In 2003, “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” was a massive hit and became the first film in a billion-dollar franchise for Disney. Based on a popular ride at Disneyland, “Black Pearl” continues to be one of the most rewatchable blockbusters of the last 20 years. A large part of that appeal belongs to Johnny Depp, who earned an Oscar nomination and millions of adoring fans in his role as Captain Jack Sparrow. The first trio of “Pirates” films were largely oversaturated with subplots and characters, but Sparrow’s idiosyncratic behavior and personality won over audiences. He is the lifeblood of the franchise.

Disney put his crowd-pleasing ways to the test in 2011 when director Rob Marshall tried to reboot the series with “On Stranger Tides.” Reportedly one of the most expensive films ever made, it jettisoned a majority of the characters established in the original trilogy in favor of a Sparrow-focused storyline. The result was a humorless, boring disaster, and the whole exercise screamed “cash grab.” 

Enter “Dead Men Tell No Tales,” an unwanted and equally dull sequel that incites more groans than excitement. Five years after “Tides,” Disney is clearly trying to right that film’s wrongs, pairing Sparrow with a mix of new and recognizable characters in an attempt to inject life into the plot and seemingly prepare for a new series of films. If only it produced positive results. With a head-scratching-at-best story, a series of new, tacked-on characters and shameless attempts to cash in on nostalgia, the “Pirates” franchise has never felt less necessary or more devoid of life.

Watch the trailer for “Dead Men Tell No Tales” below: 

The problems are evident from the opening scene and only continue as the plot develops. Henry Turner (Brenton Thwaites), son of former protagonist Will (Orlando Bloom) is desperate to break the curse that holds his father bound to the Flying Dutchman. His travels bring him in contact with the devilish Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), an undead Spanish pirate hunter with a deep-seated hate for Jack Sparrow. Barely escaping the encounter, Henry eventually finds Sparrow imprisoned in a British colony after a destructive bank robbery attempt. The two team up with a young astronomer named Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario) to track down Poseidon’s trident, using the stars as their map. Meanwhile, Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) tries to cut a deal with Salazar to track down Sparrow.

Fans of the other “Pirates” films will be reasonably entertained. “Dead Men Tell No Tales” delivers fine swashbuckling action. But compared to even “On Stranger Tides,” the fun factor is severely limited. Screenwriter Jeff Nathanson has ditched any footing in reality in favor of a bland and fruitless mythology.

If only Depp, who exhibited such wonderful charm and personality when he first became Jack Sparrow, could still carry the franchise. Depp has worn the character all too thin. Once a hero with dramatic depth and a strange sense of honor, “Tales” reduces him to a role better reserved for a jester or clown. Scenes with no pace or action often rely on his charm to keep the audience interested, but jokes consistently fall flat. This Sparrow becomes an annoyance by the two-hour mark.

One would hope that the other characters could save the film from awfulness. But both Henry and Carina have little to no personality and merely fill in roles once occupied by Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley. To that end, both Bloom and Knightley appear onscreen for a grand total of maybe five minutes, making it easy to question their inclusion in the first place. Rush, clearly having too much fun, turns in a hammy, laughable performance.

To mention the directors of this film is to suggest it has any artful qualities. It does not. To suggest otherwise is an insult to better movies. “Dead Men Tell No Tales” uses nostalgia as a weapon against moviegoers’ wallets, hoping to mask its quality with the memories of a blockbuster long past its prime.

If there was treasure to be found in this franchise, it’s already been plundered.

Follow Dana on Twitter.

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On Thursday, the ASUO Women’s Center will host the Out/Loud Queer and Trans Women’s Performance Fest, an event intended to showcase the culture and art of the LGBTQIA community at the University of Oregon. The festival will feature Portland-based hip-hop duo Neka & Kahlo and spoken-word poet Andrea Gibson.

Fatima Pervaiz, director of the Women’s Center, wants the event to instill hope in groups of students that need support. “We want to show [LGBTQIA] students … that there is a group of people on this campus that love them, support them and would love to honor them,” she said. “We’re going to do what we can to support that community.”

The featured artists embody these goals. Neka & Kahlo are an interracial lesbian couple and musical collaborators. Their music, which combines smooth R&B with psychedelic beats, explores issues of identity, love and belonging. Since releasing their 2014 debut EP, “Thirdwave,” the pair have continued to entertain crowds and festivals in Oregon and beyond. Their subject matter and identity make them an exciting guest at Out/Loud, which plans to fill the Great Room in the EMU to capacity.

