Things to Watch - Beat Bugs (Netflix)

Netflix recently premiered a new cartoon for kids called Beat Bugs and IT'S ALL ABOUT THE BEATLES!! How cool is that? We haven't checked it out yet (I think my kids might be a little too old for it), but it looks so fun. When my kids were little I hated listening to all the bad kids' music in TV shows (ugh, like the Hot Dog song), so how great would it be to hear something worthwhile, while keeping your kids entertained? Check out the preview here.

And by the way, did anyone else watch Stranger Things? It gave me nightmares but I loved it!! And so great to see Winona again!



[Disclaimer- I receive compensation for posting about Netflix, but I decide what I want to write about and what I want to say.]

Things to Watch - Five Kids' Movies Featuring Paris (Netflix Streaming)

Netflix streaming has some fantastic movies featuring foreign lands. Here are a few that take place in Paris. Because sometimes the best travel is arm chair travel (especially with kids)!

1. Hugo - If you ask me, this is one of the best children's movies to watch as a family. Hugo received more Academy Award nods in 201l than any other film that year. The cinematography is fantastic as it the coolio automoton/robot thing they put together. Hugo also celebrates the history of cinema, including the early classic - A Trip to the Moon (also available on Netflix streaming). And the 1930s train station that serves as the movie's main location seems so romantic and foreign.

2. The Hunchback of Notre Dame - So this movie isn't exactly Disney at its best, but still there are some fun songs. And a gypsy (who doesn't love a gypsy?). Plus talking gargoyles. We watched it right before our trip to Paris and the kids were a little awestruck when they saw the "real" Notre Dame.

3. The Aristocats - I haven't seen this in years, but I remember loving it as a child. Kittens. An evil butler. The beautiful city skyline. What's not to like?

4. A Monster in Paris - T loves this movie. The monster is actually nice and nobody realizes but the beautiful singer.

5. A Cat in Paris - We haven't watched this one yet, but it sounds pretty good, "when Zoe discovers that her cat is also a thief's companion, she's thrown into a thriller filled with gangsters, jewels and the rooftops of Paris."

Things to Watch - 7 Great TV Dramas on Netflix Streaming

Last month I posted about comedies (click here for the post), so now it's time to get serious.

1. Bloodline - "We're not bad people, but we did a bad thing." Most addictive show ever. I could not stop watching.

2. Mad Men - No real description is needed, as everyone has heard of Mad Men by now. Worth watching for the costumes and scenic design alone. And for Roger Sterling, possibly the best TV character ever.

3. Breaking Bad - Dan found this whole show addictive, but I thought it a little too depressing to binge watch. Still who doesn't love a show where Mr. Chips turns into Scarface?

4. The Honorable Woman - This suspenseful mini-series concentrates on Israeli/Pakistan relations. Kidnappings. Abductions. So much intrigue.

5. House of Cards - Politicians are so evil. But fun to watch.

6. The Walking Dead - Personally, I'm sick of thinking about/hearing about/imagining the apocalypse. So I've never learned to love the Walking Dead, but many good friends (including Dan) insist that it's one of the best shows on TV, so I'm including the Walking Dead on this list.

7. The UP series - Last but DEFINITELY not least, this documentary series follows the lives of fourteen British citizens over a 49 year period, as they age from 7 to 56 years old. The first episode (filmed in 1964) is a little painful to watch - awful sound quality, bad editing, no thoughts as to cinematography. But over time I became somewhat obsessed with the lives of these strangers.

Things to Watch - 6 Great Movies to Watch With Your Tween (Netflix Streaming)

In six months F will turn 10, a fact that she reminds us of constantly. And every time she says this all I hear is, "Darcy, soon you will be 40." But despite my fear of old age creeping in, I love having an almost-tween in the house. Finally, we can not only watch, but actually ENJOY movies together, especially classics from my own tween-hood.



1. Girls Just Want to Have Fun - Helen Hunt. Sarah Jessica Parker. Shannon Doherty. And a dance competition. Everything about this movie is perfect cheese - an evil dance "villain", romance with a boy on a motorcycle (and he can dance!!!!), the chance to appear live on Dance TV, and most importantly a straight-out-of-the-1980s soundtrack.



2. Ferris Bueller's Day Off - Before turning 13 every child NEEDS (yes, this in an inappropriate use of "needs" but I'm going with it) to see Matthew Broderick sing the Beatles during a parade and learn that there's more to life than high school. "Life moves pretty fast, if you don't stop and look around every once in awhile, you could miss it."



