The Watchlist - Movie Newsletter

Your Weekly Update on Streaming and Cinema's Latest Releases!

Omar Bishir — Fri, 11 Aug 2023 16:00:00 +0000

The Spotlight

A24’s Problemista hits cinemas.
Emilia Clarke stars in the futuristic satire, The Pod Generation.
Eat, Pray, Love now streaming on Netflix.
We commemorate the work of the late director William Friedkin (director of The Exorcist).

As always read ‘til the end for more recommendations in our “If You Liked,” section!

What’s At The Cinema?

Khaleesi still obsessing over eggs in 2050.

In director Sophie Barthes’ The Pod Generation couples can announce, “We’re pregnant,” unironically.

Here, in this imaginary future, the use of artificial wombs is possible, thus making pregnancy a shared journey rather than nine months of solitary morning sickness, intense food cravings, and cramps (not that this male writer would really know).

Starring Emilia Clarke and Chiwetel Ejiofor, it’s a perfect watch for soon-to-be parents and fans of Game of Thrones (at least the ones who weren’t too traumatized by the series finale).

When you see the line at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Problemista is about a young toy designer from El Salvador trying to make it in New York City but experiencing residency issues. His only hope is to get Tilda Swinton’s struggling artist character to co-sign his visa.

The film premiered at Sundance and was written and directed by its lead actor, Julio Torres. Probably because Torres already had so much to do, the story is narrated by the one and only Isabelle Rossellini.

If you enjoy reading Kafka novels or want to watch a film that realistically depicts the frustration of bureaucratic bullshit then check this one out.

We Watched It So You Don’t Have To

This week we’re introducing a new section to warn you about what to avoid on the notoriously hit-or-miss streaming services comprising our current entertainment reality. Stream these films at your own risk.

Two criminal-minded emojis colluding to infiltrate cinema.

The first film we really think you should avoid or if not only put on in the background while folding laundry is The Emoji Movie or our preferred title, The Most Unnecessary Film Ever.

It tells the tale of Gene, who is supposed to be the “meh,” emoji but just can’t help expressing himself in different ways. When a teenage boy tries to use him in a text message, Gene’s inability to serve his intended function causes some chaos.

Personally, we at Watchlist feel that emojis should stay in your texts and out of your movies. If you want to make up your own mind, this one’s streaming on Amazon Prime Video now.

Julia Roberts consoling herself with ice cream after winding up in this section of the newsletter.

Slightly more controversial is our second warning, Eat, Pray, Love. Many love it and others hate it.

At a bloated two hours and thirteen minutes, the whole film is about Julia Robert’s character, a privileged American, flying all over the world, having romantic flings, eating delicious food, and getting semi-spiritual.

It would work better as an ad for a travel agency than a movie. We can’t fault Roberts though; her performance is magnetic as always.

If you must, watch it on Netflix 🙄

What We’re Watching

Friedkin on the set of The Exorcist.

To pay homage to the legendary director of The Exorcist and The French Connection, here are three lesser-known films by William Friedkin:

Cruising (1980) which stars a wily Al Pacino, was poorly received and controversial at the time of its release.

Based on a novel, the film documents the story of an undercover policeman (Pacino) investigating the murder of gay men by a serial killer.

This one’s dark and gritty, best watched with a friend and probably at home, so you can pause often and steel yourself with more popcorn before continuing.

To Live and Die in L.A. (1985) is a masterpiece that was given four out of four stars by film critic Roger Ebert when it came out.

It’s the story of two Secret Service agents trying to catch an expert counterfeiter. It has some of the best chase sequences you’ll likely ever see in a movie.

Watch it if you’d like to learn what not to do when faking your CV for your next job application.

Killer Joe (2011) is about a not-so-smart drug-dealing kid pretty down on his luck and in need of some serious cash.

His million-dollar idea— that gets the narrative ball rolling — is that he should kill his mom and collect the life insurance money.

This film showcases maybe Matthew McConaughey’s best performance. He did this one shortly after Magic Mike, which we strongly recommend you watch directly afterward as our specially curated double feature.

If You Liked…

Ryan Gosling hoping he’s made enough money to finally impress Barbie. (Still from: The Place Beyond The Pines)

Killer Joe (2011): The Place Beyond The Pines (2012), Joe (2013), The Drop (2014)

The Pod Generation (2023): Cold Souls (2009), About Time (2013), Me Before You (2016)

Eat, Pray, Love (2010): Midnight in Paris (2011), Wild (2014), Nomadland (2020)

Thanks for reading and please keep it up every week!

