A List - Movies & Telle to get through Chinese Summer...

So... its stinking hot in Tangshan and to pass away the thrumming cicada filled, sweltering days alot of TV watching and Film Foraging is done...

Fortunately a friend was watching a film that made me spit out my cornflakes in disgust... resulting in a good few hours of list making!

Here is the result - if you are inclined to comment, add, detract or otherwise - I look forward to your input... if not, enjoy what you might not have seen :)

Genre	Movie Title	Notes
Drama / Action	Hacksaw Ridge	Once you get through the first 20 minutes the film itself really comes alive. Based on a true story about a man opposed to violence but enamoured in his desire to protect his country he joins the army during WWII.
Drama / Action	Moonlight	A peak into a world we, as Aussies’, might not know a lot about, but not just a story of a different culture and country, guns, gangs and limited education options, it looks at hardships of identity.
Action / Thriller	Don’t Breathe	When you lose one sense… you increase another? Maybe not the person to steal from then… little did they know…One of the few films I’ve actually found frightening!
Drama / Thriller	The Whistle-blower	There is honour. There are laws and promises. But what happens when the agreed honour is not your own. When the law of a group goes against your principals?
Drama / Thriller	Denial	Shockingly based on a true story, an American woman takes on an UK professor who insists there was no Holocaust. Excellent performances by some excellent actors…
Action / Thriller	Lawless	Based during the prohibition era in America, a film about the outlaws, their lives, the inter-workings of the law and the outer, and, most importantly, family and honour.
Action	Rush	Not my usual thing, but should you like cars and the racing of said vehicles, this film has that as well as some good comradery, mateship and drama.
Action / Comedy	In the Valley of Violence	Ethan Hawke… need I say more? Yes? Whiskey pouring, gun slinging, desert walking, empty-soul business with a sneaky soul searching hero looking for vengeance… it aint bad!
Drama	Me Before You	Caris – a good one for you on a day alone. Grab some tissues and enjoy an unusual friendship drama, with a dash of potential romance and generally delightful performances.
Drama	What Dreams May Come	My favourite Robin Williams performance (bar when he was the Genie in Aladin!). This is a heartfelt drama looking at how we need to find one another in the hardest of times. Cinematically its pretty impressive as well.
Comedy	St Vincent	Aint no Saint, or maybe is so… just a different version of goodness? A fun, inappropriate and yet heart-warming afternoon film with the perfectly incorrigible Bill Murray
Thriller / Action	The Drop	An anti-hero. An adorable puppy. A man wanting to do right but doing wrong. Some excellent dramatic scenes and unexpectedly appropriate moments of violence – Sunday viewing at its best!
Comedy	The Grand Budapest Hotel	One of the filmographic wonders of the 21st century, its also pretty bloody funny! An ironic script with a cast to-boot. Don’t worry, it all makes sense at the end, but be prepared for a wondrously nonsensical adventure!
Thriller	Filth	A less than ideal cop (James McAvoy) hopes to get his wife and daughter back by solving a murder… while still being drug addled and having a less the appropriate attitude.
Comedy	The Big Lebowski	1990’s – one of the must see films of all time that makes absolute NO sense at all. Infact, during the film, the regularly comment about how little sense their actions make!
Thriller / Drama	Shakespeare Retold - Macbeth	Modernised version of the story with the glorious James McAvoy as Macbeth. Its… dark, insightful, shocking, enlightening and everything in between.
Thriller / Action	Legend	Have you heard of the Ronnie Brothers? Hard core twins in Essex OWNING the town during their time. Tom Hardy plays both twins in a pretty intense film set during prohibition. Weirdly… watching it makes you feel like a cool person (unless you already are… at which time… you prolly don’t know what I mean… being uncool… an all…… awkz!) :D
Comedy	Shakespeare Retold – The Taming of the Shrew	One of my ALL TIME faves. Shakespeare without the Shakespearean, excellent performances and some laugh out loud moments
Comedy / Action	Bandits	An oldie but a goodie – something to enjoy over pizza and a beer. A fun film about bank robberies and romance with Willis, Blanchette and Billi-bob
Thriller / Comedy	The Voices	Ryan Reynolds shows his range… Deliciously diabolical with moments of utter incomprehension, laughter at the most inappropriate times and just a rollercoaster of unlikely fun!
Thriller	Gone Girl	Based on the book of the same name, lots of twists and turns, what you thought you knew, you didn’t… It’s a relationship none of us want, some of us might have, but taken to the exponential
Drama / Comedy	Chalet Girl	Fun for the weekend. Felicity Jones is at a loss as to what to do with herself, so she takes an unlikely job in an unlikely place and self-discovery ensues
Drama / Action	Warrior	Returning from the war, a man is looking for just a place to be… but all he had is a member of his family that he doesn’t want… doesn’t love? It becomes a story of brothers, of fathers and sons, of loss, identity and forgiveness…
Thriller	10 Cloverfield Lane	If you’ve not seen it… don’t tell anyone that you will. One of those films that you must come to empty… without expectations… in order to enjoy alls its sneaky perfections!
Action / Drama	Logan	If you’re not into X-men, don’t worry, this is a (while action-packed film) movie about identify, pain, redemption, with some great filmography and tear-jerking moments. Good for all the boys and all the girls!
Thriller / Drama	Ex-Machina	This is a 2015 flick, if you’ve not seen it, its well worth it. The CGI makes it worth a squiz, but more than that the existential dilemma of ‘what makes us human’. Edge of your seat viewing.