UO has consistently ranked high on lists of the best schools for LGBTQ students. As of March 1, collegechoice.net ranked UO 28th on a list of the 50 most LGBTQ-friendly schools. Among the factors that contributed to this ranking is that the university installed more than 100 gender-inclusive bathrooms during the summer of 2016.

But recent budget cuts triggered controversy and protests outside Johnson Hall in April for cutting positions inside the University’s LGBT Education and Support Services program. For the next five to seven months, there will be no professional staff involved with LGBTQ services. Pervaiz said Out/Loud is the Women’s Center’s way of supporting students in light of these cuts.

Out/Loud also invites discussion of mental health issues and solutions. “[Mental health awareness month] is in perfect alignment with what we are doing,” Pervaiz said. “The LGBTQIA community is at greater risk for substance abuse issues and suicide, based on various factors [like bullying].”

Andrea Gibson, Out/Loud’s second featured artist, directly addresses these issues through their spoken word poetry. Gibson, who uses non-gendered pronouns, details their relationship with their girlfriend, their white privilege, classism and sexual violence through poetry. Their most famous poem, “Maybe I Need You,” has more than 700,000 views on YouTube.

Gibson works to instill positivity at their concerts, asking audience members to fill out post-it notes with small moments or memories that make them happy. Each of these notes is attached to a poster that reads “things that don’t suck.”

Out/Loud was formerly an opportunity to give students a stage for their own work. In 2016, members of the Sexual Wellness Advocacy Team performed skits about consent in queer and trans relationships. But that structure required up to six hours of event time and made it difficult to schedule, plan and prepare. The difficulties around contracts with featured performers and maintaining an interested audience over such a long duration made the event’s organizers switch to a two-hour format, without performances from students.

Pervaiz said the change will allow audiences to enjoy and learn from the featured artists without being exhausted. By highlighting moments of joy in the lives of Out/Loud’s attendees, the Women’s Center hopes to support LGBTQIA+ people and people of color in light of what Pervaiz calls a “hostile socio-political climate” in the U.S.

“There are students whose entire families and ethnicities have been attempted to be banned from coming into the country, so we need moments of joy,” she said. “With Out/Loud, we’re going to celebrate each other and all of our intersecting identities.”

Out/Loud will take place in the EMU’s Great Room on Thursday from 6-8 p.m. Attendance is free.

For more information, visit https://blogs.uoregon.edu/women/outloud-queer-and-trans-womens-music-festival/.

Follow Dana on Twitter: @alstondalston

The post Out/Loud Queer and Trans Women’s Performance Fest celebrates UO’s LGBTQIA community appeared first on Emerald Media.

On Thursday, the ASUO Women’s Center will host the Out/Loud Queer and Trans Women’s Performance Fest, an event intended to showcase the culture and art of the LGBTQIA community at the University of Oregon. The festival will feature Portland-based hip-hop duo Neka & Kahlo and spoken-word poet Andrea Gibson.

Fatima Pervaiz, director of the Women’s Center, wants the event to instill hope in groups of students that need support. “We want to show [LGBTQIA] students … that there is a group of people on this campus that love them, support them and would love to honor them,” she said. “We’re going to do what we can to support that community.”

The featured artists embody these goals. Neka & Kahlo are an interracial lesbian couple and musical collaborators. Their music, which combines smooth R&B with psychedelic beats, explores issues of identity, love and belonging. Since releasing their 2014 debut EP, “Thirdwave,” the pair have continued to entertain crowds and festivals in Oregon and beyond. Their subject matter and identity make them an exciting guest at Out/Loud, which plans to fill the Great Room in the EMU to capacity.

UO has consistently ranked high on lists of the best schools for LGBTQ students. As of March 1, collegechoice.net ranked UO 28th on a list of the 50 most LGBTQ-friendly schools. Among the factors that contributed to this ranking is that the university installed more than 100 gender-inclusive bathrooms during the summer of 2016.

But recent budget cuts triggered controversy and protests outside Johnson Hall in April for cutting positions inside the University’s LGBT Education and Support Services program. For the next five to seven months, there will be no professional staff involved with LGBTQ services. Pervaiz said Out/Loud is the Women’s Center’s way of supporting students in light of these cuts.