Oh, and if you’re liking our newsletter share it with your friends or your cousins or even your cat 🐱

See you next Friday,

The Watchlist Team.

7 Must-See Bottle Films to Watch This Week!

Jamie Reeves — Fri, 04 Aug 2023 16:00:00 +0000

Hello!

This week we’re doing something a little different. We love all kinds of movies, but for this edition of the Watchlist, we’d like to give a little love to those simpler ones. Simpler not in plot or character development but in place.

We’ve put together a list of our favourite bottle films. These films either take place in a single room, a few artfully selected locations, or even only a phone booth.

We’ve loved watching these minimalist masterpieces and we hope you will too!

As always, read to the end to discover more recommendations in our “If You Liked,” section.

_{12 Angry Men}₍₁₉₅₇₎

The twelve angry men take a vote on whether to watch Barbie or Oppenheimer first.

Genre: Drama
Director: Sidney Lumet

This isn’t only a film about twelve angry guys, as its title may suggest. It’s the story of a twelve-man jury tasked with making a decision that may forever alter another human being’s life.

Most of the jurors simply want to make it quick and head home for a cold beer, but one juror thinks they owe it to the defendant to actually talk it all through 🙄

Sidney Lumet, the celebrated director (at the beginning of his career with this feature), actually makes jury duty thrilling to watch. It’s the ideal movie to see before any obligatory civic duty.

_{Rear Window}₍₁₉₅₄₎

When they won’t text back.

Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Hitchcock’s classic starring James Steward makes you rethink time alone at home. Equipped with a camera, the protagonist of the film begins to puzzle together a conspiracy happening right outside his window.

If you’re a part-time voyeur hoping to sharpen your skills or you’d like to relive being stuck indoors during the pandemic then this is the movie for you.

It’s currently listed as #38 on Sight and Sound's list of The Greatest Films of All Time.

_{Reservoir Dogs}₍₁₉₉₂₎

Discount Wednesday at the cinema.

Genre: Neo-noir/Crime
Director: Quentin Tarantino

If anything this film will at the very least offer you an insightful interpretation of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin.” This film was Tarantino’s directorial debut, and it heralded a new and exciting voice in cinema, albeit one obsessed with feet.

It’s about eight gangsters out on a serious diamond heist; these guys aren’t trying to swipe your grandmother’s purse. The story mainly plays out in a cavernous warehouse where the gangsters deal with the aftermath of the heist.

The film went on to be considered a cult classic and was named, “The Greatest Independent Film of All Time,” by Empire.

_{Dog Day Afternoon}₍₁₉₇₅₎

Al Pacino remembering that it was Fredo.

Genre: Crime/Drama
Director: Sidney Lumet

Dog Day Afternoon is a hauntingly tense thriller crafted by Sidney Lumet starring a frenzied Al Pacino and an enigmatic John Cazale.

A bank robbery doesn’t go according to plan and the two robbers involved must find a way to navigate a situation that grows more complicated by the second. It’s like when a friend says just one drink but you end up with a load of hostages and police surrounding the bar.

This film won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay in 1975.

_{Phone Booth}₍₂₀₀₂₎

When your Mom tells you to pay for your own Netflix account.

Genre: Psychological Thriller
Director: Joel Schumacher

The poor old humble phone booth. They’d already been on a steady decline since the 70s, the last thing they needed was Colin Farrell being held hostage inside one for a 81-minute feature film.

If they made a sequel to Phone Booth today, it’d be an 81-minute unsuccessful slog around a city before finding an out of service booth, covered in smashed glass, beer cans, and urine.

Fun fact: Larry Cohen originally pitched the movie concept to Alfred Hitchcock in the 60s, Hitchcock liked it, but it never went forward.

_{The Whale}₍₂₀₂₂₎

Brendan Fraser begging his daughter to stay and watch The Mummy one more time.

Genre: Drama
Director: Darren Aronofsky

Aronofsky’s claustrophobic tale of self-shame and isolation is a moving portrayal of attempting to overcome what scares us the most.

Brendan Fraser plays a morbidly obese teacher, Charlie, who works from home with his webcam turned off. Although it probably isn’t the intended message, when Charlie orders several pizzas all for himself you’ll probably want to pause the film and do the same.

Fraser managed to take off his fat suit in time to receive the Academy Award for Best Actor for this film.

This one’s our recommendation to stream while working out 🏋🏽‍♂️

_{Funny Games}₍₂₀₀₇₎

Your partner loading the gun 3 minutes into the movie.

