Dark Waters

One day, Robert Bilott received a visit from a neighbor of his mother's in his hometown in West Virginia. His cattle have been dropping like flies on his farm, and he's like Robert to investigate it.

As Robert began to dig into the case, he ceased all of DuPont's records for a particular chemical formula. The use of the formula: to make Teflon, an item first found in non-stick cookware in the 1960s.

The more Robert researched, the larger the story grew. Dying livestock was just the start of the story. Spoiler alert: every living thing on the Earth now has this chemical formula in their blood.

A horrifically true story, deftly and skillfully played by Mark Ruffalo. His performance in this movie reminded me of his role in "Spotlight", in which he played an investigative reporter. In "Dark Waters", his pursuit of the truth was much the same.

Now available on DVD and Blu Ray, a must see for anyone concerned about our environment. 4 stars.

Mercury 13

 "Mercury 13" tells the story of women who trained to be astronauts in a privately funded program, outside of N.A.S.A.

The women featured in the documentary were pioneers of flight, and deserve to be along side the names Amelia Earhart and Bessie Coleman in aviation history.

Now streaming on Netflix, 3 stars.

Vampires Vs. The Bronx

Every day on his way home from school, Miguel notices a business that has closed. They're all boarded up, and have posters of businesses that will soon take over that space. Why are there so many businesses and people gone? Where did all of those people go? 

Miguel figures out the horrible truth-that his neighborhood has been taken over by a pack of Vampires. What will become of Miguel and his friends? Can they save the neighborhood? 

Told from Miguel's point of view, this is a Halloween movie for children. The Vampires aren't as scary as those in many other vampire movies. It's also not as graphic and bloody as vampire movies usually are. Adults will notice the film is a cautionary tale on gentrification and erasure of neighborhoods of people of color. 

The perfect Halloween movie for families, or those who hate horror movies. Now streaming on Netflix, 2 stars.

Hubie Halloween

Now streaming on Netflix, "Hubie Halloween" is written by Adam Sandler, who also stars in the film.

Set and shot in Salem, Massachusetts, the story tells the life and times of Hubie DuBois, the self appointed safety officer for Salem. 

It is clear within the first five minutes that Hubie has been an outsider from the start. He is an adult man of at least 40 years of age who lives with his mother. People in Salem hate Hubie, so much so that they throw objects at him as he rides by on his bicycle. Hubie pays it no mind, and nimbly rides through the town, deftly dodging the objects hurled at him.

Halloween night finally comes along, and the town is not the same. There's a new resident in town, who moves in right next door to Hubie. In town, people begin to go missing. As more people go missing, they all have a tie to Hubie. What's the connection? Where have they gone, and who has taken them? Can Hubie save Halloween, and the people who have gone missing?

As someone who watches horror movies through laced fingers in front of her eyes, this film is a Halloween delight. It reminded me of "Hocus Pocus" for its humor and entertainment value. It is an Adam Sandler film, which means it's full of humor, and one or two little frights.

"Hubie Halloween" is an instant Halloween movie classic. I can see audiences watching it every year on Halloween. Now streaming on Netflix, 3 stars.

That Day We Sang

 "That Day We Sang" is a musical starring Imelda Staunton, of the Harry Potter movies.

Based on a play of the same name, the story is set in England in the 1960s, tells the tale of adults who are gathered for a 30th reunion of a concert they performed in as children. The lead characters are Enid and Tubby, who meet anew at the reunion.

The story is told in flashbacks of Tubby's life, and Enid's. The two connect, and begin a friendship together.

A charming movie musical, a piece of nostalgia, with an original book and score by Victoria Wood. 

Now streaming on BritBox, 4 stars.

She Did That

 "She Did That", is a documentary that features black female entrepreneurs. A wonderful movie to watch in this time of racial awakening.

The women featured in the documentary are amazing. Their creativity and ingenuity are an inspiration to women everywhere. A must see for any woman that owns a business.

Now streaming on Netflix, 3 stars.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/dominiquefluker/2020/02/04/she-did-that/?sh=41c18fe06c8f

American Murder: the Family Next Door

 "American Murder: the Family Next Door" tells the true story of Shannon Watts, who was murdered by her husband. After murdering Shannon, he then murdered his two daughters. 

The film follows the entire story, from the time the wife was reported missing, to his eventual arrest and incarceration.

Dumbfounding, upsetting, and chilling to the core, now streaming on Netflix, 2 stars. 

A Love Song for Latasha

 This film depicts the life of LaTasha Harlins, a woman lost to gun violence. The movie is a moving tribute to a life lost entirely too soon.

Now streaming on Netflix, 3 stars.

Boys in the Band

 "Boys in the Band" made its debut on Broadway in 1968. The play tells the story of nine friends who get together to celebrate a birthday in their social circle. The play made history as all nine characters featured are gay males. It was the first time that gay male life had ever been depicted in such a way. Important to remember, it was a crime to be gay in 1968. 

The movie adaptation of "Boys" was released in 1969, the same year as the Stonewall Riots. The first Pride parade was in the following year, in 1970.

The play was brought back to Broadway in 2018 in another historic run. In this version of the play, all of the actors are out gay men.

The movie, now streaming on Netflix, has the same cast as the 2018 play.

The play is a time capsule which takes the viewers back to a time when it was illegal to be gay. The play helped normalize gay culture. The play showed gay men as complex beings, not tropes and stereotypes. 

Full of laughter and tears, the film and play have had a positive impact on the fabric of America since its debut. Now streaming Netflix, 4 stars.