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Hump Day Recommendations, March 19, 2025
Watch and listen: “Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat.” The partof this Oscar-nominated documentary that’s about the decolonization of African countries in 1960 and the CIA-orchestrated murder of DRC Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba is consistently riveting, if a little simplistic at times. The part of this film that’s about the intersection of African music and American jazz makes this a richly detailed work that’s well worth your time. – Willis
Read: “Punching Above Our Weight: The Canadian Military at War Since 1867.” Named one of Canada’s top 100 books of 2024 by the Hill Times newspaper, this excellent history chronicles 150 years of the Canadian military’s evolution from scrappy militia to modern force. Through vivid photographs and stories, author David A. Borys brings to life key battles like Amiens and Operation Medusa, pivotal figures like Louis Riel and Arthur Currie, and defining political issues like conscription. Borys also examines the challenges of underfunding and living in the shadow of the American elephant – as well as the immense courage Canada showed in fighting for freedom around the world. – Tasha
Read: “The Years,” by Annie Ernaux. Okay, I know I’m a couple of years late to the English translation of Ernaux’s book about France in the decades following World War II. But the Nobel Prize-winning memoir is stylistically audacious — at once intimately revealing and aloof — and an astute look at French culture, politics, history, and feminism in the 20th century. It’s history as lived and observed by one woman, a meditation on how time passes and how we see ourselves within time. – Ellen
Binge: “Borgen.”You’d think I’d get enough political drama by day, but at night I’ve been binging on “Borgen.” This Nordic drama follows the life and career ups and downs of the Danish prime minister and everyone in her orbit — fellow politicians, family, spin doctors, and journalists. Replete with romance, infighting, and plenty of idealism, it’s a great guilty pleasure — and PM Birgitte Nyborg is no DEI hire! Find the show on Netflix, and yes, it’s dubbed. – Tracy
Hump day recommendations, Feb. 26, 2025
Listen: Ten Things I Don’t Want to Hate About You. The latest This American Life episode was poignant, moving, and deeply cultural – as more and more of us know friends and loved ones who fall prey to conspiracy theories online. The episode follows the true story of a son trying to reach his father who has been transformed by online conspiracy theories – to the point of destroying his marriage and facing financial ruin – through a bet on the political events he expects to happen in 2024. It made me cry listening to it on the subway. – Riley
Read: “The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions.” This book by Jonathan Rosen combines true crime and a psychological thriller with the coming-of-age tales of two friends, Rosen and Michael Laudor, who grew up in New Rochelle, NY, in the 1970s. Both were intellectuals and aspiring writers who studied at Yale. They were competitive, and everything seemed easy for Laudor – until he developed schizophrenia and watched his dreams go up in the hallucinatory flames consuming his mind. His mental illness would end up costing everyone in his orbit – one tragically so – and the book poignantly describes how helpless those around him felt. The book details how little support there is for the families of schizophrenia sufferers – and the huge challenge these people face in carving out stable, safe, and rewarding lives. – Tracy
Watch: “The Brutalist.” The older I get, the more I want to see films that were made for reasons other than to entertain an audience and make money. “The Brutalist” is a strikingly original film. The Oscar-nominated performances of Adrien Brody, Guy Pearce, and (especially) Felicity Jones give the movie its “hard core of beauty,” and I don’t care thatAI was used to tweak the Hungarian accents of its stars. I’ve seen “special effects” before. – Willis
Read: TL;DRussia. Sam Greene, the Russia expert who writes this weekly-ish Substack newsletter, always gives a thoughtful, nuanced look at Russian politics and geopolitics. I’ve always found Sam to be adept at cutting through hype and anxiety about Russia’s place in the world, while also making it clear that there’s simply a lot we can’t know, and that conjecturing isn’t that helpful. If you’re ready for a Russia deep dive, I’d start here. – Ellen
Watch: “North of North.” Coming soon to Netflix, currently streaming on CBC Gem and APTN in Canada, this delightful comedy follows the travails of a young Inuk woman, Siaja, who after a very public breakup with her seal-hunter husband Ting, finds her purpose, inspires her community, and learns a shocking family secret. Set in the fictional Arctic town of Ice Cove, the show was filmed in Nunavut and features spectacular scenery, colorful characters, great lines, and a unique window into the Innu world. A must-watch – and hoping for a season two. – Tasha
Hump day recommendations, April 12, 2023