Out/Loud also invites discussion of mental health issues and solutions. “[Mental health awareness month] is in perfect alignment with what we are doing,” Pervaiz said. “The LGBTQIA community is at greater risk for substance abuse issues and suicide, based on various factors [like bullying].”

Andrea Gibson, Out/Loud’s second featured artist, directly addresses these issues through their spoken word poetry. Gibson, who uses non-gendered pronouns, details their relationship with their girlfriend, their white privilege, classism and sexual violence through poetry. Their most famous poem, “Maybe I Need You,” has more than 700,000 views on YouTube.

Gibson works to instill positivity at their concerts, asking audience members to fill out post-it notes with small moments or memories that make them happy. Each of these notes is attached to a poster that reads “things that don’t suck.”

Out/Loud was formerly an opportunity to give students a stage for their own work. In 2016, members of the Sexual Wellness Advocacy Team performed skits about consent in queer and trans relationships. But that structure required up to six hours of event time and made it difficult to schedule, plan and prepare. The difficulties around contracts with featured performers and maintaining an interested audience over such a long duration made the event’s organizers switch to a two-hour format, without performances from students.

Pervaiz said the change will allow audiences to enjoy and learn from the featured artists without being exhausted. By highlighting moments of joy in the lives of Out/Loud’s attendees, the Women’s Center hopes to support LGBTQIA+ people and people of color in light of what Pervaiz calls a “hostile socio-political climate” in the U.S.

“There are students whose entire families and ethnicities have been attempted to be banned from coming into the country, so we need moments of joy,” she said. “With Out/Loud, we’re going to celebrate each other and all of our intersecting identities.”

Out/Loud will take place in the EMU’s Great Room on Thursday from 6-8 p.m. Attendance is free.

For more information, visit https://blogs.uoregon.edu/women/outloud-queer-and-trans-womens-music-festival/.

Follow Dana on Twitter: @alstondalston

The post Out/Loud Queer and Trans Women’s Performance Fest celebrates UO’s LGBTQIA community appeared first on Emerald Media.

Human beings are frightened by what we don’t know. It’s why horror films like “The Exorcist” continue to scare audiences decades after their premieres. These films, and others like them, are designed around the horror of ambiguity. Characters run, hide and try to fight back against the unknown, leaving spine-shivering images to the viewer’s imagination.

Ridley Scott’s “Alien” thrives by adhering to this formula. Shot with long, unbroken sequences that peek around the corners of a cramped space vessel, the film is a masterpiece of suspense. The alien itself (later christened a “xenomorph” by James Cameron’s sequel, “Aliens”) doesn’t appear until the second half, and even then, it barely appears at all. The film doesn’t display everything to the audience, leaving viewers with a heightened sense of fear.

Three sequels and a prequel later, and the “Alien” franchise has evolved both aesthetically and narratively. “Prometheus” (2012) acted as a prologue to Scott’s first film, detailing the doomed mission of a handful of scientists as they search for the origin of life itself. And while beautifully shot, the plot’s unanswered questions and decision to shoehorn in an unneeded xenomorph to generate scares generated mixed reactions. Hardcore fans left vaguely satisfied; others simply scratched their heads, shrugged or left frustrated (case in point).

“Alien: Covenant,” touted as both a sequel to “Prometheus” and a return to grisly, suspenseful form for the franchise, manages to keep its narrative at least coherent. Katherine Waterston stars as Daniels, the second-in-command of a colonization mission into deep space. Things go horribly awry when a solar flare kills several of the crew members and incinerates the captain of the expedition, leaving an inexperienced officer named Oram (Billy Crudup) to lead repairs. When the pilot Tennessee (Danny McBride) discovers a distress signal from an easily habitable world, Oram diverts course. Meanwhile, an android named Walter (Michael Fassbender) observes with empty stares.

Since his fantastic turn as David in “Prometheus,” Fassbender has taken on a leading role for the franchise. As both David and Walter (the latter a later android model) in “Covenant,” his role expands and takes a far more sinister direction. The result is a film that lives and dies on Fassbender; his performance allows “Covenant” to hint at introspective, powerful themes. The film’s scariest moments all involve his cold, mechanical gaze.

