Self-Isolation Media Recommendations #8

Posted by Explosion Network | May 16, 2020 | Uncategorized | 0

With cinemas closed and everyone (hopefully) practising social distancing, we are going to provide you with some suggestions to help you get by until things (hopefully) get back to normal. We’ll also provide some alternatives for films that were meant to come out in cinemas this week.

Let us know your own recommendations in the comments below or on Twitter.

Cinema Alternatives

Spiral

Directed by: Darren Lynn Bousman
Written by: Josh Stolberg (Screenplay by), Peter Goldfinger (Screenplay by), Chris Rock (Story by)
Starring: Chris Rock, Samuel L. Jackson, Max Minghella, Zoie Palmer and Marisol Nichols.

Synopsis:
Working in the shadow of an esteemed police veteran, brash detective Ezekiel “Zeke” Banks and his rookie partner William Schenk take charge of a grisly investigation into murders that are eerily reminiscent of the city’s gruesome past. Unwittingly trapped in a deepening mystery, Zeke finds himself at the center of the killer’s morbid game.

The latest entry in the Saw franchise, based on an idea by Chris Rock, was originally scheduled to be released on October 23, 2020, but was moved up to May 15, 2020 before being delayed to May 21, 2021.

Alternative:

Saw II

Rotten Tomatoes: 37%
IMDB: 6.6
Metacritic: 40

Year of Release: 2005
Directed by: Darren Lynn Bousman
Written by: Darren Lynn Bousman and Leigh Whannell
Starring: Donnie Wahlberg, Franky G, Glenn Plummer, Beverley Mitchell, Dina Meyer, Emmanuelle Vaugier, Erik Knudsen, Shawnee Smith, and Tobin Bell

Synopsis:
When a new murder victim is discovered with all the signs of Jigsaw’s hand, Detective Eric Matthews begins a full investigation and apprehends Jigsaw with little effort. But for Jigsaw, getting caught is just another part of his plan. Eight more of his victims are already fighting for their lives and now it’s time for Matthews to join the game.

Rationale:
While it would be easy to just pick the first Saw movie, Saw II was the first film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, the director of Saw II. While not a critical success, it made $147m worldwide with a $4m budget.

Find out where you can watch Saw II here.

Alternative:

Get Out

Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
IMDB: 7.7
Metacritic: 85

Year of Release: 2017
Directed by: Jordan Peele
Written by: Jordan Peele
Starring: Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Lil Rel Howery, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Stephen Root, and Catherine Keener

Synopsis:
Now that Chris and his girlfriend, Rose, have reached the meet-the-parents milestone of dating, she invites him for a weekend getaway upstate with Missy and Dean. At first, Chris reads the family’s overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter’s interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he could have never imagined.

Rationale:
Is there a better example of a comedian doing a horror film? Not likely, and certainly not one that earned the writer a Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay like Jordan Peele did. Can Chris Rock do the same? Probably not but he just might bring new life to this long-running franchise.

Find out where you can watch Get Out here.

The Woman in The Window

Directed by: Joe Wright
Written by: Tracy Letts (Screenplay by), A. J. Finn (Based on The Woman in the Window by)
Starring: Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie, Fred Hechinger, Wyatt Russell, Brian Tyree Henry, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Julianne Moore.

Synopsis:
An agoraphobic (a fear of leaving one’s home) psychologist befriends a neighbor across the street from her New York City brownstone, only to see her own life turned upside down when the woman disappears and she suspects foul play.

Priginally scheduled to be released on October 4, 2019, the film was pushed back to 2020 as Disney retooled the film due to the negative test audience response towards the third act. The Woman in The Window does not have a new release date.

Alternative:

Rear Window

Rotten Tomatoes: 99%
IMDB: 8.4
Metacritic: 100

Year of Release: 1954
Directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
Written by: John Michael Hayes (Screenplay by), Cornell Woolrich (Based on “It Had to Be Murder” by)
Starring: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter and Raymond Burr

Synopsis:
Professional photographer L.B. ‘Jeff’ Jeffries breaks his leg while getting an action shot at an auto race. Confined to his New York apartment, he spends his time looking out of the rear window observing the neighbors. When he begins to suspect that a man across the courtyard may have murdered his wife, Jeff enlists the help of his high society fashion-consultant girlfriend and his visiting nurse to investigate.

