The stack of books that I want to read keeps on growing, but I’ve been watching a lot of movies and television instead (guilty). It’s partly because I haven’t been sleeping well and partly because it’s so cold that sometimes I just want to get in bed and watch something with my arms under the covers.
At night, I’ve been falling asleep to four of my favorite movies. I have them on a rotation, haha. Moonrise Kingdom, 10 Things I Hate About You, The Intern, and Phoebe in Wonderland. I’ve watched each so many times over the years that I know them backwards and forwards and don’t care when I end up falling asleep.
But here are three recent shows/movies that I recently saw and highly recommend.
La La Land // This is the one movie that I wanted to see over the holidays while I was in Florida. It was vetoed one night, but my mom and I ended up going during the day right before I had to go home. It was everything and more. It somehow managed to balance a vintage feel with a modern vibe. (One example would be that they’d be dancing and then get interrupted by a ringing iPhone.) There are not enough amazing things to say about the film.
Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling have the best chemistry, and John Legend was a star. Everyone needs to see it. I know this is going to be one that I end up buying to watch over and over again.
Chasing Cameron // This series was one of the recommended videos to watch on Netflix. I watched one episode and was downright hooked. It follows a group of boy Insta-stars as they tour through Europe. The star of the series is Cameron Dallas, but the whole group is adorable and lovable in their own ways.
If you’ve watched the Backstreet Boys documentary, it’s hard not to recognize the similarities. Between competition, being “on,” poor management. It’s a fascinating examination of the good and the bad (and the ugly) of social media. I think anyone with a blog should watch it, but anyone would enjoy it.
Lion // My parents and I saw this on New Year’s Eve. I remember seeing the viral video about the story a few years ago but didn’t know what I was getting myself into. My mom, dad, and I bawled throughout the entire film. It follows a man who was lost in India as a child and ultimately given up for adoption. He decides to try to find his family despite remembering very little about where he comes from. This is a tear-jerker; it’s extremely gut wrenching. Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman have incredible performances in it, though. I recommend it, but I also recommend bringing a pack of tissues with it. Make that two packs of tissues.
(In addition to those, I’m almost done rewatching the Gilmore Girls in its entirety. I need a new show to watch… I’m thinking Friends or something like that, but I’m open to suggestions. Needs a ton of episodes, please!)
We finished friends and are LOVING the West Wing!
If you have Amazon Prime, The Man in the High Castle is a great show!
Some shows I’ve been going through: The Office, Parks and Recreation, and Grey’s Anatomy. Also, John Mulaney also has great shows on Netflix.
TV show reccs- Younger on TVLand is THE BEST!!! Funny and great storyline and characters – and short eps. Sutton Foster is incredible. Try it 🙂 Friday Night Lights and Parenthood for more serious binge-watching!
If you like Gilmore Girls, and love Lauren Graham, Parenthood is fantastic. I’m watching it for a third time right now and continue to fall in love with it every time I watch it. It is very much that family dynamic show that just makes you feel good about your own family. Also it stars Lauren’s IRL boyfriend, who is also in the “Fall” episode of the Gilmore Girls Revival. If you’ve already watched it, it’s a good show to rewatch many, many times.
There is also a new Hulu show coming out soon that I’m super interested in seeing. It’s based on the book The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood. If you haven’t read the book, I suggest reading it first. It’s a bit weird, and dystopian, but everything in the book has been inspired by events that actually happened. Most of what I noticed was from WWII and the Holocaust. The show will also be starring Samira Wiley, from Orange is the New Black, which is another reason I’m looking forward to the show.
I can’t wait to see La La Land!! As far as shows go, the ones I always have on rotation are Friends, The Office, How I Met Your Mother, Gilmore Girls, and Parenthood…all I’ve seen multiple times, but they are all so great (and on Netflix!). I’m so guilty of rewatching shows!
Lauren
http://www.loveandlauren.com
WEST WING a million times over. Tons of episodes on Netflix, and SO good. Bonus: witty dialogue mixed in.
Oh my goodness, I absolutely LOVED La La Land! I have been listening to the music nonstop for the past week! Friends is the sweetest show, but a close second favorite for me is The Office!! Tons of episodes and lots of laughs!! Happy New Year
These all sound like awesome movies. I’ve only heard of La La Land and Chasing Cameron, but now I’ll have to add Lion to my list.
Charmaine Ng | Architecture & Lifestyle Blog
http://charmainenyw.com
I love the dynamic between Gosling and Stone they work so well together. I’ve heard good things about the Cameron Dallas documentary highlighting the bad side to social media stardom. Can’t wait to watch both of those!
