It’s been the strangest of years. Some might say 2020 was the year to end all years. And some might say, “why is the rum gone?” And with movie theaters being shut down it’s made things harder for movie buffs.
Between Murder Hornets, riots, elections, pandemics, and possibly aliens– there has never been a more needed time for escapism. And with movie theaters being closed for a few more weeks, the cinephile inside might be going through withdrawals.
Luckily, there have been some amazing films to release this year that many may not know about and they can be streamed from home as we speak.
Here are the five best movies to watch at home until movie theaters return.
#1 Palm Springs – Streaming on Hulu
Palm Springs was a pleasant quarantine surprise over the summer. The film takes the time loop narrative made famous by Groundhog Day and instead of one person being trapped in the loop, Palm Springs gives us two.
The movie contains charming performances by Andy Samberg and Cristin Milioti and offers a sweet analogy about love and the repetition of life. More specifically, how being stuck in an infamous cycle of the same is all the more fun with the right person.
And on top of all that, in Lonely Island fashion, the film has a lot of hilarious moments.
#2 The Hater – Streaming on Netflix
From Poland–The Hater is absolutely a must-see film that will have a fistfight with viewers’ social media beliefs. In fact, it very well could make a lot of users want to up and leave the platform– if more people watched it.
The film centers on an expelled student who becomes obsessed with a girl and joins a social media firm which turns out to be a troll farm. As the film pushes forward, the scenes and situations become disturbingly timely. And by the end, it will demand the audience to always question the motives behind any social media post from a stranger.
#3 Da 5 Bloodz – Streaming on Netflix
War is hell, and for some who come home alive from it, the war continues in various forms. Spike Lee’s film Da 5 Bloods depicts how the aftermath of Vietnam affected a group of friends. And it’s an absolute treasure of a movie that explores race, history, and the aggressive nature of PTSD.
Very few war films dissect the way people of color felt coming home to a country that didn’t value their rights as they fought for our freedoms. And between the themes, social commentary, and a riveting performance from Delroy Lindo, Da 5 Bloods demands attention from the Netflix audience.
#4 Host – Streaming on Shudder
Host is a pleasant offering in a wild year. The film takes all the pandemic lifestyles of the present and places them in a horror film in the vein of Paranormal Activity.
The movie places five friends in a Zoom conversation and all of them decide to perform a seance out of boredom. The result is an absolutely enthralling horror experience with great performances and even greater scares. This would have been a blast in movie theaters.
Long after experience Host, scenes and visuals will stay inside one’s head as the scares increase. It’s an absolute blast of a horror movie and one of the best things to stream right now on Shudder.
#5 Onward – Disney Plus
Onward came out at the worst possible time during the economic shutdown and is going to end up being one of the most underrated Pixar films. The film is voiced by Chris Pratt and Tom Holland– of Marvel fame– and involves two brothers going on a quest in a world that no longer believes in magic.
The animated movie is full of hilarious moments and has one of the most unexpected heartfelt endings from Pixar. In the next 10 plus years, it will be mentioned in the same conversation as Emperor’s New Groove as an underrated animated classic.
