Ooh, Have You Seen This?

I often find myself endlessly clicking through every imaginable streaming service on my Amazon stick in hopes of finding something amazing to watch, only to come up empty. In the end, I settle for old episodes of Friends, which, by the way, never disappoint.

On the occasion, however, that I do finally find something new with potential, more times than not I grow disinterested, gazing at my phone, and drooling over this site my friend introduced me to – Goldbelly. Why must I know about this site? I just discovered that Sweet Laurel, an amazing little bakery that serves up divine gluten-and-dairy-free treats out of Pacific Palisades, CA, actually sells their products on this site. A six-inch, Paleo Chocolate Caramel Layer Cake delivered to your doorstep for $139. Yikes. Can I teleport there instead? A girl can dream… But, I digress. Moving on.

If you can relate to the dilemma of mindlessly searching for something satisfying to watch on your tube and seemingly falling short, you might want to try these suggestions, based on other shows or films you’ve seen and liked. Here goes.

Remember when Julia Roberts wore an exquisite black and white gown to the Academy Awards the year she won an Oscar for Erin Brockovich? She was ecstatic about her well-deserved win, and who could blame her?

If you loved the film and her brilliant performance as the titular character, then you’ll love Dark Waters – a quiet thriller also based on a true story, starring Mark Ruffalo. The story spans a few decades, unearthing a dark secret that the chemical company DuPont knowingly buried for years. It takes a vocal and determined farmer in his town of West Virginia, and the tireless work of a tenacious lawyer, to navigate through an unthinkable and neglectful act that no one ever thought would be exposed. It is the kind of heroic story that dutifully depicts what it takes to go up against a powerful conglomerate that cares far more about its deep pockets than its customers. And if you think the story only affected West Virginians, think again.

More often than not, making your next streaming selection depends entirely on your mood. So if you're in the mood for a fun, action-packed thriller, like Die Hard, then you’re sure to like Speed, starring Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock. While Speed is not a new release, it was recently added to HBO Max and fans everywhere are rejoicing. Though far from Bullock’s first film, the release of Speed in 1994 turned out to be the surprise runaway hit of the summer that skyrocketed her career. If you somehow managed to skip it, get ready and buckle up for this insane bus ride full of pop quizzes, intensity, and laughs. You’ll thank me later.

On the documentary end, if you liked Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief, then you’ll be captivated by The Vow. An unbelievable story, years in the making, The (jaw-dropping) Vow takes you on a journey of manipulation, deceit, and some of the craziest things you’ll witness from afar. If you haven’t heard of Keith Reniere, do yourself a favor and don’t Google him or NXIVM until you’ve watched the finale yourself. Without too many spoilers, the story is ultimately about the courage it takes to speak out when something doesn’t feel right, even when it goes against the people you trust most in the world. Even when you don’t have proof in the moment, but your gut won’t let you back down. Even when you fear for your safety. It’s a chilling account of how a business-type conference for personal and professional growth turns into a cult following whose questioning members suffer the consequences.

Staying on the documentary path, if you sought to dispel rumors by watching Leaving Neverland and found yourself vowing to never listen to a Michael Jackson song again, then you will feel the same fury in watching Allen V. Farrow. This four-part documentary dives into the allegations of Woody Allen's gravely inappropriate and criminal behavior towards his adoptive daughter Dylan Farrow, who spoke out about the abuse the day it happened, and hasn’t changed her story in the 20+ years that followed. Included in this series are interviews of witnesses and authorities dating all the way back to these allegations surfacing. "Allegations” because – no bombshell revelation here – Allen has not been found guilty. He’s still making movies. He’s giving interviews. He published a memoir just this past year! Which, by the way, is shared throughout the documentary in excerpts, relaying his unequivocal denial of all sexual abuse charges. So, in this “he said/she said” case, how do you know who’s telling the truth? Tune in to the tapped phone calls, the detailed documents, the gaslighting. Tune in to the unbelievable injustice that has taken place over decades due to the power plays of the ultra-elite and the media’s desire to chase the story they preferred or were perhaps more comfortable with. But don’t take my word for it. Watch this harrowing doc-series and decide for yourself.

OK. You’ve explored the dark and heavy, the light and fun, and now you want to sink your teeth into a really good show. You’ve set the bar low. You don’t even care what it’s about – you just want to find that good, binge-worthy show! Well, if you loved Homeland, then you’ll love The Americans. A six-season series that was only available on FX at the time it aired, it was considered the best show that no one was watching. Keri Russell’s incredible portrayal of a Russian spy raising a fake family with her costar (and now real partner) Matthew Rhys, in small town USA, is one of the best performances I've seen in decades. Curly haired Felicity is long gone in this intense thriller that keeps you on your toes and ends with a moving series finale that you won’t see coming.

Lastly, if you’re looking for a movie that pulls at your heart strings, and you enjoyed Jacob Tremblay in Wonder, then Palmer should be next on your list. Palmer tells the story of a man who stays with his grandmother upon his release from prison, and ends up taking care of her neighbor’s son, Sam, due to circumstances outside his control. While the film features a phenomenal cast including Justin Timberlake, June Squibb, and Juno Temple, it’s Ryder Allen, playing Sam, who steals the show. Nothing says it’s OK to be yourself like this kid. You can learn a thing or two from Sam. Bravo, Ryder!

Well, hopefully this list has given you some material to dig into instead of these mouth-watering, chocolate ganache cupcakes from Brooklyn Cupcake.

Ugh. Go away Goldbelly ads! I can no longer see my feet. Let’s face it, in this quarantine, baking-at-home, food-ordering, coffee-making, zoom-meeting-attending, pet-patting, Covid-persisting world, the one consistent thing keeping us company is the mass amount of artists’ content at our fingertips. Here’s to finding your next streaming adventure!