Action / Comedy	The Man From Uncle	Tall? Dark hair? English accent? You’re in! Tall? Blond hair? German accent? You’re in! Together… can you thwart the recent international conspiracy? Enter… sexy woman to assist… or assist indeed?
Action / Comedy	Kingsman: The Secret Service	What is better than Colin Firth… answer? Nothing? That’s what I thought!, until I realised that Colin First could be a super hero… WITH AN UMBRELLA! And why not? This is a rollicking, shocking, frolicking fun filled adventure
Action / Drama	Southpaw	I have it all. I am strong. I am a warrior in the ring. I have money. Family. Love… then… I have nothing, but… everything to fight for.
Drama	Spotlight	Through the discoveries of new-media, the American Catholic Church is forced to reveal the worst of sins, hiding and facilitating priests taking advantage of young patrons
Thriller	Nightcrwaler	News is now a form of entertainment… but how do we keep up with the need for new news stories?... make up our own? A disturbing and intriguing representation of news-media. Jake Gyllenhaal will FREAK YOU OUT!
Action / Comedy	The Nice Guys	Its so wrong… its right. Remember Penny and her Dad, Gadget…, then… welcome overweight, under-dressed, undesirable (played by Russel Crowe) cop… the rest is a fun filled adventure fit for a Friday evening after a difficult day at work – you don’t enjoy it – I’ll eat my hat!
Drama	Things We Lost In The Fire	When everything is falling apart, or has fallen apart. When the closest person isn’t there… sometimes strangers can help you see what you needed to see all along. Bring tissues!
Classic / Drama	Citizen Kane	Arguably one of the most important films of all time… It is long watching, but definitely worth it. Orwell based it on an actual millionaire who destroys his career after the fil,
Action / Sci Fi / Classic	Blade Runner	You may have already watched this futuristic classic, however, a new version comes out soon with your fave and mine… Ryan Gosling! Stunning concept, CGI beyond its time and interesting concepts, a scary take on what we look forward to…
Drama / Thriller	Manchurian Candidate	Are we in control of our own minds? More importantly… are our politicians, the people running our districts, countries… areas…. In control of their own minds? And if not… should they be? A fascinating and intense film leaving you with some intriguing questions to ask and answer…
Drama / Sci Fi / Horror	The Girl With All The Gifts	Another film about disease sweeping humanity, but this time it’s a child who is our focus. Questions of morality pop up along with some stunning filmography and bits of delightful gore!
Drama / Fantasy	A Monster Calls	A young boy deals with the sickness of his mother, coming of age and all the difficulties of existence. Liam Neeson voices the monster. Its heartbreaking and heart-warming all at the same time.
Classic / Rom Com	How To Steal A Million	A comedic heist with Audrey Hepburn and a sparkly eyed Peter O’Toole. Its fun and fast with smart and witty dialogue the whole way through.
Comedy / Rom Com	Crazy Stupid Love	All falling apart? Your marriage? Your identity? So feels Steve Carrell, but fortunately (or unfortunately) meets Ryan Gosling, a cool – man about town, who will help him get his game back. A story of family, friendship, losing and gaining, and finding oneself when needed.
Classic / Comedy	Bringing Up Baby	I’ll not tell you who baby is, but needless to say between Katherine Hepburn and Clark Cable, baby is hard to keep a hold of! A quirky romance with lots of laughs.
Classic / Rom Com	High Fidelity	Returning home for a school reunion could be easier, a) if your ex girlfriend who you left at the prom wasn’t the main radio DJ in the town and b) if you weren’t a contracted killer… but things couldn’t get any worse… could they? John Cusack and Minnie Driver
Classic / Rom Com	Look Whose Come To Dinner?	A difficult subject matter for its time, bringing a black boyfriend to dinner with an upper class, white Southern family. Its an awkward dinner, to say the least, but amusing and insightful at the same time.
Classic / Rom Com	Heart & Souls	Say you’re dead but you missed the bus… the soul bus… instead, you spend the next 20 or so years as a guardian to the kids that were born at the moment of your death… run through time, enter Robert Downey Jnr who needs a bit of help getting to his destiny… he didn’t realise the divinity of the help he was getting though!
Classic / Rom Com	Sabina	Personally I’d watch the original with Humphrey Bogart, but there is a more recent rendition. A girl, lost for hope, leaves to Paris, only to return and not be recognised by the man she used to admire.
Classic / Rom Com	Roman Holiday	A Princess attempts to escape her gruelling and restrictive schedule, only to meet the general difficulties of the outside world. ‘Rescued’ by reporter, Gregory Peck, the two take a turn around the romantic city scape.
Comedy / Drama	Chef	A Chef, previously considered an up-and-comer, is thwarted by a restaurant partnership and humiliated by a blogging table guest. A road trip ensures where he not only discovers his own passions, but realises what the best ingredient in any recipe is… family.
Classic / Rom Com	A Destiny of her Own (or Dark Beauty)	I think I can quote this entire film. Based on a true story about a female, a poet, and due to her financial circumstances, a courtesan in 1700, Veronica learns to work her trade while holding on to hopes she can find peace with the one she loves. The film itself is a delight to the eyes, the story will at once break your heart and give you faith in the power of us all. A beautiful piece of art.
Classic / Rom Com	Casanova	David Tennent owns this performance as the lover-come-scoundrel weaving his way in and out of the autocracy while chasing a love lost. Moving between now (O’toole as an older Casanova) and his busy-spent youth (Tennent) we hear mischievous stories amongst moments of realisation. Funny, intense, uplifting and tear jerking.

