I haven't seen a single movie or TV show since I was a kid. I want to change that, but I don't know where to start. Which shows and movies are good for beginners? Are there any that are essential/important to see? Any genre, theme, or demographic is fine. I'm just as willing to watch soap operas and comedy as I am arthouse or horror.
My only requirements are that they should be older/foreign (can't afford a good VPN), have minimal references to other shows/movies/etc. since I haven't seen any and won't understand them, and not be erotica or a gorefest. Book adaptions and similar circumstances are completely fine though, as are shows/movies that contain violence like action flicks or war stories and stuff like that.