Start with a couple of movies about roaming in New York. “Little Fugitive” (1953) is a fairy tale about a boy who leaves home to spend the day exploring Coney Island. Downtown 81, It was filmed in the early 1980s but was released in 2000, starring Jean-Michel Basquiat as an artist wandering the streets of Lower Manhattan, where he meets some of the New York legends of the early 1980s. Yes, this is Debbie Harry as a fairy princess.
Or try two movies that ponder what it means to be young and in search of yourself. In “Brother to Brother” (2004), Anthony Mackie’s character develops a friendship with a fellow black gay artist whose life was shaped by the Haarlem Renaissance. In the dry comedy of Noah Baubach “Frans Ha” (2013), Greta Gerwig plays a young Manhattan-style dancer struggling with ambition, friendship and elusive happiness.
A family watch
“Lego Masters” is a family reality TV competition, flow in Hulu, in which the teams of the two are called upon to create artistically imaginative and architecturally demanding Lego structures.
Kids will enjoy the way Lego is transformed into portable hats, friendly animals and crushed vehicles. Adults, especially those who grew up as Lego manufacturers, will appreciate the engineering skills required for structures to withstand strong winds and even vibrators. Expect incredible, creative fun regardless of the episode, especially with the charming ridiculous Will Arnett as presenter.
Be nostalgic
Head to IMDb TV to watch “All in the Family”, the CBS comedy series from 1971 to ’79. When Archie, Edith, and their neighbors Queens disagree about race, feminism, and politics, resentment sounds torn from today’s headlines. Season 2 has many very funny episodes, including “Sammy’s Visit”, in which Sammy Davis Jr. gives unforgettable moments to Archie.
For a darker day of retro TV, tune in to Decades for a three-day “Twilight Zone” marathon starting on New Year’s Eve. Friday’s program includes two of the best episodes in the series: “The After Hours”, about a woman wandering in an eerie department store, and “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street”, about a neighborhood that becomes paranoid in the midst of a possible invasion aliens.
