What to Watch This Quarantine: Foreign Movies

As many of us are stuck indoors for extended periods of time, the only options for entertainment are streaming.  Now that we have been quarantined for a very extended period, you might be running out of your normal movies to watch. Luckily, we have you covered with some foreign films that might provide you new perspectives and let you visit places and see cultures you wouldn't normally see.   

El Amor Menos Pensado (HBO) - Mature Intelligent Romantic Comedy
This highly rated Latin comedy received praise for its mature writing, funny subject matter, and intelligent observations on life and romance.

Furie (Netflix) - Martial Arts Action
An intense martial arts action movie about a mother trying to track down her kidnapped child before it is too late, this one had heart, suspense, and most importantly, very good martial arts fighting.

Gully Boy (Amazon) - Uplifting Hip Hop Drama
Gully Boy is an absolute treat, a film about underground Indian hip hop that has good messages, charming characters, and a ton of great hip hop.  This one is one of my favorite foreign films I have seen in recent memory. 

Parasite (Hulu) - Intense Psychological Thriller
Parasite is like having two films in one, and the combination of the two results in a suspenseful, methodical story that has some interesting characters and plenty of surprises.  For more information, check out our review!

Photograph (Amazon) - Touching Romantic Drama

From the director of The Lunchbox--one of my favorite foreign films in recent memory--comes another unlikely romantic tale.  In it, a struggling street photographer convinces a shy stranger to pose as his fiancee during a family visit, which leads to more than either of the pair expected.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (Hulu) - Understated Romantic Drama

Portrait of a Lady on Fire is an understated masterpiece, with wonderful acting, superb sounds throughout, and a story that will paint a wonderful movie picture for you.  For more information, check out our review!

Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (Amazon) - Fun Bollywood RomCom
Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan is both an important milestone for Bollywood and an enjoyable Rom-Com with great performances, laugh out loud moments, and a strong message that should not be missed.  For more information, check out our review!

Street Dancer 3 (Amazon) - Fun Dancing Action
Street Dancer 3D takes on the world with intense and grandiose dance battles from some immensely talented performers.  For more information, check out our review!

War (Amazon) - Explosions Biceps Action
War has two charismatic stars, plenty of explosions, biceps, big action, and enough fun to keep entertained for its two and a half hour duration.  For more information, check out our review!

What to Watch This Weekend: October 11, 2019

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In Theaters: War

War has two charismatic stars, plenty of explosions, biceps, big action, and enough fun to keep entertained for its two and a half hour duration.  For more information, check out our review!

At Redbox: Midsommar

Ari Aster's slow burning, brightly-lit horror movie is a psychological masterpiece with plenty of tension and a wonderful sense of contrast due to horrific events happening in a beautiful, summer village.  It is not for everyone but if you have the patience for it, Midsommar is a unique and interesting horror film.

Streaming (Amazon): Hereditary
Keeping with the Ari Aster theme, Hereditary is a film that has a wonderfully disturbing build up with an unsatisfying ending.  However, the journey to get to that ending is well worth it and if you are trying to get into the Halloween mood this is a perfect disturbing horror film. 

Streaming (Amazon): Photograph
From the director of The Lunchbox--one of my favorite foreign films in recent memory--comes another unlikely romantic tale.  In it, a struggling street photographer convinces a shy stranger to pose as his fiancee during a family visit, which leads to more than either of the pair expected.

Review: War

Release date: October 2, 2019
Running time: 154 minutes
Starring: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Vaani Kapoor 

In War, young but talented agent Khalid (Shroff) must hunt down the newly rogue agent Kabir (Roshan), who was the best of the best.  Khalid must go against his mentor, meaning that he has to take down the man that taught him everything he knows.  

This film is an over the top action movie; think if Mission Impossible met Fast and the Furious.  As with the Fast and Furious films, the action can border on the ridiculous.  Think an agent jumps in against impossible odds, takes a ton of perfectly placed slow motion shots, defeats the others with impeccable martial arts, and then finishes with a knowing look at the camera.  It's not a bad thing, you just have to make sure you are in the mood for it.  The action in this film (and there is a ton of it) is generally very enjoyable, with over the top gunplay, well choreographed martial arts (especially from the impressive Shroff), and plenty of chase scenes.  And thankfully, these intense action scenes are broken up by traditional Bollywood dance numbers!

This movie depends heavily on its main stars, and thankfully they are up to the task.  Roshan is fantastic as you would expect, a little too confident but that is the character he plays.  Shroff is also quite good as his student turned hunter; and the two of them have a great chemistry throughout the film.  The rest of the cast is mostly forgettable, but they do a fine job of supporting the two main stars.  

The criticisms of this film are typical of Bollywood action movies.  There is a ton of slow motion shots that are meant to highlight the star making the shot, the camera sometimes seems only interested in filming the star saying the perfect line with the wind in their hair, the main stars are near invincible and all knowing, and the CG can at times look a little low budget compared to the spectacle around it.  But don't let these dissuade you from seeing this film; if you like Bollywood action movies then you will get what you expected except with two charismatic stars instead of one.

If you like biceps and big action, then make sure to check out War.  It has two charismatic stars, plenty of explosions, and enough fun to keep entertained for its two and a half hour duration.

Watch it