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Your thoughts on my short film

Hey guys, I would love to hear your opinions on my short film that i've made. This is my 2nd short film including my student short film from last year.
We spent about $300 for the whole short film, pre-production to completion. We didn't have much money to make the movie to begin with, so we went in and hoped for the best. The crew was very small too, but I guess we have to start somewhere
I encountered many problems, which you'd expect for such a low budget short film (especially actors), but I've learnt from those mistakes as I begin writing my next short film and hope for a much better output for the next one.
We got busted by the police for the traffic light scene with helicopters and all, but they were nice enough to let us go.
enjoy and let me know what you think
http://vimeo.com/18583050
PASSWORD: purgatory01
I'd appreciate it if you 'like' the page for extra support for our little crew of young film makers
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aurolis-Pictures/333582799758

Psygnosis84 said:
Hey guys, I would love to hear your opinions on my short film that i've made. This is my 2nd short film including my student short film from last year.
We spent about $300 for the whole short film, pre-production to completion. We didn't have much money to make the movie to begin with, so we went in and hoped for the best. The crew was very small too, but I guess we have to start somewhere
I encountered many problems, which you'd expect for such a low budget short film (especially actors), but I've learnt from those mistakes as I begin writing my next short film and hope for a much better output for the next one.
We got busted by the police for the traffic light scene with helicopters and all, but they were nice enough to let us go.
enjoy and let me know what you think
http://vimeo.com/18583050
PASSWORD: purgatory01
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sounds like you had some fun doing that! I would watch it, but I have to watch my download use for the rest of January... 10 days and we have used up 3/5 of our quota... and the movie file size is about 350mb I think it says, so tomorrow morning (off-peak ;D). Looks rather professional in the very first part!

Jonathon Grigg said:
Sounds like you had some fun doing that! I would watch it, but I have to watch my download use for the rest of January... 10 days and we have used up 3/5 of our quota... and the movie file size is about 350mb I think it says, so tomorrow morning (off-peak ;D). Looks rather professional in the very first part!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was very challenging, especially shooting the whole film guerrilla style with no permission from the council, but I guess that's half the fun
looking forward to your feedback/criticism

Jonathon Grigg said:
Sounds like you had some fun doing that! I would watch it, but I have to watch my download use for the rest of January... 10 days and we have used up 3/5 of our quota... and the movie file size is about 350mb I think it says, so tomorrow morning (off-peak ;D). Looks rather professional in the very first part!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
life is great living off a feeding tube isnt it
ot:
i think it was a bit too much of "dream in the dream" stuff , and i miss a happy ending , whys it called purgatory then ?
after purgatory folks end up in heaven but the ending story isnt what id call heaven

That was much more professional than what I was expecting. Good job.

Psygnosis84 said:
It was very challenging, especially shooting the whole film guerrilla style with no permission from the council, but I guess that's half the fun
looking forward to your feedback/criticism
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's more than half the fun! I have had some friends make very very short films, one of them they dressed up as a yeti and walked around the local streets So many cars stopped! I think one even started chasing them... still good times. I'll do my best in helping you with advice etc!

Will have a look and post later

Hmmm
Sent from my X10i

Psygnosis84 said:
Hey guys, I would love to hear your opinions on my short film that i've made. This is my 2nd short film including my student short film from last year.
We spent about $300 for the whole short film, pre-production to completion. We didn't have much money to make the movie to begin with, so we went in and hoped for the best. The crew was very small too, but I guess we have to start somewhere
I encountered many problems, which you'd expect for such a low budget short film (especially actors), but I've learnt from those mistakes as I begin writing my next short film and hope for a much better output for the next one.
We got busted by the police for the traffic light scene with helicopters and all, but they were nice enough to let us go.
enjoy and let me know what you think
http://vimeo.com/18583050
PASSWORD: purgatory01
I'd appreciate it if you 'like' the page for extra support for our little crew of young film makers
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Aurolis-Pictures/333582799758
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well, firstly, you have a great camera-man! Those panning shots were smooth and I didn't see much if any shuddering etc. The focus is great, works especially well with the lights in the night, gives it some visual depth.
Music was soft and helpful for meaning in some scenes, and that keychain/locket was a good symbol for realising which car it was.
The actors weren't that bad in my opinion, way better than anything I could ever do Like others have said, it's more professional than I was expecting! The storyline was a bit confusing at times (or maybe it was me...) but I guess there's only so much you can fit into 16 minutes, so well done there.
Great job overall, keep up the good work! 'Liked' Maybe you should consider entering it somewhere, I'm not sure what's on in Sydney but it's worth a shot.
Just one thing though, why were you busted for the traffic light scene? Were you there for a while or something? I guess we only saw a tiny bit...

