Netflix Recommendations
By Shan Balakid
Picture this: We have two weeks left of quarantine and you’ve binge-watched almost everything on Netflix. You only have half a bag of chips and you’re left feeling as though there is nothing else to watch.
First of all, go do your homework and complete all the overdue tasks you have. I’m sure that your teachers would really appreciate it if you hand it in. Seriously, don’t procrastinate. Then you can watch some more Netflix. During this time especially, finding ways to keep ourselves amused can be quite challenging. Luckily, binge-watching movies and TV shows are something that you can do to pass time.
‘Studio Ghibli’ films
Studio Ghibli Inc. is widely known for its animated feature films and is one of the most renowned studios in the world. Saying that you’ve never heard of them is surprising as some of their most popular movies include:
Spirited Away
Howl’s Moving Castle
My Neighbour Totoro
Princess Mononoke
Ponyo
It’s no argue that each animation has a powerful storyline to it, as well as beautiful hidden meanings all throughout and have definitely transformed the way future films have been created. Not to mention, Studio Ghibli also produces the most soothing soundtracks as well
Kdramas
Korean dramas have been around for quite some time now and have gained worldwide traction in the last decade. If you’ve never experienced watching a Kdrama before, then you won’t understand why there’s so much hype around it. No matter which series you watch, I can guarantee that they will suck you in like a wormhole and it’ll be hard to get back out. They’re created in a way where the storyline is so captivating that you end up getting emotionally invested in the characters. The themes present also are seemingly so relatable but also somewhat silly.
Obviously, when you start devoting time to start watching a new TV show, you’re going to have to spend hours on it. So, UBIQUE is here to help you get running on the right track with some of the most known Kdramas:
‘It’s Okay to Not Be Okay’
Moon Gang Tae is a caretaker at a psychiatric ward and crosses paths with Ko Moon Young (Ms Ko), who is a children’s book writer with an antisocial and unusual personality. For the majority of Gang Tae’s life, he has been on the run whilst looking after his autistic older brother who experiences recurring nightmares about the day when their mother was murdered. His brother also happens to be a fan of Ms Ko. The whole show addresses and includes realistic portrayals of Mental Illness and Neurodiversity - which is something that people may find confronting but is important to educate others about.
If you’re heavily interested in genres such as mystery and romance, this one is definitely for you.
What’s Wrong With Secretary Kim?
Not invested in high school romance that much? No need to worry, this Kdrama is high school-free! Vice-Chairman of a famous cooperation, Lee Young-Joon has a secretary, Kim Mi-so who has been working for him for 9 years. Having to be working under him for nearly a decade, Young-joon has nothing to worry about, when all of a sudden, his most trusted and incredibly reliable secretary announces that she is quitting. Curious of the sudden news, the powerful, yet stubborn chairman starts a journey, where he tries to convince secretary Kim to not leave his side.
‘While You Were Sleeping’
On the topic of mystery and romance, this Kdrama is right up this alley! Nam Hong-Joo, a former news reporter comes across a realisation that her dreams tell the future, and significant events that will happen such as explosions, deaths and more. She, later on, crosses paths with a newbie prosecutor, Jung Jae-Chan, who also has the same ability, but his dreams are of events Hong-Joo is stuck in.
This jaw-dropping 2017 Kdrama will have you on the edge of your seat, frustrated, and happy all at once. It features a lot of Law-based scenes as well, including court cases, occupation positions and what they deal with every day- well, excluding the psychic dreams that is.
Sad movies
Who doesn’t love a good cry? I’m not sure what it is, but there’s something about sad movies that makes it so addicting. No one wants to feel sad, yet we feel a sense of satisfaction after a good old sad movie.
‘Collateral Beauty’
David Frankel’s 2016 fantasy drama film depicts a successful New York advertising executive (Will Smith) trying to retreat from life after a tragedy. He begins questioning the universe and starts writing letters to Love (Keira Knightley), Time (Jacob Latimore) and Death (Helen Mirren) who give him unpredicted and personal answers.
‘Freedom Writers’
Released in 2007, Freedom Writers is a true story that follows a first-time white teacher, Erin Gruwell (Hilary Swank) educating discouraged ethnic-minority kids from suburbs filled with gangs. Erin sacrifices her personal time and life in hope to inspire and emotionally motivate her class. She is able to get her students to write about their own lives, hence the title called ‘freedom writers’.
‘A Silent Voice”
Directed by Naoko Yamada, this movie tells the story of a deaf girl, Nishimiya Shouko and her relationship with her grade school bully, Ishida Shoya years after she moved schools after dealing with the countless tormenting from him, and other classmates. This 2016 Kyoto Animation movie will leave you speechless and in a waterfall of your own tears. The way this movie depicts the topic of disabled people so beautifully with its top-quality animation, the eye-opening storyline will really make you wish you could rewind time to watch again.
Extra Recommendation:
‘Just Mercy’
Although this movie is not on Australian Netflix, I highly encourage you to find a way to watch this beautiful piece of art. Released in 2019, Just Mercy is based on a true story and stars Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx and Rob Morgan. The movie follows Bryan Stevenson as a young lawyer (Jordan) who decides to head to Alabama and defend wrongly accused or inmates who could not afford representation as they go against death row. This inspiring true story talks about how showing mercy could potentially redeem us and somehow upgrade America’s broken justice system.