Movies I got to FINALLY watch during the quarantine

One of my toxic traits is watching one of my favorite movies for the 40th time instead of picking something that I've never seen before. Quarantine seemed like a blessing in disguise to finally catch up on many of the movies from my watchlist. Here are some of them:

1. HEREDITARY (2018)

When the grandma of the Graham family passes away, her daughter (Toni Collette) and her family begin to discover cryptic and scary secrets about their ancestry. They are trying to outrun the unwanted fate they have inherited.

Toni Collette once again proved that she is one of the best present-time actresses. Her portrayal of Annie Graham was just so raw and emotionally intense. The now-iconic dinner scene from this movie is probably the number one reason why you should watch it. Such an intense and exposing scene.

I'm not a huge fan of horrors but I enjoyed 'Hereditary' as well as Midsommar a lot. The director and scriptwriter of both movies- Ari Aster has such a unique and exceptional point of view. Even if you don't like horrors (especially when their only aim is to scare) you will appreciate different aspects of Aster's movies. For instance, the cinematography, lighting details, or sound. There's a scene somewhere in the middle of the movie when Peter (Alex Wolff) lays on the bed watching a red-lit treehouse. You can see the reflection of the color in his eyes so distinctly, a truly incredible still.

8/10

2. THE WIFE (2017)

In this movie, we follow the story of a couple married for over 40 years. The husband is a great American novelist who is enjoying his current public role and worldwide success, and the wife gracefully and diplomatically supports her family and lives in the husband's shadow. The truth is, she is actually behind all of his acclaimed work. When Joe is about to be awarded the Nobel Prize, Joan starts to think about the shared compromises, lost chances, and hidden lies. Will she decide to stay in the shadow? Or after all these years face and address her husband's narcissism?

Incredible acting roles of both Glenn Close and Jonathan Pryce. This movie was the one that everyone thought Glenn Close will finally get her well-deserved Oscar for. The award eventually went to Olivia Colman for her great portrayal of Queen Anne in "The Favourite". Glenn Close is undoubtedly one of the greatest living actresses and for her role as Joan Castleman in "The Wife", she received both the Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild award, among many other wins and nominations.

Glenn Close's rawness and stillness are so beautifully captivating. Her depth is visible in every scene, and the story comes across truthfully. It shows how far can people go for love, and what sacrifices are they willing to make. The movie captivates some of the most beautiful aspects of love but also highlights the struggles and pain hidden under the surface.

7/10

3. EX MACHINA (2014)

Ex Machina is a science-fiction psychological thriller that follows a young programmer who gets a chance to become a part of a peculiar, scientific experiment where he is expected to assess artificial intelligence by interacting with a female robot and examining her reactions. The movie was shot in the UK and Norway.

I wanted to watch this movie for such a long time and finally managed to! Thanks, Netflix. I loved Alicia Vikander's performance in the movie. So interesting to see her take on such a demanding role, to see her take on a "robot" character. There are basically only 4 characters in the entire movie. For some reason, I was missing something from it. I wish the relationships between characters would escalate a bit more. I understand that it was probably the vision for this film, but somehow it didn't move me the way I thought it would. I don't know what was missing here for me personally, but definitely have a watch and decide yourself. Maybe you'll love it!

6/10

4. OUT OF AFRICA (1985)

Meryl Streep is my absolute favorite actress. Period. Her work is just phenomenal and she's an everyday inspiration to me. I love watching her older movies and following her journey to becoming the most respected living actress, who has been nominated for a record number of 21 Academy Awards! Including her role in this movie. In "Out of Africa" she's playing the aristocratic Karen Blixen who travels to Africa to join her husband (Klaus Maria Brandauer) on a coffee plantation and not as an initially planned dairy farm. After discovering that her husband is unfaithful she develops feelings for hunter Denys (Robert Redford). Karen will be eventually forced to decide between love and her personal growth.

Meryl Streep developed her very convincing accent by listening to recordings of real-life Karen Blixen reading her works. The movie has such beautiful cinematography. The stunning African landscapes, some breath-taking scenes, and beautiful music. About 70% of the movie was actually shot in Africa. The movie was directed and produced by Sydney Pollack. The film is based on the autobiographical book Out of Africa written by Isak Dinesen (the pseudonym of Danish author Karen Blixen).

The pace of this film is often rather slow, reflecting Blixen's original book, "Natives dislike speed, as we dislike noise..." Naturally, the film will not be everyone's cup of tea, but if you appreciate good acting and cinematography you will enjoy it! It's a classic.

