Just Mercy (2019)

Netflix and Amazon Prime 

The books and movies I like best are those that change me – those that are able to change the way I think or feel about an issue or motivate me to take action on an issue I had cared about in the past.

Just Mercy had such an effect on me. Written and directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, this 2019 movie dramatizes the story of Brian Stevenson, an African-American, Harvard-educated civil rights lawyer that sets up shop in Alabama to defend death row inmates in 1989. The movie is about one of his triumphs, securing the exoneration of Walter McMillian, who spent 6 years on death row for a murder he very obviously didn’t commit.

Although the movie was touted by some to be about Black Lives Matter, I saw it as an indictment of the criminal justice system and the way it is systemically opposed to reversing any convictions, regardless of the race of the convicted.

It stars Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx. Foxx’s performance is riveting.

From Rotten Tomatoes: Just Mercy dramatizes a real-life injustice with solid performances, a steady directorial hand, and enough urgency to overcome a certain degree of earnest advocacy.

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My Favorite Doctor on COVID 

I read a dozen regular services on COVID-19. Half are data services and some are commentary.

Of all that latter group, this is the one I like the best.

I think you’ll like him too!

PS: Notice that he says that actual cases can be as much as 10 times reported cases. This has been my hypothesis since I first wrote about the pandemic in March. Here

Night Crawler on Netflix 

I came across this on Netflix, surfing for something grim, stark, and disturbing. After watching it for a few minutes, I realized that I’d seen it before. But I kept watching, partly because my memory is terrible these days, but also because it was well photographed in a dark and moody sort of way.

The topic is American popular culture. And the theme is America’s morbid fascination with social and commercial vulgarity, and our existential preference for avoiding anything meaningful in life.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Renee Russo give mesmerizing performances.

If you like elevator pitches, I’d say Night Crawler is Network meets Taxi Driver.

 “My Octopus Teacher” on Netflix

If you are looking for something to divert you from the ugliness of US politics and inspire you to… well, not hang yourself, this little documentary is worth watching.

Directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed, it presents a year in the life of Craig Foster, an amateur free diver in South Africa.

In 2010, exploring a cold-water kelp forest near his beachside home, Foster came across a young octopus that exhibited what seemed to be an interest in Foster himself. Very gradually, the two formed a relationship of trust and curiosity that led to a surprising number of intimate connections.

This unpretentious little film will astound you and make you reconsider the interconnectedness of all living creatures. Foster’s work takes Jane Goodall’s experience with gorillas to an even more amazing level.

Watch the trailer here.

Two recent podcasts – the FiveThirtyEight politics podcast and “The Argument,” from Times Opinion – delve into Trump’s relative strength among Hispanic voters.

Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado 

(a Netflix documentary) 

I watched the trailer because I found the image of Walter Mercado so intriguing, and then I decided to watch the film. It was pure pleasure. Walter Mercado was a Puerto Rican actor, dancer, and writer who became famous as a TV astrologer. His life story is interesting enough, but his success as a truly non-binary celebrity who achieved incredible popularity in a macho culture is astonishing. This heart-warming and inspiring documentary explains how he managed to do that.

Speaking of heart-warming/inspiring documentaries… I pulled the following from a larger list based entirely on my personal preferences. I haven’t watched all of them yet, but I plan to.

1. Jiro Dreams of Sushi – Heartfelt and technically gorgeous, Jiro Dreams of Sushi follows the daily life of sushi chef icon Jiro Ono.

2. Undefeated – Undefeated tells the inspirational story of an inner-city high school football team trying to break its 110-year losing streak.

3. Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things – A look into the lives of minimalists from all over, searching to discover what really matters in life.

4. Period. End of Sentence. – An Academy Award-winning film about a group of women in Hapur, India, who create and sell low-cost, biodegradable sanitary pads.

5. The Battered Bastards of Baseball – The inspiring journal of a 1970s independent baseball team of scrappy underdogs, the Portland Mavericks.