When he is offscreen, though, the film’s problems are much more noticeable. “Covenant” continues the “Alien” trend of presenting completely forgettable crew members, despite solid performances from Waterston and McBride. It’s difficult to care about people dying onscreen when the people in question are little more than sacks of meat lining up for the slaughter. Even by normal horror film standards, the decisions these characters make are mind-numbingly stupid. Their lack of logic is a groan-inducing distraction.

Still, Ridley Scott continues his streak of truly beautiful films. The cinematography, shot by his frequent collaborator Dariusz Wolski, is almost unspeakably gorgeous, emphasized by a wonderfully contemplative opening sequence and Wolski’s creative use of low lighting. If only that lighting was used to show less of the titular alien. The xenomorph appears onscreen blatantly and far too often. By the end, it feels less like a demonic, dangerous threat and more like a clunky animal — tough but easily disposed of.

As a result, “Covenant’s” attempts at horror often feel like a distraction from the film’s headier goals. The performances and visual beauty just barely manage to make up for its shortcomings. It is an intense and exciting film, but those looking to be truly frightened should look elsewhere.

Follow Dana on Twitter here. 

Watch the trailer for “Alien: Covenant” below:

The post Review: ‘Alien: Covenant’ can’t recapture the franchise’s signature horror appeared first on Emerald Media.

Sports films are almost invariably earnest. Following a team or a single athlete’s journey to victory (whether in competition or otherwise) allows filmmakers to tug at an audience’s heartstrings with ease. Even average films in the genre can generate sobs and cheers.

“Tracktown,” a new sports drama co-directed, co-written and starring former University of Oregon track athlete and Olympian Alexi Pappas, doubles down on this earnestness. Shot on location in Eugene, the film displays a kind, quirky demeanor in both its characters and narrative style, delivering a heartfelt coming-of-age tale within the context of track and field.

The story follows Plum Marigold (Pappas), a 21-year-old long distance runner preparing for the Olympic Trials at the University of Oregon. Born and raised in Eugene, Plum lives with her father Burt (Andy Buckley), a former track star who lines the walls of their home with Plum’s trophies and medals.

Plum rigidly maintains her daily routine, complete with a meticulously scaled breakfast and a morning run, in preparation for the qualifying round of the trials at the film’s opening. Her struggling, mostly absent mother Gail (Rachel Dratch) is outwardly loving, even if Plum can feel the walls of expectation slowly close in around her. Nearing her final year at college, Plum is athletically gifted but socially awkward and unsure of her plans going forward. Running is truly all she has.

Plum makes it to the finals and has a chance to secure a spot on the U.S. Olympic team. But she tweaks her leg in the waning stages of the qualifier, forcing her to avoid running for an entire day in preparation for the last round.

What follows is a personal journey of growth, in which Plum comes out of her naive, awkward shell to mature as both a runner and a human being. If that sounds somewhat cliche, Pappas and co-director and writer Jeremy Teicher manage to squeeze enough innocence and hilarity out of the story to save it from its predictable structure.

Plum is a likeable, naive protagonist. She is fun to watch as she confronts her suffocating parents, struggles to maintain her friendship with fellow runner Whitney (Rebecca Friday) and goes on a date with her longtime crush Sawyer (Chase Offerle). A voiceover from Pappas provides inspirational quotes through her journey and offers a peek into the inner workings of her mind.

All the while, the consequences of her “run first, live second” lifestyle manifest themselves in both comedic and serious ways. Plum is so socially stunted that her mannerisms (including her short, rushed phrasing and constant wide-eyed wonderment) evoke that of a small child. It makes the chemistry between her and Sawyer oddly sweet, as the two of them display innocent insecurities and nervousness. Pappas pulls it off wonderfully — a surprise for a first-time screen actress.

When “Tracktown” stumbles, it’s mostly a result of the narrative set-up. Cramming an entire childhood into 48 hours is a logical stretch, even for those used to suspending disbelief for the movies. And the more serious side effects of Plum’s grueling training (it’s been months since her last menstrual cycle and she worries if she’ll be able to have kids) are reduced to offhand, unexplored mentions. The film is content with relying on the naturalism at the story’s core and the relationships between these characters for its pathos, even if the performances of the supporting cast are roundly subpar.

