There is something special about love songs. They have roughly three to four minutes to tell you a romantic story. Whether it is a power ballad filled with longing or a declaration of requited affection, there is arguably nothing lovelier in music than a love song. Hence, the following playlist of
When viewers of "Medici" last saw the series' titular family, the story left off with its focus on their groundbreaking leader, Cosimo. Leaping forward in time, “Medici: The Magnificent” picks up with Cosimo’s eldest grandson, Lorenzo (Daniel Sharman), as a grown man.
“Down a Dark Hall” boasts an intriguing premise. It centers on a rebellious teen, who is sent to a boarding school to help correct her life path. Soon after arriving at the ominous school -- Kit (AnnaSophia Robb) is joined by several other reportedly troubled girls. Before long, they all begin to
Don't worry. This feature is spoiler-free . Now to “Polar,” the recently released theatrical thriller on Netflix. It stars the mega-talented Mads Mikkelsen as Duncan Vizla, a top-tier assassin on the verge of retirement. Working to keep him from collecting his pension, his company tries to te
If a picture is worth, a thousand words than one’s context supplies a billion. The TV series, “Innocent” (“Masum”) is a daring tale that's secrets are best kept from prospective viewers, curious to watch. To state it directly. It is well worth your time to do so.
One of those series that has tended to fly below the radar the past few years, “The Last Kingdom” has proven why it deserves to be buzzed about with the best of them.
What a year! Now, it is time to wrap-up Eclectic Pop’s end-of-the-year coverage by revealing the most-read posts on the site that were published in 2018. The top five includes a lot of television and movie-related content with a touch of music thrown in.
It has become a bit of an annual tradition on Eclectic Pop to reveal the most-read movie reviews of the year. That tradition will continue with the unveiling of 2018’s. There is one slight difference from years prior. Instead of ten, Eclectic Pop will reveal a more elite field of five.
While television was booming in 2018, watching movies remained an integral part of life. The ability to conjure and complete a story within 2 hours will never stop being a magical thing to behold.
It has been a huge year for television on both streaming and broadcast platforms. The quantity of quality has made for a fun 2018. Netflix’s “The Last Kingdom” pleasantly returned for a breakout third season. While over on Lifetime, Penn Badgley riveted on the outstanding and criminally underrate
If you believe that a strong friendship is at the core of an enduring romantic relationship, then “My Christmas Love” contains the love story for you. The road from platonic friendship to romance is not entirely easy for some to navigate. For this Hallmark movie, the journey proves to be an incre
There is something “Wanted” has that few other shows possess. It has a strong sense of its identity — the way it does things and how it needs to get them done. That is why for three six-episode seasons, the series co-created by star Rebecca Gibney and Richard Bell, has managed not to lose an ounc
Do you want a breezy high-quality binge watch on Netflix? Yes? Then look no further than the Australian TV series “Wanted.” An enthralling thriller with comedic elements that is underlined with drama. It is a show that’s epicenter is the equally hilarious and sweet relationship that transpires
Welcome to the holidays! As visual an experience as this joyous time of year can be, it is even better when given musical accompaniment . Eclectic Pop is here to help with a collection of enchanting Christmas songs poised to be a soundtrack to the season. This Spotify playlist features the stella
“Million Yen Women” (originally titled “1,000,000 yen no Onnatachi”) is a stirring look at friendship, romance, and the impact of a troubled past. A television adaptation of Shunju Aono’s manga of the same name, it is currently streaming on Netflix.
In an exhilarating twist, Netflix's "Outlaw King" is an outlaw movie and a costume epic that compromises on delivering, neither. Director David Mackenzie has united the subgenres to create something that is both fresh and familiar.
Marrying a costume drama and a ghost story together makes a lot of sense. They suit each other. Largely because there is an opportunity for one’s imagination to run free without technology interrupting.
Confession: As a prospective viewer, anytime the plot of a "supernatural" thriller involves the acknowledgment of psychics faking -- a movie has placed its first hook. For every “Conjuring” there should be a genre rebuttal for skeptics. Unfortunately, “Malevolent” is not it.