Genre: Thriller
Director: Michael Haneke

Before I get into it, the original of this movie, Funny Games (1997) by the same director is arguably better. It’s a little harder to find, and you’ll need English subtitles, but it’s great.

Nevertheless, the 2007 remake (American version) is still worth a watch. It starts with an unpalatable grindcore song that is guaranteed to make your partner turn to you with a dissatisfied look whilst you scramble for the TV remote to decrease the volume.

The movie follows two very polite psychopaths as they terrorise a middle class family on their vacation. Haneke has stated that the film is a reflection and criticism of violence used in media.

_{If You Liked…}

12 Angry Men: Rashomon (1952), Conspiracy (2001), Tape (2001)

Rear Window: Vertigo (1958), Disturbia (2007), The Woman in the Window (2020)

Reservoir Dogs: Pulp Fiction (1994), Snatch (2000), Inside Man (2006)

Dog Day Afternoon: Network (1976), Heat (1995), Good Time (2017)

Phone Booth: Panic Room (2002), Collateral (2004), Cellular (2004)

The Whale: The Wrestler (2008), Precious (2009), Shame (2011)

Funny Games: Eden Lake (2008), Natural Born Killers (1994), Psycho (1960)

Thanks as always for reading. Let your friends know if you think they’d enjoy it.

We’ll be back in your inbox next Friday with a look at what’s new in the world of cinema and streaming.

The Watchlist x

Your Weekly Update on Streaming and Cinema's Latest Releases!

Omar Bishir — Fri, 28 Jul 2023 16:00:00 +0000

The Spotlight

Barbie movie gives new life to the iconic toy.
Disney releases remake of Haunted Mansion.
Knock at the Cabin hits Prime Video.
We celebrate Greta Gerwig’s box office success.

Stick around until the end when we share our recommendations if you liked God’s Country, Little Women, and Knock at the Cabin.

What’s At The Cinema?

Barbie and Ken hoping to find more pink outfits on sale.

Barbie reinvents the famous doll with a tale of existential angst. When Barbie, brilliantly played by Margot Robbie, starts having thoughts of death, she ventures out of Barbieland and into the real world to uncover the cause of this totally unacceptable state of mind.

If you like occasional musical numbers, the colour pink, and Ryan Gosling (who seriously steals the show as a Barbie-obsessed Ken) then make sure to see this one on the big screen.

Here are some reviews you can trust:

Haunted Mansion is a remake of the 2003 film, which was based on the Disney theme park ride of the same name. Disney seems to be stuck on haunting our collective screens with redos of their old ideas; this time the studio takes it literally with a star-studded ghost-story.

Danny DeVito trying to remember his lines.

Set in New Orleans, this movie takes on bigger themes than its former version as it attempts to deal with loss and the afterlife. If all that feels a bit gloomy— don’t worry, it still has ghosts trying to kill people and Danny DeVito being Danny DeVito.

Expect an audience full of scary movie lovers and fans of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia… my kind of people.

Also, there’s still time to watch Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One in a dark room full of other people you don’t know munching on popcorn.

What’s Available to Stream?

Ron Weasley bringing his crew to try and steal Harry’s wand.

New to streaming this week, depending on where you are and if you use a VPN or not:

Prime Video: Knock at the Cabin (2023)
Hulu: God’s Country (2022), Smoking Causes Coughing (2022)
Netflix: Paradise (2023), Hidden Strike (2023)
MAX: August: Osage County (2013), After the Bite (2023)
Apple TV+: The Beanie Bubble (2023)
Paramount+: Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)

Knock at the Cabin, the latest by M. Night Shyamalan, auteur and master of the twist ending, will be released on Prime Video this week. If you’ve booked an idyllic cottage in the woods this summer, don’t watch this movie.

It tells the story of a gay couple and their daughter enjoying a special getaway before having their cabin besieged by four armed intruders, who are tasked with an important mission.

The film keeps you on edge as you wait to see how harsh this family’s online review will inevitably be.

Sandra ready to flunk her students.

On Hulu, you can catch the heady God’s Country starring Thandiwe Newton as Sandra, a former cop turned university professor, who you seriously don’t want to mess with.

When she’s not busy marking papers, she’s protecting the land she lives on in the vast expanses of western Montana. Things come to a head when two hunters trespass on Sandra’s land and the conflict between them and her escalates.

Check it out if you’re in the mood for an adult version of Home Alone.

What We’re Watching

Gerwig writing the script for Barbie so she can move on with her life.