6. The Short Game – An adorable look at elementary school golfers that play at a level of competition you won’t believe.

7. He Named Me Malala – The story of Malala Yousafzai, a teenage Pakistani activist who was shot but lived to tell her story and become a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

8. Oceans – A mesmerizing look at how the ocean impacts human life and the environment. Beautiful cinematography.

9. Naledi: A Baby Elephant’s Tale – The heart-wrenching story of an orphaned baby elephant and the scientists and animal experts who fight to save her and her species.

10. Restless Creature: Wendy Whelan – There’s nothing like a pirouette to uplift the spirits, right? This documentary follows the inspiring 30-year career of its subject, one of the world’s best ballerinas.

11. Little Miss Sumo – The story of Hiyori Kon, a 20-year-old female sumo wrestler who defies obstacles to compete in a sport reserved for men.

12. Echo in the Canyon – Echo in the Canyonexamines the way such bands as The Beach Boys and The Mamas & the Papas fostered the iconic California sound. These bands migrated to Los Angeles at Laurel Canyon, which became a hotbed of musical creativity in the ‘60s.

Modern Times 

First, a confession. I am nearing 70 and, until now, I’ve never watched Modern Times. I’ve seen one or two of Charlie Chaplin’s less-celebrated movies and bits and pieces of a dozen others, but not Modern Times.

What a huge hole that has been in my appreciation of one of the great dramatic geniuses of my parents’ generation.

I’m trying to think of an appropriate analogy. Not for my coevals, but for the many younger people that read my blog. Maybe this will work: It would be as if they had never seen The Godfather or Annie Hall.

It’s the second-best silent film I’ve ever seen (after Sunrise). If you haven’t seen it yet – whatever your age – do so asap. It will put every other movie you’ve ever seen in proper perspective.

“Space Force” on Netflix 

A comedy series based on President Trump’s plan to create a new branch of the military? Maybe worth a few sketches on SNL… but a full-length comedy series?

It sounded like a bad idea. Now I’m laughing out loud.

Created by Steve Carell and Greg Daniels (with whom Carell worked in “The Office”), the story line is about a middle-aged general that is put in charge of the country’s Space Force because no one else of his rank wants anything to do with it.

Carell plays the bungling leader, much as he did in “The Office,” and John Malkovich plays his top civilian advisor. Malkovich is brilliant as the patient counselor, giving his role a tone of haughty sympathy that perfectly supports Carell’s foolish sincerity.

“Space Force” is, in many ways, a military version of “The Office.” The fun comes from watching Carell say and do the stupidest things while wanting him to be forgiven.

Carell said he wants the show “to have respect for the military and to find its humor in the competing demands of its protagonist’s home life and workplace.” And that it does.

Bottom line: If you liked “The Office,” you’ll like this.

The Last Dance (Netflix)

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have watched this, but K recommended it so I gave it a look. I was drawn into it immediately. It was dramatic. And compelling. Bingeable, though I resisted.

I’m talking about The Last Dance – a 10-part documentary about the Chicago Bulls during the years Michael Jordan played for them. Co-produced by ESPN Films and Netflix and directed by Jason Hehir, the series has received nearly universal critical acclaim.

As we are taken back and forth through the Jordan era of the Bulls, Jordan and his teammates (Scottie Pippen, Dennis Rodman, Steve Kerr) and coach Phil Jackson comment.

As Barney Ronay, writing for The Guardian, pointed out, The Last Dance could be said to be more a hagiography than a documentary. I was a basketball fan for a number of years and saw Jordan play several times, but I never fully understood how great a player he was until I watched it.

But it’s not all accolades. It does get into Jordan’s love of gambling and, more importantly, the accusation that he became something of an unbearable bully. To quote Ronay:

Is Jordan, the man-turned-logo, the inspiration to millions, actually a bit of a dick? The answer is obvious. Yes he is! But it doesn’t matter. In fact this is in many ways the best part of the film.

“The Best Stats You’ve Ever Seen” – Unless you are brain-dead, you will enjoy this TED Talk by Hans Rosling. LINK