souljaboy said:
ot:
i think it was a bit too much of "dream in the dream" stuff , and i miss a happy ending , whys it called purgatory then ?
after purgatory folks end up in heaven but the ending story isnt what id call heaven
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
pur·ga·to·ry (pûrˈgə-tôrˌē, -tōrˌē)
noun pl. purgatories pur·ga·to·ries
A place or condition of suffering, expiation, or remorse: a purgatory of drug abuse.
purgatory; mental anguish or suffering
It's related to his past and the continued mental suffering he had every night. Especially the hallucinations caused by the pills he took to calm his anxiety attacks, which he didn't know were caused by the pills and was always stuck in this loop of events that haunted him, which is why the ending when Sandra's mother takes the pills from him, he is now able to deal with the past better because of the truth but also because the pills aren't there to bring back those hallucinations anymore to play with his mind again.
mikkohypponen said:
That was much more professional than what I was expecting. Good job.
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Click to collapse
Thanks , glad you liked it
Jonathon Grigg said:
That's more than half the fun! I have had some friends make very very short films, one of them they dressed up as a yeti and walked around the local streets So many cars stopped! I think one even started chasing them... still good times. I'll do my best in helping you with advice etc!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Haha, I would've loved to see that!!
The one other thing I have to mention about this movie was the fact that the main character didn't know how to drive a car properly, he was very very bad actually. 'Smoke and mirrors' made him look like a very good driver in the end.

Jonathon Grigg said:
Well, firstly, you have a great camera-man! Those panning shots were smooth and I didn't see much if any shuddering etc. The focus is great, works especially well with the lights in the night, gives it some visual depth.
Music was soft and helpful for meaning in some scenes, and that keychain/locket was a good symbol for realising which car it was.
The actors weren't that bad in my opinion, way better than anything I could ever do Like others have said, it's more professional than I was expecting! The storyline was a bit confusing at times (or maybe it was me...) but I guess there's only so much you can fit into 16 minutes, so well done there.
Great job overall, keep up the good work! 'Liked' Maybe you should consider entering it somewhere, I'm not sure what's on in Sydney but it's worth a shot.
Just one thing though, why were you busted for the traffic light scene? Were you there for a while or something? I guess we only saw a tiny bit...
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Click to collapse
We got busted by the cops because we had one car sit in the middle of the road high beaming the main characters car (when his face lights up as the other car speeds up towards him). This was around 11pm and the neighbours probably thought were doing something illegal like preparing for a drag race (we were beaming each other for 10 minutes) All of a sudden the ground illuminates and we look up and see a helicopter shining a light towards us, a minute later police arrive :\
The story was confusing at times but I made it so you essentially had to look back at even the subtle stuff he did, such as taking the pills then immediately after seeing the ghost car and girl to get a drift of the story.
To ease the confusion a bit for everyone, he was chasing himself. I left it open in one of the sections when Sandra reveals her name. In the story the character say's he doesn't know her however if the pills were causing only hallucinations, then how does he know he name. I left this part open for the audience to think for themselves. Did he know her name because of her death being mentioned at school but had completely forgotten about her until that night when he finally chases his own car and meets the girl or was she really a ghost who came down to tell him the truth about her actions.
The story was too complex for a short film but I think it was only after seeing so many simple linear short films that I wanted to take a different approach.
About entering it into festivals. I'm worried that the film isn't "good enough" yet to be shown at film festivals because of the small problems here and there. I'm trying to create a short film that really stands out at the film festivals and I personally don't believe this film is there yet.
Glad you liked it

I'm watching it right now, seen half of it, slow streaming
pretty cool, love it
only you have one problem, the camera shadow appears look at the photo

husam666 said:
I'm watching it right now, seen half of it, slow streaming
pretty cool, love it
only you have one problem, the camera shadow appears look at the photo
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Click to collapse
Yeah I noticed that, but I couldn't do anything about it because by the time the other car turns left, it doesn't leave much room to fit in that shot and to give it the same kind of impact. I wanted to cut on the action of the main character turning left to the motion of the car but unfortunately the street lights caused a shadow. In the end, it was a very small problem that I couldn't to cut out because the content of the material was more important than the shadow appearing.