To celebrate Greta Gerwig’s massive box office hit, Barbie, we’d like to salute other films either directed or starring the multitalented actor/director:

Little Women (2019) is Gerwig’s adaptation of the classic novel of the same name. It stars Saoirse Ronan as Jo March, a young woman determined to decide her own future and become a writer.

Her sisters, Meg, Amy, and Beth are also trying to find their paths in life but, unlike Jo, have to deal with the stress of Jo constantly turning their every move into fiction.

It’s an ideal film to watch with your overly intrusive sibling to teach them a lesson.

Mistress America (2015) is a highly underrated cinematic gem written collaboratively by Gerwig and her long term partner, the filmmaker Noah Baumbach.

It follows Tracy Fishko, smartly played by Lola Kirke, as she navigates her first year at college. She feels lost and uncertain of herself in New York City and decides to call her soon-to-be stepsister Brooke (Gerwig) to be her guide.

20th Century Women (2016) has a brilliant ensemble cast that portrays a kind of family at a unique moment in time. Annette Bening plays Dorothea Fields, a matriarch that has her own style of doing things in 1970s California.

She enlists the help of various women, one being Abbie portrayed by Gerwig to help raise her son. The film is a semi-autobiographical story of director Mike Mills teenage years.

If you’ve been trying and failing to start a nice commune with a few of your friends this might be the one to watch.

If You Liked…

The women from Little Women waiting to see which recommendations you’ll choose.

God’s Country: Straw Dogs (1971), Hell or High Water (2016), The Beasts (2022)

Little Women: Pride and Prejudice (2005), Lady Bird (2017), Emma (2020)

Knock at the Cabin: The Village (2004),The Strangers (2008), Us (2019)

Thanks for reading! The newsletter will turn a month old at the beginning of next week. Oh how it’s grown.

If you’re enjoying what we’ve sent you so far, reply to this email and let us know.

See you next Friday,

The Watchlist Team.

7 Films That Inspired, Resemble, or Were Directed by Christopher Nolan

Omar Bishir — Fri, 21 Jul 2023 16:00:00 +0000

Hello!

This edition of The Watchlist is a love letter to one of our favourite directors, Christopher Nolan, in honour of the release of Oppenheimer this weekend. Whether you’ll be seeing the film because you’re a devoted Nolanite or simply a Barbenheimer groupie, we want to make sure you’re ready.

We’ve compiled a list of seven film recommendations from movies that have inspired the master director to ones similar to Oppenheimer to ones directed by Nolan himself that you may have missed.

As always if you’ve already seen our suggestions check out the “If You Liked” section to discover more!

Oppenheimer anxious to see our recommendations.

_{Lawrence of Arabia}

Genre: Historical Drama
Director: David Lean

Lawrence of Arabia trying to get to the cinema early for Oppenheimer.

This historical epic is one of the grandest and most lavish films in all of cinema history. Nolan has named it one of his favourite films ever and even an inspiration for Batman Begins, curiously enough.

Similar to Oppenheimer in its vast scope and significance, it tells the story of how one man shaped the fortunes of many while dehydrating in a desert… pretty impressive.

Try your best not to watch this one on your phone with the cracked screen because the landscapes are pretty awe-inspiring.

_{Dr. Strangelove}

Genre: War/Comedy
Director: Stanley Kubrick

The PR team behind Barbenheimer at work.

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb would be a fitting sequel to Oppenheimer. Kubrick’s outlandish satire puts us at the heart of a crisis that would see the world as we know it come to an end.

Kubrick had originally intended the film to be a serious action drama about nuclear war, but thankfully for us, he changed course completely.

If Oppenheimer leaves you stressed out by humanity’s future prospects check this one out as soon as you can.

_{The Imitation Game}

Genre: Historical Drama
Director: Morten Tyldum

Alan Turing trying to figure out what you meant by “OK” in your text.

Across the ocean from Oppenheimer, another great mind was hard at work to defeat the Nazis. Alan Turing, a British guy who’s really great with numbers, was tasked with breaking the unbreakable German enigma code so that people could finally read their German ex’s texts.

It’s a great companion piece to Nolan’s film as both real-life protagonists contributed substantially to ending World War II and under great time restrictions as well.

Watch them both instead of buying that overpriced self-help book on how to stop procrastinating.

_{All Quiet on the Western Front}

Genre: War/Drama
Director: Edward Berger

How it felt when Netflix put a stop to password sharing.

