We’ve been staying home for months now, except for medical appointments and early morning trips to the grocery store. We’ve been watching too much news on television, and we’ve been seeing a lot of movies. Here we will share with you some of our recent favorites, in the hopes that you will share some of yours with us. Most are on Netflix or Amazon Prime, and you can check them out in more detail.
Documentaries
Connected We haven’t seen all of this popular science series yet, but we are fascinated by what we’ve seen so far, including segments on Poop, on the transatlantic Sahara dust cloud, and an amazing examination of a pattern of numbers that someone smarter than me will have to explain.
My Octopus Teacher The title says it all. A beautiful film.
Kiss the Ground Hope for the planet and a possible solution to global warming through preservation of soil.
Series
Hotel Adlon A six-hour soap opera set in a real West German hotel in the first half of the 20th century. Maybe a bit schlocky, but it got us hooked.
Togetherness We loved this series – the characters, the humor, the examination of relationships. You may need HBO to get it. If you are broke, watch it during the free week-long trial.
The Go-Between Terrific British period piece about a smitten boy serving as a messenger between his aristocratic aunt and her lover, a farmer.
Manhunt: Deadly Games Deals with what happened following the bombing of the Atlanta Olympics. Not the kind of series we generally like, but we got hooked by the acting, the characters, and the examination of FBI, media, and police procedures.
Succession Thoroughly engrossing story of the family dynamics following the near-death of the head of a large media conglomerate. One description said it was a satire and a comedy, but we didn’t see it that way. Be ready for a lot of f-bombs. This may also be HBO only. There is a third season in the works. Readers in the business world – is this really what it’s like?
The Queen’s Gambit A lot has been written about this very popular series, and the praise is deserved.
Alias Grace Set in 19th century Canada, a psychiatrist weighs whether a murderess should be pardoned. The series is captivating because of historical detail and the complex relationships. Based on a Margaret Atwood novel.
Feature Films
Elizabeth is Missing A very moving story of a woman with dementia searching for her missing friend.
Bombshell The true-life story behind the exposure of sexual harassment and exploitation at Fox News. It almost makes me not like Fox News. The movie led to a good conversation with Kim about kinds of harassment she and her friends have experienced. Has this changed?
Herself More on harassment of women: An abused wife leaves to build a house for herself and her kids.
The Greatest Following the death of their teen-aged son, his pregnant girlfriend shows up at the home of the grieving and troubled family.
Mud A coming-of-age story of two boys in rural Arkansas who meet a guy, Mud, living alone on an island, waiting for the love of his life to appear.
Feel Good
Storm Boy We stumbled upon this heartwarming Australian film about a boy who befriends three pelicans. Sounds schmaltzy, but it got to us.
Greenfingers Charming English film about a convicted murderer who develops a passion for gardening as part of an experimental program.
News of the World A traditional western in which an old guy (Tom Hanks) is escorting a young girl, stolen and raised by the Kiowa, back to her family. Worth the $20 it cost to stream – less than that restaurant dinner you can’t have.
Nope
Bridgerton A big hit, we know, but after a few episodes we asked, “Who cares about these people?”
Rectify A man’s release from prison after serving 20 years for rape and murder he did not commit. The movie is very well done, but after a few episodes we decided we did not need to experience the hostility of the small Georgia town and its sheriff.
Ozark We almost got hooked on this very popular series, but again, we did not want to spend a lot of time feeling threatened by the drug dealers, kingpins, and locals.
That’s it from us. Please send your suggestions, and I’ll post them.
dstring@ix.netcom.com
Thanks for the suggestions. We're hooked on "Lie to Me." I'm hooked on "The Black List." Loved "The Queen's Gambit" since we are both chess players. The cost of any movie is worth it today. Angie
ReplyDeleteWe liked a movie called The Mercy, about a guy who sets out to sail around the world non-stop by himself. Based on a true story.
ReplyDelete