Looking for something to watch this weekend? Take a look at our top picks:
Snowpiercer
With the TV show adaptation having very recently arrived, now is a great time to jump back and check out the 2013 film adaptation whilst waiting for the new episodes drop. Bong Joon-ho’s direction is magnificent, and you may recognise his name from Parasite, the film that dominated last years Oscars. Snowpiercer takes place after the Earth has completely frozen over, and the last of humanity now lives on a large train, but over the years a classist structure has formed over the train, with the rich living at the front nearest the engine and the poor and weak living near the back. Chris Evans plays Curtis, a ‘Tailie’ who tries to launch a revolution and take the engine. The Netflix show takes a few differences, but the film manages to build and portray a fixed narrative with the limited time it has, and it does so in such a way that still manages to make you think about the real world and the bigger picture in our world and society.
Labyrinth
Recently landing its way back onto Netflix is the 1986 classic containing a large amount of the bizarre and unusual. When Jareth, the Goblin King takes away Sarah’s annoying half brother, he sets her a strange challenge. Solve his labyrinth in 13 hours or she’ll never get him back. This is certainly a film that has saved its cult status, due to the abnormal and interesting world, the use of mainly practical effects and costumes, that while possibly being a little dated add to the overall charm and world being created. Of course, David Bowie’s performance can’t be ignored as well as Jareth. If you haven’t heard of this at the very least you deserve to check it out to see why it is adored by so many.
Blackfish
While lockdown persists, there is a huge range of documentary films I could recommend, but the one that immediately jumps to mind for me is usually Blackfish. Channelling a huge amount of information and raw emotion, Blackfish tells the story of Orca Whales in captivity and will leave some kind of an impression on you as a viewer. I wouldn’t dare spoil it for you, but it has also had such a huge impact in the seven years after it’s release, leading to critical reviewing of how these animals are treated and institutions such as Sea World. It’s gritty, raw, powerful and shows what kind of impact a documentary can have on the whole.
The Invitation
Meeting your Ex is always awkward, a conversation you don’t ever want to have or prepare for. So what happens when years later they invite you and your old friends over for an evening meal? I’d say The Invitation is a perfect example of managing a weird eerie setting with general awkwardness. The Invitation has so many layers that slowly peel away over the runtime, creating both the idea that something is very wrong here and simultaneously juxtaposing it with the feeling of “No it’s just a really awkward situation.” These kind of slow-burners aren’t easy to make and achieve, but The Invitation does an amazing job of keeping the balance and keeping you guessing until the final act.
Dreamgirls
Arriving in June on Netflix is the 2006 classic Dreamgirls, something of which I was extremely surprised and happy to see arrive. A musical that’s less about the perfect life at the top, and more about the difficult time it is to make it big and get to the top, and the difficulty of ‘showbiz’. Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson and Anika Noni Rose play the trio of singers, wide-eyed and excited to the idea of having made it big. You can expect powerful and strong voices to dominate the numbers and the 1960’s aesthetic is also brilliantly channelled into every scene and every foot-tapping number.
