Ah, the Sun is shining, the flowers are blooming…perfect time to dial back into the TV! After a few weeks, I’ve made it through a number of new watches. Here are some of the new TV shows and movies I’ve enjoyed lately:
A Call to Spy
This movie focuses on the real-life stories of a handful of WWII female special operatives in France. It follows Vera Atkins, who spearheads the F-Division, responsible for recruiting women for the Special Operations Executive (SOE), training them as spies, and placing them into the field in France. This includes the first-ever female wireless operator, Noor Inayat Khan, and the first-ever female agent in France, Virginia Hall. Whilst there are a few indicators of a lower-than-normal “Hollywood budget”, the compelling characters and true-to-life stories really draw you in and leave you thinking about the film long after you’ve watched it. Have a gander!
Minari
Minari makes Grandmas cool (again.) Watch, and you’ll see what I mean. The story follows a Korean family in the 1980s trying to make their way in America, having recently moved to rural Arkansas with the dreams of building a farm. But – SURPRISE – it’s hard and full of challenges that cause strain on the family and their financials. The dynamic between a young boy and his Grandma is really the heart of the film, and makes it one well worth watching.
Generation
Generation offers an LA lens on the intersections of queerness set to a backdrop of good music, pollution-filled skies, and California vibes. Written by a 19-year old Zelda Barnz and her dad, the show makes me LOL every episode, whilst delivering meaningful, nuanced characters who find community in one another. My favourite character is Chester, played to perfection by Justice Smith, who is intelligent, sharp, funny, and gives zero-f*cks. I am in awe of his charisma and how he uses it to connect to others. I’ve read a few mixed reviews of this show – and honestly – I don’t get it. Every episode I’ve found to be very entertaining. But, yes, it is full of teens making mistakes and brute-forcing their way through difficult circumstances. I suggest you give it a watch and decide for yourself!
Nomadland
Chloe Zhao’s film Nomadland explores the culture of those who have chosen to – or been forced to – forego permanent fixtures and live transient lifestyles on the road. The film features a lot of outdoor cinematography in national parks, which I particularly enjoyed. As I did Frances McDormand’s performance. Perhaps more interesting, though, is that some of the real-life people on whom the book source material was based are also in the film – Linda May, Swankie, and Bob Wells. This added layer really connects you to the reality of how so many live their lives, and the circumstances that have made them do so. (Also, I really appreciated my own circumstances after watching this since me = not a camper.)
Ginny & Georgia
I could hedge my bets and say this is a “watch while making dinner show”, but I think it’s worth your undivided attention. The show has two many storylines: one focuses on a 30-year old Mum, Georgia, and the other on her teenage daughter, Ginny. This has drawn a lot of parallels to Gilmore Girls, but it offers a lot more Degrassi-like realism than I remember Gilmore Girls having. Plus, I learned a lot of Urban Dictionary-esque language like “I like your fit” that might enable me to go on Tumblr again? Yeah – you’re right, probably not.
