BLOG

Welcome to the third installment of What to Stream Right Now! If you’ve been keeping up with us so far, you’ve seen some pretty great movies and TV shows. We have even more to share with you today, but make sure to check out Ep. 1 and Ep. 2 to catch up and slack off!

THE EXORCIST – Dir. William Friedkin (1973)

Everyone seems to love complaining about horror movies these days, and quite frankly, I can’t blame them. There’s no magic or genuinely frightening moments anymore, just loud sound effects and gore. That’s why I’m recommending to you an old, but undated and horrifying film, THE EXORCIST. You’ve probably seen one of the multitudes of sequels/spin-offs inspired by this classic, but if you haven’t seen the original, you’re really missing out. Actually, I should rephrase that: If you’re a fan of horror films and you haven’t seen the original Exorcist, you’re really missing out. This is not a movie for weak stomachs. That’s not to say it’s a gore-fest like you we’re used to now, it’s simply disturbing. It also tells a great story by interweaving characters that we actually care about and want to prevail!

And maybe I’m in the minority in thinking that it’s an actual horror film, but do yourself a favor and read about the audience reactions when the film first hit theaters. People actually fainted from being so scared. I was convinced that only happened in movies! …Not at the theater.  IMDB

BOB’S BURGERS – Four Seasons (2011- )
Unfortunately, BOB’S BURGERS is also not a show for everyone. But it’s a light-hearted cartoon and I figured you could use something fun to ease your mood after watching The Exorcist.

The show is about a dad (named Bob), who owns and runs a burger joint (named Bob’s Burgers) with his family. He has a kind, but mildly annoying wife, two polar opposite daughters, and a son who takes far too much after himself. It’s a quirky, odd, comedy that many claim is reminiscent of early THE SPIMPSONS episodes. Essentially, the show revolves around a middle-class family dealing with common struggles while adding in some bizarre and outlandish elements. The comedy is off beat, but relatable and the characters are instantly loveable with their strange characterizations and phenomenal voice work. Since there are only 4 seasons available on Netflix, (six seasons in all) and the show is still being produced, there’s plenty to enjoy but even more to look forward to.  IMDB

This week on What to Stream Right Now, we’re delving into the deepest parts of the cosmic unknown and watching some pretty iconic science fiction. But that’s about where the similarities end for these two. As always, make sure to check out our previous episodes if you’re not a fan of the sci-fi genre.

2001: A Space Odyssey – Dir. Stanley Kubrick (1968) IMDb

Let me preface this by saying 2001 is my favorite film of all time. However, Stanley Kubrick’s only Oscar winning film is just that… a film. This is not a “flick” or a “movie” for the faint of heart. At a running time of 160 minutes (most of those minutes without dialogue), many would claim that 2001 is purely an experience; specifically, an experience that any film or sci-fi fan simply must endure.

I understand that I’m not doing a great job pitching this to you, but it really is a ground-breaking classic for a reason. First of all, the special effects are unlike anything done before or since and they still hold up incredibly well today. At times, it’s really difficult to not feel as though you’re travelling along to Jupiter with the astronauts and HAL. Secondly, all of the lunar sequences were done BEFORE anyone had ever stepped foot on the moon. No one had even seen Earth from space at the time this movie was made, Kubrick and team pulled it off seamlessly. I don’t have a third point, but if you haven’t seen this film on the big screen, your TV or computer screen will simply have to suffice. Carve out a few hours tonight, pop some corn, and watch a masterpiece of cinema.

DOCTOR WHO – Eight Season (2005 -) IMDb

Like I said, the similarities end at the genre for these two. Where 2001 is a little slow and lacks speaking characters, DOCTOR WHO is about as wild and talkative as a TV show can get. And it’s amassed such a cult following that it’s been airing on BBC for over 50 years! In fact, you can watch many of the original episodes on Netflix as well, but we’re talking about the revised series from 2005 to today.

Since its resurrection, fans have seen 3 Doctors come and go and are now enjoying their 4^th as he continues to battle aliens and save the galaxy in season 9. The show has grown steadily in popularity, not just in America but all around the world and has become something of a cultural icon as of late. Perhaps you’ve seen some 1960s British Police Boxes everywhere you look or maybe you were wondering what that weirdo wearing a fez was thinking and why are people saying “Allonsy!” all the time??? Because Doctor Who, that’s why. Anyway, the show can be really bad when it’s bad, but can be out of this world amazing when it’s not really bad. Again, I’m not great at pitching, but give it a shot and let us know who your favorite Doctor is! I bet it’s Tennant.

Welcome to another episode of What to Watch Right Now on the Official Zito Media Blog! We’re currently NOT counting down the 12 movies of Christmas, so if you’re looking for overexposed Christmas movies to watch… look elsewhere. Over here, we’re recommending some of the most fun and intriguing movies and TV shows available on the Netflix Instant Stream.

IN BRUGES – Dir. Martin McDonagh (2008) IMDB

Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) flee London after a hit gone wrong, only to await orders in the most boring place Ray could ever imagine, Bruges. Where is Bruges? Well, it’s in Belgium. What is there to do in Bruges? Apparently not very much, aside from sightseeing. However, what follows makes for one of the most hilarious, heart wrenching, and exciting hitman films of the last decade.

The synopsis of IN BRUGES certainly doesn’t sound like the typical hitman movie; All these hitman have to do is lie low for two weeks in Bruges, waiting for their boss to give them further instructions. That being said, In Bruges is not a typical hitman movie. In fact, there really isn’t whole lot of action before the last 30 minutes or so. This doesn’t hinder the film in any way, it actually makes it so much more intriguing. We grow to understand these characters as we learn why they had to flee their homeland and soon grow to sympathize with them and care for them. Sure, they might kill people for a living, but deep down, they have feelings just like non-murdering professionals. Even in such a boring place, they find themselves in bizarre situations, attempting to outrun the guilt of their chosen life paths. To reiterate, even though an absurd comedy about two hitmen in a small Belgium town doesn’t sound like a very good watch… It is. There’s not much more to say than it’s a diamond in the rough. A true hidden gem.

THE X-FILES – Nine Seasons (1993-2002) IMDB

But you know what’s not a hidden a gem? THE X-FILES. It’s simply a gem. One of the most popular TV shows of the 90s, that acquired a massive cult following and spawned two movies and a second run coming out next year, isn’t to be ignored. To be honest, I had never even considered watching The X-Files until last Friday when I was so bored I thought my head was going to explode. Needless to say, I’ve finally jumped on the UFO theorist bandwagon.

FBI Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully team up to crack the X-Files, the FBI’s most secret and unexplained cases. While Mulder is a firm believer in the paranormal, Scully is a little more difficult to convince. Together, they travel the country encountering strange phenomena that could put their careers and their lives at risk. I haven’t even gotten too far into season one and I’m already hooked. I’ve always been a fan of UFO and paranormal TV shows, but The X-Files clearly transcends the stereotypical conspiracy genre. It seems to be a lot like TWIN PEAKS (featured here in Ep. 8), which also features David Duchovny, so if you’re not into strange, you probably won’t like The X-Files. However, it doesn’t hurt to familiarize yourself with the characters and the world they inhabit, because The X-Files is making its triumphant comeback thirteen years after the original run in 2016.