7/10

5. IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK (2018)

Now more than ever we should watch movies like "If Beale Street Could Talk" to educate ourselves about the important issues such as institutional racism. This movie is a beautiful story about a young couple dreaming of a future together. The movie is set in the 70' in Harlem. Plans of Tish and Fonny are derailed when Fonny is arrested for a crime that he didn't commit. When Fonny is already under arrest Tish finds out that she's pregnant with his baby.

In 2019 Regina King received an Academy Award for her supporting role as Tish's mother in the movie. Her performance is incredible. The movie was directed by Barry Jenkins ("Moonlight"). It's a very intimate and moving story that was gorgeously crafted and performed.

The soundtrack for "If Beale Street Could Talk" is just so good. Original Motion Picture Score by Nicholas Britell from 2018. Nicholas Britell has also composed the music for Oscar-winning "Moonlight".

8/10

6. EL ANGEL (2018)

Carlos meets Ramon at his new school and is trying to show off in front of him to get his attention. Innocent troubles slowly become serious crimes, often including violence. Their intentions become more deadly, eventually leading to Carlos becoming the longest-serving prisoner in Argentina's history. The movie is based on a real-life story.

The movie was stunningly directed by Luis Ortega. The soundtrack of the movie matches perfectly the atmosphere with mostly Spanish rock songs. The costumes are incredible and so well thought out. The acting in the movie is great and so truthful. I loved the charisma of the characters.

It's such an intense and unbelievable story and it seems even crazier when you think that it was actually based on real-life events. The cinematography fully shares the energy of all the places shown in the movie, highlighting very sensual darkness.

8/10

7. THE FAREWELL (2019)

A beautiful story about family values. Billi (Awkwafina) and her family return to China under the guise of a wedding to have a chance to say goodbye to their beloved grandma- the only person from the family that doesn't know she has only a few weeks to live.

Awkwafina received a Golden Globe for the Best Actress in 2020 for her role in 'The Farewell'.

I love how the movie was primarily shot in China. Changchun, China, to be precise. It gives the audience such a remarkable, honest vibe. It's a story about Chinese family reuniting after many years in the place they all can call their first home.

The music in 'The Farewell' is so appealing and cinematography is just stunning, with an eye for lovely, delicate details. Lulu Wang on top of directing and writing this movie has also played the piano on the film's soundtrack.

The really interesting thing about 'The Farewell' is the fact that it's based on a real-life story. More precisely Lulu Wang's (writer and director) family story. As the family in the film does, her family did lie to Wang's grandmother about her terminal cancer diagnosis in an attempt to prolong her life. The element of the story in which they use a family wedding as an excuse for everyone to come from far away and visit the grandmother because she is dying was also based in fact.

8/10

8. VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA (2008)

"Blue Jasmine" is my favorite Woody Allen movie, and I would rate it 10/10 hands down. "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" is one of my mom's absolute favorites. Even though she was mentioning it to me probably like a million times before 2020, I only watched it just now during the quarantine.

I liked it. It's definitely not one of my favorites but I enjoyed it. In 2009 Penelope Cruz received the Academy Award for best-supporting actress for her portrayal of Maria Elena. Her performance in Vicky Cristina Barcelona was incredible.

We follow the story of two friends, Vicky (Rebecca Hall) and Cristina (Scarlett Johansson), who on a summer holiday in Barcelona have both an unexpected affair with a handsome painter, Juan Antonio (Javier Bardem), and are unaware that his ex-wife Maria Elena (Penelope Cruz) is about to re-enter his life and shake things up.

6/10

9. MOMMY (2014)

There's something really fresh about this movie. It has probably something to do with its director Xavier Dolan who was only 25 when he directed this incredible movie. I could tell that someone who directed this movie is from my generation because of the soundtrack. Lana Del Rey's "Born to Die" finished the movie with such strong note and brought me back in time to 2012 when the song was playing all over the radio stations.

The characters in the movie are so well played. With 3 names leading the cast- Antoine Olivier Pilon as Steve, Anne Dorval as Diane, and Suzanne Clement as Kyla. Actors are speaking French with some occasional English lines. The story is set in Canada.

Steve is a very unpredictable and often violent teenager that despite his young age has already been in lots of troubles. His mom Diane is relentless when it comes to her family and even though sometimes in Steve's presence she feels unsafe, she still prefers to have him home rather than closed in some sort of mental health institution. She's determined to fight for her son and hopes for a better future. Their peculiar neighbor Kyla offers to help Diane with some of her duties bringing at the same time hope and light to both her and her son.

