I've never been a film addict;only ever been to the flicks about 6 times in 50 years, but since the lockdown malarky I've got a little hooked on watching fact based films/dramas & documentaries.

Some stuff over the last 3 months or so I've watched are
Our World War (series of 3 episodes)
1917
The White Princess (series of 8 episodes)
Elizabeth 1 (series of 2)
Philomena
Abused By My Girlfriend

Watched the HunterST recommended Marvellous the other night...brilliant stuff

Just can't think of anything else akin to any of the above

Anyone watched The Salisbury Poisonings?

Dark is fantastic on Netflix. One of my top series of all time.

Steddyman wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 07, 2020 11:03 pm

Dark is fantastic on Netflix. One of my top series of all time.

Fictional?

Dazzler wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 07, 2020 11:02 pm

Anyone watched The Salisbury Poisonings?

Yes ... very good and well acted

Not sure whether you mean current or the whole library since dramas were invented.

Cheers Boss.
I shall get stuck in to that now

COBBLE wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 07, 2020 11:31 pm

Not sure whether you mean current or the whole library since dramas were invented.

Anything fact based please

Not sure where you might find them now but ITV had two excellent series a few years back.
Code of a Killer. About the discovery and first use to solve a crime by DNA.
In Plain Sight. A psychopath on the loose in 50s Scotland. Raping and murdering young women.

Just done series 2 of Hanna on Prime - much better than the first series I thought and that was good (though replayed too much of the film for my liking)

The Railwayman
True but serious
Ticks the war box
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2058107/

The Fighter
True story adapted
Boxing
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0964517/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1

Into the Wild
True - a slow one
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758758/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

Wild
True
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2305051/

Similar but lighter to the one above
A Walk in The Woods
Not all fact probably but a good film with a bit of daftness.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1178665/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

127 Hours
True
Hard to watch a couple of scenes -
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1542344/

Unbroken
Based on True People - middle may a bit embelished / maybe not?
Ticks the War box
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1809398/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0

These sprang to mind...
All worth a watch for different reasons.
So that's a movie a night for the next week.

I'm sure I can think of more.

"Sully"
and also
"The Walk"
are good watches and true.

Enjoy!

Chernobyl was very good

Dazzler wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 07, 2020 11:34 pm

Anything fact based please

Watched Richard Jewell on Rakuten TV the other day. Its about the Atlanta bombings in 1996. Directed by Clint Eastwood. Very good!

Greatest Events of WWII in Colour - a fantastic 10 part documentary series on Netflix.

I havnt been to a cinema in over 10 years either. Do have Netflix and Prime though. I like fact / truth based films and programs too.

Agree with WW2 in colour above.

Also:

Defiance
Hurricane
An American Murder Mystery - The Staircase

Just watching '13 Reasons Why' on Netflix. Not my usual cup of tea buts its very good. 4 series altogether with 13 episodes in each.

On Netflix, 3 fact based ones worth a watch:-

The Devil next door - about a guy accused of being a WW2 Nazi death camp guard, but is it a case of mistaken identity?

Long Shot - how a baseball game and a tv show saved an innocent man from being convicted of murder

Unbelievable - The hunt for a serial rapist in the US

Best series ever on ww2 is World At War.

Other stuff based on real ... (some probably a bit loosely).
The Tudors
The Borgias
Victoria
Chernobyl
Boardwalk Empire (ish - its based on real people)

There are loads of films. Off the top of my head
Made in Dagenham
Imitation Game
My week with Marilyn
Capote
Moneyball
The Damned United
Born on the 4th of July
Cool Runnings
A League of their Own

Little Fires Everywhere is a good series on Amazon Prime. Thoroughly enjoyed two seasons of it.

In no particular order ..

Hitler's Circle of Evil - Should be on Netflix, a pretty good series documenting the lives of the leading Nazi party officials from their beginning all the way through to their ultimate demise.

The Civil War by Ken Burns - A classic documentary on the American Civil war.

The Vietnam War by Ken Burns - Same as the above but on Vietnam.

Shoah - A 9 hour film on the holocaust, not for the faint hearted.

Life Is Beautiful - Classic film set in a concentration camp.

Band of Brothers - You've likely seen it already as it's an absolute masterpiece but just in case you haven't.

Generation War - Often called the German Band of Brothers.

Should be enough there to keep you going

Jeez...which one first?

Thanks folks

I have already seen a few suggested.

Watched The Case Of Sally Challen last night.A bit of a slow start but got more insightful as it went on.

