Favourite stories

[Evert]

Since I've been blown away by the story of the German TV show "Dark", I've been thinking about how captivating a great story can be.
In the case of Dark, I was almost heartbroken when it ended because the world and the characters all felt so real.

What are some of your favourite stories that have completely drawn you in?
I'm not just talking about stories in books, but also in movies, TV shows and games.

Some of mine are Dark (obviously), True Detective, Monster (anime), Silent Hill 2 and Horizon Zero Dawn.

[Ben Kohonays]

Dark was very good.

I thought Line Of Duty was compelling along these lines (BBC show about police internal investigations - also on netflix)

There was a TV drama years ago called State Of Play which was so good hollywood made a movie of it (which inevitably didn't measure up to the original), a quick google shows it's available on prime.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Play_(TV_series)

Off the top of my head, if I think of anything else I'll post it.

[Críoch]

Loved 'The Wire'.

Grieved after the last episode. Final series was a bit far fetched & maybe a series too many.. but it was interesting nonetheless. The characters were infinitely watchable. S1, 2 & 3.. Mighty stuff.

Genuinely enjoyed the first few series of Homeland (If you're Irish & of a certain age, it's hard not to call it Homelands). Bit far fetched.. but they were on the button with what was going on politically at the time. Thought The Looming Tower was very good.. Jeff Daniels was excellent IMO.

Orange Is The New Black is an epic fucking tale. Superb actors.. They all peaked on this.

Narcos. All of it. Incredible.

Oz.

Ah.. it's hard. You like what you like.

[borg]

Usually I don't watch series, and not a lot of movies. That was a bit different the last few months... Only thing worth mentioning for me is Tchernobyl (not too long, great soundtrack, superb lead actors), yeah, that got me hooked, watched it in a day.

I'm not easily impressed/not an overly enthusiastic person, and haven't come across a lot of wow movie moments. I remember the ending of Usual Suspects, when the truth is revealed, as one of those moments. I was blown away...
Loved Green Fried Tomatoes, Big Fish...

I realize I'm getting older...

[Críoch]

Chernobyl was a great series. Watched over 2 nights I think.

The few episodes with the young, 'russin faced' Irish actor, Barry Keoghan / Animal Killers story.. was a bit unnecessary imo. Thoroughly enjoyed it though. Amazed that Richard Harris' son was Jared Harris / Yerman with the glasses. Just like his dad.

Great show.

____

Rewatching 'Roots' ATM.. this time with the kids. One 2hr episode a week. It's important for them to understand a little bit of what has happened.

Read an interesting article during the week about the different regions that slaves were taken from. Horrible. DNA from African Americans show that there is ancestry from Europeans.. the slavers / slave masters & also evidence of using women to 'breed stock'.

Interesting / unbelievably tragic.. that there are low numbers of descendents from The Gambia ( where Kunte Kinte was from in Roots) & Senegal.. as they were used for harder work , in areas with a lot of malaria. Later on they trafficked high numbers of kids from these 2 places & most of them died. Unfathomably disgusting.

https://www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-africa-53527405

Don't know if there is a hell, but it would be too good of a place to send Slavers etc..

[buffered]

in terms of streaming, Marcella season 1 was great. Danish series Greyzone. Ozark also.

[Trom]

One story that really stood out for me was the Metal Gear Solid story, especially from game #1 & 2. I never really played it after #3 so not sure how it all progressed, but the 2 first ones were very captivating even though a lot of the debt of the plot was probably lost on me as a young teen.

It's one of those I'd love to re-visit as it would be such a nostalgic trip and I think there's parts of the story I'd probably appreciate way more today. On the other hand both memory and time has the strangest effect on things so maybe its best left in the past...

[illit_]

I'm enjoying Dark, but that sound design in that show is waaaaay too over the top. I get it's dramatic but when someone's just walking around with a briefcase accompanied by the sound of several pianos being dropped it just becomes laughable and almost ruins the show... i hope it gets dialed down in seasons 2 and 3.

[Críoch]

One story that really stood out for me was the Metal Gear Solid story, especially from game #1 & 2. I never really played it after #3 so not sure how it all progressed, but the 2 first ones were very captivating even though a lot of the debt of the plot was probably lost on me as a young teen.

It's one of those I'd love to re-visit as it would be such a nostalgic trip and I think there's parts of the story I'd probably appreciate way more today. On the other hand both memory and time has the strangest effect on things so maybe its best left in the past...

The audio has never left my mind.

The box rustle. The startle sound. Carved in my brain.

[henry1]

One story that really stood out for me was the Metal Gear Solid story, especially from game #1 & 2. I never really played it after #3 so not sure how it all progressed, but the 2 first ones were very captivating even though a lot of the debt of the plot was probably lost on me as a young teen.

It's one of those I'd love to re-visit as it would be such a nostalgic trip and I think there's parts of the story I'd probably appreciate way more today. On the other hand both memory and time has the strangest effect on things so maybe its best left in the past...

Its saga so its worth getting into the whole storyline, I dare say it becomes more epic as everything eventually unravels.
MGS4 although perhaps not everyone's favourite, is where the story all comes together and it is a v good game in itself for sure.
People usually refer to MGS3 or MGS5 as the ultimate experience, in any case its all worth getting into especially in these current times.

