The Overnighters
As the United States went through the throes of a recession in the late 2000’s and early 2010’s, nearly the whole country felt the effect. However, when the housing bubble burst and sent millions through financial straights, one state thrived: North Dakota. That’s right, North Dakota of all places. The place that you probably don’t think of as the state above the state that has mount Rushmore, North Dakota saw the lowest unemployment numbers in the nation and a huge spike in gross domestic product, thanks to a major oil boom.
But it wasn’t all good, as you’ll learn while watching the absorbing and painfully hard-hitting documentary The Overnighters. Documentarian and director Jesse Moss focuses on a pastor in North Dakota who lends his church out to provide shelter for thousands of people over the course of two years. Those that call the church home during that time came chasing the sky rocketing salaries the oil boom provided, only to discover that the housing market made affordable housing nonexistent.
Richie Rich
You’re probably familiar with Richie Rich as the world’s coolest and richest kid in the comics. The strip, dating back to 1953, has been brought to life in multiple forms over the years, generally with animation. But Netflix has opted to go the live-action route with its version of the adventures of the most wealthy kid around. After selling a new green technology for billions, Richie starts living a lavish life, meeting celebrities, and roaming the world. The first season drops this week with 21 episodes.
RoboCop (2014)
The gritty reboot trend of today’s film industry doesn’t appear to be going anywhere any time soon. Time-honored classics from the ’80s are regularly reinvented with a harder edge, often removing the charm that their original era once provided. Still, as far as these things go, RoboCop isn’t too bad. The reboot of the franchise didn’t do great with critics, but it sure did well with audiences, grossing nearly $250 million in box office revenue. Now you can watch Alex Murphy’s rebuilt body take on OmniCorp at home.
Soul of a Banquet
When Cecilia Chiang arrived in San Francisco from China in 1959, she was shocked by what she found passed for good in America’s Chinese restaurants. It was a bastardization of true Chinese cuisine, and she wanted to change it. Now approaching 95 years old, she can look back and say that she did just that. Soul of a Banquet looks at the life of Chiang and how her restaurants influenced Chinese-American dining and introduced a whole new level of authentic dishes to the American palate.
20,000 Days on Earth
If you’re a fan of Nick Cave, you are likely well aware of the film 20,000 Days on Earth. You don’t have to be a listener of the well-respected Australian musician and singer-songwriter to find something to enjoy over the course of this documentary, which depicts 24 hours in the life of Cave. Any person with a creative tick will find something to enjoy here, as the film shows an artist as he prepares to work on his recent album, presenting an unflinching look at the creative process.
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