The Last Repair Shop:

This was the Oscar winner for Best Documentary Short Film, and you can watch it on YouTube. In just 39 minutes, it told a more compelling story than some of the feature-length movies I have seen. The heartwarming stories of the people who repair every instrument for students in Los Angeles schools mesh well with the students they are helping. 

Women Talking: I had seen this a few years ago and loved it. My parents hadn't seen it, so this was an easy choice when we were looking for something to watch on Prime. The movie's plot is only women in a barn loft talking, but it has some of the most tense dialogue scenes ever filmed. The stakes (a group of Mennonite women discussing if they should stay and fight the oppressive males in charge, leave, or do nothing) are high, and the conversations they have are loaded and heavy. It is one of the few movies I can think of that I feel safe recommending to anyone. It's that good. 

Arthur The King:

I have always been a sucker for movies with dogs, but since adopting my own, I might have to stop watching them. "Arthur The King" is about an extreme race runner and his team who find that a stray dog starts following them as they race. The movie is enjoyable enough, but I am not sure I would have wanted to see it were it not for the dog factor. 

The Boys in the Boat:

Honestly, I would not have watched this if I had not been with my parents. The movie is okay, and the story is inspiring, but it feels like any other sports movie you have seen. 

Girls State:

A few years ago, I watched "Boys State," a documentary about a program put on by The American Legion where, for a week, high school juniors form a government. It gives them an understanding of how government works. "Girls State" is that, but for the girls. The only thing new about this is the differences between the two programs. Girls State has a much smaller budget; the participants are not allowed to go anywhere alone and seem to spend less time than the boys engaged in civic activities/discussions. Both are on AppleTV+ and are worth watching. 

Monkey Man:

Dev Patel became famous when he starred in "Slumdog Millionaire" and has had an interesting career. He has found great success in smaller movies and has been great in the ones I have seen. Now, he is trying to write and direct movies as well. This is an excellent first effort at both. Patel plays a man looking to get revenge on the people who played a part in his mother's death. The fight scenes are a lot of fun and heavily inspired by the "John Wick" movies. I look forward to seeing what Patel does next. 

The First Omen:

I recently watched The Omen, the original with Gregory Peck, and was blown away by it. I was wondering how this prequel was going to work, but it was great. It feels very much like a prequel, full of classic horror elements that don't get too graphic. It feels like a throwback, and I liked it.