Psygnosis84 said:
We got busted by the cops because we had one car sit in the middle of the road high beaming the main characters car (when his face lights up as the other car speeds up towards him). This was around 11pm and the neighbours probably thought were doing something illegal like preparing for a drag race (we were beaming each other for 10 minutes) All of a sudden the ground illuminates and we look up and see a helicopter shining a light towards us, a minute later police arrive :\
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That would be an experience! You should tell that story at parties and stuff But I guess if I was one of the neighbours I would be a little worried... still at least you got off safe!
The story was confusing at times but I made it so you essentially had to look back at even the subtle stuff he did, such as taking the pills then immediately after seeing the ghost car and girl to get a drift of the story.
To ease the confusion a bit for everyone, he was chasing himself. I left it open in one of the sections when Sandra reveals her name. In the story the character say's he doesn't know her however if the pills were causing only hallucinations, then how does he know he name. I left this part open for the audience to think for themselves. Did he know her name because of her death being mentioned at school but had completely forgotten about her until that night when he finally chases his own car and meets the girl or was she really a ghost who came down to tell him the truth about her actions.
The story was too complex for a short film but I think it was only after seeing so many simple linear short films that I wanted to take a different approach.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I thought the pills may have had something to do with it! But I was still tired when I was watching it, so it didn't click then But when you say it like that, it does fall into place, so maybe it's a better plot than I thought
And different approaches are always good

Jonathon Grigg said:
That would be an experience! You should tell that story at parties and stuff But I guess if I was one of the neighbours I would be a little worried... still at least you got off safe!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Believe it or not, that single traffic light scene was the hardest part of the whole film. We were running against the time especially having to deal with a public road and waiting for the road to clear on both sides for the other car to drive straight through... oh my goodness, what a nightmare hehe.
I thought the pills may have had something to do with it! But I was still tired when I was watching it, so it didn't click then But when you say it like that, it does fall into place, so maybe it's a better plot than I thought
And different approaches are always good
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks hehe, yeah the plot appears to jump here and there but hopefully if the viewers pay attention to the small stuff that happen, then maybe the bigger picture makes more sense.