One wishes the film were willing to dig deeper, and tackle the darker parts of obsessively chasing a dream. But to do so would conflict with its honest-to-goodness charm. “Tracktown” lacks an edge, but it’s perfectly okay with that. What matters is learning, step by emotional step, to cross the finish line.

“Tracktown” is playing at the Broadway Metro theater. Tickets are available here.

Watch the trailer below:

Follow Dana on Twitter: @alstondalston

The post Review: Alexi Pappas’ debut film ‘Tracktown’ follows a potential Olympic track athlete coming of age in Eugene appeared first on Emerald Media.

The post Podcast: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 and the Marvel Cinematic Universe appeared first on Emerald Media.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe walks a tricky tightrope. It’s a franchise that relies heavily on formula and familiarity, with a majority of its installments following a superhero’s origin story. Sticking to that formula has allowed companies like Marvel to rake in billions in ticket sales. But as time wears on, the films have become far more predictable than entertaining, and the Marvel brand less and less synonymous with pure quality. Even when movies like “Doctor Strange” delivered solid thrills, the magic slowly slipped away.

“Guardians of the Galaxy,” a 2014 blockbuster based on a lesser known Marvel property, was a decent attempt to be different. With an emphasis on its ensemble cast (led by Chris Pratt as the human mercenary Peter Quill and Bradley Cooper as the wisecracking Rocket Raccoon), the film managed to generate plenty of excitement and humor. But its adherence to the ordinary derailed the experience. Despite its attempts to subvert expectations, the overly familiar action sequences and plotting held it back from true greatness.

Enter a sequel that improves upon the original “Guardians” in every possible category. Weirder, goofier, more touching and visually idiosyncratic, “Vol. 2” manages to reignite the flames of a once spectacular superhero franchise. By zeroing in on the talents of the cast and crafting an airtight, set-piece-driven story, writer and director James Gunn takes “Guardians” and the MCU to new heights.

The story follows the titular Guardians a short time after the first film’s conclusion. After Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Drax (Dave Bautista), Baby Groot (Vin Diesel), Rocket and Quill (a.k.a. Star Lord) fight their way through a spectacularly strange opening battle, they find themselves in hot water with a race of gold-skinned aliens called the Sovereign. The escape from their clutches lands them, deserted, on an unidentified planet with Gamora’s rage-filled sister, Nebula (Karen Gillan).

Peter, still haunted by the death of his mother back on Earth, is shocked when his father, Ego (Kurt Russell, exuberant enough to make even exposition sound masterful), appears before them. Ego, some sort of space-faring demigod, has been searching for Peter since the Guardians became intergalactic celebrities. He’s come to take on his fatherly duties for once and for all. Despite Gamora’s suspicion, she travels with Quill and Drax to Ego’s planet, while Rocket and Groot stay behind to repair the ship. Meanwhile, the Sovereign hire the blue-tinted mercenary Yondu (Michael Rooker) to track the Guardians down.

The structure of “Vol. 2” lends itself to action-packed goofiness from the start. Gunn’s witty dialogue snaps back and forth between characters at a rapid pace and his eye for visual composition has improved drastically. Shots are well-framed and gorgeous throughout, thanks in part to lush, spectacular CGI.

But the biggest surprises come from the film’s emotional themes. Several dramatic beats are unexpectedly touching and reach toward deep recesses of these characters’ pasts. By the end, audiences will care for this misfit bunch of characters (yes, even the talking raccoon).

As good as this film is, it still fails to carve out an identity distinct enough to overcome the Marvel Machine™. Like all adventures in the MCU, it ends with a visually overwhelming showdown between good and evil. Exposition threatens to sink its momentum, and lulls between Gunn’s best set pieces allow characters to explain far more than is necessary. Thankfully, the cast’s energy, the story’s convincing structure and Gunn’s improved filmmaking all add up to a hugely entertaining blockbuster and a must-see for Marvel fans. At best, “Vol. 2” is zany and hilarious enough to be itself, which is more than you can say about “Doctor Strange.” This film proves that you can adhere to a successful structure while being mostly unique.

Watch the trailer for “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” below:

The post Review: Marvel reaches goofy new heights with ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2’ appeared first on Emerald Media.

