One of life's nicest surprises is to become engrossed by a movie, charmed by the characters and drawn in by the plot ... then to find out as the credits roll, this amazing tale is based on a true story! This has happened thrice recently, thanks to Netflix and our love of the BBC and British humor.

I've read enough of Connie Willis to have an idea of what the London blitz was like. Or so I thought until I learned more of the Windmill at the West End in:

Mrs. Henderson Presents

With the inimitable Judi Dench, the story amused and touched me.

Skin

I thought I knew something about apartheid but quickly realized the opposite watching this amazing movie. As human beings, we can hold prejudices that fly in the face of we think we believe. Watch the credits!

Kinky Boots

This fun story examines what it takes to keep a business afloat in tough times, why people cross-dress, and gives a fabulous (albeit quick) clip of exactly how a shoe is put together. Fascinating, so be sure you watch the extra feature!

Netflix gives us the freedom of watching movies when WE want to watch them and WITHOUT commercial interruption. Furthermore, we can see the "indie" and foreign movies we find so much more interesting than those in the  mainstream. Often, the stories in the special features, which tell of the "making of the movie" speak to the creative in me. Hearing the book author, adaption and scriptwriter and others' stories of perseverance, belief in the project and passion for the subject simply light a fire in me.