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Mucho Mucho Amor: The Legend of Walter Mercado 

(a Netflix documentary) 

I watched the trailer because I found the image of Walter Mercado so intriguing, and then I decided to watch the film. It was pure pleasure. Walter Mercado was a Puerto Rican actor, dancer, and writer who became famous as a TV astrologer. His life story is interesting enough, but his success as a truly non-binary celebrity who achieved incredible popularity in a macho culture is astonishing. This heart-warming and inspiring documentary explains how he managed to do that.

Speaking of heart-warming/inspiring documentaries… I pulled the following from a larger list based entirely on my personal preferences. I haven’t watched all of them yet, but I plan to.

  1. Jiro Dreams of Sushi – Heartfelt and technically gorgeous, Jiro Dreams of Sushi follows the daily life of sushi chef icon Jiro Ono.

 

  1. Undefeated – Undefeated tells the inspirational story of an inner-city high school football team trying to break its 110-year losing streak.

 

  1. Minimalism: A Documentary About the Important Things – A look into the lives of minimalists from all over, searching to discover what really matters in life.

 

  1. Period. End of Sentence. – An Academy Award-winning film about a group of women in Hapur, India, who create and sell low-cost, biodegradable sanitary pads.

 

  1. The Battered Bastards of Baseball – The inspiring journal of a 1970s independent baseball team of scrappy underdogs, the Portland Mavericks.

 

  1. The Short Game – An adorable look at elementary school golfers that play at a level of competition you won’t believe.

 

  1. He Named Me Malala – The story of Malala Yousafzai, a teenage Pakistani activist who was shot but lived to tell her story and become a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.

 

  1. Oceans – A mesmerizing look at how the ocean impacts human life and the environment. Beautiful cinematography.

 

  1. Naledi: A Baby Elephant’s Tale – The heart-wrenching story of an orphaned baby elephant and the scientists and animal experts who fight to save her and her species.

 

  1. Restless Creature: Wendy Whelan – There’s nothing like a pirouette to uplift the spirits, right? This documentary follows the inspiring 30-year career of its subject, one of the world’s best ballerinas.

 

  1. Little Miss Sumo – The story of Hiyori Kon, a 20-year-old female sumo wrestler who defies obstacles to compete in a sport reserved for men.

 

  1. Echo in the Canyon – Echo in the Canyonexamines the way such bands as The Beach Boys and The Mamas & the Papas fostered the iconic California sound. These bands migrated to Los Angeles at Laurel Canyon, which became a hotbed of musical creativity in the ‘60s.