What to Watch on Amazon Prime While Quarantined!
Whether you like it or not, we’ve all been given the gift of time. Now, that time may be to literally stay in your house and not interact with the outside world. To the extroverts, that sounds awful, but to the introverts of the world… this is what you’ve been waiting for! So if you’re not sure what the heck to do for the next few days or weeks, or however long this quarantine might last, we’d suggest grabbing a prime membership and streaming some of these great shows and movies from Amazon.
Series
The Expanse
This is one of the finest science fiction series ever made. Based on the novels of the same name,The Expanse tells the story of three societies politically in conflict in our solar system, Earth, Mars and the belters (space dwelling miners of asteroids) all originating from Earth. They are confronted by an alien molocule that changes everything. The plot explores the lives of one crew in space (and eventually many more as the exnemble grows). Their adventures, their decisions, and their seemingly regualr encounters with the crux of any crisis, are compelling, entertaining and emotionally resonate. I could spend a full blog on this show but Amazin took over when the sci fi channel could not afford the effect and it has blossomed beyond its already amazing nature. This has the geopolitical scope of Game of Thrones and the personal stories of Star Trek.
Man in the High Castle
What if the US lost WWII? That is the premise of this series, adapted and updated from the Philip K Dick novel of two worlds and the IChing. The series is inconsistent, the first season is spectacular. The ideas are important and worth the watch.
Spaced
Ever wonder where Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright got their start. Well this comedy series allows you to watch both honing their craft. Two underachieving weirdos (and I use that term with care and love) pretend to be married to acquire an apartment. Their friends and the other tenants of the building are a quirky panorama of human geekiness. If you like British humor, are a comic book or scoff or gamer geek, or are a slacker, this will hit the spot.
Jack Ryan
Based on the Tom Clancy character from movies like Hunt for Red October and Patriot Games, this John Krasinski vehicle updates the characters history in a well crafted seasonal arc. The show does a great job at humanizing the antagonists and keeping the stakes global and personal. Krasinski is a magnificent choice for the lead and has the intellect and subtly to pull off the character. It is a fun escapist watch with plenty of human drama!
The Boys
Based on the comic book of the same name, superheroes have gone corporate and are, for the most part, pretty awful beings. The story follows the terrible evil heroes and their antagonist a group of hero killers who have no super powers. The cast is quirky and charming. The story is epic and so potently relevant to our corporate controlled world today. There is some brutal violence in the story but the characters Karl Urban and Erin Moriarty are charismatic and complex. Supporting them Tomer Capon and Karen Fukuhara as French and The Female, step the heart of the show. Season two is on the way.
Fleabag
Funny, thoughtful but not preachy, Fleabag is another journey into British culture. The story of a dysfunctional woman dealing with the London world. The show breaks the forth wall and is designed to be satire without the burden of arrogance. Phoebe Waller Smith writes and stars. She is a wonder. This one will keep you laughing from beginning to end.
Movies
HoneyBoy
Shia LaBeouf stars in and scripts the story of his life, fictionalized for dramatic power. A young talent, exploited by his father rises to stardom and then falters, as so many of our child stars seem to do, into a world of despair and addiction. The powerful story, skillfully directed by Alma Har'el, is painfully personal and heartfelt. LaBeouf explodes on the screen in the lead role pushing his physicality and emotion to a place we have not seen before.
The Farewell
One of the best movies of 2019, HANDS DOWN. Beautifully shot. The characters are deeply human. This is a story for everyone to watch. The characters are so richly drawn and performed with Akwafina leading the way. Listen to our review.
The Last Black Man in San Francisco
Perhaps the strongest drama on this list, The Last Black Man in San Francisco constructs a study and subtle structure around the life of two young black men trying to reclaim their “ancestral” home in a gentrified San Francisco. Touching on the political issue plaguing our national cities, as people of color are forced out of their home as business finds ways to explain inner city’s depleted areas. The story is tragic and yet the relationship between the men in the story tells an important tale of Black Men in America. Beautifully shot, thoughtfully blocked with a keen eye to architecture. This social commentary never lets the politics get in the way of story.
Super 8
Nostalgia abounds in a film that is a mash up of IT and ET. JJ Abrams remembers youthful filmmaking and alien invasion in this exciting thrill ride of a mystery box. This could have been the beginning of a cinematic universe, and may have other movies circling its cosmos, but this film is an easy watch, derivative of so many other films. If it were a meal you would taste a little goonies, a lot of ET some Stand By Me and a healthy dose of 1950’s scoff. All that aside, there are some spectacular effects. The stakes are high and we can see Abrams’ storytelling in development. It is a simple treat easy to eat and generally satisfying.
Brittany Runs a Marathon
Another one we reviewed. Brittany changed her life and her self image as she reaches for the goal of completing the New York Marathon. The story is sweet and Brittany is presented without rosey glasses. Listen to John’s Review
Midsommar
Ari Aster’s masterwork of horror shot entirely in daylight is disturbing and terrifying. It may be one of the best horror films of all time. Richly considering the issues of cultural integrity, betrayal, grief and cruelty, Midsommar is not for the squeamish. We reviewed this one as well. Listen to our Review
Bone Tomahawk
Truely visually terrifying even compared with the violence and disturbing imagery of Midsommar. The cast is exemplary and the stakes are so well crafted. The set up of this film makes us care for the lives of each character and delineates their individual personality and placed them in a dramatic category without making them stereotypes. The cast, including Kurt Russel, a spectacular performance by Richard Jenkins, Matthew Fox, and Patrick Wilson and director, S. Craig Zahler, deserve real kudos for this. Once the horror starts, the imagery and action is truly terrifying. This is a solid film, pushing the limits of our tolerance and telling a story that will haunt your dreams. Zahler is relentless as he presents a slow burn escalation of violence.
The Great Escape
Simply one of the best war/adventure films of all time. Steve McQueen is magnificent in the leading role, like an American echo of the Grand Illusion, The Great Escape combines a medium of social commentary with a strong individualist story about overcoming the oppression of the enemy and rebellion and protest. The ensemble features Richard Attenborough, James Garner, James Coburn, Davis Mccallum, Charles Bronson, William Russel and Donald Pleasants. This is a great time, well paced, well blocked popular film!
So there you have it. Do you agree with our lists? What other shows or movies would you suggest watching during the coronavirus quarantine? Let us know in the comments!