What I've Been Watching Lately
Need something new to watch? Keep scrolling!
One of the things I love about being an adult is the random purchases I can make with adult money. Like a projector for my living room! Did I need it? No. But, has it changed the game? Totally!
It Comes at Night (on the projector!)
Documentaries
Meeting Gorbachev (2018): In this documentary, Mikhail Gorbachev, former president of the Soviet Union, sits down with filmmaker Werner Herzog to discuss his life and his leadership. I enjoyed getting nuggets of wisdom (“people who don’t understand the importance of cooperation and disarmament should avoid politics”) from Gorbachev, along with being able to get inside his mind as he recounts some of his decision making and impactful moments that defined his career. Watch it on Hulu.
This is a Robbery (2021): This series details the moments leading up to millions of dollars worth of art from Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum being stolen and the investigation thereafter. The museum nerd in me had to give this a watch, and I highly recommend it. And of course, it is at the top of my must-visit list when I got to Boston. Watch it on Netflix.
The Fight (2020): I’m not going to lie— watching this documentary almost made me think about getting a law degree. Almost. We follow a team of ACLU lawyers as they tackle human rights violations ranging from immigration rights, reproductive rights, voting rights, and LGBT rights. It was definitely inspiring to see so many people committed to change but it was also a stark reminder that lawyers and legal work are just one side of change— everyone has a part to play. Watch it on Hulu.
Slay the Dragon (2019): This one might be infuriating to watch, but highly important. It’s a film all about gerrymandering and its consequences. By sorting out citizens into districts according to how they are likely to vote, political leaders are guaranteeing their own elections and re-elections without the say of voters— effectively stripping away the basis of our democracy. And it turns holding a political seat from being an honor to a sense of entitlement while losing accountability in the process. Watch it on Hulu or Amazon Prime.
Totally Under Control (2020): “Film-maker Alex Gibney scrutinizes the US response to the pandemic compared with South Korea. On 20 January 2020, both countries discovered their first cases of Covid-19.” And yet, the paths diverged from there. Out of every story included in this film, there were two that stood out to me the most. The first was Michael Bowen, an N95 mask maker, who had been warning presidential administrations for years about a manufacturing problem that could have been fixed before the pandemic hit and caused global shocks to our trade and manufacturing systems. The second was Max Kennedy Jr, who after setting his political differences aside to volunteer with Jared Kushner’s COVID Taskforce, ended up becoming a whistleblower— alerting Congress of the grave misconduct and incompetence, that in the end, helped contributed to thousands of Americans losing their lives. Watch it on Hulu.
Nasrin (2020): “Filmmaker Jeff Kaufman presents an immersive portrait of human rights activist and political prisoner Nasrin Sotoudeh and the remarkably resilient Iranian women's rights movement.” I really enjoyed and cherished this documentary for highlighting the work of a feminist and an activist who isn’t based in a Western nation. Watch it on Hulu or Amazon Prime.
The Donut King (2020): I don’t think I realized it until I watched this documentary but I truly do love a good donut. Maybe because I spent four years in a foodie city with a well-to-do donut scene, but after watching this film I clearly need to take a trip to the west coast. Beyond the good-looking donuts, it is a story about entrepreneurship, how deeply immigrants give to their communities, and the problems that come with money and success.
MLK/FBI (2020): This one left me speechless. Simply put, this documentary exposes the length at which the FBI stalked, distorted, and obsessed over every move of MLKJ in hopes of ruining his public image. Watch it on Hulu.
Eating Animals (2017): If you are looking for another reason to start cutting back on your meat consumption…..look no further (or read the book of the same name). Watch it on Hulu.
High on the Hog (2021): If you watch nothing else on this list, let it be this one! I enjoyed this culinary tour around the world while getting a deep dive into the way Black people from history to contemporary times continue to mold cuisine. It’s safe to say that I have put a few new travel spots on my bucket lists, and have new restaurants to check out. I am obsessed. Watch it on Netflix.
The Cave: “Oscar nominee Feras Fayyad (“Last Men in Aleppo”) delivers an unflinching story of the Syrian war with his powerful new documentary, The Cave. For besieged civilians, hope and safety lie underground inside the subterranean hospital known as the Cave, where pediatrician and managing physician Dr. Amani Ballour and her colleagues Samaher and Dr. Alaa have claimed their right to work as equals alongside their male counterparts, doing their jobs in a way that would be unthinkable in the oppressively patriarchal culture that exists above. Following the women as they contend with daily bombardments, chronic supply shortages and the ever-present threat of chemical attacks, The Cave paints a stirring portrait of courage, resilience and female solidarity.” Watch it on Hulu.
Film
The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021): Andra Day was a joy to watch in this film that details how the Federal Bureau of Narcotics launches an undercover sting investigation on the legendary jazz singer known for one of the best and impactful songs ever made in music history: Strange Fruit. Watch it on Hulu.
Ammonite (2020): This one is a slow burn, perfect for sapphic romance lovers. It is described as “acclaimed paleontologist Mary Anning works alone selling common fossils to tourists to support her ailing mother, but a chance job offer changes her life when a visitor hires her to care for his wife.” The film is loosely based on the British paleontologist of the same name. Watch it on Hulu.
Nomadland (2020): A little late to the hype, but boy was it worth it. So much so that I immediately bought the book after watching it. Chloe Zhao is one to watch, and I can’t wait to see what she does next. It is a film about grief, poverty, resilience, choice, community, and pride. The cinematic elements of this film, the locations……I am just in awe. Watch it on Hulu.
Shirley (2020): This film was everything. I am convinced that Elizabeth Moss can do no wrong. She plays Shirley Jackson as she sets out to write her next project after taking in a couple with her husband played by Michael Stuhlbarg (who I also love). I loved everything from costuming to camera work and the soundtrack. Every element was perfect. Watch it on Hulu.
The Mask (1994): I am convinced 1994 was an incredible year for film: Pulp Fiction, Shawshank Redemption, Forrest Gump, Natural Born Killers, Four Weddings in a Funeral, Leon, Disclosure, and Above the Rim to name a few that I have seen. The Mask is no exception. It’s an action-comedy perfect for those lazy rainy days….it’s sure to make you giggle. Watch it on Hulu.
Beetlejuice (1988): This is a comfort film for me. I could honestly watch this every day and never get sick of it. Tim Burton is a national treasure.
The Social Network (2010): I don’t know why it took me so long to watch this, but I finally did it. It was ok, I guess. Watch it on Netflix.
Night of the Kings (2020): I had never heard of this film until I saw the trailer by accident, and boy was I impressed! Described as: “A young man is sent to “La Maca,” a prison in the middle of the Ivorian forest ruled by its inmates. As tradition goes with the rising of the red moon, he is designated by the Boss to be the new “Roman” and must tell a story to the other prisoners. Learning what fate awaits him, he begins to narrate the mystical life of the legendary outlaw named “Zama King” and has no choice but to make his story last until dawn.” Watch it on Hulu.
It Comes at Night (2017): I loved this one! I am a sucker for a suspenseful thriller, or any trope that follows family decisions in the face of threat and this one did not disappoint. It is no surprise that I loved it, I mean A24 is pure perfection in my eyes.
Shows
Handmaids Tale (Season 2): Nothing tops the first season, but there were definitely some hold your breath moments.
Too Hot to Handle (Season 2): yes I have jumped on the reality train wreck. Sue me. Watch it on Netflix.
happy watching!!
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