Netflix Series For Travelers

As television productions have larger budgets, they become more and more spectacular. I've seen exceptional movies and series, much better than many films produced for the Big Screen. With "spoilers" and opinions, you know some series and films that I highly recommend.

They made me laugh, cry, be amazed by the beauty of the places, and sit with my soul in my mouth, in short, to live. So I became addicted to this kind of movies and series, which means I feel like if I keep wasting time watching Netflix or HBO Go, I'm left with some of these things. To assimilate something, to take other ideas, to grow.

Bonfire of Destiny - The Bazaar of Charity: one season, 8 episodes

The series is magnificent. It is made after a real story, an event that happened in Paris in the costumes, the sets, and an impossibly realistic scene with a fire in a public place.

The fire in Paris on May 4, 1897, and 126 people, mostly women, lost their lives in this tragedy. It was suspected that the men actually put the women aside to save themselves. This is because, at that charity event, the participants were approximately balanced in terms of gender. And many workers helped women, with aristocrats preferring to save themselves.

After this event (which stirred me a lot of emotions, the scene is like this: I told you very realistic, and it actually shakes us), followed by a story with a beautiful plot. But what we see here: how the aristocratic woman was seen as a commodity by her parents and society, how an innocent is found a scapegoat because the "good of the majority" - of the rich, of course, prevails over economic interests. But everything ends well, after various transformations, people find peace and quiet by doing the right thing. The actors play great, everything is magnificent. I actually loved this series, I think I'll see it again.

It will no longer be the second series. Or if at some point, the story resumes, it will be completely different. But nothing was announced. The series is a masterpiece as it is.

Serial, two seasons: Sense 8

Sense 8 is a two-season series (only). I actually loved watching it, being filmed in many countries, in crowds. That is, in India, they shot even during religious festivals. It's one of those series that after I finished, I watched the "making off." They filmed in Chicago, Berlin, London, Paris (even in the Eiffel Tower among other locations), Mexico City, Mumbai, Nairobi, Seoul, Reykjavík and San Francisco the first season, and in season 2 they filmed in Amsterdam, Argyll, Chippenham, Los Angeles, Malta, Positano, Redwoods and São Paulo.

Indeed the locations were exceptional. Additionally, the international distribution, there were actors from Korea (South of course), India, Germany, Italy, Spain, Great Britain, and American actors. Indian actress Tina Desai is absolutely amazing, especially since she is very, very nice. She quickly introduces us to her world, to Indian society. By the way, we also see an Indian wedding and dream outfits. The actors are exceptional, I loved them all.

The series explores a unique idea: respectively, "homo sensorium." Eight people from different countries discover that they share a mental connection and share not only their feelings but also their abilities. There are many other groups of eight, and there is an organization that "hunts" them. The series is not for the modest, because many "taboo" topics are addressed: two homosexual relationships (gay and lesbian) and the emphasis is on love, and other links become "polyamorous." The series is not out of place at all, the scenes are not vulgar, and the emphasis is on the psychic connection. I really liked the idea, it's something new and of course entertaining. We want to let our minds fly, don't we? Especially when, as I told you, the scenery is a dream!

After two series, "Sense 8" was canceled because it was extraordinarily expensive and the subject not so famous, although fans of the series made petitions signed by tens of thousands of people in record time, asking to see another sequel. What else did they want to see? Explored this fantastic universe. Maybe that's where the problem was, where to go? Anyway, great series. And I liked the making off!

Unorthodox: four-episode miniseries

He "devoured" the "Unorthodox" ministry breathlessly. Along with the "making off." This little documentary about how the filming for the miniseries was made is also available on Netflix. Moreover, Deborah Feldman, the author of the book after which the series was created, also appears in the documentary. That's how I found out that the part about the heroine's life in New York, Esty, is the author's autobiography. About what her life was like as part of the ultra-Orthodox Hasidic community in New York. And that part of life in Berlin is fiction.

The plot in short: a young Jew, Esty, flees from the island community in New York and arrives in Berlin, where she discovers herself. The series is absolutely fantastic, you can't let go of it. And it's so real, the atmosphere actually teleports you to another universe, as if the actors play so well, that you "live" in it. You cry you hope, you laugh, you rejoice, you grieve. And you start over.

After watching the series, I looked for more information about this community. I also found out that every year around 150 people flee New York, both women, and men. Leaving everything behind (the family denies them, cries for them but it's as if they lost them entirely), they can't see their children anymore.