Rise and Shiny recap: Crystal Saga

There's a lot to be said for automation. Thanks to automated processes, our society hums along more nicely than it ever has. But should we include our playtime on the list of things we want to automate? Is it possible to enjoy something like an MMO if we really don't control it at all? If we assemble our army men and wind them up, is watching them go as much fun as controlling what they do?
Ah, such deep questions stemming from such a simple game. Crystal Saga
is a browser-based, free-to-play, Flash-based MMORPG (there's a mouthful) that allows players to do a lot of things, including fully automate the grinding process. I can hear the potential comments already, so click past the cut and let me explain it more.
I need to clarify what I mean when I say "fully automated." It's not as though you can tell your little on-screen character that you want it to go here, attack this, and rescue that. It's not quite that in-depth. Basically the developers have added in a system that allows you to place your character into "AFK mode." How much time he can remain in AFK mode depends on a special item that you can get from quests or from the cash shop (I was AFK for hours and hours and never spent a dime), and what happens during that AFK time depends on what specifically you told your avatar to do during that time.
You're essentially telling your character which mobs to attack, when to heal or use a healing potion, and whether to loot or not. As I say in the livestream, you "set it and forget it" like the Ronco Rotisserie. You can also click a link in your quest to auto-walk back to town or to a specific NPC, and you can auto-walk to any number of quest objectives. In fact, you can play this game and level up without ever really using more than a few buttons.
Gaming purists needn't worry; this system is not new or uncommon. In fact, if you have ever played EVE Online, Alganon or a few other titles, you have automated your play. Yep, if anything, the offline skill training that EVE popularized is much less labor-intensive than Crystal Saga's AFK mode. While I AFKed in Crystal Saga, I had to at least watch for enemies in case I was overwhelmed. Clicking "learn" in a game like Alganon takes no work at all. Hours or days later, you log in your character to find him or her smarter than before! The wonders of science!
More good news: You don't need to worry whether other players, readers, or super-cool column writers care about how you play. Crystal Saga is for younger players, true, but accessibility is not only for them. I found the automated system to be really fun. In an AFK way, of course. I liked coming back to backpacks filled with goodies, and I still had to go back to town and sell the items and organize my skills. In fact, I've realized that AFK modes in games like Crystal Saga only shine light on how incredibly boring and trivial leveling-up has become in many MMOs. The archaic system of advancement hasn't changed in years and years, so why not do away with the process, or make it something that we simply don't have to sit there and watch?
Again, I know what you are thinking. "But that's what makes MMOs fun!" I get that many of you might feel that playing the game is the fun part. I agree that playing is fun. But grinding is not. Of course, this raises another question: Why didn't Crystal Saga just design a better way of leveling? Or better yet, why doesn'tCrystal Saga do away with leveling altogether and invent a brand-new way to play MMOs? Good question, Beau. I think the answer is that these devs do not care to redesign the entire process but instead want to speed it up and get you to the good stuff. In a world filled with "AAA," indie, and free-to-play games that are all filled to the brim with massive amounts of grind, I appreciate these AFK systems that are showing up more often. Give me a cash shop filled with every single item in the game and we have a deal.
I've been playing Oblivion a lot lately. We have all probably played it a lot. If not, we jammed on Morrowindbefore that. Remember "fast travel?" You know, the ability to click on an area in the map and instantly transport there, instead of traveling the long, literal way on horseback? We have all used it at some point. I use it when I am faced with an incredibly long (but not difficult) ride. If it is dangerous and within a 15-minute window, I will be on the trail. Games like Crystal Saga allow for the same choices, and I appreciate that. Long ago I lost the feeling that even the mere presence of such systems tainted my gameplay. They exist, and I don't care.
The rest of the game is fun and colorful, including the pet system. I like the fact that the game runs on anything and that there are always players around. Other than those few facts, there's not much more you need to know about your first several hours in the game (which is how long I generally spend in a game before writing this column). It sort of pains me to say so, but the existence of an "AFK mode" is about the only thing I came across that makes Crystal Saga much fun. It sounds weird, but I got the same feeling when I found pocketfuls of goodies that I used to get when I logged into EVE and saw that my skill training was completed. It's worth checking out, even just to surprise yourself.
Next week I will be looking at Starjack Online, a free-to-play empire-builder that has sucked me in. For some reason, the game does not allow me to stream or video it, so look for a screenshot-heavy article next time. Now, go log in!

Fellow technology geeks, check this song out.