When your predecessor is the scariest movie of all-time, there are bound to be expectations. No one could have reasonably thought “The Strangers” would or could go back-to-back with two equally unnerving installments. Enter “The Strangers: Prey at Night” into the fray. In fact, the idea of a sequ
One of Eclectic Pop's picks for 2016's best television series; “Medici: Masters of Florence” boasts an excellent eight-episode freshman season. “Game of Thrones" grad Richard Madden stars as Cosimo de’ Medici, the Medici patriarch who paves the way for his House’s rise to newfound pr
Every once in a while a lot of us yearn for a little thrill. Perhaps it’s a certain chill in the air that helps put it there, but the desire is real nonetheless. So, what is worth watching on Netflix and elsewhere to give you that bite of fright? Eclectic Pop has some suggestions, and they range
Movies centered on a plot that questions whether a protagonist is sane or not is practically its own genre at this point. To be perfectly honest, yours truly is not its biggest fan. In fact, when perusing potential viewing options, it is the most avoided one. So, suffice it to say “Delirium” had
Netflix Many of us watch movies to take us on an emotional journey , and “Like Father” does precisely that. Our story picks up on the wedding day of job-addicted Rachel (Kristen Bell), who, unbeknownst to her, can count her estranged father, Harry (Kelsey Grammer), as a guest at her nuptials. The t
Mystery and thrills converge unexpectedly in the enthralling “Perdida.” The movie introduces its lead character in the present day with a concise sequence that lets the audience in on everything they need to know about the essence of Pipa (Luisana Lopilato), a driven detective. What drives her is
Netflix One of the rare series of our time, “Dark” offers an arresting and raw take on a complex genre. It is a mesmeric science fiction series that is equal parts poised, sophisticated, and foreboding. “Dark” maneuvers its story with confidence as it weaves its elaborate tale. It is stylistic with
While it feels like yesterday, it has been 5 years since Eclectic Pop first spoke to Courtney Randall. In the time since then, a lot has changed for the up-and-coming singer-songwriter. Now going by CoAnn, her self-titled EP has debuted today (August 10). In time with its release, CoAnn has dis
There’s no getting around it. “Mamma Mia 2” is well worth the decade-long wait. The sequel to the exhilarating original is a narrative necessity that helps viewers understand the present by visiting the past. Picking up not too many years after the events of the first film, Donna has passed awa
Young people, alcohol, deceit, and bad ideas. What could possibly go wrong? Oh, that’s right…everything. Even with its fantastical bent of horror, “Truth or Dare” can be viewed as a cautionary tale with an honest narrative on the real cost of those forces colliding. As is the case in “Final Desti
When a teenager goes missing, her worried father and his best friend work to find her. “Safe” is that simple on the surface and all the more complicated underneath. Dr. Tom Delaney (Michael C. Hall) lost his wife to cancer a year ago. Now a single father, he is not-so-secretly hooking up with his
A complex thriller with more going on than could ever meet the eye, “In Darkness” is about the things that go on below the surface. Our story centers on Sofia (Natalie Dormer), a blind pianist, who plays as part of an orchestra on a movie or television score. From there we retreat back to her a
When you think of the color red, many emotions spring to mind and passion is chief among them. Unfortunately for “Red Sparrow,” it is unable to portray that kind of power at any point. Set in an undefined period of time, Dominika (Jennifer Lawrence) is a promising ballerina in Russia when her dre
Weird events are happening in the small fictional town of Villefranche. The murder rate has been escalating, eclipsing the national average. Determined to get to the bottom of that and other mysteries is a prosecutor with a firm grip on justice.
Caution: Mild spoilers for “Silver Spoon” (originally titled “Mazhor”) Season 1 are below. Another spoonful of this delectable series is exactly what every television fan needs. Igor and company are back for a second season of the crime thriller that keeps impressive pace with the exquisite q
What makes a good action drama great is when it emphasizes its dramatic side, and that is something that “Braven” marvelously excels at. Joe Braven (Jason Momoa) is a hard-working guy with a loving family. The owner of a logging company, he has to spend a lot of time away from his wife and daught
The life of Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) only gets more complicated in “Fifty Shades Freed,” and the movie is kind enough to bring viewers along for the exotic, erotic ride. The third installment in the sexy trilogy brings the story of Anastasia Steele and her devoted beau Christian Grey (Ja
Caution: Mild spoilers for Season 1 of "Sneaky Pete" lie ahead. Hilarious moments of deception-based comedy, underscore a dark and thrilling drama about the con game. “Sneaky Pete” Season 2 picks up where Season 1 left off with Marius trying to convince two heavies that he isn’t Pete.
Amazon Studios Amazon’s con-man series offers a delightful blend of situational comedy and high stakes drama. “Sneaky Pete” follows Marius Josipović (Giovanni Ribisi), an ex-con fresh out of prison, who needs to lay low for a while. He owes money to a ruthless mob boss (the excellent Bryan Cranston
All hail the Empress! “Ekaterina: The Rise of Catherine the Great” returns for a second season of ferocious finagling. Picking up six years after the tumultuous events that led to her ascension. Season 2 finds Ekaterina (Marina Aleksandrova) trying to maintain her power as an Empress, and establi
Before his breakout turn as Captain Ross Poldark, Aidan Turner played another role that involved romancing a similarly passionate redhead in the miniseries “Desperate Romantics.” The 2009 BBC miniseries charts the rise of the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, a group founded by a trio of artists when n
Lights, passion, action! That sums up Canada’s 2018 Stars on Ice. A 26-hour drive (round-trip) culminated in a life-long memory that will carry this skating fan for eternity. The 2018 Stars on Ice in Ottawa was a spectacular event that showcased the exquisite talent of its starring skaters.
The stunning moves of Canada’s 2018 Stars on Ice skaters are backed by an incredible soundtrack. In the case of 3-time Olympic gold medalists, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, that includes the majestic "Moulin Rouge" medley they skated to gold with, in Pyeongchang.
If you love Agatha Christie mysteries, then you are likely to love "The Chalet." The French miniseries tells a set of intertwining stories that unravel running parallel. It's a tricky plot maneuver and "The Chalet" pulls it off to mesmeric effect.
Image by Amazon / AXW It has been a long time since the treatment of a character in either a movie or a TV show got under my skin to the extent it did watching "Absentia." The last time was the movie “Warrior,” but that is a discussion for another day. For now, the Amazon series holds t
“The Royal Taylor” takes a dramatic look at the saying “out with the old, in with the new.” It is a story that starts with a strong sense of comedy before turning a few shades darker. The movie begins in the present day at a press conference that unveils the works of Jo Dol-seok, the royal tailor
Oh, “Absentia.” This 10-episode thriller opens with two captivating back-to-back installments. The premise is as dramatic as they come. Emily Byrne (Stana Katic) is a wife, mother, and FBI agent, who disappeared chasing a serial killer. She has been missing for six years when she is found clingin
When it comes to movies and their plots, it is next to impossible to invent anything viewers have never seen before. You can improve upon it though, and that is what director Christopher Landon deftly accomplishes with "Happy Death Day." As strange of a combination as it sounds, the mov
For a film whose title suggests it is about Tonya Harding, “I, Tonya” doesn’t feel like a movie about Tonya Harding. Even as Tonya (Margot Robbie) frequently narrates the film and turns to the camera to break the fourth wall, it still feels like she is chasing the spotlight of her story. That is
