What To Watch When You Don’t Know What To Watch

CAST: Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman, Peter Gallagher, Peter Boyle, Jack Warden, Glynis Johns, Jason Bernard, Ally Walker

RATING: PG

DESCRIPTION: If you’re not sure what to watch, then why not do yourself a favor by starting with this charming 1995 romantic-comedy film, wherein lonely Chicago Transit Authority fare token collector Lucy Moderatz (Bullock) is quietly in love with a good looking commuter from afar. That distance is suddenly crossed when Lucy saves the man, Peter Callaghan (Gallagher), from getting hit by a train when he is pushed onto the tracks. From there, a misunderstanding at the hospital, where a nurse mistakenly tells Peter’s worried family that Lucy is his fiancée, leads to a whirlwind of a holiday season that gets all the more complicated with the appearance of Peter’s endearing younger brother Jack (Pullman), who finds himself falling for Lucy more and more each day.

While You Were Sleeping has love triangles, fake dating, engaging characters, feel-good holiday vibes, and Sandra frickin’ Bullock — who could ask for anything more?!

Where to watch While You Were Sleeping

CAST: Tim Robinson

RATING: TV-MA

DESCRIPTION: We think it’s safe to say that I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson is unlike any show you’ve seen before, so if you don’t know what you’re in the mood to watch, this Netflix Original is sure to show you something unique. While you may or may not remember his time as a cast member on Saturday Night Live, there’s no forgetting Tim Robinson now as he leads the way in his own sketch show full of absurdity, insanity, and so many wonderful weirdos.

While this show may not be everyone’s cup of tea, you may surprise yourself with just how laugh-out-loud hilarious you find it and its endlessly quotable sketches about everything from Dan Flashes shirts to sloppy steaks. I Think You Should Leave also features guest appearances from acting and comedy heavyweights like Sam Richardson, Vanessa Bayer, Steven Yeun, Fred Willard, Patti Harrison, Andy Samberg, and more.

Where to watch I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson

CAST: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano, Robert Duvall, Sterling Hayden, John Marley, Richard Conte, Diane Keaton, Talia Shire, John Cazale, Morgana King

RATING: R

DESCRIPTION: If you don’t know what to watch, why not just start with a timeless classic that’s (along with its subsequent film) largely regarded as one of the best movies of all-time. Based on Mario Puzo’s 1969 novel of the same name, The Godfather is a 1972 crime drama following the saga of the Corleone family from the year 1945 to 1955. Helmed by patriarch and don Vito Corleone (Brando), the Italian-American crime family consists of him, his wife, and their four children who range in their involvement with the family business and legacy.

Not only is the film a story of Vito’s eventual decline, but it’s also just as much about his youngest son, Michael’s (Pacino) rise from reluctant outsider to ruthless mafia boss and new head of the family. Between the gripping story, incredible cast, and way it changed and defined American cinema forever, the multi-Academy Award winning film is truly something to behold at least once in a person’s lifetime.

Where to watch The Godfather

CAST: Anna Kendrick, William Jackson Harper, Jessica Williams, Zoë Chao, Punkie Johnson, Chris “Comedian CP” Powell, Peter Vack, Jin Ha, Leslie Bibb, Sasha Compère, Keith David

RATING: TV-MA

DESCRIPTION: If you’re not sure what you want to watch, how about AN ENTIRE LIFE STORY?! Love Life offers pretty much exactly that, living up to its name by following an individual from their very first romance to their last, taking viewers through years of heartbreak, friendship, and personal growth in a way that feels intimate and real.

The romantic-comedy series is an anthology whose first season revolves around Darby Carter (Kendrick) and second season around Marcus Watkins (Harper), two very different but equally complex and fascinating characters who we follow through highs and lows of, you guessed it, love and life, as they navigate each through the hustle and bustle of New York City. The end result is a well-crafted and thoughtful series that is almost certain to have an emotional and mental impact on viewers from all walks of life.

