Three Years Later Covid Anniversary Roundup

March 1st, 2022

Obviously, some anniversaries do not warrant a celebration. But what does deserve recognition is that we’ve made it this far, and there’s hope on the horizon as new cases fall and confidence in vaccines and boosters rise.

To celebrate that, large, indoor gatherings are still ill-advised, but spring is around the corner and, in the meantime, there are more great viewing options to keep us entertained indoors. Here are this month’s favorites—

DEVI’S PICKS:

PLAN B (Hulu, 2021) – Wow! This female-driven teen flick is a laugh riot about two girls who cross state lines to get the day-after pill after one of the world’s funniest and most realistic virginity losing scenes in cinematic history. With all the fun of an 80s teen flick, minus the problematic, often rapey gender portrayals, PLAN B is a truly original story that celebrates female friendship and coming-of-age with some smart social commentary and Shonda Rhimes-like inclusivity.

INVENTING ANNA (series, Netflix) And speaking of Shonda Rhimes – have I mentioned lately how much I love her? Well, it bears repeating after her latest entry, a limited series (loosely?) inspired by Jessica Pressler’s New York Magazine story about real-life “fake German heiress” Anna Sorokin. Once again proving ROTTEN TOMATOES is a rotten judge of characters, INVENTING ANNA is a super fun ride, with excellent social commentary about privilege and gender in the partriarchy seamlessly woven into the fast-paced, soapy mix. Julia Garner (of Ozark fame) positively kills the role – a real treat.

SHIVA BABY (rent on Prime, 2021) A throwback to the kind of fun, “quirky indie films” I haven’t seen since making the festival rounds back in the 90s. A genuinely contained, super low budget film that shines thanks to its strong performances, smart writing and heartfelt portrayal of a young Jewish woman who’s been batted around by gender and religious expectations to the point of making some really awkward choices after run-ins with both her sugar daddy and elicit ex-lesbian love while visiting friends sitting Shiva accompanied by her disapproving parents. Dramedy, catastrophe and a surprisingly sweet end ensues.

AMY’S PICKS:

THE GILDED AGE (series, HBO): NYC during the 1880s may not sound like fertile ground to set a story with feminist characters but this HBO series features several compelling female protagonists. This historical drama revolves around a talented African-American woman trying to find success as a short story writer in the white male dominated world of publishing, a frustrated wife of a railroad tycoon determined to gain acceptance with old money society, and a young woman left penniless by her father now forced to live with her aunts. This soapy series doesn’t take itself too seriously but manages to portray the female characters leading meaningful lives despite the constraints imposed on them by the prejudices of that era.

WHY IS WE AMERICANS? (Playing in Select Theaters): An intimate portrayal of a Black family living in Newark, NJ during the turmoil of the 1960s. This documentary film highlights the importance of Black women in the pursuit of social justice and civil rights during an era when urban life was rife with poverty and police brutality. The film focuses on Amina Baraka who emerges as not just the matriarch of her family, but as the heroine of her community with her courageous spirit. Her activism led to monumental changes in the city, thus creating new opportunities for African-Americans in all facets of life.

Hang in there, Everybody! And here’s hoping the worst of Covid is behind us.

cheers,

Devi & Amy

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