The Salisbury Poisonings was going to be next up but I think I might just take a look at another HunterST recommendation
The Railwayman

Thanks again all

(keep them coming)

Carve her name with pride (1958). If you want bravery this woman, Violette Szabo had it.

Netflix.
Riphagen. WW2. Dutch double agent. Imdb 7.1
Playing for Time. WW2. Jewish ladies band in a concentration camp. Imdb 7.4
The Resistance Banker. WW2. Two Dutch banking brothers funding the resistance. Imdb 6.9

All true stories.

I am currently watching series 1 of Condor 2 on catch up (based on the film "3 days of the Condor" with Robert Redford) with Jeremy Irons son Max in the lead role.

Enjoying it so far ... season 1 has been on Sky One...

Who Killed Little Gregory? is on Netflix.
It’s a documentary series based on archive footage of the investigation of the murder of a toddler in France.
Honestly, this story completely gobsmacked me. There’s incompetence on the part of the local magistrate, shockingly intrusive behaviour by the press, and some ridiculous plot twists.
Unmissable, though you’ll have to read subtitles or listen to a dubbed English version (unless you understand French of course).

BabylonClaret wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 08, 2020 11:16 am

Best series ever on ww2 is World At War.

Agreed!

Fargo

Sutton-Claret wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 08, 2020 10:14 am

Just watching '13 Reasons Why' on Netflix. Not my usual cup of tea buts its very good. 4 series altogether with 13 episodes in each.

Only 10 episodes in the final season Sutton, though the final episode is an hour and a half long. Not sure where you're up too, but stick with season 4, the first half of the season is very poor in my opinion compared to the previous 3 seasons but it finishes well.

Watched The Railway Man the other night.
Decent film.

Anyone watched Kajaki: The True Story?

Harriet
True story about slavery

Resistance
Very good war related movie with a twist

steve_f wrote: ↑

Thu Aug 20, 2020 10:17 pm

Harriet
True story about slavery

That has just gone on my list..probably watch it Sunday night.

Cheers Steve

This film has earned the HahaYeah seal of approval.

Documentary on the Endurance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAvbeahy80Q

Is there owt a bit more light hearted. Jesus some of these titles are heavy.

Agree on into the wild. Great film.

To contradict my light hearted request. American history x is now on Netflix. Seen it dozens of times. But still as powerful as ever and more relevant than ever.

Series wise the last dance is superb.

Back on films. Again a bit heavy some of these but all absolutely brilliant.

No country for old men.

True romance. Love this film absolutely brilliant.

Michael inside. Decent budget British film about an Irish kid who gets into drug dealing.

The Great Lebowski

Steddyman wrote: ↑

Tue Jul 07, 2020 11:03 pm

Dark is fantastic on Netflix. One of my top series of all time.

We liked the series up until the new one. Probably partly down to the gap between the last series and the new one, but we both got lost as to who, what, where, when in the latest series. It keeps flipping between past, present, future and younger older versions of people and we got confused

The Laundromat (movie about the Panama Papers, it's humorous and eye opening) and The Post (movie about the Pentagon Papers leading up to Watergate). Both fact based and excellent.

imitation game is good, you mention fact based.
its about Alan turing and the enigma codes. its on netflix .

Good to see Wild..the film about a solo woman doing a long distance walk in the Western USA getting a mention above as I really enjoyed this.
Re the Salisbury Poisonings I enjoyed it but on reflection it was as if it had been written by a Health & Safety Manager, focusing virtually entirely on the H&S response to the threat and ignoring the dramatic possibilities around the perpetrators/Russian government . It was as if the makers didn't want to upset Vladimir too much. Chernobyl on the other hand is much more ruthlessly critical of those in power at the time.

Netflix series ‘Narcos’ about the life of Pablo Escobar.

Great true story drama, I’m about half way through.

I'm currently rewatching Line of Duty on catch-up. Absolutely brilliant telly.

BenWickes wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 21, 2020 5:47 am

We liked the series up until the new one. Probably partly down to the gap between the last series and the new one, but we both got lost as to who, what, where, when in the latest series. It keeps flipping between past, present, future and younger older versions of people and we got confused

Agreed, I thought it was fantastic to a point but found the third and final last season a bit of a drag. I found every scene very cryptic and difficult to follow, there wasn't any relief. The cinematography and music is fantastic though, very stylish. Part of me would like to watch it again from the beginning and try to follow it a little better.