This 2022 German-language drama, which won the Best International Feature Film at the Academy Awards, is a brutal vision of war.

Set during World War I, it depicts a young German soldier, Paul, who at first looks forward to being part of the conflict but quickly finds out he’d rather have stayed at home playing Minecraft.

The 1930 English-language version of this film directed by Lewis Milestone has served as a huge inspiration to Nolan over the years.

You can stream this one on Netflix, by the way!

_Dunkirk

Genre: War/Drama
Director: Christopher Nolan

Everyone trying to take cover from A.I.

Dunkirk is one of those films that’ll have you in a constant state of anxiety; each scene is like a tea kettle about to boil over. This nail-biter about primarily British (but also French and Belgian) soldiers attempting to evacuate Dunkirk prior to a German bombardment is one of Nolan’s best.

It’s a super relatable film if you’ve ever been stuck at a really crowded beach and just felt like getting back to your air-conditioned living room, but obviously with much higher stakes.

A must-see before Oppenheimer, if you missed this one back in 2017!

_{Hiroshima, mon amour}

Genre: Drama/Romance
Director: Alain Resnais

Debating whether to Netflix and Chill after dinner.

With a screenplay penned by the famous French novelist Marguerite Duras, this film holds a special place in the French New Wave. It documents a love story between a French actress and a Japanese architect in postwar Hiroshima.

Told in a mesmerising flashback structure, it’s a sensual and devastating film to watch. It has a dreamlike quality that’s bound to stick with you.

Best viewed a few days after you’ve had time to process Oppenheimer.

_{A Hidden Life}

Genre: Historical Drama
Director: Terrence Malick

Hoping to get IMAX tickets for Oppenheimer before they sell out.

Hidden away in the lush green hills of Austria during World War II, Franz Jägerstätter refuses to fight for the Nazis. His radical pacifist stance gets him in trouble with those in his community who think he’s just a lazy treehugger.

An important film to watch alongside Oppenheimer as it shows the other side of the coin: the power of choosing not to do something.

Directed by the genius that is Terrence Malick this one will leave you thinking about what it means to challenge authority in the most difficult of times.

_{If You Liked…}

Lawrence of Arabia: Braveheart (1995), Hidalgo (2004), Queen of the Desert (2015)

Dr. Strange Love: Full Metal Jacket (1987), The Men Who Stare at Goats (2009), War Machine (2017)

The Imitation Game: A Beautiful Mind (2001), The Theory of Everything (2014), The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015)

All Quiet on the Western Front: The Deer Hunter (1978), Waltz with Bashir (2008), Fury (2014)

Dunkirk: Saving Private Ryan (1998), Unbroken (2014), 1917 (2019)

Hiroshima, mon amour: The English Patient (1996), The Reader (2008), Frantz (2016)

A Hidden Life: The Tree of Life (2011), Testament of Youth (2014), Hacksaw Ridge (2016)

Thanks as always for reading our humble little newsletter. We’re loving writing it and watching it slowly grow.

We’ll be back in your inbox next Friday with a look at what’s new in the world of cinema and streaming.

Until then, enjoy Oppenheimer and have a lovely weekend.

The Watchlist x

Your Weekly Update on Streaming and Cinema's Latest Releases!

Omar Bishir — Fri, 14 Jul 2023 16:00:00 +0000

The Spotlight

New Mission: Impossible film hits theatres.
Pixar puts out its newest effort, Elemental.
Bird Box Barcelona premieres on Netflix.
Trailer for Joaquin Phoenix’s Napoleon released.

Stick around until the end when we share our recommendations if you liked The King’s Speech, Master Gardener & Her.

What’s At The Cinema?

Tom Cruise waiting for you to stop talking during the movie.

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning: Part One sees Tom Cruise return as Ethan Hunt, the spy who refuses to retire. The film showcases the most spectacular action sequences you’ll likely see all year. At 61, Cruise pulls off some of the best stunts of the franchise.

Fittingly, the villain of this epic blockbuster is A.I. and the story centres on Hunt’s effort to stop it from taking over. Check it out if you have mixed feelings when using ChatGPT.

He usually just flows but around her he’s sweltering.

Elemental is the latest from Pixar, the studio known for innovative plots, films about talking toys, and a French rat that probably cooks better than you do.

This story is set in a city where residents live in different communities based on what element they are: fire, water, land, and air. When a young fire lady and a strapping water fella link up, they learn about what their communities may have in common.

Also, there’s still time to catch Master Gardener and Insidious: The Red Door in those cushioned theatre seats.