I found out about "Footsteps" the organization that helps those who fled to integrate into society, to have a family. Within the Hasidic community, the bonds between members are very close, there is a lot of love, and it is difficult for someone raised in this way to find themselves alone. He needs a community. That's what Etsy did. He found a community of artists in Berlin, a group of friends.

I also learned that women, when they get married, shave their heads, and wear a wig or some kind of turban for the rest of their lives. Why? They probably think that women lose their power if their hair is cut (Samson's story). I don't believe that I just think that if an act is forced, imposed, then it "widows you of powers," but if it is voluntary, it is something else entirely. All in all, this series will make you ask yourself a lot of questions and, yes, join another community.

Shtisel: two seasons, 24 episodes

Shtisel is also a series about life in a Hasidic community, this time in Israel. It is a series that shows another side of living in these communities. It represents them more passionately, the emphasis is on close relationships, on love within families, not on constraints. It also has many hilarious scenes.

It is a beautiful series and follows the life of a young rabbi in training, who is passionate about painting. Akiva Shtisel is a young dreamer searching for love, who also finds a lot of understanding from his father. The emphasis is on love and Akiva's attempt to find his identity, but still, keep the concepts in which he grew up.

There are many Hasidic communities, some that take religious extremism to the extreme, others much more moderate. Nowhere is everything white or black. If you've seen Unorthodox, see also Shitsel, you won't be disappointed. The series is a gem. Again, we see Shira Haas, the wonderful Israeli actress who also had the lead role in Unorthodox, Esty. This time younger, a kid, but just as talented. I can't wait to see her in other projects. But all the actors played exceptionally well. It is a series in which the emphasis is on the emotions of the characters, and it is terrific.

Catedral del Mar: miniseries, eight episodes

A beautiful, beautiful, brilliant series. The sets, the actors' play, everything is absolutely magnificent. This series was a trip to Barcelona a few hundred years ago. Effectively not to be missed. Here, we also see the injustices of those times, such as the right of the nobleman to have the first night with a new wife of the peasants on his lands. We see what feudalism really meant, how much hunger, but also how much love and solidarity.

A magnificent love story, a struggle for survival, and a happy ending. I would like another season, but there was no room for continuation. Maybe another story, but it would hurt, I think. Better a new story. This series is really a masterpiece.

Messiah

An exceptional series, unfortunately, it will not be a season 2, because several countries have opposed it. The film exploits the idea: what if a new Messiah came? Would we believe in him, would we like to hear what he says, not who he is? Are we ready for a new prophet? The hero does not claim to be the Messiah, although he says he is the son of God. So Jesus said, but in fact, everywhere it is written that we are all children of God, that we are connected. All in all, an exceptional series, but actually outstanding, the older ones, of course, are more afraid of losing their power than for their souls.

Anyway, a series that we can't miss, because it's not even about what others believe, but it asks us a few new questions that we have to answer ourselves, thinking: would we believe? Would we like to? Are we ready? Will we ever be?

I will see the series again, this time focusing on the above questions. Because initially, we have that automatism to focus on what the wrong series are doing, to position ourselves on the side, and with the soul of the protagonists. So if you've seen the show before, how about revisiting it with this theme in mind? It's not about what others do, it's about what we do. And what we would like to do. Let's meditate on this for a moment.

Caliphate, eight episodes

Caliphate is another shocking series. No fireworks, no brilliance, but it takes us to places we might not otherwise be able to enter, in the universe of girls who fled to be brides for ISIS soldiers. We see their dramas, doubts, fears. We know that many girls fled the UK, Sweden, gave up their seemingly beautiful lives to pursue a dream that turned out to be a nightmare. It is a lovely and fascinating psychological series. A plot is underway for an attack in Sweden.

Marco Polo

I saw this series many years ago. I liked the story, the sets, everything. I think I'll see it again. Of course, the story of the explorer Marco Polo and I loved it because it is intriguing, fabulous scenery, beautiful costumes, and we actually step into another world.

Luna Nera, eight episodes

Luna Nera is an Italian series. The first series has eight episodes that keep our mouths shut, it's not the time for boredom, there are upheavals, everything happens quickly. The action takes place in 17th century Italy and the scenery, the costumes are fabulous. A young healer finds out with astonishment that she is a witch, being unjustly accused of killing the baby of a noblewoman. Well, at that time, it was quite common for a child to be born dead, for the midwife to be accused of killing him, or for being a witch, and so on.