Where to watch Love Life

CAST: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Lakeith Stanfield, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Stephen Root, Lil Rel Howery, Catherine Keener, Erika Alexander, Betty Gabriel

RATING: R

DESCRIPTION: The powerful and unforgettable 2017 Academy Award-winning horror film written, directed, and co-produced by Jordan Peele has a bit of something for everyone (yes, even if you aren’t a scary movie person, we swear this is worth a watch). Get Out begins innocuously, as Black Brooklyn-based photographer Chris Washington (Kaluuya) prepares to meet the parents of his white girlfriend, Rose Armitage (Williams), for the first time. Things already feel a bit tense as Chris worries about whether or not Rose’s family will accept him and their relationship, but she assures him that everything will be fine.

As you can imagine, that’s not the case, as things swiftly get freakier and freakier upon arriving at the Armitage’s home in Upstate New York, making for a weekend full of disturbing discoveries, racism both casual and overt, and deadly consequences. It’s always a good time to relive the genius, thought-provoking, and thrilling ride that is Get Out.

Where to watch Get Out

CAST: Youn Yuh-jung, Jin Ha, Kim Min-ha, Lee Min-ho, Steve Sanghyun Noh, Soji Arai, Han Jun-woo, Jeong In-ji, Jung Eun-chae, Kaho Minami, Anna Sawai, Jimmi Simpson, Yu-na

RATING: TV-MA

DESCRIPTION: Pachinko is a criminally-underrated and absolutely gorgeous Apple TV+ Original drama series based on Min Jin Lee’s New York Times Best-Selling epic historical novel of the same name. The critically-acclaimed show follows a Korean family over four generations, chronicling their hopes, dreams, heartbreaks, struggles, triumphs and everything in between. Over shifting timelines, we primarily watch and root for the Busan-born Kim Sunja (Youn, Kim, and Yu-na) as she fights to preserve her culture and stay alive going from a Japanese-occupied South Korea to a confusing and often scary reality in Osaka, Japan, where Koreans are routinely mistreated and scorned.

The show also focuses on Solomon Baek (Ha), Sunja’s grandson who is torn between his South Korean family and roots, Japan (where he was raised and where he’s now trying to work), and the United States (where he went to college). Between the astounding blend of Korean, Japanese, and English dialogue, beautiful cinematography, and amazing, lived-in acting performances, Pachinko is a show that everyone could benefit from watching at some point in their lives.

Where to watch Pachinko

CAST: John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Michael Palin, Connie Booth, Carol Cleveland, Neil Innes

RATING: PG

DESCRIPTION: If you don’t know what to watch but do know that you’re a fan of funny films, then why not treat yourself to some comedy royalty in the form of legendary British surrealist comedy group Monty Python and one of their most iconic and memorable projects, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. This universally acclaimed 1975  comedy adventure follows King Arthur (Chapman) and his Knights of the Round Table (Cleese, Idle, Jones, Palin, Gilliam) as they embark on a surreal, low-budget quest in pursuit of the elusive Holy Grail, encountering plenty of fantastical and silly obstacles along the way.

The Pythons have left a lasting legacy on not only aspiring and professional comedians alike, but have also contributed so much to film and television as we know it over the course of their careers, so be sure to show them some love by giving this classic film a watch.

Where to watch Monty Python and the Holy Grail

CAST: Murray Bartlett, Connie Britton, Jennifer Coolidge, Alexandra Daddario, Fred Hechinger, Jake Lacy, Natasha Rothwell, Sydney Sweeney, Steve Zahn, Molly Shannon, Lukas Gage

RATING: TV-MA

DESCRIPTION: A breakout hit of 2021, this star-studded HBO Original satirical comedy-drama anthology series is both laugh-out-loud hilarious and deliciously dark, offering lots of complex and compelling themes that will appeal to many a-viewer. The White Lotus follows the various guests and employees of the titular high-class resort over the course of a week, delving into their professional and personal lives as they all seem to completely (and oh so deliciously) unravel out of control throughout each episode. Each season of the critically-acclaimed series takes viewers to a different White Lotus hotel, which includes locations all over the world, including Maui, Hawaii and Sicily, Italy.

