I hope you are well and taking good care of yourselves and loved ones during this unprecedented health crisis. It is unbelievable how fast the events are moving and how our awareness and our leaders’ are constantly updating to the new realities.
Just over a week ago, having received and watched a screener (advance copy) of an upcoming film, I was struggling to write a review about it. It was hard to get motivated because the COVID-19 pandemic was growing, and few people were going to theaters. I thought, what’s the point? Now of course, many of us are “sheltering in place”, the theaters are closed, and the opening of my review project, (The Burnt Orange Heresy), has been indefinitely postponed, as have most other new films.
But we still want to watch stuff, don’t we? Maybe more so than before, in fact. So, I’ll soon be writing about some older movies that I think you may enjoy and are available for streaming. First up will be three truly classic 1930s films, collectively known as The Marseilles Trilogy: Marius (1931), Fanny (1932), and César (1936). If you’ve seen and enjoyed any or all of these films, I’d love to hear your comments and impressions. Who knows? I may quote you in my review.
In the meantime, here is some news and some ideas to keep you entertained over the coming days and weeks:
First of all, one happy effect of the generally rotten COVID-19 mess is that a number of films have been rushed to streaming much earlier than expected or even gone direct to video now that most cinemas have closed. So, for example a number of popular and lauded recent films are now available on most platforms other than Netflix, such as Amazon, Vudu, and iTunes. Many of these are renting for $5 or $6, titles like Knives Out, Parasite, Jojo Rabbit, Ford v Ferrari, Frozen II [also free with subscription to Disney+] and Bombshell. Some movies rushed to video sooner than planned - or released direct to video because their big screen openings have been cancelled - are streaming now at a more premium price [$15 - $20] - which is still cheaper than a couple tickets to the cineplex: Little Women, 1917, Uncut Gems, Emma, Invisible Man, and The Hunt. The much anticipated (in some circles) Trolls World Tour from DreamWorks, was set to release on April 10, and will now start streaming on that date.
If you are an Opera fan, or just interested in trying something new, you may want to take advantage of the New York Metropolitan Opera’s free Nightly Met Opera Streams. These are full videos of great operas from The Met’s Live in HD series of performances. The sound and the video cinematography are terrific. https://www.metopera.org/user-information/nightly-met-opera-streams/
Fans of the atmospheric Netflix series Babylon Berlin, which ran over two seasons in 2017 and 2018 will be happy to learn that there is now a third season – which premiered in late January. The series takes place in late 1920s Berlin a hotbed of political and social ferment - of sex clubs and jazz; of free thinkers along with militant communists and right-wing militias, (National Socialists among them). A young police inspector is transferred to Berlin to try and uncover a porno ring, and winds up involved in a case of political corruption and high-level international intrigue. Terrific writing, acting and production values make this a must see [provided you can tolerate subtitles]. As I said, It’s on Netflix.
Another big international hit on Netflix is the Norwegian series Occupied, first shown in the US in 2016. A second season arrived in 2017. It’s the near future. When Norway, in an effort to go green, halts all its North Sea oil drilling, neighboring Russia begins a so-called “silk invasion” to pressure the country into restarting the petroleum production. To Norway’s dismay, this invasion has been encouraged by the EU (who needs the oil) and vthe US is no longer interested in defending its former allies. The result is a political thriller of the highest order. And for its many fans, now there’s a third season. All three are available on Netflix.
If you’re interested in independent films, international films that may not make it into the mainstream, and/or short films, experimental films and the like, you will now have a great opportunity to explore and indulge. The Ann Arbor Film Festival, now in its 58th season, and scheduled for March 24 – 29, has decided to shut down all in-person gatherings, like pretty much all other such events; but with the twist that they nevertheless want to get the movies out there for the public to see – and for free. The AAFF will still run according to its original schedule, but through Vimeo, instead of at Ann Arbor theaters so anyone can “attend” from home. More information here: https://www.aafilmfest.org/58aaff-live-stream
And if you, like me, are a fan of great classic cinema and /or significant indie and arthouse movies, let me again recommend that you check out the streaming service The Criterion Channel. Subscriptions are $11/month or $100/year ($8.33/mo.). Like Netflix, all offerings are then free for subscribers to stream. Th service calls itself “A Movie Lover’s Dream”, and they are right. https://www.criterionchannel.com/
Stay healthy and enjoy.
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