Top Picks: The movie 'The Guardians,' the podcast 'My Indian Life,' and more top picks
Farm guardians
The film The Guardians takes place in France during World War I on a family farm that the women are taking care of while the men are in combat. Mother Hortense (Nathalie Baye) hires a young woman, Francine (Iris Bry), to help out on the farm, and Francine soon becomes romantically involved with Hortense’s son, Georges (Cyril Descours). Monitor film critic Peter Rainer calls the film “marvelous” and writes that director Xavier Beauvois “presents the dailiness of farm life through its seasons with an unhurried grace.” The movie is available on DVD Sept. 11.
Indian experiences
Bollywood actor Kalki Koechlin hosts a new podcast from the BBC titled Kalki Presents: My Indian Life, which delves into what it’s like for young adults living in India today. In a recent episode, Koechlin chats with Mallika Tendeja, who is protesting against the treatment of women in India. You can find the podcast at http://bit.ly/myindianlife.
Reign of the queen
Aretha Franklin left behind a treasure-trove of legendary performances when she died. One that almost didn’t happen was her performance of Nessun Dorma at the Grammy Awards in 1998, which took place because Luciano Pavarotti was unable to go on. Franklin reprised her take for her album “Jewels in the Crown: All-Star Duets with the Queen,” which is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and in album form.
Return of ‘Music’
The hills will be alive when The Sound of Music returns to movie theaters on Sept. 12 through Fathom Events. The movie tells the story of Maria (Julie Andrews), who earns the trust of the von Trapp children and falls in love with their father (Christopher Plummer) against the backdrop of Nazi-threatened Austria in the 1930s. Find out whether the classic movie will be at a theater near you at www.fathomevents.com.
Split the bill
The app Splitwise is great to have on a trip with friends or for shared expenses like rent or utilities. Each member of a group puts in expenses, and Splitwise divvies up the amount and keeps a running total. Venmo and Paypal can be used for payment. The app is free for iOS and Android.
