TV, music, movies, and books we're into this week

It'southward mid-March and we're taking some time out of our schedules to relax this weekend. Equally always, we're enjoying not bad media in the form of killer tunes, quality movies, and some existent page turners. Here are our suggestions for you.

TV and movies

Here are some of the movies and Goggle box shows Windows Key is enjoying this week.

The Shape of H2o

Recommended past Dan Thorp-Lancaster, staff writer

I began my jump down the rabbit pigsty of Oscar winners concluding week with Coco, so I figured I'd proceed the trend this calendar week with another: The Shape of H2o.

The Shape of H2o is written and directed past Guillermo del Toro, and it's a monster movie and honey story wrapped all into 1. Taking place in 1962 America with the Cold War as a backdrop, the movie follows a adult female named Elisa who works in an isolated secret government laboratory. In that location, she and a co-worker discover a classified experiment, a fish-man, with whom Elisa falls in beloved. Yeah, it'south weird.

Guillermo del Toro is generally a fantastic filmmaker who has an eye for aesthetics and The Shape of Water looks like another cute entry in his stable of films. I plan to dive into the movie this weekend, and then here's to hoping it lives up to the hype!

See at Microsoft Store
See at Amazon
Come across at iTunes

Neon Genesis Evangelion

Recommended by Jez Corden, senior Xbox editor

The original Evangelion Goggle box serial is widely regarded equally essential anime viewing, for its record-breaking legacy and impact on the manner anime is perceived, particularly in the W.

Simply put, Evangelion is seriously crazy. Information technology tells the story of a minor group of teenagers, effectively conscripted to airplane pilot gigantic cyborgs in boxing against huge alien creatures, known as Angels. Sounds simple enough, right? As you lot delve further into the show, yous'll begin to realize that practically nada is what it seems in Eva.

The show is drowning in religious themes, but perhaps fifty-fifty more notable than that is its portrayal of adolescence, wrapped in a deconstructed mecha anime filled with expose, supremely well-animated action, and some of the most infamous scenes in anime history. What would happen when yous entrust the fate of humanity to a bunch of kids? Well ... watch and detect out. This is one show yous won't soon forget, for amend or worse.

See at Amazon
See at iTunes

Nighttime Passage

Recommended past Al Sacco, managing editor

I lookout man a lot of movies. And when you watch a lot of movies, a rigid truth almost today's picture landscape becomes sorrowfully obvious: There just aren't that many new movies worth watching. In fact, well-nigh of the movies that come out today suck. So I've been going fashion back in the film vaults, trying to find good stuff that I oasis't seen. Dark Passage is a Hitchcockian thriller made in 1947 that fit that pecker perfectly.

Prepare in and around San Francisco, this black and white flick is as cool looking as it is unique. It's mostly filmed from the first-person perspective of the protagonist (Humphrey Bogart) and so you never actually run across him until nigh three-quarters of the way through the picture show. Bogart breaks out of The Big House, where he's apparently been sent on a bad-wrap, and every bit soon as he does, he is picked up on the roads outside the prison house past a mysterious, throaty blond (Lauren Bacall) who proceeds to try to assistance him hide in the hills and alleyways of San Fran.

That's most it, and past today's standards, the action is bit deadening. But the flick drips with style, and the backdrop of San Francisco, the quintessential metropolis o' noir, works perfectly. It's more than worth a watch if yous're looking something fresh this weekend. And the facelift scene is downright creepy …

See at Microsoft Store
See at Amazon
Run across at iTunes

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle

Recommended by Mark Guim, video editor

The original Jumanji starring Robin Williams was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid, and the refresh with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson looks fun. Four high-school kids discover an erstwhile video game console with a game they've never heard of, chosen Jumanji. They are immediately fatigued into the game's jungle setting, literally becoming the avatars they chose. What they discover is that you lot don't just play the game; you must survive it. The movie received loftier audition scores on Rotten Tomatoes, so I look forrad to watching information technology this weekend.

Meet at Microsoft Store
See at Amazon
Encounter at iTunes

Holy Motors

Recommended by Cale Hunt, staff writer

Years ago, before watching Holy Motors in its entirety, I saw a few GIFs online that fabricated me stop and search out their origin. Their weirdness is what gave me pause, and I tin assure you that the same weirdness can exist institute throughout the entire film.

Information technology's centered around the master character "Monsieur Oscar" (played by Denis Lavant) as he'due south chauffeured effectually Paris to complete appointments. Each time he emerges from his limousine, he's someone completely different, transformed past makeup and his own incredible acting abilities.

If you're sick of superhero movies and poorly written rom-coms, this one volition no dubiousness cleanse your palate.

Meet at Microsoft Shop
Come across at Amazon
Run into at iTunes

Music

Hither'southward some of the music the Windows Central team is listening to this calendar week.

In Rainbows — Radiohead

Recommended past Al Sacco, managing editor

Radiohead has made a lot of great music, only for me, In Rainbows stands out as some of the ring's all-time tunes. It'southward kind of hard to describe considering, similar many Radiohead releases, the album covers many different sounds and even genres (alternative, electronic, rock, and indie). But it's an album I constantly render to and rarely get sick of it.

When I recommend music in these weekly roundups, I always try to spotlight my favorite tracks on an anthology. But with In Rainbows, I tin can't; I love every song equally. One thing that sticks out in my mind most the album is the way the band released it in 2007: It was completely free for download. Radiohead just decided to skirt the record companies and middlemen and release it for no cost on its own website, and then ask for a donation. I'm embarrassed to acknowledge that I downloaded it and skipped the donation at the fourth dimension … but I've since made up for it by buying quite a fleck more than Radiohead music.

If y'all're non familiar with the band, this album is a neat identify to outset. And even if you know Radiohead well, you lot could practice much worse than 'In Rainbows' for some skilful listening this weekend.

Encounter at Amazon
See at iTunes

Both Sides of the Heaven — Jimi Hendrix

Recommended by Cale Hunt, staff writer

Does Jimi Hendrix really need any introduction? Nah. He's pretty much synonymous with rock and roll guitar at this bespeak, and though he died waaaaay dorsum in 1970, we're still getting new, never-before-heard music.

Both Sides of the Heaven includes songs recorded between 1968 and 1970, and from the start yous tin can immediately tell it's going to be good. Whether or not you're fond of studios releasing tracks after the decease of an artist, this albums'south here to stay and information technology's a treat for any fans of Hendrix.

See at Amazon
Encounter at iTunes

Books

Hither are the books we're reading this week!

The Tobacconist — Robert Seethaler

Recommended past Cale Hunt, staff writer

I've been on a bit of a strange book tear lately, no doubtfulness influenced by a few close friends with ties to overseas. The Tobacconist, written by Austrian Robert Seethaler, involves Sigmund Freud, a young Viennese homo who leaves dwelling house to become an amateur tobacconist, and the friendship they strike up while undoubtedly smoking a ton of leaf. Freud didn't die from jaw cancer by fluke.

The young apprentice meets a young woman, Austria is annexed by Deutschland, and Nazis make it, adding a bit of suspense to the story. If you lot similar fiction with a touch of truth, cheque this ane out.

Download Kindle book at Amazon

Your favorites?

What have you been watching, reading, and listening to this week? We desire to know, then drop a comment and share your recommendations.

If none of these recommendations strike your fancy, check out a list of all of our past recommendations. We promise you'll detect something you lot'll like.

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