3. The Prince and Me - The Disney Channel recently made a knock-off of this movie called "Princess Protection Party", starring Demi Lovato. But I'll always vote for Julia Stiles. Plus, I love that she chooses med school over the monarchy and then, of course, finds a true "prince" who wants her to have both.



4. Legally Blond - Because girls can be smart and pretty. Or both. Or neither. It's just important to find the right dog. (FYI - this movie won't be available on Netflix streaming until May 1, so watch some of the other recommendations first). "You got into Harvard law?" "What like it's hard."



5. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure - This is a stupid movie. I've always thought it was a stupid movie. But my kids can now recognize Abraham Lincoln, so they might as well hear him say "Be excellent to each other. And... PARTY ON, DUDES!"



6. Footloose (the 1984 version) - I'm going back and forth on this one. Common Sense Media recommends it for children 13 and up, but the scenes between Ariel and her dad can be somewhat painful to watch, plus the sex talk and Ariel HANGING OUT OF A CAR. But still, who doesn't love Kevin Bacon as Ren? All he wants to do is dance.

Things to Watch - Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Premiering on Netflix this Friday)!!!

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt prepares tomorrow on Netflix and as a Stream Team member Netflix allowed me to preview the show. I assumed that I would like Kimmy Schmidt, as the "dream" team behind the sitcom seemed hard to beat - Tina Fey and Robert Carlock as producers; Ellie Kemper (The Office), Jane Krakowski (30 Rock) and Tituss Burgess (30 Rock) as the cast. But I was not prepared to LOVE it. And I do - I love it. I love Kimmy Schmidt. She has made me quite happy during this gloomy winter week.

The show begins as Kimmy Schmidt is freed from an apocalyptic cult** and becomes determined to live life to the fullest. Similar to Park and Recreation's Leslie Knope, Kimmy's a character who you can both laugh at and laugh with. But beyond that, watching this show just made me happy. Happy that the sitcom is not dead. Happy that there are people like Kimmy (okay, fictional people, but still people) who find value in the idea of making other people happy.

Honestly, I've had a long winter, between the broken foot and the somewhat confusing quest to figure out what I want to be when I grow up (have I mentioned that Darcy Troutman Photography is now booking for spring sessions?). As well as the general push and pull that comes with my children finally coming into their own and needing me less. Yes, I know they are only 5, 8, and 9, but they just seem so independent all of a sudden. Most days they make their own breakfasts and lunches. They have their own musical preferences. They not only dress themselves, but they have VERY strong opinions about their personal sense of style. And some days I feel a little, third-wheel-esque (or would I be fifth-wheel-esque?).

But then I watched Kimmy Schmidt's determination to not let the past define her. And she inspired me. Life really is what you make of it. Moment to moment. Day to day. So maybe it's time for me to say goodbye to the exhausting, yet beautiful baby and toddler years. To move on as they move on. And just to appreciate it all.

Anyways, WATCH THE SHOW. And, if you have a chance, let me know what you think.

And for those of you in the DC area - happy snowday! (AGAIN!)
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** Somewhat random, but if you want to watch a documentary about escaping a real cult, check out Sons of Perdition on Netflix streaming (which is fantastic, but depressing).

Things to Watch - Netflixing (January 2015)

We watched A LOT of TV in the last month or so. Here are some of the highlights:



FAMILY VIEWING:

* Big Fish (Movie) - One of my favorite family movie nights ever. In case you're not familiar with this cinematic masterpiece, Big Fish is about the estrangement between a tall-tale telling father and a truth seeking son. Tim Burton directed the film, so that alone lets you know it is over the top creative/bizarre. (Spoiler alert - this is a sad movie with some adult "themes", but no sex or violence, making it a great movie to watch with kids.)

* The Bad News Bears (Old school 1970s movie) - Friends warned us that this classic is not exactly kid-appropriate by modern day definitions. Luckily, we chose to ignore them. The drunk coach gives all the children beers to celebrate the end of the season. Seven year olds swear like truck drivers. A young Tatum O'Neal announces to the coach "I know an 11-year-old girl who is already on the pill." On the upside, almost all of this (minus the beer) went over my children's heads. Plus, the league's best pitcher is a girl (girls rock!) and the movie ends with the upbeat message of teamwork over victory.

* Love it or List It (TV show) - HGTV has made its way to Netflix. Yay!!!

