Staying In? Cinema Alternatives & Binge Picks — Week Five
While cinemas are closed and social distancing is in full swing, here are smart substitutes for this week’s would-be releases — plus a movie-of-the-week and a binge-worthy sitcom.
Got your own recommendations? Drop them in the comments or
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Cinema Alternatives
What we would’ve seen: Greed
Directed by: Michael Winterbottom
Written by: Michael Winterbottom
Starring: Steve Coogan, David Mitchell, Isla Fisher, Ollie Locke, Sophie Cookson, Shirley Henderson, Pearl Mackie, Asa Butterfield
Synopsis: Self-made British billionaire Sir Richard McCreadie’s retail empire is in crisis. After a bruising public inquiry, he plots a reputation-saving, ultra-lavish 60th birthday party on Mykonos.
Greed released in the UK to middling reviews and limited box office. There’s no new Australian release date.
Try these instead
24 Hour Party People (2002)
Rotten Tomatoes: 86% | IMDb: 7.3 | Metacritic: 85
Directed by: Michael Winterbottom |
Written by: Frank Cottrell Boyce
Starring: Steve Coogan, Paddy Considine, Danny Cunningham, Sean Harris, Shirley Henderson, Lennie James, Andy Serkis, John Simm
Synopsis: From the late ’70s to early ’90s, TV presenter Tony Wilson helps catalyse Manchester’s music revolution, birthing Factory Records, The Haçienda, and bands like Joy Division, New Order, and Happy Mondays.
Rationale: The first (and best) Winterbottom–Coogan collaboration — a wild, witty scene history that pairs neatly with Greed’s satirical edge.
The Queen of Versailles (2012)
Rotten Tomatoes: 95% | IMDb: 7.1 | Metacritic: 80
Directed by: Lauren Greenfield | Starring: Jackie Siegel, David A. Siegel
Synopsis: A billionaire couple builds a Versailles-inspired mega-mansion — until the 2008 crash sends their timeshare empire and lifestyle into a tailspin.
Rationale: A sharp, empathetic doc about excess and image-management — thematic sibling to Greed. Greenfield later directed the acclaimed The Kingmaker.
What we would’ve seen: Misbehaviour
Directed by: Philippa Lowthorpe
Written by: Gaby Chiappe (screenplay), Rebecca Frayn (screenplay & story)
Starring: Keira Knightley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jessie Buckley, Keeley Hawes, Phyllis Logan, Lesley Manville, Rhys Ifans, Greg Kinnear
Synopsis: In 1970, the Women’s Liberation Movement disrupts the globally televised Miss World competition in London; when the show resumes, Miss Grenada’s win becomes historic.
Misbehaviour opened in the UK (88% on Rotten Tomatoes) and hit UK VOD in April; no Australian date yet.
Try these instead
Dumplin’ (2018)
Rotten Tomatoes: 85% | IMDb: 6.6 | Metacritic: 53
Directed by: Anne Fletcher |
Written by: Kristin Hahn (screenplay), based on the novel by Julie Murphy
Starring: Danielle Macdonald, Jennifer Aniston, Odeya Rush, Maddie Baillio, Bex Taylor-Klaus, Luke Benward
Synopsis: A plus-size teen enters her mom’s beauty pageant as a protest — and sparks a small-town shake-up.
Rationale: Sweet, funny, and body-positive, with charming performances and a genuinely heart-warming crescendo.
Suffragette (2015)
Rotten Tomatoes: 73% | IMDb: 6.9 | Metacritic: 66
Directed by: Sarah Gavron | Written by: Abi Morgan
Starring: Carey Mulligan, Helena Bonham Carter, Brendan Gleeson, Anne-Marie Duff, Ben Whishaw, Meryl Streep
Synopsis: Working-class women join the fight for the vote in early-20th-century Britain.
Rationale: A rousing historical drama about women pushing for the rights they deserve — perfect if you’re in the mood to watch people fight for what’s right.
Movie of the Week
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Rotten Tomatoes: 87% | IMDb: 8.0 | Metacritic: 83
Directed by: Denis Villeneuve
Written by: Hampton Fancher & Michael Green (based on characters by Philip K. Dick)
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas, Sylvia Hoeks, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis, Carla Juri, Lennie James, Dave Bautista, Jared Leto
Synopsis: Thirty years after the original, a new blade runner, K, uncovers a long-buried secret that could plunge society into chaos — sending him in search of the missing Rick Deckard.
Rationale: With fresh images of Villeneuve’s Dune making waves, now’s a perfect time to revisit this criminally under-seen stunner. A visual feast that finally won Roger Deakins his Oscar; a worthy successor to the 1982 classic.
TV to Binge
Superstore (2015–present)
Rotten Tomatoes: 92% | IMDb: 7.8 | Metacritic: 58
Created by: Justin Spitzer | Episodes: 98 × ~22 min (to date)
Starring: America Ferrera, Ben Feldman, Lauren Ash, Colton Dunn, Nico Santos, Nichole Bloom, Mark McKinney, Kaliko Kauahi
Synopsis: Employees at big-box chain Cloud 9 juggle eccentric customers, corporate headaches, and their messy, lovable lives.
Rationale: One of the most underrated network comedies of recent years — a delightful, diverse ensemble from The Office alum Justin Spitzer. It’ll make you laugh… and maybe miss wandering the aisles.
