By Bradley Lane
The Cabin in the Woods (2011): The debut feature from director Drew Goddard, this movie is a loving tribute to horror movies and their idiosyncrasies. A horror experience that not only provides entertainment but also a very clever allegorical explanation of why audiences seek out and love horror
movies. It is essential viewing if you consider yourself a horror fan. (Available on Hulu and Amazon Prime)
First Reformed (2018): One of the greatest ruminations on faith ever brought to film, Paul Schrader’s First Reformed is a film that rewards patience. Quiet moments of prayer document a troubled priest’s ailing mind as he battles with the world and his own body decaying around him. (Available on Amazon Prime)
Hook (1991): Timeless charm and fun abound in this classic Robin Williams flick about youth and aging. In uncertain times like these, comfort feels a lot like visiting old friends, just like Peter does in Hook. It’s a great time worth sharing with the whole family. (Available on Netflix)
Kusama: Infinity (2018): Yayoi Kusama is an original in every sense of the word. Both well told and concise, this documentary is a genuinely emotional look into one of the most influential artists of the 21st century. (Available on Hulu)
Love and Mercy (2014): Speaking of great movies about influential artists, Bill Polhad’s Love and Mercy is a biopic about The Beach Boys’ own Brain Williams. Told both in the 1960s and 1980s, it documents the writing process of his masterpiece, Pet Sounds and his tumultuous relationship with his personal doctor, Dr. Eugene Landy. (Available on Hulu)
Scooby Doo on Zombie Island (1998): To many people my age, this direct-to-video Scooby Doo film is a classic of our childhood. Zombie Island picks up the Mystery Inc. story as the gang reunites after splitting up years prior. Both impressively written and animated for a straight-to-video release, I
cannot recommend this one enough. (Available on Netflix)
Sorry to Bother You (2018): Just moments into this film it becomes very apparent that writer and director, Boots Riley has a lot to say. Riley utilizes clever dialogue, hilarious jokes, and white-hot rage to make himself heard. This one will have you have you in stitches while watching it and yet will have
you still thinking about it for days afterward. (Available on Hulu)
The Spectacular Now (2013): I am a sucker for coming-of-age movies and this one
hits all the right notes. It feels like a 1980s John Hughes movie but modernized and elevated to a more artistic level. It is an emotionally complex film that’s a great watch for teens and adults alike. (Available on Netflix)
Suspiria (1977 & 2018): An inexplicable disappearance leads the way to discovering a
mysterious secret at the heart of a prestigious dance academy in Germany. It was originally made in 1977 by Dario Argento and then later remade by another Italian director, Luca Guadagnino in 2018. Both films are impressive but are made even more interesting when compared to one another because of how different each director’s approach is to the same source material. (Argento’s 1977 Suspiria is
available from Tubi for free and Guadagnino’s 2018 Suspiria is available from Amazon
Prime with a subscription)