Damon Albarn has a lot on his mind. Since co-founding the “virtual band” Gorillaz in 1999 with artist Jamie Hewlett, he has demonstrated an acute sense of lyrical anxiety. Each of the project’s past four albums have made it clear that the world was ending somehow. “Demon Days,” their most celebrated album, included songs about gun culture and modern herd mentality. Even the more cheerful “Plastic Beach,” which ditched dark synth jams in favor of artful pop, has an undercurrent of melancholy.

Albarn, who acts as the primary vocalist and mega-producer, continues this trend on “Humanz,” the first Gorillaz album in seven years. Less of a coherent project and more a disjointed dystopian mixtape, it features a wide range of guest stars across its 14 tracks. Vince Staples, De La Soul, Jamaican singer Grace Jones and others are all present, making the whole affair feel like the VIP section at an end-of-the-world dance party.

“Humanz’s” length and wealth of talent gives Albarn plenty of opportunities to expand his range as a producer, but his efforts are rarely successful. Most tracks are built around pulsing, busy beats that leave guest artists with little room to breathe. While sonically interesting, these songs try to do too much. On “Ascension,” Vince Staples fails to make his way through Albarn’s borderline schizophrenic production, and Popcaan’s joyful feature gets wasted on the plodding jam “Saturnz Barz.”

But there are highlights. Danny Brown shines on “Submission,” mostly thanks to his ability to turn even the strangest material into hits. Pusha T and Mavis Staples help an otherwise unremarkable “Let Me Out” to decency, and “Andromeda” creates a fascinating palette by combining harmonies from D.R.A.M. with a buzzing synth.

“Humanz’s” largest problem lies both in Albarn’s phoned-in lyricism and vague political messaging. Despite the tracklist reaching close to an hour in length, Albarn refuses to write specifically about what’s bothering him. The album references the degradation of society from different angles, but won’t go deeper other than to say, “Things are fucked up, man.” It’s a trend present on every album in the Gorillaz discography, and it makes for unremarkable and even dull listening.

In fact, Albarn took extraordinary measures to ensure his message was never too on-the-nose. While recording, he asked each of his collaborators to envision an insane world in which Donald Trump won the presidency. The imagined scenario helped inspire feelings of political despair. But when the unthinkable actually occurred, Albarn painstakingly edited every Trump reference out of the album.

The decision is bizarre. With no way to apply the album’s apocalyptic imagery to a real event, the whole affair feels deeply inconsequential. Why should an audience care about the sky falling when there’s nothing palpable at stake? Instead of painting a disturbing portrait of the world on the brink, “Humanz” feels like a collection of messages crazily scrawled on a cardboard sign.

All of this adds up to a highly anticipated album that can’t reach the heights it intends. Despite a few shining moments amid the muck, “Humanz” is far from a successful comeback. Instead, it only points to how little Gorillaz have left to say after four albums. Albarn has written extensively about the end of times. Now that his nightmare has partially come true, he doesn’t seem to have much to say. 

Follow Dana on Twitter: @alstondalston

Listen to “Saturnz Barz” below: 

The post Review: Gorillaz returns to somber form with the disappointing ‘Humanz’ appeared first on Emerald Media.

In this episode from the Emerald Podcast network, Podcast Editor Emerson Malone joins Arts & Culture Writers Dana Alston and Sararosa Davies to discuss the highs, lows and aesthetics of Netflix’s original programming.

Shows discussed in this episode include Aziz Ansari’s “Master of None,” Judd Apatow’s “Love” and the eighties sci-fi thriller “Stranger Things.”

This episode was produced by Emerson Malone.

The post Podcast: Emerald Recommends Netflix originals appeared first on Emerald Media.

Who says the arrival of Spring has to mean spending more time outdoors? The rain may be (kind of) gone, but days spent lounging around the house are still very much alive. Sometimes going outside is overrated — the best days are the ones with no agenda but to visually consume mass amounts of television. For those of you who are homebodies at heart and love a quality show, here are some Netflix recommendations to make all your binge-watching dreams come true.