What’s Available to Stream?

When you regret buying those low-cost flights to Barcelona.

New to streaming this week, depending on where you are and if you use a VPN or not:

Prime Video: The King’s Speech (2010), The Portable Door (2023)
Hulu: The Two Faces Of January (2014), A Little White Lie (2023)
Netflix: Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2022), Bird Box Barcelona (2023)
MAX: Gray Matter (2023)

Bird Box Barcelona will be released on Netflix on July 14th and it’s our pick of the week, mainly because it takes place in our city.

The movie is a continuation of the 2018 Netflix hit “Bird Box” starring Sandra Bullock, but it’s set in sunny Barcelona this time. Get ready for streets and beaches littered with bodies, people shielding their eyes and surprisingly not many birds… sounds like a regular day here.

The King’s Speech is on its way to Prime Video this coming week. The award-winning film follows King George VI (Colin Firth) as he tries to overcome his stammer and lead his country through World War II by delivering a crucial speech.

We recommend watching it to get psyched up before sending that long-overdue text you’ve had in your drafts for the last two months.

What We’re Watching

Joaquin Phoenix freaked out by the size of the hat he’ll have to wear for Napoleon.

In honour of the new trailer for Napoleon directed by Ridley Scott and starring Joaquin Phoenix as the infamous dictator, we suggest three other films featuring the consummate actor:

Beau is Afraid (2023) delivers on its title masterfully. It really is Beau being afraid for nearly three hours. In this bizarre reality that director Ari Aster’s given birth to, Beau (Phoenix) is an isolated and impotent man making his way to visit his mother.

His trip is plagued by accidents, past traumas, and even a theatre play. It’s the film to watch if you want to feel like you’re tripping on acid without taking acid.

C'mon C'mon (2021) stars Phoenix as a lovable and quirky uncle who has to look after his nephew when his sister is in need. Phoenix plays a radio journalist who interviews kids and teenagers around the U.S. about their lives.

It’ll probably make you cry with its moving depiction of adult-child relationships or serve as a much-needed fantasy if your niece or nephew is an entitled brat.

Her (2013) remains one of the actor’s strongest performances. He plays Theodore Twombly, a man grieving the loss of a relationship who enters a romance with an advanced computer voiced by Scarlett Johansson… doesn’t sound too bad.

Passionately directed by Spike Jonze, this film will stick with you and make you want to run out to your nearest Apple store in search of love.

If You Liked…

Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray debating whether to order more gyozas.

The King’s Speech: The Darkest Hour (2017), The Iron Lady (2011), The Intouchables (2011)

Master Gardener: First Reformed (2017), Nightcrawler (2014), Drive (2011)

Her: Ex Machina (2015), Lost In Translation (2003), You’ve Got Mail (1998)

Thanks for reading! You’re currently part of one of the tiniest movie clubs online.

If you watched any of our recommendations, reply to this email and let us know what you thought.

See you next Friday,

The Watchlist Team.

Discover Our Must-Watch Movies of 2022!

Omar Bishir — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 16:00:00 +0000

Hello!

This edition of The Watchlist is dedicated to our favourite movies from last year. In the entirely possible scenario that you’ve already seen all 10 of our suggestions, we also finish off with our signature “If You Liked” section where we propose 30 more!

If you’ve seen all 40 recommendations then maybe you don’t need to be subscribed to a movie recommendation newsletter after all.

The Wonder

Genre: Psychological Drama
Director: Sebastián Lelio

Florence Pugh confused as fuck by girl who won’t eat.

In The Wonder, an English nurse (Florence Pugh) is summoned to an isolated Irish village and tasked with solving the mystery of a young girl who’s survived for months without food.

Many in the village believe it to be a divine miracle rather than just a new diet trend. The film examines the divide between faith and rationality, leaving you guessing until the end.

Living

Genre: Drama
Director: Oliver Hermanus

Bill Nighy waiting for you to go check out Living on Prime Video (US and UK).

Living is an English adaptation of Akira Kurosawa’s iconic film Ikiru (literally meaning “To Live,” in Japanese).

It stars Bill Nighy as a lonely and reserved civil servant with an apathetic approach to his life and work, or in other words the required qualifications for any government job. A terminal diagnosis changes everything and sends him on a search for purpose.

Aftersun

Genre: Drama
Director: Charlotte Wells

Paul Mescal taking a nap after learning about his Oscar nomination for Aftersun.

