For us students of Saint Joseph’s University and other college students around the country, it has been just over a month of quarantine, which in total, is 720 hours of binging possibilities, if you chose not to sleep as I have. Throughout this period of solidarity, I have watched a number of intense action movies, heart-wrenching tv series, and dubious crime shows. In this short article, I will present a few of my favorite binge-worthy series and top choice movie night films. I’ll be breaking this piece into four different categories these being the Outta NoWhere category, Binge-Worthy TV, Shows For the Background, and My Sister’s Opinion. Before I continue I have to let you know that these are what I think is good, so most of these are going to be heavy action films and shows.
Outta Nowhere
This category contains films and shows that blew me away when I wasn’t expecting it. During those times when you have no idea what to do but you also have all the time in the world is where these picks shine. First up, Alita: Battle Angel: If you want to be blown out of your mind with a crazy new concept to think about go to HBO and watch this movie. Set within the last city on Earth in a post-war 26th century, a part-human part machine entity named Alita is woken up with no recollection of her past or the world around her. The film focuses on the impossible struggle of changing social classes while also entertaining you with a story about cyborg assassins that in their free time race around a track on rollerblades. Another fantastic film and now my favorite movie is Valerian and the City of 1000 Planets. I had no idea what the hell was going on till the last 30 minutes, where it gave you a moment to process what had happened during this three-hour-long adventure. I won’t give away any details about the movie because of how intense and sporadic it is; all you need to know is that in a sector of space civilizations from all over the cosmos have come together to share ideas and advance technology symbiotically under the same gravitational severe. This film can be rented on Amazon Video and if you choose to watch this, don’t watch it alone so you can share the experience with someone else. Finally, two honorable mentions for the Outta Nowhere category are Train to Busan, which is a Korean zombie thriller movie that is 100% the best zombie movie I’ve ever seen. And lastly, Code 8, if X-men was to have a new age sequel this would be it. It takes the modern problems of racism and puts it in terms of super-powered humans v. non-supers. I won’t say any more about these films but they can both be found on Netflix.
Binge-Worthy TV
Lets start with Troy: Fall of a City, this show was as Netflix as it could get. Too many plot holes to count and undesirable story choices almost ruined it for me but the ancient Greek theme and amazing acting, coupled with the ridiculous love story between Paris and Helena that destroyed an entire civilization saved the series. The show is filled with moments that will make you go “oh my God, that is the saddest thing I’ve ever seen”. In all it took me two days to watch this series and now I want there to be more; hopefully, the same creators of this will make the Odyssey, however, if they don’t I will because it needs to happen. Another binge-worthy series is Peaky Blinders, set during the British Industrial Revolution, we follow mob leader of the Peaky Blinders, Thomas Shelby, we watch his relationships and business rise and fall over and over again. This crime drama can be found with four seasons already on Netflix with a fifth on the way.
Shows For the Background
First up is Criminal Minds, everyone knows this and has seen at least one episode. This show is perfect for sitting around mindlessly because it requires no thinking what so ever, you’ll know the plot in the first five minutes, and every episode ends the same way. Lastly, two more picks for background shows are That 70’s Show and Parks and Recreation. These two are good picks because you can leave and then jump in at any point you want and won’t be lost – Netflix is where to find these.
My Sister’s Opinion
And I think that concludes my list: as of now, a month into quarantine, these are my personal top choices for what to watch. However, if you aren’t like me and enjoy a less action intense show then my sister says watch Gilmore Girls, she says it is your average Hallmark movie turned into a show and that the topics are relatable and always fun to watch. But that wraps it up, honorable mentions are listed below, and thank you, this is Jack Botto signing off of Hawk Chill!
Honorable mentions: The Expanse, The Boys, Baahubali 2, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Love Death Robots, The King, John Carter