8/10

10. THE IRON LADY (2011)

I saw a review online that goes "The Iron Lady is a performance in the search for a film". I don't completely agree with that but someone's got a point. Meryl Streep's performance is so full, accurate, and captivating that when I think about the movie that's all I see. I think the story was lost a bit in the making and Streep's performance overpowered the movie. It lacked specificity to match such incredible performance by the one and only Meryl Streep. Nonetheless, I so enjoyed it. Meryl Streep is just fascinating to watch every time she's onscreen. I also really liked how wonderful Olivia Colman portrayed Carol Thatcher and loved seeing unexpectedly Phoebe Waller-Bridge popping on the screen for one short scene!

The Iron Lady is a very intimate portrayal of one of the best British prime ministers. It's subtle, sensitive, and full of grace. The focus on Margaret Thatcher's failing health was a big factor in the story. I think it would be a much more powerful movie to watch without emphasizing the later-in-life health issues. The movie didn't answer some of the questions that pop up while watching it so, I did a little research myself after watching it. It fueled my curiosity- if that was the goal of the filmmakers.

7/10

11. BOYHOOD (2014)

It was really exciting to watch actors get older with the development of the movie. Usually for a project like that production would cast 2, 3, or more actors to portray a specific age of the character, and then obviously instead of shooting it for over 12 years, it would be shot in a couple of months. I appreciate the idea and the dedication with which this movie came to reality. I loved Patricia Arquette's portrayal of the mother, so natural and beautiful. Arquette won all major supporting actress awards in 2015 including an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and a Bafta Award. The editing in the movie was also outstanding.

Boyhood is a 2014 American coming-of-age drama. It follows Mason and his sister Samantha who live with their mother, the father has visiting rights and also regularly spends time with the kids. That's how the movie starts. Later on, we watch the incidents that occur across a period of twelve years that mold Mason's life.

When we hear that the movie was filmed over 12 years we expect something extraordinary and incredible, so I guess I was a little disappointed that I only just "liked it". It's a good film, made in a very special way. The performances of Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke are really good and captivating. It's very true that the movie showed so many nostalgic moments and made it easy to relate because of its natural, unforced flow. So, have a watch and see if you're going to like it.

6/10

12. MDSOMMAR (2019)

What a powerful movie. In 'Midsommar', a couple travel to Sweden after their friend invites them to his hometown, for a well-known midsummer festival. What at first seems as a rustic retreat soon devolves into a violent and bizarre competition run by a pagan cult.

Amazing performance by Florence Pugh who in my opinion is one of the best young actresses.

The cinematography in the movie is just stunning. Everything is spot on and so well thought out. Costumes are incredible as well. The May Queen Dress used in the movie was sold to the Academy Museum for $65,000 during A24 Charity Auction.

Fun fact is that when the film was released in Sweden, rather than evoking fear in the audience, many people laughed. Some Swedish critics praised the film as a great black comedy. So, if you're not a fan of horrors, maybe you'll enjoy it as a comedy!

7/10

13. PRIMAL FEAR (1996)

'Primal Fear' is a crime thriller based on the 1993 novel written by William Diehl. The film tells the story of a Chicago based defense attorney who is convinced that his altar boy client is innocent and did not murder an influential Catholic Archbishop.

The highlight of this movie for me is Edward Norton's performance as Aaron Stampler (the altar boy accused of the murder). Norton received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 1997 for his portrayal of Aaron in 'Primal Fear'.

The movie is unexpectedly full of plot twists that keep you engaged in the story throughout the movie until the very surprising end. It's definitely one of the classics that I'm glad I was finally able to watch.

7/10

14. NELL (1994)

'Nell' is a stunning movie with an incredible leading performance by Jodie Foster. The movie also stars Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson who were also amazing as their characters. Nell (Jodie Foster) is a wild child that was completely cut off from the modern world and has lived her entire life with her mother in a mountain cabin in North Carolina, completely isolated.

After her mom passes away she is found by Dr. Jerome Lovell (Liam Neeson) who is fascinated by Nell, and created by her language. Lovell is not the only one curious about Nell and her living habits. Psychologist Dr. Paula Olsen (Natasha Richardson) decides to camp out close to Nell's cabin and watch her behavior and set up a tactic to slowly introduce her to a much larger world she has no idea about.

Jodie Foster was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress in 1995 for her portrayal of Nell. It's such a beautiful and intimate story. It's a treat for the eye. The cinematography in the movie is astonishing and the music just perfectly adds up to the atmosphere of the film.

8/10