Aftersun is a poignant story about a father-daughter (Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio) summer vacation at a resort in Turkey. Set in the late 1990s it has that serene before-social-media vibe when people more often encountered each other by chance.

It’s the perfect film to help you de-stress after spending too much time browsing those old family albums. It also topped Sight and Sound’s list of the “50 best films of 2022”.

The Pale Blue Eye

Genre: Mystery/Thriller
Director: Scott Cooper

Christian Bale wishing his agent had got him a film in the Bahamas instead.

The Pale Blue Eye is a murder mystery in which Detective Landor (Christian Bale) is invited to a military academy to investigate the killing of a cadet. Harry Melling plays a shrewd Edgar Allan Poe wanting to help crack the case.

The film is loaded with creepy details like the victims having their hearts torn out. A must-see if you’re planning your own string of murders in 1830s New York.

The Menu

Genre: Comedy/Horror
Director: Mark Mylod

Master the kitchen, and I master Potter at last.

Lord Voldemort & Anya Taylor-Joy star in horror-comedy The Menu which gives a glimpse into the world of eating at expensive restaurants run by celebrity chefs.

Whilst the social commentary is served up in predictably small portion sizes with edible flower garnish, the overall feast of black comedy is surprisingly quite filling. The less you read about this one the better, we recommend going into it blind.

The Whale

Genre: Drama
Director: Darren Aronofsky

The only photo that ever seems to be used for this movie.

Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale follows a morbidly obese English teacher who pushes the boundaries of reclusiveness and attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter.

I was hesitant at first… if I wanted to watch a fat guy lay around his apartment I’d just look in the mirror. But I digress, this movie isn’t about just self-reflection, it relentlessly deconstructs themes ranging from guilt to grief, love to loss and religion to addiction.

Triangle of Sadness

Genre: Satire/Comedy
Director: Ruben Östlund

Brendan Fraser celebrating the success of The Whale

Triangle of Sadness is Ruben Östlund's Palme d'Or-winning film that follows a celebrity couple on a luxury cruise ship that sails the turbulent waters of power, wealth, and beauty.

Seems last year was the year of the dark comedy, but did any of the others contain a disgusting 15-minute-long vomiting and raw sewage scene? No.

Depending on how this information resonates with you, we either strongly recommend this movie or strongly recommend you avoid it.

The Banshees of Inisherin

Genre: Comedy/Drama
Director: Martin McDonagh

Gleeson telling Farrell to fuck off.

Even mates break up sometimes. The Banshees of Inisherin tackles the fragile nature of friendship in an intimate story set on a fictional Irish island during the Civil War. Colm (Brendan Gleeson) wants to dump Pádraic (Colin Farrell) so that he can focus more on his musical ambitions.

Pádraic takes it badly (to say the least) and intense turmoil develops between the former friends. They seemed to be getting along a whole lot better during In Bruges (2008).

Bones and All

Genre: Horror/Romance
Director: Luca Guadagnino

Chalamet and Russell worrying about their cholesterol levels.

Bones and All is a haunting romance with a brutal wound at its heart. Overly sensitive viewers should definitely avoid this film about a pair of star-crossed cannibals (Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet) traversing the United States looking for their next meal.

The story is beautifully brought to life by director Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name) who won the Silver Lion for Best Director at the Venice Film Festival for this film.

The Northman

Genre: History/Action
Director: Robert Eggers

Skarsgård and Taylor-Joy judging everyone in The Northman.

The Northman is a classic revenge tale about a man hunting down the guy that’s sleeping with his mum. Whether she met him through Viking Tinder, or he lured her in with the invention of the hair comb, it’s payback time.

Prince Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård), stubbornly vows to save his mother and plans his whole life around it instead of getting therapy.

If You Liked…

The Wonder: Hunger (2008), Saint Maud (2021), Lady MacBeth (2016)

Living: The Remains of the Day (1993), Ikiru (1952), The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

Aftersun: Somewhere (2010), Captain Fantastic (2016), Call Me By Your Name (2017)

The Pale Blue Eye: Sleepy Hollow (1999), Knives Out (2019), The Prestige (2006)

The Menu: Parasite (2019), The Hunt (2020), Boiling Point (2021)

The Whale: The Wrestler (2008), Shame (2011), What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)

Triangle of Sadness: Force Majeure (2014), Another Round (2020), The Square (2017)

The Banshees of Inisherin: In Bruges (2008), The Nice Guys (2016), Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Bones and All: Thelma and Louise (1991), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Raw (2016)

The Northman: Valhalla Rising (2009), The Revenant (2015), Gladiator (2000)

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Next Friday, we’ll return with our usual format, covering what’s new in the world of cinema and streaming.

