If you’re like me, and once in a while you have an hour or two to kill, and you are just wondering what the heck is on TV —and where the heck on TV it is, you might like this post.
This post is to help you decide what you might like to watch and find places like ONTVTonight to help you find out WHERE in the heck to watch it.
Go Highbrow
You can go really kind of high brow with a very cool event like a film festival. Now that everyone mostly stays home and watches stuff in quarantine, many of these events are virtual, so even if the film festival is in, say, Florida, and you are in Illinois, you can still participate. It’s virtual!
I found one film festival, thanks to my friend and fellow writer Sandy Serio. Sandy’s sister Chris is involved with this film festival and I think that is super cool. It is call Through Women’s Eyes (TWE) and each year they find films made by and about women to broadcast as a fundraiser for the global gender equity programs of UN Women. So at least you know your money is going to a good cause. And it’s helping artists! Here is a list of films they showed this year during their festival. The festival is over, but you can still find and watch these films somewhere I am guessing. Plus you can always donate to this worthy cause.
Take Someone’s Advice
Another strategy for finding something good on, is to find and follow a movie critic that you happen to agree with. I found Christy Lemire recently. My own thinking regarding movies is pretty spot on with her reviews. Bruce Willis films…uh, no thanks. She likes the types of movies I like, movies like I Care a Lot and 1917. So, next time I need a flick, I’m gonna check out what she’s watching. Also, one of my friends recommended Nomadland, so that’s on my list.
What About a Podcast?
Another idea for random entertainment is a podcast. Maybe I will start posting lists of podcasts I like and then you can see if you like them too. If our tastes, gel, then great! One podcast I love and really look forward to is with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett, called Smartless. These three guys are all super successful and highly accomplished and each week they get on and chit chat with a guest. Guests have included people like Paul McCartney, Billie Eilish and George Clooney, to name a few. It’s a hoot.
Sidenote: My dad’s book published in 1982, is now a podcast! Check out the Flying the Line podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher or Podbean–pick your platform! It’s the history of the Airline Pilots Association and is a fascinating look at how airline travel came to be as safe and successful as it is today.
Live Music from a Local Venue
I also recommend checking out music venues in your local area. Where I live, there are many theaters and performance spaces that are offering up virtual live music and ANYONE can buy tickets and watch from ANYWHERE. You can find something delightful in my county at ArtsDuPage.org. Since these are mostly virtual, anyone can watch from anywhere and your dollars are helping to support your local artists and venues!
One that is particularly interesting is this one: A Rachmaninoff Concert by Dr. Wael Farouk where he will be playing three concertos live at the McAninch Arts Center at the College of DuPage. Something that’s never been done before. And, he is differently-abled than most people. Check out my friend Diana Martinez’ interview with Dr. Farouk and conductor Kirk Muspratt. Kudos to Diana for her work in prepping the stage for this ground-breaking classical music concert coming April 17, 2021.
Learn more about concert pianist Dr. Wael Farouk and how he is going to be performing three consecutive Rachmaninoff concertos (No’s 1, 2 AND 3) live on April 17, directed by conductor Kirk Muspratt. Did someone say, “You can’t do that”? Oh we beg to differ: Watch! might be history in the making!
