To my loyal readers (my relatives), you’ll have to forgive the fact that I haven’t been posting as frequently as usual in the last few weeks. With the spread of Coronavirus and “these uncertain times” (when did that become everyone’s favorite phrase? I’ve seen it on approximately 25 commercials lately!), I’ve found it challenging to keep up with my usual writing schedule. The movie industry has been at a complete standstill for the past month with constant release delays and production halts.
Since we can’t all go to the movies right now, I wanted to share some new viewing options that are now available on different streaming platforms!
Movies New To Streaming Platforms
The Social Network
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, Armie Hammer
My favorite movie is available to watch on Netflix. I repeat. My favorite movie is available to watch on Netflix. If you have not seen The Social Network, now is the time. The fact that David Fincher and Aaron Sorkin worked on the directing and screenplay is reason enough to watch this. I don’t think The Social Network has ever been on Netflix, Amazon, or Hulu so this is pretty major. It’s been 10 years since the film debuted in theaters but the biographical drama about Mark Zuckerberg and the creation of Facebook is still as compelling as ever.
Where to Watch: Netflix
Parasite
Starring: Song Kang-ho, Choi Woo-Shik, Park So-Dam
If you missed seeing Bong Joon- Ho’s Oscar-winning film, you can now watch it on Hulu. I may not be the biggest fan of the film, but it’s the latest Best Picture winner a massive fan base. Now is a great time to give it a shot.
Where to Watch: Hulu
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Starring: Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Mae Whitman
Somehow I’d never seen this movie before this week. How is that even possible considering I watch every coming-of-age movie in theaters the weekend they’re released? This movie was so good. The acting was fantastic, and the music was perfectly curated. Wow, it’s dark, though. It deals with some painful topics for teens. The tunnel scene set to “Heroes” by David Bowie is some real coming-of-age cinematic greatness.
Where to Watch: Netflix
James Bond Series
If you’re feeling bummed that No Time To Die was supposed to hit theaters this weekend, you’re not alone. Amazon has helped cushion the blow a little bit. Every James Bond movie BDC (before Daniel Craig) is now available to stream on Prime. If you need to watch the Daniel Craig Bond movies, they are on cable every weekend.
Where to Watch: Amazon Prime
Rocketman
Starring: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Bryce Dallas Howard
Epix is currently running a free promotion, which means you can watch Rocketman for free right now! The musical biography of Elton John’s life is whimsical and obviously full of great music. Taron Egerton turns in an excellent performance in the film that you won’t be forgetting about anytime soon.
Where to Watch: Epix
Streaming Options For the Family
Trolls: World Tour
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake, James Cordon, Rachel Bloom
I’ve seen previews for this movie for about a year now. Either that or I’ve lost all sense of time, which is entirely possible. Based on the trailer that I’ve seen, Trolls: World Tour has the exact same plot of Avengers: Infinity War except it’s about musical Trolls.
Where to Watch: iTunes Rental, Amazon Rental, Video on Demand
At Home With Olaf
Disney Plus has been stepping up the content game since the Coronavirus has hit. First, they released Frozen II early to stream, then they released Onward to the platform after its theatrical release was cut short. Now, they’ve created At Home With Olaf, a series of family-friendly shorts about Olaf’s adventures in Arandelle. The show has been created during the pandemic as the animators, and Josh Gad (voice of Olaf) work remotely from home. That’s a pretty creative accomplishment!
Where to Watch: Disney Plus
Onward
Starring: Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Octavia Spencer
Pixar’s latest film follows two brothers on a mythical quest to reunite with their dead father for just one day. At its core, this is a film about the importance of family. Pixar is always trying to tug at its audience’s emotions and this is no exception. Onward has plenty of magic, humor, and hijinks of course.
Where to Watch: Disney Plus
Documentaries
Tiger King
If you read my review on the Netflix series, it’s evident that I’m slightly enamored with Tiger King. If you haven’t seen it yet, now is the time. It’s the weekend, and the show is just waiting to be watched. So many twists. So many turns. So many questions. Did Carole Baskin kill her husband? Did Joe Exotic burn down the shed? Why is Doc Antle so insane? Why isn’t Jeff Lowe in prison? I still can’t believe what I watched.
Where to watch: Netflix
McMillion’s
HBO has made a lot of their programming free to everyone because of the quarantine during the coronavirus outbreak. One of the documentaries that is free to watch is McMillion’s, a fascinating documentary about the McDonalds lottery game that was compromised between 1989 and 2001 by a scammer named Uncle Jerry. At first glance, it seems that this documentary won’t be that interesting because it’s just about a Monopoly game at McDonald’s, but trust me, it gets crazy fast. Some crazy characters are introduced that will keep you hooked.
Where to Watch: HBO
Dolphin Reef
If you’re looking for something a little less chaotic and more nature-focused, the new Disney Nature documentary is all about a 3-year-old dolphin and its mother as they make their way through the Pacific Ocean. The documentary is narrated by Natalie Portman. Disney Nature has a lot of documentaries to check out including Elephants, Penguins, Bears, and African Cats. They can all be found on Disney Plus right now!
Binge-Worthy TV Shows
Succession
Starring: Brian Cox, Jeremy Strong, Sarah Snook, Kieran Culkin
Another HBO original that has been made free to watch during the quarantine is Succession. I breezed through season one and quickly got addicted. The show is all about the Roy family as the patriarch Logan, head of a vast media conglomerate, tries to decide who among his family will take over after him. Each episode is a push and pull of twisted family dynamics. You’re left feeling bad for one family member and then hating them the next episode. It’s like Game of Thrones without any dragons, and it’s good.
Where to Watch: HBO
Little Fires Everywhere
Starring: Resse Witherspoon, Kerry Washington
The dramatic series about race, suburbia, and motherhood starts a little slow, but once you get to episode 3, it really starts to take off. It’s heavily reminiscent of Big Little Lies, but the dramatic turns are enough to keep you tuned in to the new episodes each week.
Where to Watch: Hulu
High Fidelity
Starring: Zoe Kravitz, Jake Lacey, Da’vine Joy Randolph, David H. Holmes
Zoe Kravitz does an excellent job leading this series based on the novel and movie of the same name. The series follows Rob as she navigates her life in New York, trying to get over some of her worst breakups. It is full of witty top 10 lists, pop culture callbacks, and great music.
Where to Watch: Hulu
These are just a few options that I’ve found you can watch right now. I’m going to try to post more when new shows and movies become available to stream. I hope some of these suggestions were helpful. What are you watching during quarantine? Do you have any favorite new shows or movies?