Getting lost in a classic movie or TV series is a great way to indulge in some nostalgia in your assisted living apartment, but there are plenty of modern options to freshen up your routine. Enjoying a new movie or TV series can offer exciting new perspectives and is an entertaining way to spend a cozy evening on the couch. Below, you can find six new movies and TV shows that older adults can enjoy alone or with family.
Voices of Fire is a religious documentary following Bishop Ezekial Williams' mission to create a gospel choir with a difference. The popular music megastar Pharrell Williams joins Bishop Williams as they audition talented local singers and form a contemporary, unconventional group to spread the message of Christianity through song.
This uplifting 2020 Netflix series is packed with impressive and moving performances, and it also celebrates and showcases the sense of community fostered in churches across America. Its familiar format will engage fans of competitive singing broadcasts, and its religious focus makes it a faith-affirming watch.
The 2021 movie King Richard is a blockbuster biopic that tells the story of Richard Williams, the father of the tennis champion siblings Venus and Serena. Focusing on Richard Williams himself is a clever decision. Although Williams never pursued a career as a professional tennis player, his strength and unwavering determination provides an important message for viewers: With persistence and faith in your destiny, you can make incredible things happen.
The film compellingly charts the Williams' family's rise from poverty in Compton, California, through sheer hard work, their experiences of racism in the community and Richard's unshakeable belief that his children could achieve greatness. Venus and Serena Williams acted as producers, offering anecdotes and ensuring authenticity. King Richard is the ideal uplifting film to watch on your next movie night in your assisted living apartment.
The 2021 smash-hit Netflix series The Chair is a heartfelt comedy drama featuring Killing Eve star Sandra Oh in the lead role. Oh plays Professor Ji-Yoon Kim, the first Asian woman to assume the role of Chair at Pembroke University. However, Ji-Yoon soon finds that she's been dealt a marked card as leader of the English department. Ill-conceived cost-cutting exercises and terrible enrollment figures leave Ji-Yoon fighting to balance her ethical principles with the constant challenges thrown her way.
The Chair is packed with laughs and hilarious mishaps, and Sandra Oh's incredible range of facial expressions allows her to deliver an incredibly nuanced and unforgettable performance. However, there's a deeper message alongside the comedic moments. The show expertly examines the problems of power imbalance and prejudice in American academia, making The Chair a thought-provoking choice.
Luca is a fun and entertaining Pixar creation that hit the big screen in 2021. Although it's primarily aimed at children, Luca's humorous approach and sunny Italian Riviera setting will make it a hit with grown-ups too. Therefore, it's the ideal way to while away a couple of hours with visiting grandkids in your assisted living apartment at Bethesda Gardens in Fort Worth.
The film follows the journey of Luca, a sea monster child who transforms into human form when he leaves the ocean. A chance meeting with Alberto, another sea monster who embraces life on dry land, encourages Luca to defy his family and explore the human world. The movie deftly explores the themes of identity, friendship and belonging and could be a great springboard to meaningful discussions with young people finding their place in the world.
Dickinson is an innovative Apple TV+ historical drama featuring rising star Hailee Steinfeld. If you love historical series but your viewing menu is feeling stale, Dickinson gives the genre an interesting shakeup. It follows the teenage Emily Dickinson in 19th-century Massachusetts as she rails against sexism and social constrictions to become a published poet and live life on her own terms.
The series deliberately uses historical anachronisms to contrast the confusing and tumultuous experience of teenagerhood with the societal expectations of the time. The contrast between opulent period costumes and sets and a modern soundtrack and dialogue style won't be to everyone's taste, but it makes for fun viewing and provides a refreshing change for history fans. Best of all, there are three series to sink your teeth into filmed between 2019 and 2021.
The Dig is an acclaimed British-American movie based on a John Preston novel of the same name. It charts the monumental discovery of the medieval ship burial site Sutton Hoo in the UK in 1938 and its subsequent excavation. Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes provide extraordinary performances as excavators Edith Pretty and Basil Brown and movingly depict their burgeoning friendship and Pretty's struggles with her deteriorating health.
As the Second World War looms, the urgency to uncover and preserve the treasures of Sutton Hoo increases. History fans will enjoy learning more about the significance of the Sutton Hoo finds in our understanding of medieval culture. However, the movie also offers a calm and understated examination of ancestral legacy and to what extent we can claim ownership of the past.