Especially single women were suspected of practicing witchcraft and were considered dangerous anyway. We see in the series at one point how all women who did not have a companion were deemed to be hazardous. And we know the hatred of the mobs, directed at the wrong people when they are dominated by fear, kept in poverty and manipulated by the rich. Practically in the past, people were very poor, abused by nobles, and the blame was on the witch, Satan, etc. The hatred is directed in vain so that those in power always keep their delusions and the extravagant lifestyle of the gods.

It also shows an instead discussed topic: the fact that there were prelates who practiced black magic in the church. Many have been suspected over time, especially since the Vatican keeps so many grimaces in its archives. (Original grimoire, grimoire in Romanian). There is a lot of speculation on this subject, I have no idea what the truth is.

But I'm sure most of those accused of witchcraft did little more than use herbs for healing purposes. And I also know that the hatred against them was out of a desire to control the population, give them a reason to hate, and direct their frustrations elsewhere so as not to see the beam where it was. Therefore, it is a series to watch for all those fascinated by history, stories, and legends.

We are also waiting for season two, but it will be another case/story, even if it will also follow the protagonists. I mean, the end of the series didn't leave us with the unfinished story. It will be another story below.

Witches, a century of murder

It is a two-episode documentary in which historian Suzannah Lipscomb investigates how witch-hunting came into being in 17th-century Britain. Myths etc. How someone was accused, how women were tortured. You realize that instead of being tortured for days, weeks, many would rather confess anything and escape faster (be killed quickly and avoid suffering). The documentary is phenomenal.

Baby

When we think of Rome, we see beautiful squares, the Vatican, ruins from the Roman period, spectacular churches, museums, sculptures. Ice cream, architectural and cultural richness, arts, history. In the series Baby, we see the life of rich teenagers from the eternal city. And their dramas. The series is made after a true story, namely two girls from very wealthy families, who studied at a prestigious private school, also practiced prostitution. In the film, the protagonists are 16 years old, but in the real story, the girls were 14. They spent money on luxury clothes and entertainment, it was a massive scandal when the network was discovered. In an impressive Italian series, the actors are exceptional.

Rise of the Constantinople Empires: miniseries

A dramatic miniseries, Turkish production. I was fascinated by Constantinople's history, and I want to learn about events from all points of view. One of my favorite books is "The Fall of Constantinople" by Vintilă Corbu. I have read various writings before, but I feel that I am losing many aspects. This series reawakened my curiosity in this regard. I think I start it by rereading the two volumes of the book written by Vintilă Corbu, and I will look for Greek and Turkish writings.

But what I learned about the history of Constantinople is that when the Crusaders came, they committed more murders and destroyed the city more than when it was taken over by the Ottomans. The Fourth Crusade was the one that covered this city. Since then, he has never regained his strength and was easy to conquer. This does not mean that there were no great warriors, or that Sultan Mehmed II was not a great conqueror, that is not what I mean. Maybe he would have conquered the city even if he found it at the height of his power. And even as weak as he was, it was still a challenge. From almost half a million inhabitants in the heyday, according to many historians, to the time it was conquered (in a siege of only two months), the city had 50,000 inhabitants. And that after he had recovered a little after they got rid of the crusaders.

Many civilizations were destroyed by internal struggles, no longer having the strength to face a powerful enemy when it appeared. Or they have been killed and weakened by others. The main problem of Constantinople (in my opinion, I do not claim to tell the absolute truth, so I will investigate) was the Crusades. Read about the robbery of Constantinople during the 4th Crusade on Wikipedia, here. I also believe that the West really wanted supremacy and wanted the destruction of the Byzantine Empire.

So it's an exciting series, the staging is exceptional, it's worth seeing.

Castle and Castle

A serial phenomenon. With a rating of 8.8 on IMDB. I would not have included it in this article if it were not in antithesis to the preconceptions that many have about Africa. Here, about Nigeria. Many African countries are also highly developed at the same time. In Nigeria, as in many other countries. There is also a lot of wealth, the middle class, and a wealthy class. Serial with and about lawyers, a thrilling series. Two lawyers, husband, and wife come to represent opposing interests. Will he find a common denominator?

I've already told you about two beautiful series, I hope you didn't miss them: ( Djin - the Jordanian series filmed in Petra and Grand Hotel, the Egyptian version ).

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Netflix Series For Travelers