers, greed, and the concepts of fate) and literally (neeever going to clubs with foam parties or shower props again. Nuh-uh.) Loved it right up to the end...

 

Spoiler

...though if I had a gripe, it felt like they ran out of budget for the final death. That was cheap and not particularly effective. 

And amongst a pretty damn great cast, please give your propers to Carla Gugino for Verna, in all her incarnations, and Mark Hamill's terrifyingly efficient Arthur Pym. 

 

And while I know you shouldn't really ask for more when something rounded off so well, you could hang a Tales Of The Unexpected style series off other people who ran into Verna.

Edited October 23, 2023 by ThaOGDreamWeaver

[Mr. Vee]

3 hours ago, ThaOGDreamWeaver said:

 literally (neeever going to clubs with foam parties or shower props again. Nuh-uh.)

 

Spoiler

So exotic eye/ear infections are ok, but highly acidic industrial waste is your line in the foam. ✅

 

[ThaOGDreamWeaver]

Spoiler

I don't like coming home with any exotic infections, but I've never had anything try to melt my face off.

Well, other than the speaker stacks at Download Fest, but I think that's part of the appeal.

 

And for that particular one, no matter how much it was telegraphed, you still ain't ready for how hard they went with it. Yeesh. 

 

Edited October 23, 2023 by ThaOGDreamWeaver