* Parks and Recreation (TV show) - One night the kids couldn't sleep and they walked in on me watching this show, within minutes they couldn't stop laughing. All three kids find Andy hysterical (who doesn't?). They admire Leslie Knope (while still laughing at her). And, for better or worse, Knope is one of the best female role models on tv these days (she gets sh** done). Most of the inappropriate jokes go over their heads. Maybe I'm a bad parent, but our whole family now loves Parks and Recreation. (FYI - The first season is a little slow, and Season 2 has some iffy material, so I recommend starting with season 3).



KID-ONLY VIEWING:

* Robin Hood (the Disney cartoon movie you might remember from your own childhood) - T has loved this for years. And now thanks to our ipad and Netflix he can watch it over and over. And I can't stop singing the theme song. Remember? "Robin Hood and Little John walking through the forest . . ."

* Jessie, season 5 (TV show) - Now available. Complete with Michelle Obama guest appearance.

* Chima (TV show) - I have no idea what this Lego show is about, but T finds it "awesome".

* My Babysitter's a Vampire (TV show) - Dumbest. TV Show. Ever. The girls love it.



ADULT-ONLY VIEWING:

* The One I Love (movie) - Have you seen this movie? I don't even know how to explain it. A dysfunctional married couple goes away for the weekend and things get weird. That's about all I can say without spoiling anything. It is an odd movie. Yet fascinating. And somewhat funny. You should watch it. Really, watch it. Like now.

* Ken Burn's the Civil War (Mini series) - Sometimes Dan makes the kids watch this with him. They ask if they can do chores instead.

* Friends (yes, the WHOLE series is now available for streaming) - Nostalgia. Very serious nostalgia.

* Broadchurch (Mini series) - A BBC series about a missing boy. Like all of the "missing child/girl" series produced lately, this starts off incredibly sad. And then you find yourself wrapped in the mystery and binge-watching until 2 am.

* Ida (2015 Academy Award nominee for best foreign film) - I found this film slow. And sad. Nobody in the film talks much, which, as a talker, I find odd; silence confuses me. Worth watching for the cinematography alone; every shot is incredible.

* Snowpiercer (2015 Academy Award Snub) - You either like this movie or you don't. Dan really liked it. I really did not. It involves all that's left of humanity living on a train speeding through a snow covered earth. If that plot sounds interesting to you, then watch it.

* Who Is Dayani Cristal? (Documentary) - Documentary about an illegal immigrant found dead in the desert and the search to identify him. It also "stars" Gael García Bernal, always a plus. Prepare to cry.

* How to Marry a Millionaire (1953 Marilyn Monroe movie) - This movie was so much funnier than I expected it to be.

* The Immigrant (2015 Academy award front runner that the studio decided not to promote) - An immigrant forced into prostitution. Joaquin Phoenix is excellent as her pimp/obsessed admirer.



**** Disclaimer - I am part of Netflix's "stream team" and thus received an Ipad mini and a Netflix subscription for posting about their movies. The content of the post, however, is entirely mine.

Things to Watch - Five (Wonderful) "Art" Documentaries on Netflix Streaming

Lately, I'm a little obsessed with documentaries on Netflix streaming, especially ones that deal with artists and the art world. Here are my top 5 so far, even if you're not exactly into modern art (and/or you find it ridiculous) these films are all entertaining in their own right. Or at least I think so.



1. Bill Cunningham New York - This documentary profiles the 80-some year old photographer who spent years writing the "On the Street" and "Evening Hours" fashion columns for the New York Times. If this sounds boring (which it kind of does), then you haven't yet fallen in love with Bill yet, who is the most charming, modest, unpretentious, fascinating person.

Cunningham's best quote: "[t]he main thing I love about street photography is that you find the answers you don't see at the fashion shows. You find information for readers so they can visualize themselves.



2. The Artist Is Present - This film follows Marina Abramovi, a world famous performance artist, as she prepares for her retrospective at MOMA, where she sits every day for two and a half months, from open to close of the museum, staring at visitors who stand in huge lines (many of whom camp out overnight) to stare back at her. Actually, even without the MOMA show, this documentary shows that Abramovi is interesting not just as an artist, but as a person (especially as it documents the relationship and split with Abramovi's long-term partner and significant other, Uwe Laysiepen). Watching Abramovi, really makes one think about what it means to be an "artist" and what, in order to claim such a title, one must give up along the way.

Abramovi's best quote: "The hardest thing to do is something that is close to nothing."



3. Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has To Travel - Apparently Diana Vreeland was the original Anna Wintour - determined, successful, important, and (somewhat) viscous. The story of her life is fascinating (even the parts that she obviously fabricated). Plus, this movie takes the viewer on a worldwind trip through the the twentieth century - from the Belle Époque through Studio 54, Vreeeland witnessed it all.