Abigail Alice 💗
I want to watch La La Land so badly!! And I still haven’t yet watched Arrival, Moana, or Fantastic Beasts! -Audrey | Brunch at Audrey’s
If you like Gilmore Girls you should definitely watch Parenthood!! Such an addicting and uplifting family drama… with some funny moments added in.
I’d recommend Younger on TV land. It’s silly and so relatable for women in their 20s. Also, I love binge watching How I met your mother! A million episodes and it’s a perfect mix of humor and emotion
I’m almost done with Gilmore Girls, too, and I’m thinking of getting back into BBC and watching Call The Midwife after!
I agree with everyone saying Parenthood, and Friday Night Lights is another great option! Hart of Dixie (with Rachel Bilson) is also super cute and light, which is nice when you aren’t really in the mood to feel sad.
I have been wanting to see both La La Land and Lion for a while! As for TV shows, I’m also a huge fan of Gilmore Girls and I also love Parenthood! I know you have said that you aren’t into watching This Is Us but I would give it another shot and if you are looking for something light and quirky try Bunheads- it’s another show created by Amy Sherman-Palladio who did Gilmore Girls (you can watch it in the FreeForm website). If you want something a little more intense check out the Blacklist. It’s produced by my friend Jon and it’s quite a thrilling story line!
Taylor | http://www.livingtaylored.com
Like many others, I highly suggest parenthood after Gilmore Girls! Also if you like period pieces, The Crown on Netflix is also very good!
I totally get needing to fall asleep to shows to help with anxiety. Highly recommend Psych. It’s a lighthearted, funny show but you still get sucked into the crimes/mysteries they solve. Another good one is the UK version of Shameless.
One Tree Hill or The OC!
You should watch Scrubs!
Yes I love Scrubs too!
I agree with another commenter – Younger on TvLand is very good.
Some movies that I watch on rotation when nothing else is on or I just want some background noise are About Time (my all time favorite), The Kingsmen, The King’s Speech, Julie and Julia, Midnight in Paris, 2 Days in Paris, Amelie, Vicki Cristina Barcelona, and Manhattan.
Psych – watch past the first episode. Hysterical! Doc Martin is also great. Call the Midwife – excellent but keep tissues near by! The book is also wonderful.
I would highly recommend Friday Night Lights. I watched it when it first came out and although it did have multiple seasons and a dedicated fan base, I was shocked that it didn’t get the wide spread fan base and recognition it deserved. Characters are the best especially Connie Britton!
I totally know what you mean. I love Friday Night Lights and currently rewatching it for the second time. It seems everyone is watching it now, but it was very underrated when it first came out.
Portlandia is hilarious and I love Madame Secretary for some drama, but Friends is always my go to 🙂
I watched Parenthood after I finished Gilmore Girls (it’s on Netflix). I LOVED it, not a single bad episode. Plus Lauren Graham is it too, playing a character with some similarities to Lorelai but differences too. It’s a great show, highly recommend!
I saw La La Land on Friday and it was sooo good! I loved all the costumes and the vintage vibe.
For shows I love The West Wing, there are a ton of episodes and the story line is engaging plus it’s very witty. I also loved The Crown, Call the Midwife & Miss Fisher’s Murder Mysteries (all on Netflix). Blacklist, Madam Secretary & The Americans are also great but are a bit heavier/more dramatic.
I also need to watch TV shows in order to fall asleep, so totally understood. My rotation includes Gilmore Girls, How I Met Your Mother, New Girl, Parks and Recreation, Parenthood, and The Office. Lots of great episodes in each series!
Absolutely agree with what others have said about Parenthood, The Crown, and Madam Secretary!! All very different but sooo sooo good. I will also say, when I’m in the mood for something really silly, I’ve been enjoying Superstore (since I’ve long since seen all of Parks & Rec and The Office many times over haha). Also Modern Family is always good for a feel-good laugh.
Brooklyn Nine Nine, Parks and Recreation, and Veep are so so so good!!!
I watched Dawson’s Creek after I finished Gilmore Girls and it was fun to see the difference between a 90s drama and an early 2000s drama!
I can’t get enough of Parks and Rec. It did take me a couple episodes to get totally hooked, but it is easily one of my top three series. The office is amazing as well. (I’ve seen both series several times…) I also really like West Wing, Stranger Things, The Crown, and Seinfield.
I cannot recommend Parenthood highly enough if you haven’t seen it yet. Such a great show.