And then there are the TV shoes...

Show Name	Details
Billions	An insight into the dichotomy and duplicity of Hedge Funds and the Government. Some incredible performances and jaw dropping script. I was on the edge of my seat or throwing things at the TV!
Mr Robot	Narrated by a confused, possibly psychotic, unsure-of-himself social outsider. Interesting perspectives on civilisation as we know it, and what would happen should it fall apart? Won a good few awards and with good reason.
The Handmaids Tale	AAAAHHHHHH possibly my favourite TV show of all time (probably because its based on my favourite novel- Atwoods 1985 book of the same name. The reflection on what could happen today draws you in closer to the struggles of the character. Womens rights have been ripped away, but is it for our own good?
The Sinner	I’ve only seen a couple of episodes, but with each episode more questions appear. Flashbacks to the main characters youth suggest reasons for her seemingly unexplainable actions.
Preacher	What? A comic book based on a Preacher? Well why not! You feel as if you’ve been pulled into the deep south America town where a Preacher has accidently been infected by the spawn of an inappropriate relationship between an angel and a demon, giving him suggestive powers. It’s fascinating, funny and there’s an irish vampire who I’d be happy to call my friend!
Peaky Blinders	Based on an actual family in late 1800 Birmingham, these guys are trying to come up in the ranks from being considered gypsies, by any means necessary. The choreography, character development and music draws you into the show that when the credits roll you moan in disappointment that the episode is over.
Bloodline	Ben Mendelson plays the black sheep of the family, returning home to an off-Florida seaside location. Haunting scenery and complex family relationships result in nail-biting moments and you questioning how black and white your opinions of each character really are.
The Affair	A uniquely structured story about personal perspectives of the same events. How we see each other and ourselves. Again, juicy characters that continue to develop overtime, with sub story lines playing out while we watch the main characters struggle with their decisions.
Penny Dreadful	What if all the delicious dark creatures of the early 1900’s came to life… and came together, to conquer a greater threat? Meet the beasts that haunt your dreams and bond with them through their unique stories. You may end up fearing the good and empathising with the monster.
Humans	What makes us, us? What makes it ok to be a slave? If AI has consciousness, is it therefore human? In a time not so far from now AI is a normal part of the family, someone who can nanny, clean, cook and tend. But what if these AI ‘wake up’… what if they become aware of themselves.
The Leftovers	Three years ago 1% of our society suddenly… disappeared. There was no warning. No explanation. Now, we visit the families and societies that have been affected, and how they have reacted… from pretending nothing happened, to the development of cults to sciences searching for answers.
Salem	What if it were true, but we were hanging the wrong people? Witches come to life in this detailed and dark rendition of an age old fear. A situational (sometimes tongue in cheek) drama set in a world of fantasy, exploring all the love, regret, resent, familial and fearful aspects of human (and non-human) nature.
True Detective (Season 1)	In the deep south there is a dark presence and it will take an unlikely pair to uncover the truth. We see the story from a time close to now, the two detectives retelling their experiences, at the same time, we see the repercussions of the case on their own lives. Incredible performances by Matthew McConahaugh and his life-long friend, Woody Harrelson.