What We’re Viewing: Television and Films Our Staff Recommends

In our last issue, we featured suggestions for great books from our staff and artists. We are now sharing our favorites from the world of television and film.

Stephen Berenson, resident acting company member: The Metropolitan Opera is offering free live streams every night, as well as its 24-hour on-demand subscription service, so I’ve been enjoying expanding my knowledge of the repertory. Aficionados can compare and contrast different productions. Newcomers have the opportunity to start with the ABCs of opera — Aida, La Boheme, and Carmen.

Jordan Butterfield, director of education: I’m comfort re-watching The Good Place (Netflix). It ended last year with its fourth and final season and the series finale was perfect. The show made me cackle at times, but I really grew to love the characters and the messaging about how complex and fraught modern humans can be. It’s a great binge.

Curt Columbus, artistic director: Nate and I have been watching old romance movies in different genres. Here are three that make for fun viewing with your romantic partner. First, Moonstruck is a perfect romantic comedy. If you’ve never seen it, it’s set in a romantic version of Brooklyn that didn’t ever exist but is really lovely. The performances are unbelievably great throughout. Olympia Dukakis, Cher, and Vincent Gardenia are stand outs, but everyone is hilarious and heartbreaking and ultimately satisfying. Next is Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. People are going to be surprised that this is on my list of romances, because it is definitely an action film. But the real heart power of the film lies in the two couples at its center. It has a very sad ending, so it’s a tearjerker inside of an action film. Worth a watch or a re-watch. Finally, Her, which is a science fiction romance. I love this movie more than almost anything that has come out in the last decade. Scarlett Johansson is a wonder in it, even though all we have is her voice. Nate thinks the ending is sad, I think it’s incredibly hopeful and beautiful. We both loved it.

shop director: My husband and I recently discovered the series Barry (Amazon Prime) starring Bill Hader. It’s a very dark comedy with extraordinary acting. We also LOVED the reality series Love on the Spectrum (Netflix) about young adults with autism looking for love. Also Big Mouth (Netflix), an animated series about puberty. My sons are loving a series called TheAstronauts (Netflix) and for family fun we like Somebody Feed Phil, Nailed It! (Netflix) and Songland (Hulu).

associate: I recommend Feel Good (Netflix). This semi-autobiographical series written by and starring comedian Mae Martin is a hilarious and powerful exploration of sexuality, gender identity, and addiction. The cast is vulnerable and honest in their portrayal of heavy issues, but the backdrop of Mae’s career as a comedian lightens even the heaviest moments. The relationships between the characters are so real and nuanced you can’t help but root for them. I watched this show in one sitting and I can’t wait for next season!

Daniel Duque-Estrada, resident acting company member: My brother gave me a book as a Christmas present: Paul Thomas Anderson: Masterworks so I’ve been revisiting a lot of his films, including Magnolia, PunchDrunk Love and Phantom Thread. I’ve also been taking in The Muppet Christmas Carol (my favorite holiday film); Jodie Foster’s Home for the Holidays, Maborosi (by Hirokazu Koreeda, one of the greats), and even Bad Day at Black Rock.

Michael Getz, props master: One of my favorite shows is Shameless (Showtime). The writing is brilliant, and just when you think they’re not gonna “go there”, they go there! And I always enjoy the reruns of Everybody Loves Raymond if I just want to laugh! The cast had such great rapport with one another by the later seasons.

Michael Guy, creative director: The Forty-Year-Old Version (Netflix) written by, directed by, and starring Radha Blank, is a fantastic indie movie that covers a lot of bases — gender, sexuality, and racism in the theater! “Radha is a down-on-her-luck NY playwright, who is desperate for a breakthrough before 40 [and] vacillates between the worlds of Hip Hop and theater in order to find her true voice.” (IMDB) In the end, you cheer for the fact that she made a beautiful and funny movie about her predicament.

Kate Kataja, assistant director of development: We loved The Queen’s Gambit and the perennial favorite TheGreat British Bake Off, and have recently been watching the new remake of The Stand, The Flight Attendant, and 15-year-old episodes of MTV’s The Challenge (incredibly fun to revisit mid-2000s fashion and references, and only 20 minutes long!). Over the winter, we’re planning to watch all of Mad Men. In addition, I watch a lot of lifestyle vlogs on YouTube — you can find everything from tiny living to sustainability to decorating and cooking tutorials. It’s become a really fun hobby for me over quarantine.

Baron Pugh, box office manager: The Queen’s Gambit, Shameless, American Horror Story, Little Fires Everywhere, Big Little Lies, Mindhunter, Safe

Ian Stillman, technical director: Manhunt: Deadly Games sucked me in. I’ve also been enjoying The Flay List (Netflix), which is about Bobby Flay and daughter eating around New York City.

Out of habit, every single afternoon when I finish work, I put on Friends. I think I have re-watched the series four times during the work-from-home order. It is just nice to have something that I know will make me have all the feels no matter what and I don’t have to pay 100% attention to it. I’ve also been watching Virgin River (Netflix) because it’s nice to wish that a world and a town like that could exist especially during the Coronavirus pandemic running wild. It’s lighthearted and brings out the teenage girl side of me that is hopeful for a better world where your neighbors all get along and the town doctor makes house calls.

manager: I LOVED The Queen’s Gambit (Netflix). It’s a compelling story with top-notch acting and beautiful cinematography. In a way, it feels very theatrical, even! Editor’s Note: Staff recommendations were submitted in early December. In conversations since then many have had great things to say about recent releases including The Prom, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, and Cobra Kai.

PICTURED: Ebenezer Scrooge (Joe Wilson, Jr.) spent his Christmas Eve watching a stack of TVs featuring the Ghost of Christmas Present (Daniel Duque-Estrada with Tristan & Leander Carney as Ignorance & Want) in A Christmas Carol Online.

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L TO R FROM TOP: Joe Wilson, Jr. as Ebenezer Scrooge & Rebecca Gibel as The Ghost of Christmas Past; Stephen Thorne as the ghost of Jacob Marley; Taavon Gamble as Bob Cratchit; Scrooge listens in to Bob Cratchit with Evelyn Marote as Tiny Tim & Adam Crowe as Sam Cratchit; Christopher Lindsay as Topher, Jessica Natalie Smith as Lucy & Rodney Witherspoon, II as Nephew Fred; a young viewer has all their props ready to participate in A Christmas Carol Online