Rationale:
When you are watching the trailer for The Woman in the Window, it is hard not to see the influence of this Alfred Hitchcock film. A definite classic that has been paid homage and parodied many times, most notably to me in The Simpsons episode “Bart of Darkness” where Bart has broken his leg and starts to believe that Ned Flanders has murdered his wife.

Find out where you can watch Rear Window here.

Alternative:

Nocturnal Animals

Rotten Tomatoes: 74%
IMDB: 7.5
Metacritic: 67

Year of Release: 2016
Directed by: Tom Ford
Written by: Tom Ford (Screenplay by), Austin Wright (Based on Tony and Susan by)
Starring: Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Isla Fisher, Armie Hammer, Laura Linney, Andrea Riseborough, and Michael Sheen

Synopsis:
Susan receives a manuscript of her ex-husband Edward’s new novel and finds it very compelling. However, the story forces her to confront several disturbing truths about their marital life.

Rationale:
Need your Amy Adams fix? Then why not try this neo-noir psychological thriller directed by Tom Ford. Featuring a stellar cast, the film earned Michael Shannon an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Find out where you can watch Nocturnal Animals here.

Movie of the Week

Space Jam

Rotten Tomatoes: 43%
IMDB: 6.4
Metacritic: 59

Year of Release: 1996
Directed by: Joe Pytka
Written by: Leo Benvenuti, Steve Rudnick, Timothy Harris and Herschel Weingrod
Starring: Michael Jordan, Billy West, Wayne Knight, Theresa Randle, Danny DeVito and Bill Murray

Synopsis:
A stunning, intimate and unflinching portrait of the free soloist climber Alex Honnold, as he prepares to achieve his lifelong dream: climbing the face of the world’s most famous rock… the 3,000ft El Capitan in Yosemite National Park… without a rope. Celebrated as one of the greatest athletic feats of any kind, Honnold’s climb set the ultimate standard: perfection or death. Succeeding in this challenge, Honnold enters his story in the annals of human achievement.

Rationale:
This past week on The Last Dance, the documentary covered the period in history where Michael Jordan quit basketball and started playing baseball and the alternate version of the events that brought Jordan back to basketball. If you don’t believe that he didn’t go back because of a baseball strike, watch this film to remember the truth.

Find out where you can watch Space Jam here.

TV to Binge

30 Rock

Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
IMDB: 8.3
Metacritic: 73

Year of Release: 2006 – 2008
Created by: Tina Fey
Episodes: 138 x 22 minute episodes
Starring: Tina Fey, Alec Baldwin, Tracy Morgan, Jane Krakowski, Jack McBrayer, Scott Adsit, Judah Friedlander, Katrina Bowden, Keith Powell, Lonny Ross, John Lutz, Kevin Brown, Grizz Chapman, and Maulik Pancholy

Synopsis:
Liz Lemon, head writer of the sketch comedy show “TGS with Tracy Jordan”, must deal with an arrogant new boss and a crazy new star, all while trying to run a successful television show without losing her mind.

Rationale:
One of the great sitcoms of the 2000’s. With a wonderful cast who were all capable of bringing the laughs, the show won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series in 2007, 2008, and 2009 and was nominated every year of it’s run. The series famously did two live episodes of the show, with two separate performances to accommodate both coasts of America.

Find out where you can watch 30 Rock here.

Self-Isolation Media Recommendations #8

Cinema Alternatives

Spiral

Alternative:

Saw II

Alternative:

Get Out

The Woman in The Window

Alternative:

Rear Window

Alternative:

Nocturnal Animals

Movie of the Week

Space Jam

TV to Binge

30 Rock

About The Author

Explosion Network

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Self-Isolation Media Recommendations #8

Cinema Alternatives

Spiral

Alternative:

Saw II

Alternative:

Get Out

The Woman in The Window

Alternative:

Rear Window

Alternative:

Nocturnal Animals

Movie of the Week

Space Jam

TV to Binge

30 Rock

About The Author

Related Posts

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

LATEST POSTS