"Best Food Ever"
This six-episode miniseries on TLC went across the country to find the best places withthe best food ever in six different categories ⎯ sandwiches, bakeries, food carts, diners, cheese and barbeque. Instead of falling into the cliché trap of having a celebrity chef taste all the food, the show instead opts to simply let the chefs and customers display the food in all its glory, allowing for maximum airtime for the unbelievable feats of culinary excellence. Plus, John Goodman narrates the show, and if any person in the history of food looked and sounded like they knew where to get a good meal, it's John Goodman.
"South Park"
When Matt Stone and Trey Parker made their "Spirit of Christmas" short films in the early 1990s, they probably had no idea the cultural phenomenon the crude comedies would eventually become. But now, 20 years after "Jesus vs. Frosty," the two men helm one of the funniest and most influential animated series in television history, and almost every episode can be found on Netflix Watch Instantly. How many times can Kenny die and it still be funny? At least one more.
"The Larry Sanders Show"
Gary Shandling starred in two sitcoms that helped bring the genre into the modern era, the second being the critically-acclaimed HBO series "The Larry Sanders Show". Shandling stars as late-night talk show host Larry Sanders, and the series follows the events leading up to each night's broadcast. Also starring Jeffrey Tambor as sidekick Hank "Hey Now" Kingsley and Rip Torn as the show's bombastic producer, "The Larry Sanders Show" is a great comedy for a sophisticated audience.
"Kissing Jessica Stein"
With the return of "Mad Men" this weekend, Jon Hamm is already the talk of the town. With the success of his long-time partner Jennifer Westfeldt's new indie film "Friends with Kids," in which Hamm also stars, she should be too. If your interest has been piqued by the unique comedy of "Friends," check out Westfeldt's feature writing debut, "Kissing Jessica Stein." The film follows the unconventional story of two young, straight women who decide to try to find love with each other with uproarious results. The script is razor-sharp, equally hilarious and charming, presenting the truths of real-world relationships not often seen on screen.
"Life in a Day"
This remarkable documentary is truly collaborative in every sense of the word. A mass call went out for home videos taken on July 24, 2010 via YouTube. These clips were then painstakingly edited together to present as true a vision of life ⎯ from the exciting to the everyday ⎯ as possible. 4,500 hours of footage from 80,000 submissions from 192 different countries were whittled down into this 94-minute film. While "Life in a Day" is absolutely a traditional documentary, its unique embrace of new digital technology is a game-changer for the medium of film.
