1. The Tender Bar (2021) dir. George Clooney

Welcome to the inaugural episode of The Movies (a self-explanatory podcast)! Today's episode centers on "The Tender Bar," George Clooney's adaptation of JR Moehringer's 2005 memoir. JR (whose younger and older versions are played, respectively, by Daniel Raineri and Tye Sheridan) grows up in his grandfather's (Christopher Lloyd) house with his mother (Lily Rabe) and uncle Charlie (Ben Affleck), who owns a local bar. With no father in the picture, JR grows up under Charlie's tutelage, learning how to be an avid reader, captivating writer and most importantly, a good man. It's an earnest, comfortable work from Clooney and I feel that if someone, through this movie's example, were to grasp a better understanding of how best to exude one's masculinity, Clooney would consider it a win. || Twitter: @TheMovies_Pod