At the movies: Stories We Tell.

For the time being, at least, this is the best movie of 2013. Go see it, and spend some time with real human issues that aren't about drink-throwing and dumb shit. I wish Oprah was still on the air, because it's totally in her wheelhouse and she could get an insane amount of publicity for a small film that absolutely deserves your support. I guess that's my pull-quote: "If you miss when Oprah would use her powers for good, Stories We Tell is the movie you need to see."

At the movies: Must Read After My Death.

Built from the ground up with the footage shot by and the voice recordings of a family coming apart at the seams in the mid-to-late 60s, Must Read After My Death is the sound of crisis even as it unfolds over images of an uneasy serenity. Using no narration or external set-up, we are immersed in the life of Allis, a mother and wife on the brink of life, and it is a hypnotic and haunting experience; material originally used as therepeutic devices and means of communication become time-delayed weapons.

Think of films like Capturing the Friedmans, Tarnation, and Dear Zachary: nonfiction cinema built around primary sources documented and recorded by the people involved in them. Morgan Dews' film not only helps change the game plan for contemporary nonfiction cinema, it's also changing the way we think of film distribution, working with a plan for access that makes several of the VOD programs used by many independent distributors seem lagging.

This film hits hard and shows no mercy; charting the arcs of a family's life without censoring them. Documentary enthusiasts and anyone intrigued by the mysteries of family should check it out without hesitation. And if it isn't playing near you or at a convenient time, you can check it out online at your leisure thanks to Gigantic Releasing's new universal VOD approach to distribution.

People who inspire: Julia Child.

I always knew that I liked her for more than just cooking.

Julia Child, in addition to teaching the world the value of wine, butter, and a sense of humor in the kitchen, was a spy for the Allies during WWII.

You learn something new every day.

I've never been much for cooking, but thanks to Dad and Stepmomma Jim's tireless devotion to the culinary arts, I've appreciated the hell out of her timeless work.