I realize not a lot of you are rap fans like I am, but I still think every geek should check this song, it's by rapper Lupe Fiasco about marketing schemes, and technology. 1st verse being about Apple products, 2nd verse being about sneakers. I'm interested about your opinion on this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tzm1l7V1uqE
Lyrics:
[Intro]
Really?
This is what you guys been doing?
Seriously?
[Hook 1]
Before daybreak there were none
And as it broke there was one
From moon to sun, it goes on and on
The winter battle was won
The summer children were born
And so the story goes on and on
Come on woman in your life beats
Those we buried with the house keys
Smoke and feather where the fields are green
From here to eternity
Become a woman in your own time
Far, far, far from the virgin vine
Rise on out from the dead leaves
Come back to me
Oh, she sings her favorite song
Left with tears and dreams, it goes and then on
[Verse 1]
Standing in line for the new one
Not the black, but the blue one
And I don't even know what it do, son
But Steve Jobs said that it's too fun
Fun in abundance' what I need
It's cold out here, put my arms in the sleeves
I'll probably lose my place if I leave
But I really need to pee
If I do it right here they'll see
Makes you wonder, how do snipers
Marathon bikers
Next time: diapers
They say it has all new features
Faster processors and much better speakers
Great for kids, a necessity for teachers
For work or home
A revolutionary way of being alone
I mean, should we really get a loan?
Hey what's the matter, just tell it to your phone
Cupertino heart with Chinese parts
Built by the poor, but designed by the smart
They opening the door so you go
On your mark, get ready, set, buy
Imagine a world where everything starts with an ‘i’
But it still ends with a die
Probably got an app for that, you could try
From the iClouds, right into the great Wi-Fi
Siri, can iGod really hear me?
"Does not compute – can you repeat more clearly?"
"Woaaaaah"
[Hook 2]
A vessel in the bloodline
A thirteenth Zodiac sign
A stitch in time, it goes on and on
Become a woman on your own time
Far, far, far from the virgin vine
Rise on out from the dead leaves
Come back to me
Oh, she sings her favorite song
Left with tears and dreams, it goes and then on
[Verse 2]
Standing in line for some new Ones
Had a bunch of blessings but I blew them
Asked Google how to use them
They sent me to a section ‘bout used guns
New runs, nuns'll scream, moms with jeans
Match their teens' jeans and genies who try to chew gum
Aw man, it's so confusin’
Confusion in the bun is what I have
Good thing that God accept cash
Maybe buy my way up out His wrath
Skeptically, why am I way up off this path?
Atheism's cheaper, and accepts Visa
My thoughts as I'm queuing up for sneakers
Won't discriminate – I’m getting all eight
In every color that they make
Beaverton hearts with Chinese parts
Built by the poor and designed by the smart
On your mark, get set, cop ‘em!
Imagine a life that revolves around shoppin’
Conspicuous consumption
That means it serves no other function
But to show off to someone, or others
Who only try to show off to you – look at your fellow loyal customers
Isn't harmony great?
Look at all these friends that marketing makes
How many fries can these arteries take?
I'll give McDonald's a little help here
I think they should expand into healthcare
And then you'll have all ends covered
Even make caskets, have it all umbrella'd
Can you make the corporation fear me?
"Couldn't hear your order, can you speak less clearly?"
[Hook 3]
That which was put in the ground
Will someday come back around
From dust to dust it goes on and on
Before daybreak there were none
And as it broke there was one
And still the story goes on and on
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, what do you guys think?

Lot of Lupe's stuff is on point, but this was extra whack. You owe me about five minutes back =p

Dissection in High Schools

Hey everyone! I have an assignment about the topic of the ethics of dissecting animals in high school science class. I have a survey that asks about one's opinion on this topic. I thought it would be interesting to see what XDA members think about dissection in high schools so I would greatly appreciate it if you guys took a few minutes to fill out my survey on Google Forms. It would also be quite cool to hear about your experiences with dissection while you were in high school so feel free to start a conversation about that in this thread. Thanks everyone!
Here's the link to the survey: http://goo.gl/forms/xU2gjBTaQi

Over here animals used in labs for the purpose of education and study are never killed for that purpose. They're all roadkill, natural causes, diseased, etc. (This is in Western Europe, the law does not allow the killing of animals for laboratory pruposes.)
By dissecting an animal, people learn that animals are living creatures made of the same parts as themselves. That is a very important lesson, because the idea of humans being 'more' than animals, either special or better or 'god's favourite', is what leads to animal cruelty.
I always found it highly educational. Except the one time with the tarantula. I bloody hate spiders, dead or alive.
It also gives kids a stomach for blood, a great little reality check, a slap in the face about mortality, and it never fails to leave a lasting impression. Given the attitude of high school kids, that's a knock off their high horse they sorely need. If they cry and vomit, all the better. Life isn't pretty, welcome to the real world.
(A good friend of mine is a medical examiner, I sometimes help out as her assistant when they're short on staff, since I have had basic medical training. It's one of the reason why I do not care for someone's skin colour; I've seen up close that all humans look exactly the same inside their skin and when they're dead.)