Best quote (it was hard to choose, there are a ton, click here for more): "I think part of my success as an editor came from never worrying about a fact, a cause, an atmosphere. It was me — projecting to the public. That was my job. I think I always had a perfectly clear view of what was possible for the public. Give them what they never knew they wanted."



4. Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry - I find Ai WeiWei's fame hard to characterize - is he an artist? or a dissident? or simply a trouble maker? Alison Klayman's documentary presents him, somewhat, as all three. However you view it, he's an interesting guy.

Weiwei's best quote: "Once you’ve tasted freedom, it stays in your heart and no one can take it. Then, you can be more powerful than a whole country."



5. Exit Through the Gift Shop - Sorry everyone, the trailer for this movie is pretty awful, but the movie itself is actually quite good. The "documentary" (if the film is even real, most believe the whole storyline is a contrived "mockumentary") profiles a quirky french shopkeeper, who goes from being a Banksy fan to Banksy's main documentarian and accomplice. Then the rather odd shopkeeper becomes a somewhat famous artist himself. Basically the whole film mocks art and people who value it, while at the same time being about the art world.

Bansky's best quote: "I always used to encourage everyone I met to make art, I used to think everyone should do it. I don't do that so much anymore."

Film highlight - watching street artists at work - whether real or fake, who doesn't enjoy witnessing the collision of art and vandalism?

Things to Watch - Netflixing (November 2014)

Four years ago, when I started this blog, I posted almost every Thursday about "Things to Read." Such posts came easily, as we raced through picture book after picture book. But now the girls choose their own reading material and, sadly, they rarely request my input. Of course, I'll always love books and love posting about books, but I no longer have much to say on a weekly basis. So, time for something new . . .

As I've written about before, we find it incredibly challenging to agree on movies/tv shows to watch as a family. INCREDIBLY. CHALLENGING. But we keep searching. In order to help with such efforts, Netflix has recently asked some bloggers to join their "Stream Team", where we'll post once a month on some of our recent viewing successes. *** And, yes, if you're wondering, I do feel a little silly moving from books to movies, but, sometimes a bucket of popcorn, a comfy blanket, and our whole family crammed on one couch equals happiness.

FAMILY VIEWING:

I'm a little obsessed with Netflix's 80s' offerings (oh nostalgia). (1) The Karate Kid is probably the most accessible, as Ralph Machio is pretty much impossible not to love. We're also big fans of (2) Adventures in Babysitting, despite the iffy language. (3) Pretty in Pink remains one of my all-time favorite movies, though F didn't really love it ("why is she obsessed with this loser mom? she's way too good for him."). (4) We also watched (4) Ghostbusters recently, which the kids and my husband all found hysterical, though I still find it random.

KID-ONLY VIEWING:

For the most part, the kids aren't allowed to watch TV during the week. So this category may be a little bit trim for now. But for F's Halloween sleepover the kids watched (1) My Babysitter's a Vampire and now they want to watch it over and over again. They're also somewhat addicted to (2) High School Musical. All three kids were somewhat obsessed with (3) Kickin It, but after a middle school babysitter opened my eyes to the fact that T was attacking everyone in site, we've banned the show for awhile (plus, I hate the snarky banter that epitomizes all Disney shows).

ADULT-ONLY VIEWING:

So my absolute favorite sitcom probably ever is (1) The League (all 5 seasons of which are available through Netflix streaming). The show focuses on a group of four friends in a fantasy football league, a premise which would usually bore me to tears. But it is funny. Pee your pants funny. Test the boundary lines of what you can do on TV funny. So wrong you're appalled, but you're still laughing hysterically funny. When we finally finished the last episode of Season 5, the sense of loss was almost too much to bear. What should we do now? Who will make us laugh? We've since moved on to (2) It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which is also very funny but so snarky that viewing it is comparable to eating too much cheesecake, in the sense that you feel somewhat bad about yourself afterwards.

Regarding movies, we were pretty psyched when (3) Silver Linings Playbook showed up on streaming. Bradley Cooper is amazing. Dan also enjoyed (4) Soccer Stories, which I missed out on. And we just finished the Netflix original (5) mini-series, Happy Valley, which, while depressing (another lost-girl drama) was well-acted and somewhat addictive.

Okay everyone, what have you been watching on Netflix?

*** Full disclosure - As a Stream Team member, I received a free ipad mini and a free Netflix subscription (we've been paid subscribers for years now). Of course (and, AS ALWAYS) the opinions I express are entirely my own (no free gifting will ever make me like High School Musical).