The audio has never left my mind.

The box rustle. The startle sound. Carved in my brain.

Haha yeah.. being exposed makes you jump out of your comfy couch.

[Trom]

Well, grant you it didn't take much convincing, but this had me reading through a complete MGS timeline this morning and I'm very intrigued now! Seems I can get MGS4 on PS4 cheaply so thats nice, not sure how the graphics or gameplay hold up but I'll def give it a try. #5 should be way better on that ofc but #4 seems the logical place to pick up from a story perspective then

[henry1]

Well, grant you it didn't take much convincing, but this had me reading through a complete MGS timeline this morning and I'm very intrigued now! Seems I can get MGS4 on PS4 cheaply so thats nice, not sure how the graphics or gameplay hold up but I'll def give it a try. #5 should be way better on that ofc but #4 seems the logical place to pick up from a story perspective then

Its kinda sad that its ended but then again thats how it should be... A great story needs to have a definitive ending.
Even the creator has now moved on, its like he's done his life's work and now he's happy leaving it all to rest.
Personally I've always thought that graphically MGS has an artistic value that stand the test of time.
Somehow its artistry has never depended too heavily on the CGI of the times.
Sometimes it looks a bit manga-like and therefore isn't so time-bound.

MGS4 story is a bit heavy or "fan-service", so its good that you read up a bit to help keep up.
MGS5 is something else though, as a game, an experience, its one of those "of all time" arguments.

[Lost to the Void]

Mr Robot. Hands down for me the best show ever made.
The story is intricate and intelligent, there is zero talking down or pandering. It covers philosophy, politics, revolution, it handles LGBTQ stuff as part of the story and not "HEY LOOK HOW WOKE WE ARE", it never detracts from the narrative.
The soundtrack and score is legendary perfect.
Cinematography, acting....
It's perfect.

Y The Last Man. Is the only comic book that has made me cry. If you read it, you will probably understand.

The Bridge. The character of Saga is fascinating and you feel compelled to follow her on her journey.

Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
Epic storytelling. Lots of moral questions, emotional investment, action and intrigue.

Game of thrones, it has to be said. Up until the last 2 seasons was a fantastic tale, one big allegory for the world of today.

Farscape: Genuinely innovative sci-fi series with characters you grow to care for.

Pretty much all of the Ian M Banks Culture series: Next level sci fi. His ideas we're just so innovative.

[terryfalafel]

Me Robot. Hands down for me the beet show ever made.

Mr Robot?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4158110/

[Evert]

I've only heard good things about Mr. Robot.
I'll make sre to check it out.

Good call on FMA Brotherhood, Steve. It's a classic for sure.

[buffered]

Me Robot. Hands down for me the beet show ever made.
The story is intricate and intelligent, there is zero talking down or pandering. It covers philosophy, politics, revolution, it handles LGBTQ stuff as part of the story and not "HEY LOOK HOW WOKE WE ARE", it never detracts from the narrative.
The soundtrack and score is legendary perfect.
Cinematography, acting....
It's perfect.

That's interesting. First season was definitely great but i feel like the second season fell off a bit. Couldn't get back into it.

For best shows ever made i reckon Six Feet Under and Twin Peaks need a mention. Also Polish series Dekalog.

If you like The Bridge, give Marcella a look. Written and directed by the bridge creator. Pretty good pacing. First season is gritty and suspenseful.

[Lost to the Void]

Me Robot. Hands down for me the beet show ever made.

Mr Robot?

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4158110/

Yes. Fucking auto-incorrect.

[dubdub]

I read so many novels this year, I don't even remember most of them from on top of my head. Here's three I definitely remember though:

I read Pynchon's Gravity's Rainbow a month or two ago. I went through all of it in, I think, four or five days during lockdown. I think the back blurb calls it an "compulsive netherworld" and that about it sums it up. The plot kind of meanders and doesn't fully resolve but it's more about this endlessly terrifying, endlessly entertaining journey. My favorite were all these really long, dark, allegorical passages about rockets and life and death and cybernetics and systems. That's the kind of thing you just can't translate into film.

I really loved Tom McCarthy's "Remainder". It's like Ballard meets Proust meets Beckett. It takes a completely outlandish, yet fascinating premise (someone - literally - reconstructing their Proustian memories by building sets and hiring actors and getting progressively fanatic with it) and takes it all the way to it's logical conclusion without slowing down. Also a really smart book about desire for authenticity.

I reaaaaalllllllly loved Richard Powers' "Orfeo". The whole terrorist plot angle is stupid but it's only a rather minor part of the book. Is this the best novel ever about 20th century music? I think it may be. It definitely features some of the best music writing I've ever read in those long descriptions of pieces by Messiaen and Reich.

[borg]

I reaaaaalllllllly loved Richard Powers' "Orfeo". The whole terrorist plot angle is stupid but it's only a rather minor part of the book. Is this the best novel ever about 20th century music? I think it may be. It definitely features some of the best music writing I've ever read in those long descriptions of pieces by Messiaen and Reich.

something like American Psycho is actually about 80s pop music?

[nocernoc]

youtu.be/YeHlISy_HAI