Rileybobs wrote: ↑

Fri Aug 21, 2020 3:45 pm

Agreed, I thought it was fantastic to a point but found the third and final last season a bit of a drag. I found every scene very cryptic and difficult to follow, there wasn't any relief. The cinematography and music is fantastic though, very stylish. Part of me would like to watch it again from the beginning and try to follow it a little better.

I think that's a good idea. May make more sense to piece together what's happening with a fresh memory of the previous two series.

HBO historical series I really recommend the is 'John Adams', compared to Rome or Band Of Brothers it's very overlooked in the UK but deemed essential viewing in the US.
2008, 7 part miniseries each up to essentially on the founding of the US centered around John Adams, delegate for Massachusetts in the first congress and later president. Played by Paul Giamatti, it's a real cracker, rooted in dialogue and ideas over action but dripping with history and gravitas.

If you are happy to stray into alternate history and are a fan of space I very much enjoyed 'For All Mankind'. Russia beats the US to the moon and the space race never ends. While it's fictional in nature it still represents the era & training well but also bring to life some genuine plans or ideas which were never played out.

Going medieval Wolf Hall was a wonderful BBC adaptation of the novels centered around Thomas Cromwell and his rise to power under Henry VIII. Much like John Adam it rewards the person who really pays attention and understands context.
If you just like the period and don't mind a slightly trashier but never the less entertaining take The Tudors is also worth a look.

Finally on that theme of American drama's doing international history The Borgias is excellent, Jeremy Irons playing the infamously controversial pontiff. But also goes larger to the geopolitics of the time, Italy still a series of city states with the Papacy stuck in the middle, England/France/Spain all at odds.
The Two Popes is a wonderful film on the more recent resignation of Pope Benedict and his successor. A very fun and heartfelt film despite it being at heart about two old men arguing over theology and it's place in the modern world.

True Movies that come to mind ..Midnight Express...The Worlds Fastest Indian....The Pianist...Papillon..all these you may have already seen though...

BabylonClaret wrote: ↑

Wed Jul 08, 2020 11:16 am

Best series ever on ww2 is World At War.

Other stuff based on real ... (some probably a bit loosely).
The Tudors
The Borgias
Victoria
Chernobyl
Boardwalk Empire (ish - its based on real people)

There are loads of films. Off the top of my head
Made in Dagenham
Imitation Game
My week with Marilyn
Capote
Moneyball
The Damned United
Born on the 4th of July
Cool Runnings
A League of their Own

Good list there BC, I'll try and slowly weed my way through the films anyway, I'm trying to stay off the boxsets as they're too time consuming if you get drawn in.

I finally managed to catch The Damned United on the iPlayer last night, great film and the leads Michael Sheen & Timothy Spall worked together beautifully, and Colm Meaney got Don Revie down to a t, Stephen Graham was also a great Billy Bremner.

A minor point of trivia Elizabeth Carling (the 2nd Pheobe in Goodnight Sweatheart) appeared as Barbara Clough in this movie, I wasn't aware of this fact before last night.

Regarding Recommendations on the IP, I advise the following films which are currently available.

Borg vs McEnroe (tennis biopic)
Blazing Saddles (a classic which never ages)
Buster (another classic which never ages, and a great role for Phil Collins)
Citizen Kane (one of those movies you feel you should watch, I have never viewed it yet, but will ensure I right that anomaly in the next few weeks.
Gregory's Girl (one of the classic coming of age footy films, and Clare Grogan & Dee Hepburn what's not to like.
Stan & Ollie (one for the legions of Laurel & Hardy fans, of which I know there is many on this forum)

Recorded all the Star Treks shown on Film 4 last week. Just finishing Off ST2 Wrath Of Khan tonight, then onto Search for Spock.
Bill Shatner still the best Captain of the Enterprise IMHO.

If I could suggest a good family movie to watch over the weekend it'd be Paddington 2 which is available on the IP for a few more days, I viewed it last night and it's brilliant for all ages to enjoy.

Pig...with Nicolas Cage....dour,sad,but a good watch all the same,don't think it's even released in the UK yet,but you can pick it up on many places on the net.

Red Riding was good, if a tough watch at times.

Old - made by M.Night Shyamalan, who did Sixth sense, Split, Glass etc.

"Family on holiday and the hotel manager tells them about a secluded beach that they should see during their stay.

They go with some other people, but the beach isn't all that it seems"

I'll be honest, it's an intriguing film and the end does raise some interesting questions, but it seems like it's a really low quality film in regards to production etc.

I enjoyed it despite that and it's worth a watch.