I loved La La Land too! Some recommendations that I really enjoyed were Rushmore, Royal Pains, Bones, N3mbers, and the early Twin Peaks. One great BBC series was State of Play (not the movie version). I love all the Hercules Poirot episodes too as enjoy seeing all the vintage fashion and architecture as well as having well written plots to follow.
Felicity is a must see! Best TV series ever. Keri Russell is amazing.
New girl and how I met your mother and both great shows, and 100% binge-worthy! I highly recommend them.
I’m planning to see La La Land today – so excited! Friends is definitely worth watching all the way through if you’ve never done so. Some of my other favorites are How I Met Your Mother, New Girl, Gossip Girl, Switched at Birth, and Parks and Recreation – all of these shows are available on Netflix.
West Wing! Best dialog and totally likable characters, you can’t go wrong!
Mozart in the Jungle stole my heart this winter break. I feel the guilt of not reading from watching this series all break.
I started watching The Good Wife with Julianna Margulies (150+ episodes on Hulu) after I finished GG and can’t get enough of the strong female leads as well as all I’ve gleamed about the basics of law proceedings (as someone about to graduate medical school), perhaps you will enjoy it too!
The Office, Friends, and Seinfeld are my total comfort shows: each has nine or ten seasons worth of episodes!! If you haven’t seen one of the three yet, I would highly recommend.
Veep is great is you are okay with absolutely vulgar (but hilariously intelligent) humor.
Already commented, but forgot to add in Scrubs! I’ve only watched episodes here and there, but from what I’ve seen it’s both heartwarming and funny. A lot of my friends and family have seen it all and absolutely loved it.
Parks and Rec, How I Met Your Mother, and The Office (probably my all time favorite show) are great for comic relief. If you want something more intense and binge worthy, DEFINITELY Grey’s Anatomy!! I may or may not have watched the entire series on netflix this past summer haha. I also recently started watching Scandal, and while not as binge worthy as Grey’s, it’s definitely a great show too!
I can’t get enough of The West Wing. I started watching around Thanksgiving and am completely obsessed.
PARENTHOOD! I absolutely cannot recommend it enough. Not to sound too cheesy but.. you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, its amazing.
Hi! Wasn’t La La Land fantastic?! About Netflix shows: Parks and Rec is a great one if you are in the mood for comedy, but I have to second the reader above’s choice and also recommend Parenthood. It is so wonderful and it’s got it all: laughs, drama, sadness–it’s just a very fulfilling show.
I’m also currently re-watching all of Downton Abbey on Amazon. Not sure if you ever got into that, but it’s another excellent choice!
Hope you’re doing well!
–Allison
YES. DOWNTON!
Younger on TVLand is incredible, You’re the Worst is insanely good (lots of episodes), and I’m also a fan of Gossip Girl.
LaLa Land was amazing! I can’t stop listening to the soundtrack.
The Office, 30 Rock, and Parks and Rec are all AMAZING shows- witty and SO funny, but also really draw you into their character stories and make you invest in their lives.
Friends for sure. Being able to quote one-liners is an art form.
If you want something more serious The Americans is amazing (Amazon Primes). Parks and Recreation is super funny and has a ton of light hearted episodes. There’s a continuous storyline, but it never bogs down the comedy or pace of the show.
For shows, I binged Friends last year and it was great- reminded me of a lot of details I had forgotten! My husband and I are binging How I Met Your Mother right now (he’s seen it, I haven’t) and it’s like a more modern Friends! Also, Good Girls Revolt on Amazon prime is good, but only one season 🙁
Definitely watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer- it has 7 seasons and is amazing to rewatch or watch for the first time! I would also recommend Veronica Mars which is equally as good, but with only 3 seasons.
This is a major throwback, but you must must must watch Growing Pains. There are 6 or 7 seasons and it’s heartwarming but also hilarious to see life in the late ’80s. It’s one of those shows you can watch over and over, too!
Tv show recs with lots of episodesMad men, Call the Midwife, and Lost! All SO addicting (and on Netflix!) Also I have to recommend Westworld…there’s only one season so far but it’s the best show I’ve seen in awhile. Warning that it’s a little gory though! Thanks for your movie recs!
What about Sex and the City! I recently picked it up again and am loving it
I saw it in a few comments before, but Parenthood is one of my favorite shows!! I watched it before watching Gilmore Girls and loved both. I also just started watching Sex and the City on Amazon Prime and am really enjoying it!
My daughter and I loved Gilmore Girls and the revival!!!! I loved Parenthood. We are currently in season 3 of New Girl and we love it. It’s hilarious.
