As we ease into social distancing for the immediate future, catching up on movies is one of the best ways to pass the time – so I’m here to help.

Eighth Grade – Amazon Prime

I’d guess most have managed to catch this by now, but if you haven’t (or are itching for a rewatch) it’s now available on Prime. It’s a uniquely shot, coming-of-age movie that confronts the perils of Junior High with an eerie amount of accuracy and is (in my personal opinion), one of the single best films of the past five years or so (and arguably one of the greatest debuts ever for the wickedly entertaining director Bo Burnham).

Blindspotting – HBO NOW/GO

An off kilter (though still terrifying) drama that’s centered in Oakland, CA. Follows Collin (David Diggs) and longtime friend Miles’ rapidly changing relationship after the former witnesses a police shooting. Surprising amount of comic relief in here with relevant social themes and a powerful conclusion to boot.

Shoplifters – Hulu

A bit of a precursor to 2020 Best Picture winner Parasite, the story surrounds the Shibata family and their choices following a young girl coming into their lives. Doesn’t have quite the visceral appeal or powerful imagery and subtext of Parasite, but also explores certain areas better. If you enjoyed Bong Joon-ho’s monumental classic (or are simply looking to get into more of the Japanese cinema scene), check this out.

Dolemite is My Name – Netflix

The story of one modern rap’s architects (Rudy Ray Moore) and his belabored quest to bring his newfound standup routine to the big screen. Would certainly recommend researching at least a bit of the original Dolemite film and Moore’s backstories as it helps fill in some of the holes, but I actually went almost entirely blind and loved it anyway. Arguably the single best role of Eddie Murphy’s career.