Watch: “Other People’s Children.”“Life is both short and long.” That’s what an ancient-looking French gynecologist tells 40-something Rachel, who’s confronting the slowing of her biological clock – a cinematic concept often used as a bludgeon. But not in this film. Director Rebecca Zlotowski magnificently explores fertility and love, and the highs and lows of caring for other people’s children. – Gabrielle
Watch: “A Single Man.”In probably the best performance of his career (bold statement, I know!) Colin Firth plays an English professor stricken with grief a year after the death of his boyfriend (Matthew Goode) in 1960’s Los Angeles. Fashion designer Tom Ford directs this richly melancholic and stunningly beautiful modern masterpiece. – Benjamin
Watch: Tifo. Whether you're a soccer nut like me or only have a healthy interest in the Beautiful Game, you'll love this YouTube channel, acquired by The Athletic in 2020. It packs in-depth tactical, historical, and geopolitical coverage into short animated videos. A tad Premier League-heavy but still great, and don't miss the multipart historical lead-up to the 2022 World Cup. – Carlos
Watch: “The Lost King.” If, like me, you’re into British history and have a wannabe archaeologist for a teenager, you’ll enjoy this movie (in cinemas) about the 2012 discovery of King Richard III’s remains under a Leicester car park. The politics between a well-meaning amateur historian and experienced scientists add tension, and for intrigue … there are apparitions. – Tracy
Watch: “Judgement at Nuremberg.”To mark the passing of the late, great Ben Ferencz, watch this Stanley Kramer classic, the first film of its kind to tackle the horrors of the Nazi genocide and the subsequent trial that would change the world. Perhaps no other film offers a more haunting warning to humanity than with its closing monologue. Spencer Tracy heads a stellar cast featuring Burt Lancaster, Montgomery Clift, Marlene Dietrich, Judy Garland, and an Oscar-winning turn by Maximilian Schell. – Benjamin
Listen: Maude Latour's new singles "Lunch" and "Heaven" are springtime bops that will have you skipping down the sidewalk. Latour is an upcoming indie pop artist with a voice like Lorde and the lyrics of an angsty philosophy student. Her new songs are trying to capture falling in love in real time, and feel as fresh as spring morning. --Riley
Hump day recommendations, March 29, 2023
Watch: “Other People’s Children.” “Life is both short and long.” That’s what an ancient-looking French gynecologist tells 40-something Rachel, who’s confronting the slowing of her biological clock – a cinematic concept often used as a bludgeon. But not in this film. Director Rebecca Zlotowski magnificently explores fertility and love, and the highs and lows of caring for other people’s children. – Gabrielle
Watch: “In the Bedroom.” Writer-director Todd Field is one of the most interesting and elusive filmmakers of his generation. A protege of Stanley Kubrick, Field seems to disappear for years before re-emerging with another masterpiece, as he did last year with Tár after a break of 16 years. Starring Tom Wilkinson and Sissy Spacek, this 2001 film centering on a Maine family is at once intimate, harrowing, and shocking. – Benjamin
Scroll: NPR's "Planet Money."TikTok for economics explained by a connoisseur of whimsy. If you think that TikTok can't be a news medium, this account will change your mind. Prepare to crack up as shell companies are explained through sweaters and the SVB crash is summed up in 60 seconds of dry, deeply nerdy, humor. – Riley
Hump day recommendations, March 8, 2023
Listen: Cedric Watson and Bijou Creole. Enjoyed any Zydeco lately? Check out this beautiful rendition of “Pa Janvier” from four-time Grammy nominees Cedric Watson and Bijou Creole. Got space left over? Enjoy some “Cochon du Lait.” – Willis
Root: for Bohemian baseball. Great beer? Yes. Enchanting architecture? Yup. Superb films? Definitely. Milan Kundera? Fine. But baseball? No one ever associated “America’s pastime” with the Czech Republic … until now. The scrappy Czech team is heading for the first time to the World Baseball Classic (the world cup of baseball, basically) to face powerhouses like Cuba, Japan, Venezuela, and the US. This feature captures the underdog magic of a team whose star pitcher is a full-time firefighter. Malá země, velké sny! (Small country, big dreams!) – Alex
Watch: “Saint Omer.” This is a harrowing film about infanticide made by Alice Diop, a French filmmaker of Senegalese origin. But the drama, much of which is set in a Parisian courtroom, is also a commentary on the power of memory, culture, and female connection. To say more would be an injustice to this poignant film. – Gabrielle
Watch: “Hell or High Water.” As we gear up for Oscar Sunday, check out this film, which enjoyed a Best Picture nod back in 2016. Featuring Chris Pine, Jeff Bridges, and an amazing performance by Ben Foster, the story follows two brothers as they rob a series of banks to prevent foreclosure on the family farm. Chock-full of Coen bros.-level dialogue and action, the film is a stark reflection on an embittered rural America. – BenWatch: "Anatomy of a Scandal." This limited series on Netflix, a legal drama centered on sexual consent and “core truth,” is packed with suspense and offers powerful performances from Sienna Miller and "Downton Abbey" favorite Michelle Dockery. – Tracy