the friday five

Netflixing and such…

1.

The Rain

Netflix – 1 season – renewed for a 2nd

A Danish (subtitled) dystopian series about a toxic rain that kills nearly everyone in Scandinavia.

Two siblings emerge from an underground bunker after 6 years to try and find their father, a scientist, who never returned after leaving to help find a cure.

The usual – must band with strangers to survive/don’t know who to trust – and add in a small dose of YA angst. They are, after all, teens that were kept in a bunker – away from humanity during their formative year.

The first few episodes after they get out were a little eyeroll worthy but the show picks up steam with a few clever plot twists and was rather addictive.

2.

3%

Netflix

2 seasons – renewed for a 3rd

3% is a Brazilian (subtitles) dystopian thriller that’s a similar to The Hunger Games in that people are chosen from their impoverished districts. the reward here though – if you survive the process – which only 3% do – is a chance to advance to the “better side” where there is modern conveniences, technology, and affluence. If you don’t make it you are eliminated. Meaning killed.

I’ve only watched a few episodes of this one but I like how dark and gritty it is. The characters seem to have a lot of ulterior motives that keep you guessing and lead to a few shocking moments.

3.

Alex Strangelove

Netflix

Alex is a high school senior who wants to lose his virginity to his girlfriend until he meets Eliot – an openly gay teen that he starts to hang out with and have feelings for. Alex starts to question his sexuality – is he bi? gay?

If you loved Love, Simon this is a a similar (albeit a raunchier) film. It’s a bit more PG-13 – borderline R, especially because of explicit language, than Simon though. 

It’s cute, a little weird and occasionally cringe worthy as Alex tries to force himself to be with his girlfriend and grapples with his new feelings.

Definitely not a perfect film but cute with a fluffy romcom feel.

CW: drug use, homophobic slurs, one flashback scene of bullying

4.

Janelle Monáe 

Dirty Computer (Emotion Picture)

Trailer:

Vimeo

(also on YouTube)

This is a narrative film that accompanies the singers album by the same name. It’s a sci-fi/dystopian future world in which Monáe, playing Jane, and her companions are captured and have their minds and memories removed by the Nevermind so that they will become *clean*. 

The 45 minute movie is interspersed with the videos from her album and it’s pretty cool. We saw her in concert (she was AWESOME!) and she incorporated quite a bit from this short film and into her show.

5.

Barbarella

This movie happened to come on tv and it's.....something.

Space ships with shag carpeted interiors (even on the walls!), being pulled across the ice - water skiing style - by a stingray with a unicorn horn??, groovy 60's music,  getting chomped by dozens of dolls, with razor sharp teeth and sex, sex and more sex. 

This is a movie I've always heard about as being a cult classic and it is completely wild. I only made it about 1/2 way before bailing but I'm scarred for life by what I did see. lol

*Bonus trivia! The band Duran Duran was named after Barbarella villain Dr. Durand Durand played by Milo O'Shea. He even reprised his role in the bands concept concert film - Arena (An Absurd Notion).