You absolutely can’t go wrong with Friends! 10 seasons, so there are always more episodes, and it is the funniest show ever – with some awesome relationships and people.
I’m also re-watching Gilmore Girls!
For series I would say Parenthood on Netflix
Party of Five on Hulu
Looking forward to seeing La la land
The West Wing, and Madam Secretary are both fantastic, entertaining, and intellectual. Along the same lines – The Newsroom (was on HBO for only 3 seasons, but was done by the same director as The West Wing!).
The movie Lion looks so good and I’ve heard great things about lalaland I think it even won a couple awards at the golden globe awards tonight. I’ll have to check them out soon!
Kelsey | petiteinherpearls.blogspot.com
My family and friends won’t see LaLaLand with me!! I’m just going to have to wait until it comes out on DVD & Netflix 🙁
xo
Maggie
maggieroyce.com
For TV shows I’d highly recommend New Girl and Shameless if you haven’t already watched them! If you happen to have Hulu Plus, Awkward is SUCH a good one too. Quirky, funny, and you get invested in the characters so quickly.
The Crown on Netflix!
I am almost through with The Good Wife, and it has been amazing! It has six seasons and you can watch it on Amazon Prime.
I wish I had loved La La Land as much as everyone else seems to but I just wasn’t a huge fan, I do love Ryan Gosling & Emma Stone though! As for series to watch on Netflix, I love The Office – so funny and really heartwarming at times, too, and 9 seasons. Humor is very different from Friends, which I also like, but I think The Office wins for me. I also loved One Tree Hill which I think has 9 seasons too. It can be very dramatic at times but overall is a really enjoyable show.
I recently watched all of Friends and it was nice to see all the episodes in order. I would recommend One Tree Hill as a guilty pleasure! I avoided watching it for years and then got hooked during a stressful time in my life. Also, Arrested Development.
I absolutely loved La La Land! I didn’t know how to feel at first because the ending sort of ripped my heart out (I may have cried… twice haha), but I’ve decided that it’s a great film. Obsessed.
I can’t believe I haven’t seen La La Land yet. It looks so good!
Kari
http://sweetteasweetie.com/antioxidant-smoothie-post-raisin-bran/
Hart of Dixie is a fun watch. Filmed on the same set as Gilmore Girls.
Ahh La La Land is incredible! So happy it totally swept up at the Golden Globes last night. As far as shows to watch, you should check out One Day at a Time. It’s a reboot of the 1980’s series and absolutely fantastic. My friend is a writer for the show, so I might be biased, but it really is great!
I just watched Gilmore Girls start to finish over the fall and finished it this week. I never watched it when it was on the first time but loved it so much. I am in withdrawal. Was not a fan of the reunion special episodes too much though. I have been reading some great books. The Last Days of Night and Once we were brothers. And I started The Crown last night.
Also, I LOVED the Office on Netflix….tons of Episodes.
Oops one more… you MUST go see Hidden Figures. Kate and I LOVED it!!
You MUST watch Parenthood! The BEST show and will get you so hooked. Can’t recommend it enough!
The Harry Potter movies are so comforting to fall asleep to when my anxiety gets the best of me.
Just finished watching Friends on Netflix – would recommend! I had never watched all the episodes in order before, the first season was rough to get through, but really ended up loving it!
My mom and I started watching Gilmore Girls at the start of my winter break and we’re hooked!! Gonna be so sad once we finish it but looking forward to starting the new Gilmore Girls Netflix series after!
The West Wing is my favorite show of all time; if you have any interest whatsoever in news or politics, I’d highly recommend. It also has a wonderful friendship element to it, which I think helps set it apart from the other political shows of today. And Aaron Sorkin dialogue can’t be beat.
If you enjoyed Downton Abbey or have a love for the royal family, The Crown is very well done. Slower pace, but very beautiful and entertaining.
Parenthood. Sort of impossible not to love. It took a few episodes for me to get into it, but by the middle of the first season, I was hooked.
Parks & Recreation. Hilarious and full of hope.
Sex and the city always makes me feel better! I’ve watched all seasons twice. 🙂
Have you watched The Crown on Netflix yet? If you haven’t, YOU NEED TO! it’s amazing!!
I recommend a show called “Call the Midewife.” It’s based off of a memoir about a nurse working as a midwife in East London in the 1950s. Lots of episodes, incredible acting, and touching stories. Season 7 comes out the beginning of next year on PBS. It’s a BBC show and is on Netflix.