“Gilmore Girls“

This charming show stars Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel as the classic mother-daughter duo. Characters Lorelai and Rory Gilmore live in Stars Hollow, a fictional small town in Connecticut where Lorelai manages an inn, and Rory attends a prestigious private high school. Despite being mother and daughter, the two women have an admirable relationship that takes on the you and me against the world mantra. Lorelai’s quick wit and sly jokes are easy to miss, but hilariously clever if you can keep up. Rory is immersed in all the drama that is high school and tends to take cover within the pages of a good book. Lorelai and Rory Gilmore challenge and support each other, making Gilmore Girls a sweet and reminiscent show for college girls missing their mothers. After completing the original, don’t hesitate to check out the 2016 revival, “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.“

“Friends”

“Friends” premiered in 1994, but it is a classic that never gets old. Whether you have seen an episode or not, watching the show from start to finish is a must-do. Set in New York City, six friends bring a refreshing comedic twist to the mundane routine of everyday life. As a result of the ten seasons, Rachel, Joey, Chandler, Ross, Monica and Phoebe are distinct and developed characters, making it feel as though you’ve known them for years. You’ll cringe at their awkward moments and cheer as you watch their successes. Mostly you’ll just laugh at their shenanigans and enjoy the authentic way in which they love and care for each other.

“Master of None”

Aziz Ansari’s portrait of millennial life in New York City is as sharp, witty and meaningful as television gets. Ansari stars as Dev, a 30-year-old actor who tries to find social and professional success in the Big Apple. His adventures, including an impromptu trip to Nashville and a romantic comedy distilled down to an hour, cover topics like male privilege, racial stereotyping and the immigrant experience. At the center of Ansari’s vision lies a gentle sweetness that makes the entire series both hilarious and endlessly watchable.

“2017”

Recently, Netflix has started to produce its own batch of standup comedy specials featuring a wide-range of comedians. From lesser-known, up and comers to Hollywood movie stars, Netflix’s comedy content doesn’t disappoint.

Looking for something that is topical and raunchy? Look no further than divorced father of two Louis C.K. in his latest special, “Louis C.K. 2017,” in which he draws material from his 2017 tour. This time the Boston native isn’t wearing his usual black shirt and blue jeans though. C.K. talks in front of a sold-out DAR Constitution Hall in Washington D.C. wearing a full suit and tie. While Louie’s attire might be classy, his comedy is quite the opposite. Comparing abortion to going to the bathroom, calling his own mother a whore and debating whether he would suck the most beautiful penis in the world are just a few of the ways Louis reminds the viewer that he’s anything but classy.

BBC Nature Documentaries

After climbing Spencer Butte for the fifth-odd time, consider staying indoors to indulge in the natural wonders of our planet. From the dense, competitive Congo in Africa to the sparse, blistering winds of the Antarctic, Sir David Attenborough, with great passion, knowledge and eloquence, exposes natural phenomena for our viewing and learning pleasure. Keep in mind, these aren’t the mid-’90s documentaries shown by your geology teacher back in high school on VCRs and roller TVs, the quality of production and modern technology used in these films are ever-improving. Over the last year, Netflix has added many more BBC Documentaries in addition to perennial classics like “Planet Earth,” “The Blue Planet” and “Life.” With “Planet Earth 2” airing earlier this year, it shouldn’t be long before we can expect Sir Attenborough’s magnum opus to be available for streaming.

“Love”

Judd Apatow’s Netflix Original “Love” is a great example of flawed characters bridging a divide between the audience and screen. Gillian Jacobs and Paul Rust star as Mickey and Gus, two L.A. transplants who meet by chance, and you guessed it, fall in love. The show isn’t your typical love story, though. It’s an incredibly nuanced portrayal of addiction and the pitfalls of modern dating. Often, it turns toward the dark. The show’s exploration of just how flawed its characters are turns the mirror toward the audience. Watching “Love” will make you investigate your own choices, sometimes to the point where the show becomes uncomfortable to watch. Gus and Mickey are far from perfect; the show has it’s flaws, too. “Love” is just dark enough that it will make any sunny day seem just a little bit darker.

“Ghost in the Shell: Arise”

If you think the 2017 “Ghost in the Shell” remake didn’t do the classic cyberpunk series justice, then the current Netflix anime lineup might have something to help wash that bitter taste out of your mouth with “Ghost in the Shell: Arise.”

This three-part television series was made to flesh out the “Ghost in the Shell” universe and provide some extra context to the original 1989 film. It follows the exploits of Major Kusanagi and her extensive team of cybernetically-enhanced operatives as they combat the many threats of a technology dominated future. From futuristic mechanized warfare to devious super hackers, this series has everything a true cyberpunk fan could hope for.

The post Netflix shows to watch instead of going outside appeared first on Emerald Media.