Newcomers Livvie, Audrey, and Nikola recommend personal favourites for their first edition as Film and TV Editors.
Livvie’s pick: Dark (2017-2020)
Tired of the endless stream of forgettable Netflix originals that seem to sap your attention span? Think you’ve got a firm grasp on reality? Let me change that. My recommendation for what you should watch next, is the German sci-fi thriller Dark. Spanning three intense seasons, Dark is nothing short of a masterpiece—a complex, brilliantly written web of mystery, deception, and discovery. The story revolves around the disappearance of a young boy, Mikkel, as the protagonist, Jonas, grapples with the past and future to uncover the dark truths surrounding his town of Winden.
Still feeling unsure about your new flatmates? Stuck in that awkward limbo where you’re waiting for the kitchen to clear out? Be stuck no more! Dark is the perfect bonding experience—trust me, you’ll need to focus to keep up with the intricate plot and philosophical monologues about time travel, and there is no better feeling than trying to comprehend what you have just watched with the person sat next to you. Give it a try; I promise you won’t regret it.
Nikola’s pick: Children of Men (2006) dir. Alfonso Cuarón
A man walks into a crowded café. Faces are fixed on a television above. The youngest person in the world has died. He takes his coffee and leaves.
The opening shot of Children of Men leaves you in an eerie unsettledness. This is not a dystopian of the conventional science-fiction imagination. No neon cityscapes of Blade Runner. No strange dialects of A Clockwork Orange. The world moves in the same way as it does now, and yet it is haunted by an existential crisis, human infertility. The world keeps moving all the same. Alfonso Cuarón’s film taps into a certain cultural feeling. A chronic apathy, turning our backs on reality like the protagonist in the coffee shop.
Children of Men depicts humanity grinding gears, self-medicated on nostalgia and ideological delusions, unable to conceive of a new future. By the end, it reminds us that there is a path to tomorrow. You will never hear the sound of children’s laughter the same way, and for that, it’s my favourite film.
Audrey’s pick: The Good Place (2016-2020)
Welcome–Everything is Fine. These are the words I like to hear upon losing myself to the emotional trainwreck and whirlwind that we call the new fall semester. So here’s my pick for the week: The Good Place.
Whether you’re looking for a comfort show to put on in the background, or an amusing and witty watch, The Good Place has it all. This is the show that breaks down the question, “What happens after you die?”. A hilarious spin full of existential dread, moral quandary, and sharp humour, The Good Place is a perfect viewing experience for all tastes, hilariously and hysterically delivered to you on a luxurious and delightful silver platter. Equipped with a stellar cast and endearing characters, The Good Place has become my second home away from reality. It is my favourite place on screen. Bonus (no spoilers), it has a pretty satisfying ending.
Illustration by Rebecca Tate, @rebi_draws on Instagram