Some Quarantine Movie Recommendations
You could check these out or just re-watch The Office for the thousandth time. Your choice really.
Going to the movie theater remains one of the biggest leisure activities that I’ve missed during quarantine. Before the pandemic I’d see, on average, three movies a month in the theater. Right before lockdown I went with a bunch of friends to see a movie at the Music Box Theater. It ended up being the last social activity I did in 2020. I know in my head that movies cost too much for what they provide, but my dumb old lizard brain likes the pretty pictures and the loud sounds. So, I keep going, and keep spending my money. I want nothing more than to see a movie on a big screen, the second a widely distributed vaccine exists. I cannot wait to pay $20 to see stuff move around on a big screen. A real treat. Unfortunately, I have increasing doubts about the viability of movie theaters in a post COVID world thanks to the lack of leadership at the national level.
Lockdown does not mean that I have stopped watching movies however. I do not exist at a level of snobbery that forbids me from enjoying films in the comfort of my own home. I’ve watched more than a few flicks since quarantine began. I’ve decided to compile a list of some of the ones that I like. Ten of them in total. Some I watched pre-lockdown, some after. Not everyone came out in 2020 but I watched all of them for the first time in 2020. Dumb rules, I know. But Dang Dude is my blog so deal with it. The ranking of these movies means nothing.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
The last movie I watched in a theater before quarantine. A science-fiction classic, many critics consider this one of, if not the, finest of Stanley Kubrick’s works. At times peaceful, at times brutal, this movie finds beauty in both. I saw this movie in mid-March and still think about it today. Movies often get described as meditative, but this truly deserves the label. HAL 9000 is one of the greatest movie villains of all time. A true masterpiece. If you watch this at home, do try as much as possible to recreate the movie going experience. Dim the lights, turn up the volume, and try not to pause it to go to the bathroom. This is a film that deserves all of your attention.
Hotel Artemis (2018)
An original work of near-future sci-fi starring Jodie Foster and Sterling K. Brown, this movie didn’t get enough love at the box office. It remains possible that I give this film too much credit, but I enjoyed watching it. I have always been partial to films that don’t borrow from existing IPs, and this picture passes that test with flying colors. It doesn’t quite land all it’s punches, but it certainly puts in an admirable effort. Featuring an all-star supporting cast, with Charlie Day, Jenny Slate, Dave Bautista, and Jeff Goldblum all playing roles, this movie screams fun. Taking place at a hospital for bad guys, it follows the leads as they try to navigate their work and lives during one of the worst nights of their lives. High on style, this movie cultivates an aesthetic and sticks with it. A little more oomph on the action sequences would have helped, but nevertheless worth a watch.
Rashomon (1950)
Directed by the great Akira Kurosawa, and starring the wonderful Toshiro Mifune, people with master’s degrees in film studies love this movie. One of the first movies to use unreliable narrators, many films have borrowed liberally from this flick. While cinema nerds often deserve the approbation they receive, their love of this movie holds true. Rashomon bangs. Three narrators provide the plot of the movie, each of them telling their version of the same event. Taking place during a rainstorm, the stories get told by fourth person, adding another level of unreliability. A piece of film history that also features incredible performances from its lead actors, this 90-minute film is worth your while.
Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)
I am slightly ashamed to admit that before I watched this, I had not seen any of the Studio Ghibli/Hayao Miyazaki collaborations. A Japanese film, I watched the English dub which featured the voice talents of Christian Bale and Billy Crystal, among others. Based on the Dianna Wynne Jones book of the same name, it follows a young girl who sets off on a magical adventure in the middle of a war. Beautifully animated, this movie tells a story that heartbreaking, hilarious, and heartwarming all in equal measure. A true masterpiece of storytelling, both visually and plot-wise, this movie deserves all the accolades it has received over the years.