Until then, enjoy your weekend!

The Watchlist.

What to Watch This Weekend & Beyond

Jamie Reeves — Fri, 30 Jun 2023 15:30:00 +0000

The Spotlight

New Indiana Jones film hits theatres.
Jennifer Lawrence returns with sexy comedy.
TÁR & Avatar: The Way of Water are now available to stream.
We celebrate Paul Thomas Anderson’s birthday.

And be sure to stick around until the end when we share our favourite films to watch if you liked Asteroid City, Reality & TÁR.

What’s At The Cinema?

The fifth & final instalment of Indiana Jones starring Harrison Ford.

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny marks the highly-anticipated return of the film series since 2008’s Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull. In this fifth and final instalment, Jones (somehow) finds himself in hot water for opposing Nazis being recruited by the U.S. government and sets out to find a time-travelling dial before it falls into enemy hands.

Check it out if you love adventure and hate fascists. It hits the screens on June 30th.

No Hard Feelings stars Jennifer Lawrence as a soon-to-be bankrupt thirty-something trying to get by— sounds relatable. She accepts an unlikely Craigslist gig: helicopter dating a shy, introverted 19-year-old. With lots of sex and parties, it’s the perfect movie to take your awkward child to!

There’s still time to catch Asteroid City, The Flash & Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse on the big screen.

What’s Available to Stream?

Cate Blanchett looking stressed by Netflix’s lack of options.

New to streaming this week, depending on where you are and if you use a VPN or not:

Prime Video: TÁR (2022), Armageddon Time (2022)
Hulu: Barbarian (2022), Infinity Pool (2023)
Netflix: Extraction 2 (2023), Missing (2023)
MAX: Evil Dead Rise (2023), Reality (2023)
Disney +: Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
Apple TV: Ghosted (2023)

Prime Video has added TÁR (2022), a movie in which Cate Blanchett has rightly garnered critical acclaim for portraying Lydia Tár, the first female chief conductor at the Berlin Philharmonic.

The movie is more than just Tár throwing shade at whoever pisses her off, it’s actually an insightful commentary on power dynamics and cancel culture. It’s our pick of the bunch!

On Hulu, you can find out what happens when a suburban Airbnb with some creepy shit downstairs gets double-booked. Justin Long and Georgina Campbell star in Barbarian (2022), a screwball horror that’ll make you overanalyse your relationship with your mom.

If you still haven’t seen James Cameron’s super expensive movie about those blue things, you can now check it out on Disney+. Elsewhere, Reality (2023) is a must-watch for those critical of the United States’ pesky surveillance tactics. Make sure you’re stocked up on aluminium foil for this one.

What We’re Watching

Adam Sandler playing the harmonium in Punch-Drunk Love.

Whether you still buy DVDs or have a hook for an arm, we humbly recommend these three Paul Thomas Anderson films in celebration of his recent birthday:

Punch-Drunk Love (2002) is Anderson’s most heartwarming film. It stars Adam Sandler as a toilet-plunger salesman who has seven abusive sisters, buys pudding for the frequent-flyer miles, and fights for love.

It’s the ideal movie to watch on date night or to learn what to do when you’re being blackmailed by a phone-sex line. The film won Anderson the Best Director award at the 2002 Cannes film festival.

The Master (2012) also known as Anderson’s Scientology movie centres around Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), an aimless World War II vet who encounters an enigmatic leader of a religious movement, Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman).

Freddie likes mixing his own drinks, having sex with sand sculptures of women and jumping on board strange ships— call him for a good time.

Phantom Thread (2017) is Daniel Day-Lewis’ final film in which he plays Reynolds Woodcock, an obsessively meticulous dressmaker, whose world is forever changed when he meets Alma (Vicky Krieps) in 1950s London.

If you were once one of those Tumblr junkies that endlessly posted cobblestoned streets, cloudy skies and steamy cups of tea, then this one’s for you. Anderson was inspired by Hitchcock’s Rebecca (1940) when he wrote this haunting love story.

If You Liked…

Moonrise Kingdom, arguably Wes Anderson’s signature movie.

Asteroid City: Moonrise Kingdom (2012), Nope (2022), Synecdoche, New York (2008)

Reality: Snowden (2016), The Fifth Estate (2013), Enemy of the State (1998)

TÁR: Black Swan (2010), Whiplash (2014), Birdman (2014)

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See you next Friday,

The Watchlist Team.