Water cooler: Films highlight everyday people – real or not

Movies range from glamorous to dingy, from the magnificent to the normal. This list of films focuses on the stories of everyday people – some inspired by true events, others spun from intimate character studies.

These gems can be found on Kanopy.com and streamed for free with a local library card.

“The Gold Rush”: Inspired by the images and stories of the Klondike Gold Rush, a migration of nearly 100,000 prospectors to the Yukon, as well as the story of the Donner Party. An early and touching mix of comedy and horrific tragedy that became one of Chaplin’s most celebrated works. Directed by and starring Charlie Chaplin. 1925. Not Rated. 95 minutes.

“Meek’s Cutoff”: An exploration of slow cinema that follows a band of settlers traveling through Oregon, led by an arrogant and misleading guide. This film is chock-full of gorgeous static shots, counterintuitively showing grand Western landscapes in the very square 1.33:1 aspect ratio in order to reflect the perspective of the women travelers wearing hugely intrusive bonnets. This masterpiece of American female filmmaking was followed by “Night Moves” and “Certain Women” as well as “First Cow” which will have its nationwide release later this year once theaters are able to reopen. Directed by Kelly Reichardt. Starring Michelle Williams, Bruce Greenwood and Paul Dano. 2010. PG. 104 minutes.

“The Conversation”: A haunting character study and an exploration of the cyclical relationship between surveillance and paranoia. Director Francis Ford Coppola lost Best Picture to himself in the 1975 Oscars, when “The Godfather: Part II” beat out “The Conversation,” but then again, “The Conversation” won the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1974, so maybe it was only fair. Starring Gene Hackman as you have never seen him before. 1974. PG. 113 minutes.

“The Battle of Algiers”: One of the crucial films of post-war Italian neorealist cinema. Shot on location with newsreel-inspired visual style (influenced heavily by director Roberto Rossellini) this Italian-Algerian production is based on the guerrilla warfare of the Algerian rebels during the revolution against the French government. Despite the controversy of its release, causing a five-year delay in its release in France, this portrayal of oppression, radicalization and terror has gone on to be widely critically acclaimed. Directed by Gillo Pontecorvo. Starring Brahim Hadjadj. 1966. Not Rated. 121 minutes.

“Little Fugitive”: Perhaps the earliest of independent films as we know them in America today, this film is a real treat. Using all non-professional actors and shooting with no sound, on location (likely without permitting), this film has an astounding and refreshing naturalism at a time in American cinema where the old Hollywood studio system was entering its twilight. It follows a young boy who runs away fearing that he shot his brother – who turns out to only have been faking. He spends his days at Coney Island, hunting and returning soda bottles for their deposit. You’ve never seen 1950s America like you will in this groundbreaking and intimate film. Directed and written by Ruth Orkin and Morris Engel. 1953. Not Rated. 80 minutes.

“The Florida Project”: Here is another remarkable exploration of America through the eyes of neorealist independent filmmaking, but of America as we know it today. Using a mixture of both non-professional and professional actors, this film has some of the most remarkable child and adult performances that make for incredibly immersive naturalism. Wander through summer break in Florida where motels are made playgrounds by their rebellious, six-year-old tenants, while everyone else tries to get by. Directed by Sean Baker. Starring Brooklyn Prince. 2017. R. 111 minutes.

Social circle

Brain train

Test your knowledge with today’s trivia question

What movie was the last starring role for Charlie Chaplin?

• “Limelight”
• “The Great Dictator”
• “A King in New York”
• “Modern Times”

Monday’s answer: UCLA

Listen up

In absence of the Academy of Country Music Awards scheduled to air Monday, A-list country stars instead came together to broadcast “ACM Presents: Our Country” on CBS. The two-hour event opened with Keith Urban performing “Wasted Time” followed by an impressive string of performances.

Carrie Underwood performed “Drinking Alone” on her couch accompanied by a glass of red wine. The members of Little Big Town performed “Next To You” from their various homes. Blake Shelton and Gwen Stefani serenaded each other with “Nobody But You.” Brad Paisley and Darius Rucker teamed up for “Mud On the Tires.” Miranda Lambert sang “Bluebird” from her porch with the sounds of natural springs in the background. Shania Twain serenaded her horse in her stable with “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” and “Honey I’m Home.”

There were many other star-studded performances in the mix, but the end of the broadcast special brought the house down, or in this case everyone’s houses down, with a tribute to the late Kenny Rogers by Paisley, Rucker and Luke Bryan.

The special is available for rewatch at CBS.com.

Once you get through that, here are some other livestreamed musical performances scheduled for today.

Jeff Tweedy, guitarist and lead singer of Wilco, will livestream “The Tweedy Show” on Instagram @stuffinourhouse at 7:15 p.m.

Third Man Records, the label founded by Jack White, hosts “Third Man Public Access,” a series of live performances from their headquarters in Nashville. Catch it on their YouTube channel at 10 a.m.

La Blogotheque, known for its intimate and stripped series of film performances called “A Take Away Show,” has launched in its absence “Stay Away Shows.” Find it live at 11 a.m. on Instagram @blogotheque.

Laugh on demand

If you’re in need of a laugh, check out these Netflix comedy specials all available for streaming.

“Chris Rock: Tamborine” – Rock’s first stand-up special in over a decade featuring some of his most vulnerable and honest comedy delivered with his classic quick wit and observational humor.

“Sarah Silverman: A Speck of Dust” – Silverman’s first comedy special after her health scare in which she delves into how she explained Brexit while under the influence of anaesthetic prior to surgery and other political dark humor.

“Aziz Ansari: Right Now” – Directed by Spike Jonze, this special carries a stripped-down vibe that looks like it was set in a dive bar instead of a theater and features jokes about people trying to “out woke” one another and changing race relations.

“James Acaster: Repertoire” – Four interwoven specials with complex and hilarious callbacks, classic British quirk and an amazing mix of the personal and the absurd.

“Tig Notaro: Happy To Be Here” – Dark humor with deadpan delivery featuring discussion on Notaro’s conversations with her cat and her imaginary dog - both relatable topics for quarantine living.

Also: “Tom Segura: Ball Hog”