Here are some films that I watched this year and can recommend.
Documentary (from Netflix)
Birders: The Central Park Effect. Central Park's bird-watchers and the variety of birds they watch. I found it all quite charming.
On the Way to School. An inspiring documentary featuring four groups of school children who have a long walk to school--an older brother and his little sister by horseback in Patagonia; a boy who can't walk who is pushed by his two little brothers in a wheel chair over awkward terrain in South India; three girls in the High Atlas who have 22 km. (which takes 4 hours) to walk over rocky ground; and a brother and sister in Kenya who have 15 km. to go across elephant country. They all take it very seriously, are amazingly helpful to each other, and consider going to school a real privilege. One girl goes around to neighboring villages to urge residents to send their children to school. The too-faint subtitles were hard to read so I had to more or less disregard them except at the end when it described what each child hoped to do when grown.
The Biggest Little Farm. A young couple move from L.A. and turn unproductive acreage into a beautiful farm filled with fruit trees, animals, and an irrigation pond as they strive for (and achieve) biodiversity as their basic philosophy. Wonderfully done both as a film and as a farm.
They Came to Play. The Van Cliburn annual amateur pianists competition held in Texas 2007 with an eye surgeon winning first prize.
Documentary (from Kanopy)
Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago. Inspiring, beautifully photographed, focusing on a few people, their pain, tears, and laughter--using walking as a spiritual practice. I hadn't realized how gorgeous that part of Spain is.
Drama/Comedy (from Netflix)
Can You Ever Forgive Me? A biographical film about author Lee Israel's literary forgeries with Richard E. Grant as her friend.
Miss Austen Regrets. From a Masterpiece Classic with Olivia Williams--to my mind a much more convincing Jane Austen than Anne Hathaway depicted in her version.
Puzzle. Kelly McDonald and Irrfan Khan--who starred in the India film,
Lunchbox. A woman whose only activities are for her husband and two sons plus the church. When she then meets a man who needs a puzzle partner, they fall in love. Not well lit; hard to see. Good acting.
Queen of Katwe. A biodrama about master chess player, Phiona Mutesi, from the slums of Kampala, Uganda, with a supportive mother and chess coach. Moving. Directed by Mira Nair.
The Cakemaker. German baker loves an Israeli man who divides time between Berlin and Jerusalem. After the man's accidental death, the baker goes to Jerusalem, finds the man's wife, and begins helping her in her cafe, making cookies and cakes but never letting on that he knew her deceased husband. Slow, engaging.
The Guardians. France. Set from 1915-1920 on a farm showing all the chores. Beautiful photography, each frame like a painting. Simple story of the women taking care of the farm while the men are at war. Particularly gorgeous sequence of scenes of harvesting. Little dialogue, mostly silent communication. Only one disruptive war scene. Excellent acting including a mother/daughter who portray a mother/daughter.
The Way. With Martin Sheen. Also about the Camino. Even more moving seeing it a second time. Glorious photography. With Martin Sheen as walkers from the U.S., Canada, Ireland, and Holland find their way together.
Woman at War. Iceland. A woman carries on environmental awareness via sabotage of the grid. Quirky, effective.
Drama/Comedy (from Kanopy)
Menashe. A Hasidic widower is told he can't keep his ten-year-old son until he remarries and establishes a proper home for him. In Yiddish and filmed in the Orthodox part of Brooklyn. Could be tightened up.
Drama/Comedy (from Netflix Streaming)
Fanny's Journey. Based on the true story of a young Jewish girl in France who, in 1943 along with other Jewish children, was being sheltered by the Oeuvres de Secour aux Enfants for three years. Then, with no adults they could trust and Fanny leading them, they suddenly had to leave when someone rats on them and they make their way to Switzerland. The tale describes their escape. Beautifully done. Very moving.
Private Life. Paul Giamatti. About a couple trying to conceive in the '40s. NYC setting. Well acted. No punches pulled.
Series (from Netflix Streaming)
Chef's Table. Excellent. Stories of individual chefs from
around the world and how they became inspired. From Patagonia and
Thailand to Slovenia, Italy, and North America.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. Samin Nosrat, a highly enthusiastic cook at Chez Panisse, says these four make food, flavor, and balance. Engaging presentation.
(Plus a few on my "don't bother" list.)
Chappaquiddick. Morose.
King of Thieves. Boring despite Michael Caine. Mediocre at best.
Our Souls at Night. Redford is uncomfortable; Fonda plows ahead. Not their best.
The Exception. Hokey.
Tulip Fever. Interesting setting but poor and contrived plot.
