Isolation Media 101: HBO Edition
It’s a weird time to be alive, there’s no doubt about that. The news alternates between sad and scary because no one knows what is going to happen next. So the perfect cure for this kind of atmosphere is simple: escapism. Whether your preference is books, movies, music, tv or podcasts, there are so many options it’s almost overwhelming, even with nothing to do but take it all in.
So I’m going to do one streaming service for a week and just watch as much as I can without going crazy and am going to report back, whether to steer you clear of a time-waster or recommend a hidden gem. Or even just confirm what everyone has already known. (Yes, I’m late to the game but now I know how amazing Succession is.)
First up: HBO. I did a free week trial and got more than my money’s worth.
The Favourite
This movie definitely will not be for everyone, but once I found out it was actually based in some history, I found it fascinating. It’s also some of Olivia Colman’s best work - which is saying something. I’m a sucker for a period movie and learning something while being incredibly entertained sounds like a solid movie in my book.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
The Aftermath
So you know how I said I love period dramas? Normally, you throw Keira Knightley into one of those and I’m sold without needing to ever see a moment of it. I saw the preview for The Aftermath over and over and couldn’t wait to see it, and unfortunately, it let me down. It felt predictable and had an unsatisfying ending, which is never what you want.
The Verdict: 2.5/5
Can You Ever Forgive Me
Since it had been a while since I’d seen Melissa McCarthy in anything that wasn’t a slapstick comedy and wow, how did more people not talk about this movie? It’s incredibly sad at times but I couldn’t help rooting for McCarthy’s character who is both impressive and unlikable at the same time, which is an incredible feat by any actor.
The Verdict: 4/5
Intolerable Cruelty
This movie is impressively misleading. The cover, the name, Catherine Zeta-Jones in her perfect leading lady outfit makes this scream rom-com. Then it started. And I learned it was a Coen brothers movie. I was honestly impressed with how well it masqueraded as a romantic comedy and then turned the trope on its head. I’m pretty sure I’m only docking some points because I felt tricked.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
Jobs
I knew that two movies about Steve Jobs came out right around the same time and knew Ashton Kutcher was a part of one, and that was the extent of it. I enjoyed the biopic, but still felt despite them showing some of the lesser parts of Jobs’ character, he came off awfully squeaky clean in the end. I felt like I just wanted a bit more authenticity.
The Verdict: 3/5
Brexit
Unfortunately - or fortunately, depending on who you ask - I don’t know much about the Brexit movement, especially those that were all for this change. This movie was not the most attention grabbing, dramatic or even awe inspiring, but I felt I learned a lot in a fairly entertaining package about something that is changing the world, and that means I got exactly what I expected.
The Verdict: 3.5/5
Dangerous Liaisons
Within twenty minutes of watching this movie, I stopped and said, “Wait is this a less interesting version of Cruel Intentions?” And yes, of course, this one came first, but also, I wasn’t wrong! Turns out they have the same source material. The plot of this one is good, of course, but it felt a little too drawn out for me. And honestly, I get why Cruel Intentions modernized it.
The Verdict: 2.5/5
Pokemon: Detective Pikachu
This is a stupidly cute movie. It is not an award winner or a head scratcher but it is so insanely adorable. I mean, have you seen pokemon? Like any of them? They’re bound to make anything a bit better. But it’s actually funny, has an actual plot and is pretty to look at even without the little monsters. And it’s Ryan Reynolds as a pikachu. What more do you need to know?
The Verdict: 3/5
Yesterday
I regretted not seeing this one in theaters for a while, but after seeing it, I’m kind of glad I only spent time and not money. The music is solid, of course, and everyone is pretty endearing, but a few things about the plot irked me and, frankly, just didn’t make sense. A few times I really all but scratched my head and wanted to say, “I’m sorry, what?” out loud. But for a Beatles fan, it is probably still worth a watch.
The Verdict: 2.5/5
Green Lantern
I got irrationally excited when I saw this on HBO. I have a love of really, really bad movies and despite hearing about this one for literally years, I never got around it. It was pretty bad. But, my problem was that it wasn’t bad enough to wrap around to be good again. It somehow also made Blake Lively look like a terrible actress, despite many other movies that prove the exact opposite.
The Verdict: 2/5
Succession
Okay, this one isn’t a movie. But I couldn’t stop watching it. It’s House of Cards but subtract the politics and add in a family business. And make it better. My only disappointment was that there were only two seasons to watch, but honestly, 20 episodes of a show is absolutely what you need when you’re stuck in isolation mode. Long enough to get invested but not so long you get bored.
The Verdict: 4.5/5
What’s the best thing you’ve watched on HBO?