
What I'm Watching - Uplifting things to watch..
Share
It’s been a while since I shared a selection of what I’ve been watching, so wonderfully for you that means I have quite a long list of recommendations to dip into. Finding rare moments of escapism to keep ourselves hopeful and inspired seems all the more important at the moment, so I hope with this list I can help to provide you with small pockets of joy and calm.
There are those of us who are collectors and those of us who are clearers, I myself definitely fall into the collecting side of things so it was perhaps delightfully inevitable that I felt a certain kinship with Mike Zahs, an avid collector and custodian of some rather incredible finds, the focus for this wonderful documentary. It follows his journey, restoring and preserving the artifacts and old nitrate reels of William Franklin Brinton, whose collection of early cinematography formed the basis of his travelling show in the Midwestern United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This incredible collection had lain forgotten in the basement of a farmhouse in Iowa, until Zahs found it and set out to save it. A truly uplifting film, Zahs is a joy and full of poignant gems we could all learn from… there’s a particularly wonderful moment when he’s walking amongst a local exhibition of nativity scenes! The discovery of some incredibly rare film from early cinema adds a sense of gentle adventure to this film, but I won’t spoil the surprise….
You can rent and buy the film across Apple, Amazon and it’s also free to watch with ads on Filmzie .
Be Natural: The Untold Story of Alice Guy-Blaché
A fascinating and eye-opening look at the life of the really quite remarkable Alice Guy-Blaché, the first female director, screenwriter, producer, and studio owner. Working in France at the birth of film, she made her first one in 1896, bored with the idea that film was to be used for scientific or marketing purposes only, she was one of the first to produce a narrative fiction film. Unlike her male pioneering counterparts, few of us know much about Alice’s incredible work and life and this film is a chance to at least start to redress the balance and celebrate those groundbreaking women who’ve enriched our world too!
At the moment this one appears to be available as 99p rentals at both Apple and Amazon here in the UK!
Another life affirming documentary to delight, about how the power and passion of a few people can make a big difference. I seem to have followed a bit of a history of film theme with my documentary picks this time so why not go all in and enjoy it as a triple feature celebrating the magic of movies. This one focuses on the fight to save a drive-in cinema in rural Pennsylvania after the switch to digital projectors leaves them unable to show new features. An incredible group of passionate film fans work together to save this unique piece of film history and the wonderful community that has built up around it.
Available on Amazon.
A sumptuous and mouth watering film from France, so you know the food will be showstopping! I watched this quite recently and it has already joined the ranks of one of my favourite films, utterly exquisite. It follows the tale of talented chef Manceron who, for reasons that will become clear has lost his love of cooking. Set just before the Revolution this film is filled with injustice, intrigue and heart. A tender tale that will definitely leave you feeling empowered and quite probably a bit peckish!
Available on Amazon and Apple.
Miniscule: Valley of the Lost Ants
When the idea of having to listen to any words, no matter how joyful, is more than your brain can take I heartily recommend diving into the animated world of our insect friends. With no traditionally spoken script this charming story is carried by the stunning animation and amazing sound effects – let yourself get lost in the landscape and enjoy. Though they may be but tiny, these insects have quite the epic tale to tell!
Available on quite a few platforms here are the UK Apple and Amazon links.
There’s an even more fabulous sequel too called Miniscule 2 : Mandibles from Far Away where we venture to the Caribbean with a few familiar faces, definitely also worth a watch!
If none of these quite seem the right fit for you, check out some of the other posts in my ‘What I’m Watching’ series to discover more life affirming and creative offerings that will hopefully inspire, or at least give you something to think about. Have you got any documentary or film recommendations you’d like to share? I'm always on the look out for more, so pop them in the comments below!