10 Theater Releases In 2020 You Can Watch From Your Couch
As an introvert, isolation isn’t too terrible for me. I’m one of those awful people that is baking a lot and cleaning out my apartment and using each streaming service I have to its utmost ability. Sure, I definitely miss going out with friends for dinner or drinks. And I absolutely miss a time where there wasn’t a low hum of fear in the back of everyone’s mind when you leave your home for any reason.
But the main social experience I miss most is movies. If it’s not obvious from the fact that this blog exists, I love movies. Going to see a new release was a standard date night for my boyfriend and I. It was a way I’d treat myself on a weekend to some time to myself and a small popcorn. It was what I’d bond with one of my good friends over - and we’d often see movies ‘together’ by accident - same time but different theaters.
And 2020 had just gotten started. Award season had ended and we were inching closer to blockbuster season and then - bam - no theaters, no new movies (crossing my fingers that Tenet really does get to be our first next release in July) and no new reviews for me. But there are quite a few films that if you missed them in theaters, you can stream (usually for a small price to rent) and enjoy from the comfort of your living room, even if we yearn for the theater the whole time.
Onward
Free on Disney +
Onward was the last movie I got to see in a theater before the world screeched to a halt, and I legitimately loved it. Not only was it a truly entertaining movie, but it was unique! It was a story I’d never heard before, it wasn’t a sequel and it wasn’t a remake. When you find something like that, you grab onto it. And it’s the only free one on my list, so I’d be a fool if I didn’t recommend it.
Emma
Available to own for $15 (YouTube, Amazon, etc.)
Okay, okay, don’t hate me. I went from the cheapest movie to the most expensive. But honestly, this may be my favorite movie of 2020. It’s an incredible adaptation of the Austen novel, beautiful to watch and has an optimistic (while somehow still a bit snarky) air to it that is what I find myself clinging to as the news is doom and gloom. I could wax poetic - even more than I have in my review - about how much I love this movie.
Birds of Prey
Available to own or rent starting at $4 (Amazon, YouTube, etc.)
I’m so glad that this movie is available to rent. It’s stupidly fun, phenomenally choreographed and manages to not have that dreary feeling that tends to haunt most DC films. This is the exact opposite. It’s loud and colorful and zany. It’s everything that Suicide Squad tried to convince us it could be. And somehow, for a supervillain movie, it’s not as dark as you’d expect, so maybe most of the family could enjoy it.
The Gentlemen
Available to own or rent starting at $5 (Amazon, YouTube, etc.)
Talk about a classy looking movie. In my mind, this is a spiritual sequel to Man from UNCLE if in no other way than its style. I enjoyed every single moment of seeing this movie in a theater, and I feel like the fun would translate just fine to a smaller screen in a living room. It’s smart, exciting and creative, and it held my interest incredibly easily. It’d be a great distraction for an evening, and one I think you’d end up recommending too.
1917
Available to own or rent starting at $6 (Amazon, YouTube, etc.)
I went back and forth as to whether or not I should put this movie on the list since it really is so impressive on the big screen. A lot of its success comes from the visual style and I wasn’t sure if you’d lose out on it watching it outside of a theater. However, it really is a solid, rather unique take on the standard war film, and it’s worth a viewing - especially if you tend to assume all of this genre is the same.
Bad Boys For Life
Available to own or rent starting at $5 (Amazon, YouTube, etc.)
I’ll confess, I didn’t see this one, but a couple of my friends did and said it was a fun film. Considering how long the gap was in between the last Bad Boys movie and this, that’s something to truly appreciate. And hey, for only $5, especially if you aren’t isolating alone and can split the cost, there are very few movies that aren’t worth that!
Dolittle
Available to own or rent starting at $6 (Amazon, YouTube, etc.)
Speaking of movies that aren’t worth their cost…sorry, I have to inform you that somehow, someway, there is not a (legal) free way to watch Dolittle. I’m in no way saying you should watch this movie. But as I truly believe that this movie is worse than Cats, if you happen to be like me and have a sick fascination with incredibly bad movies, you’re welcome and I’m sorry.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Available to own or rent starting at $5 (Amazon, YouTube, etc.)
Unfortunately, since we only got about one movie into blockbuster season, there aren’t a ton of family movies. However, now that this is no longer the nightmare Sonic that we all got a glimpse of in the original trailer (sorry for the nightmares if that just inspired you to look it up), it could be the perfect thing to entertain the entire family, as long as you can get past some really, really serious product placement.
Invisible Man
Available to own May 12
I know this one isn’t available as of the time of posting, but I couldn’t leave it off. This lower budget horror film didn’t get much time at all in theaters and it definitely hurt it, despite me hearing nothing but good things about it. I’ll admit that I’m a huge chicken when it comes to scary movies so I haven’t seen it yet, but I’m really confident in telling anyone who needs a non-realistic-virus-related scare to check it out.
Bloodshot
Available to own or rent starting at $6 (Amazon, YouTube, etc.)
This could be worth the entertainment because right about now, there’s something to be said about some mindless media. But also, there is a How Did This Get Made podcast episode about it. So whether this reminded you that you wanted to see the movie or that this was not something you thought would be worth it, either the movie or the podcast would serve to take your mind off things for a few hours.
Which 2020 delayed release are you most looking forward to? I think I’m still counting down the days until I can finally see the next Wonder Woman.