I think dissection is fine, and is helpful if the dissector can handle the gore.
I grew up on a farm where we grew angus cattle, and lived off the meat we got from them. I was around during all the process, from the cow being shot, to the final cuts of meat being done. We also sometimes got a pet pig with the full intention of growing it out to eat.
When we started doing dissection I had no problem doing it, though I had a close friend who would stand in the corner, due to him not being able to stomach the gore. I always found dissection interesting, and it helped enforce the knowledge I had learned beforehand, however it was no use at all to the people who couldn't handle the gore.
ShadowLea said:
It also gives kids a stomach for blood, a great little reality check, a slap in the face about mortality, and it never fails to leave a lasting impression. Given the attitude of high school kids, that's a knock off their high horse they sorely need. If they cry and vomit, all the better. Life isn't pretty, welcome to the real world.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I COULDN'T HAVE SAID IT ANY BETTER MYSELF. However I believe more needs to be done at younger ages to ease them into things like this, if you only get shown the gore etc in one full hit when your older, your more likely to be completely against it.
Overall people should be less sensitive, and dissection is good for learning

Netflix - What's hot

The purpose of this thread is to both provide others with ideas of what to watch and perhaps build interest in shows that you may have not previously considered.
List (in your own words):
The shows that you are currently watching
What the are about
Why you like them

Black Mirror (Contains profanity)
About: A dystopian future drama/sci-fi series in which humanity has become enslaved in itself. Each episode is basically it's own show and has some sort of bizarre twist.
Why I like it: It's bizarre, you don't really know the twist until the end and it is a fresh take at TV. Nothing is outside the realm of possibility on this show. (Netflix is renewing this one)
The Transporter (Contains nudity)
About: Based on the movies, it a series of mini-stories of Frank's life as the transporter
Why I like it While it isn't the same actor as the movie (Jason Statham), it is entertaining never the less. It's a bit cheesy but the plot lines are interesting and the special effects aren't bad.
X-Files
About: Mystery stories about the bizarre and aliens.
Why I like it: Really really cheesy by todays standards but its nostalgia.
Hemlock Grove (Contains profanity)
About: To be honest I have no fricken clue but see below
Why I like it It has a bizarre feel to it, almost like American Horror story'ish but better
LillyHammer (Contains profanity & Nudity)
About: A comedy mob story about a mobster who goes into hiding in Norway and tries to live a quite life but don't go as planned.
Why I like it It's got Steven Van Zandt from the Sopranos and it is just a funny awkward humors show.
Marco Polo (Contains profanity & Nudity)
About: Netflix's verison of Game of Thrones but taking place in Asia. That about sums it up.
Why I like it It's a different take on Game of Thrones (which I have never seen because I don't have HBO)
Orange is the New Black (Contains profanity & Nudity)
About: A girl who made all the right choices to live the high life find that they were wrong once she's grown up. Goes to prison and learns that life is very different.
Why I like it It's interesting to see how different interaction is on the inside and the characters she encounters. Crazy Eyes is hilarious too.

House of Cards
I just binge watched all 3 seasons of House of Cards this Labor Day weekend. It was pretty good and I recommend it. Political drama with scandals, getting ahead, etc etc
Very reflective of our current political scene with the lack of ethics etc, but holds your attention with amazing acting, especially by Kevin Spacey who was an awesome actor in his own right before the show.
Definitely recommend, and you can get all 3 seasons on Netflix, with season 4 coming in 2016 (filming now)
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt
This show is funny as hell. And not that lame humor you see in most shows like Big Bang Theory and Friends etc (no offense if you like those shows) but more subtle and "intelligent" humor, somewhat like 30 Rock but even a bit different and better I think.
The plot doesn't matter too much, but it's some girl who was in a bunker for years while some dude had them in there because they thought the end of the world happened, then she comes out to see the world etc, but it's really funny and definitely recommended. Season 1 is on Netflix to binge watch, season 2 coming in 2016.
__________________________________________________
Both shows I mention are actually owned by Netflix, who in my opinion has hit home runs with their original broadcasting.
@SyCoREAPER - you've got me interested in Black Mirror now, never even heard of it and have been looking for a new binge watching show to compliment my Sunday NFL couch sitting!
I watch very little TV, I will go a month without watching literally anything then spend 3 days literally do nothing but binge watching a show, so these Netflix shows are really good for that purpose.

kentuckymike said:
Can you share how to unblock netflix for a specific country?
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Click to collapse
Not really on topic for this thread, but I think you can only do it with a VPN possibly... probably better to discuss it in another thread though.