Let’s face it, social distancing can be hard.
The urge to visit friends has probably never been stronger and staying home isn’t the most ideal thing to do right now, considering three weeks ago we were all on campus. So whether you’re looking for something to do, avoiding responsibilities, or just looking for ways to fill up two hours, here’s a few movies that are on Netflix, Hulu or Amazon Prime (Hulu and Amazon Prime have awesome student rates) to watch while socially distancing.
“Midsommar” (2019) is a horror movie directed by Ari Aster. This movie centers around Dani (Florence Pugh) and her boyfriend Christian’s (Jack Reynor) friends as they attend a midsummer festival in rural Sweden. The movie explores a relationship in which Dani is constantly gaslit by Christian. The movie is noted for its striking cinematography, score and its psychological horror. The movie has almost no jump scare and relies on pure shock and constant twists. “Midsommar” is available to watch on Amazon Prime, at almost two and a half hours, the movie is sort of long, but every minute is worth it.
“Parasite” (2019) is simply genius. If you don’t know about this movie, you’ve probably been living under a rock, considering the amount of press it has been getting. Directed by Bong Joon-ho, who won the Academy Award for Best Director for this movie, “Parasite” is easily one of best new horror/thrillers of the new decade. This movie is available to watch on Hulu.
“To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar” (1995) is what happens when you combine two well-known action stars with an (at the time) up-and-coming comedian. Oh, and they’re in drag for the whole movie. The movie stars Patrick Swayzee, Wesley Snipes and John Leguizamo, who have all had very prominent careers in many movies. “To Wong Foo…” is often left unmentioned when discussing the actors’ movie cannon. This movie is campy by nature, and doesn’t take itself very seriously, which is why it has developed such a cult following. “To Wong Foo…” is available to watch on Netflix.
“The First Wives Club” (1996) is another campy movie that doesn’t take itself very seriously. Starring Goldie Hawn, Diane Keaton and Bette Midler, this movie is perfect if you’re looking for something lighthearted and fun. “The First Wives Club” is available on Amazon Prime, and very well-known for the cover of Lesley Gore’s “You Don’t Own Me.”
“Portrait of a Lady on Fire” (2019) is a more recent release. The movie features an up-and-coming cast and caught a lot of attention at the Cannes Film Festival, including winning the Best Screenplay award. Starring Noemie Merlant and Adele Haenel, the movie highlights a beautiful love story and has a really beautiful aesthetic. This movie is available to watch on Hulu.
“Suspiria” (2018) is another horror movie that doesn’t rely on jump scares but rather pure shocks and thrills. This movie, a reimagining of Dario Argento’s 1977 “Suspiria,” is very long at two and a half hours, but it’s a movie you can’t take your eyes off of because of the astounding visuals and twists. The movie features Dakota Johnson and Tilda Swinton, who plays three separate roles in the movie. “Suspiria” follows Susie (Johnson), a new pupil at a dance school rumored to be operated by a coven of witches. The movie is directed by Luca Guadagnino, who also directed “Call Me By Your Name.” This movie is available on Amazon Prime, and is very detail-oriented with a bleak aesthetic, all of which makes for a very interesting experience.
Tom Benoit can be reached at
tbenoit@kscequinox.com
