TV & Movie Recommendations by Kelly and her Brother!

Winter is still here and unfortunately a lot of sickness has been keeping adults and children home bound. There is nothing fun about being sick. The one okay-ish part of feeling ill is being guilt free as we unleash unlimited screen time until the stomach bugs have settled and feverish temps have dropped. My older brother suggested this topic to Tessa and me, so I have graciously allowed him to also weigh in on the subject.

Streaming Sites

Netflix:
1-The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. Fans of NBC’s 30 Rock will love this original show on Netflix. The first season had me giggling the whole way through, and the second season is also now streaming. Ellie Kemper (from The Office and Bridesmaids) plays Kimmy, a young lady who has just recently rejoined society after being held in an underground bunker for fifteen years. I swear this show is not dark; it is hilarious. Plus the guest stars are incredible…Jon Hamm, Tina Fey, Ice-T, Lisa Kudrow and the list of talent goes on and on.

2-Master of None. My big brother John suggests Master of None starring Aziz Ansari from Parks & Rec. He told me, Season one of this comedy series is available with season two on the way later in the year. Rotten Tomatoes gives it an unprecedented 100% (the highest possible rating)! Some individuals won’t be able to make it past the first ten minutes but if you can you won’t be disappointed. This show follows Ansari’s character (Dev) as he tries to make it in NYC as an actor. It tackles stereotypes, dating, and more in a dry comedy sort of way.

3-Hart of Dixie. If you are a fan of Gilmore Girls check out this canceled CW series. It is a sweet, romantic show with fun characters and a great setting. All of the actors are attractive and it is a nice guilty pleasure. The show has four seasons and at least three of them are available on Netflix.

Hulu:
1- The Mindy Project. This is hands down one of my favorite sitcoms. I love Mindy Kaling (formerly the charactor Kelly Kapoor from NBC’s The Office). She is witty, sarcastic, and an awesome leading lady for a show with a ton of quirky side characters. Mindy plays on OB-GYN and the sitcom is one long, kicked up a notch romantic comedy. There is also a healthy dose of realism showing how people aren’t perfect and even the most meant to be relationships have complications and do not always last for forever. The show is in its 5th season, so watch them all and laugh out loud. Especially the ones with Adam Pally (from the awesome but canceled ABC show Happy Endings!).

2-Iron Man: Armored Adventures. If you have kiddos that love Marvel Avengers or just good old Iron Man, this animated show is pretty entertaining (even for adults). It follows a teenage Tony Stark as he fights crime and goes to high school. It is probably more appropriate for older kiddos (7 years and above), but all my kids (ages 3 years to 8 y ears) enjoy it and there has been nothing too violent yet. We are only part-way through the first season. My kids constantly sing the theme song and this show makes for a nice treat from our traditional PBS fare.

Amazon Instant Video:
1-Sneaky Pete. This show is in its first season and I am only half-way through it, but it rocks. If you liked Breaking Bad, you will love this quirky drama about a con artist trying to save his brother by stealing the identity of his former prison cell mate. The talented Bryan Cranston (aka Walter White from Breaking Bad) plays a mean mobster and also helped develop this show, which automatically means it is smart and worth the time to watch.

2-Newsroom. I LOVED HBO’s Newsroom so much that I bought the DVD set for my parents for Christmas. Its available for free with Amazon Prime. The witty series shows a much needed side to journalism (especially in today’s climate) and you actually learn a lot as a viewer. It is about a new station with a big time anchorman looking to capture the essence of being truly newsworthy. The show-runners incorporate real headlines (ie: Boston Marathon bombing and the shooting of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords) into the plots, which is fascinating to watch. It was created by the one and only Aaron Sorkin (writer of NBC’s West Wing and the film The Social Network), and has smart dialogue with strong characters.

3-Bosch and Red Oaks. John suggested these two series. I have been thinking about watching Bosch because I love the Harry Bosch Series by Michael Connelly. So if you are a reader more than a viewer, check out the novels instead. (My favorite in the book series was City of Bones.) Here is what my big bro mentioned about these shows: Bosch is a dark crime drama. Two seasons are currently available with the third coming in April 2017. It has an 86% rating via Rotten Tomatoes, which scores 100% as the best. Regarding Red Oaks, there are two seasons available with another coming soon. Eighties haters and lovers can relate to this coming of age series. It flaunts an amazing cast that viewers will learn to love as the series progresses.

Cable and Movies

TV Shows on Cable or Dish:

1-Elementary. My husband and I have faithfully DVR’d this show on CBS for all of its five season. I love that Lucy Liu plays Dr. Watson. Her fashion is killer and it is a great twist on the typical Sherlock Holmes type tales. Elementary is pretty much just a straight-forward whodunnit drama for each episode, with a lingering (but not overbearing) back-story. Jonny Lee Miller is quirky and selfish as a modern day Sherlock, which makes him great along side the smart and sophisticated Liu.

2-The Walking Dead. I have not had a chance to watch this series, but I hear only good and gruesome things. This made the top of John’s recommendations. He said, Many people I’m sure have viewed this series, but I know others (like my wife) that won’t give this zombie show a chance. For those brave and fortunate souls that haven’t witnessed The Walking Dead on the AMC channel to date do yourself a favor and binge this show as soon as humanly possible (It’s also available on Netflix). It is one of those shows much like Breaking Bad, Freaks and Geeks, Seinfeld, Deadwood, and the Sopranos that you will miss when it is gone.

Movies:
1-Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Great film, great story, great actors. I mean it is Star Wars, need I say more? See it immediately, even if you are crazy and not a fan of the other Star Wars films. This one stands alone and is fantastic. The DVD release is slated for April/2017.

2-The Green Room. John highly recommended this one and it is a horror movie. I have not seen it, so watch at your own risk. John said, Picked this movie because I’m sure many of you reading this haven’t even heard of it until now. Scored a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, but let me warn you this movie is not for everyone. This film is wickedly violent yet very engaging. If you dare to watch feel free to think privately to yourself as the end credits are rolling that Kelly’s older brother watched this on Mother’s Day! Guy must be crazy! I’ve been called worse so feel free to think the worst of me.

3-Moana (available on DVD in March/2017) Disney nailed it with Moana this year. It is funny and the voices were great. Adults can even take away something from this movie as it really hits home the importance of searching for your true purpose, trusting nature, and listening to one’s intuition. Extra bonus, my mom friends and I all agreed it was nice to see a strong female character in a Disney Film that did not have a love interest or dead parents. *Tessa also loved this movie and added the comment of, The soundtrack will not Elsa and Anna you (to death) at all. She is so right, the songs are good, but not over the top.

4-Song of the Sea (Amazon Instant Video). This animated movie was incredibly beautiful. It plays like a fable and all my kids watched it in its entirety, but I probably enjoyed it the most. I even cried some at the end. It was nominated for an Oscar and is about a brother and a sister living at a lighthouse with their father. The two young siblings go on an adventure when older brother Ben realizes his mute sister, Saoirse, is a “selkie” with sea powers that can save the fairies. The movie packs a lot of emotion and reflection, and has a good message about grief.

Save this post as a bookmark and fall back on it whenever the need to be home bound occurs. Click on the links above for more detailed media information, and also in order to make a purchase. Do you have a favorite television show or movie to share? Tells us it by leaving a comment on our site or Facebook page.