Where to watch The White Lotus

CAST: Ming-Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong, Miguel Ferrer, June Foray, Harvey Fierstein, Gedde Watanabe, James Hong, Jerry Tondo, Soon-Tek Oh, Pat Morita, George Takei, Miriam Margolyes

RATING: G

DESCRIPTION: With its catchy original music, engaging plot, and awesome animation, there’s no doubt that Mulan is an ageless classic. The 1998 musical comedy adventure is based on the centuries-old legends of folk heroine Hua Mulan, who took the place of her again father in the conscription for the army by disguising herself as a man in order to fight in her beloved father’s place and in doing so, save his life.

The film follows the same main story, adding its own musical flare, a handsome romantic-interest, a sassy talking dragon spirit, and a clumsy yet incredibly lovable and spunky take on the titular heroine, herself, to create an uplifting and entertaining movie with an inspiring message for young girls and endless rewatch value. Mulan truly is a girl (and a film) worth fighting for!

Where to watch Mulan

CAST: Daniel Kaluuya, Domhnall Gleeson, Jon Hamm, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Mackenzie Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Wyatt Russell, Jesse Plemons, Cristin Milioti, Letitia Wright, Will Poulter, Fionn Whitehead, Anthony Mackie, Miley Cyrus

RATING: TV-MA

DESCRIPTION: If you don’t know what to watch, let yourself be completely transported into the realm of Black Mirror, a slightly warped version of the world in which we live today as well as a satirical (and sometimes downright scary) prediction of the one in which we may inhabit tomorrow. The thought-provoking sci-fi anthology series offers stand-alone episodes that offer insightful and sharp commentary on the modern world, especially in regards to the latest technology and its impact on us as both a society and as individuals.

With so many different (and often painfully relevant) stories to tell, there are tons of impressive and talented actors and actresses contributing to this innovative Emmy Award-winning series, expect to swiftly be sucked into bingeing the entire glorious thing!

Where to watch Black Mirror

CAST: Renée Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Gemma Jones, Celia Imrie, James Faulkner, Shirley Henderson, James Callis

RATING: R

DESCRIPTION: It’s always a good time to see Hugh Grant and Colin Firth as competing love interests, and even better when it’s an adaptation of a Jane Austen classic. Bridget Jones’s Diary comes through big-time on both fronts as it serves up a Pride and Prejudice tale that takes place in the 1990s and revolves around the titular Bridget Jones (Zellweger), a 32 year-old single British woman who works at a publishing company and is infatuated with her boss, charming womanizer Daniel Cleaver (Grant). Things take a turn when Bridget meets barrister Mark Darcy (Firth) at her parents’ New Year party, where they immediately get off on the wrong foot and make enemies of each other.

Through it all, Bridget chronicles her attempts to turn her seemingly unlucky and unfulfilling life around, making for a delightful romp complete with an enviable love triangle, plenty of missteps and embarrassments, and perfectly imperfect characters you can’t help but fall for. Sounds like a good time at any time!

Where to watch Bridget Jones's Diary

CAST: Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Sian Clifford, Andrew Scott, Olivia Colman, Bill Paterson, Brett Gelman, Hugh Skinner

RATING: TV-MA

DESCRIPTION: If you’ve never seen Fleabag before then consider yourself blessed, because many people would kill to be able to see it again for the first time, it’s THAT good. This irreverent comedy-drama series written and created by the incomparable Phoebe Waller-Bridge is two seasons of flawlessness, following an unnamed (yet understood as the titular “Fleabag”) young woman (Waller-Bridge) through her exploits living in London, taking us on fourth wall-breaking jaunts through hook-ups, bad decisions, family drama, and so much more. It’s uproariously funny one moment and then devastatingly heartbreaking and  human the next, culminating in a show unlike anything else out there that cements itself in the annals of television and storytelling.

Where to watch Fleabag

CAST: Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, Billy Burke, Taylor Lautner, Peter Facinelli, Elizabeth Reaser, Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz, Nikki Reed, Jackson Rathbone, Cam Gigandet, Rachelle Lefevre, Edi Gathegi

RATING: PG-13

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