The Fountain (2006)
Darren Aronofsky wrote and directed this trippy little film. Starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz, it tells the story of two people searching for the Tree of Life. Told in three intertwined narratives, Jackman and Weisz portray roles in all three storylines. Visually stunning, Aronofsky forwent CGI and instead used hand-made effects in the film. A meditative piece, contemplating the nature of death and life this movie also features a completely hairless Hugh Jackman. At a few points the movie starts to feel as if it thinks it is deeper than it actually is. Overall however, this does not weigh down the movie. A beautiful film, the visuals alone are worth the price of admission.
She’s Gotta Have It (1986)
Spike Lee’s first joint. An independent production, Lee shot She’s Gotta Have It with a shoestring budget, usually with only one take per scene. All black and white, except for one striking moment, this movie brims with energy. While some of the cracks of having a small budget and limited takes make themselves known, the vitality and strength of the artistic vision hold it together, and keeps the viewer engaged. Lee himself plays Mars Blackmon, one of my new favorite character’s in cinema history. An explicitly sexual movie, this movie does not shy away from sex and sexuality, and portrays black female sexuality in a way not often seen in Hollywood. An engaging film that shows Lee had what it took, even from his first go-round. Rated as one of the best independent movies of all time.
Da 5 Bloods (2020)
The second Spike Lee joint on this list. Lee’s most recent masterpiece, this traces a group of veterans who travel back to Vietnam in order to find their old squad leader’s body, and some gold they stashed away. Some have called this Lee’s The Irishman but that comparison is unfair. These two movies try to do much different things, and tell very different stories. Also, Lee didn’t do the hokey de-aging shit Scorsese did. While, like The Irishman, this movie is too long, it is still shorter than Scorsese’s. The lead actors in this turn in bravura performances, particularly Delroy Lindo. Lee’s take on the Vietnam War, while perhaps not perfect, shows a lot more nuance than most American films on the same subject. Very much worth seeing.
The Old Guard (2020)
Charlize Theron whips ass. Mad Max: Fury Road, Atomic Blonde, and now The Old Guard have all proved beyond a doubt that she deserves a place in the pantheon of action star greats. A Netflix Original, The Old Guard at times feels a little formulaic, relying a bit much on its fun premise. Theron plays the leader of a group of “Immortals,” people who have roamed the Earth for hundreds of years, using their power to resist death, to do good. This movie, set in the present day, features the guy who played Dudley Dursley in the bad guy role. It gets close to making a political statement, the aforementioned bad guy is the CEO of a pharma company, but, in true Netflix fashion, never really says anything. It has enough set pieces to overcome the cliché plotting, and the chemistry among the five leads sparkles. A fun way to spend two hours.
Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse (2018)
I came late to this movie. It received rave reviews from critics and fans alike, a rarity for superhero movies. An animated movie about Miles Morales, a fan favorite Spider-man from the comics, it traces his development and growth into becoming a full-fledged superhero. Featuring the voice talent of Nic Cage, Jake Johnson, John Mulaney, Hailee Steinfeld, Mahershala Ali, and others, this movie deftly blends humor and pathos. A kid’s movie at heart, but definitely enjoyable for adults, even if you don’t like Marvel movies – a fair and reasonable opinion to have. Fun for the whole family.
The Lighthouse (2019)
Describing this movie as “balls to the wall” does not do it justice. A two-hander from A24 studios, Robert Eggers threw all caution to the wind while directing this. Shot in black and white, in an almost square ratio, this movie looks weird to the modern eye from the get go. Starring Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, this movie tracks two lighthouse keepers who live together in tight quarters for a number of weeks. To say more than that would ruin it. Successful in its ability to conjure and maintain a very specific and very weird vibe, this movie looks like nothing else that has come out recently. Not for the faint-of-heart, this movie does not shy away from its R-rating, but every moment feels earned. A true delight.
Other movies I want to check out:
Relic, Portrait of a Girl On Fire, Bloodshot, Palm Springs