While we’re all waiting for cinemas to reopen and the world to return to some semblance of normality, eager film fans have been feasting on the numerous treasure of digital downloads to sate their cinematic appetites. Now, thanks to Sony Pictures Home Entertainment this will be a more affordable pursuit thanks to their collection of Watchlist Movies – all of them films you need to see. Promotions like these are great for film fans wanting to catch up with a classic, or to discover something new.
You can catch all these movies and more, available to rent or buy on digital right here.
The offers last until the 10th of May, so there’s plenty of time to choose your favourites. In that spirit here are our picks from the great films on offer.
Ghostbusters
It’s only right that we begin with a classic film from the ’80s, one which has cast a great big Stay-Puft shaped shadow since its release. Rarely has comedy and horror been melded so flawlessly (American Werewolves notwithstanding), and it holds up extremely well today. The 2016 Paul Feig sequel is also available.
Little Women
This ’90s adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s classic tale has heart as big as its cast. If you’ve seen Greta Gerwig’s phenomenal version this one is well worth a look, as the dynamics between the March sisters are just as warm and inviting. Also – Claire Danes will shatter your heart into a thousand pieces. Be prepared.
Spider-Man Into the Spiderverse
It’s easy to be overlooked when the Avengers juggernaut is passing through blockbuster city, but for our money dierctors Peter Ramsey, Rodney Rothman and Bob Persichetti made the best superhero film of the last ten years with this multiverse tale. Full of heart and head-spinning animation, you won’t regret a moment spent in the Spiderverse.
Boyz N The Hood
Few directorial debuts have the power or the impact of the much missed John Singleton’s coming of age film Boyz n the Hood. The cast alone (Cuba Gooding Jr., Laurence Fishburne, Regina King, Nia Long, Angela Bassett…) make this film a standout, but there is a fearsome energy and truth in every frame. If this is new to you, make some time. You won’t regret it.
Lawrence of Arabia
David Lean’s masterpiece is a classic of the seventh art. With an iconic lead performance from Peter O’Toole, Lean’s life of T. E. Lawrence is a sprawling exploration of identity and allegiance set against the Great War. It’s an Oscar darling that is worthy of its accolades. It also has arguably the greatest edit in cinema history.
Girl, Interrupted
This gripping 1999 adaptation of Susanna Kaysen’s memoir benefits greatly from its cast, which includes early roles for Clea DuVall, Elisabeth Moss and Jared Leto. However, it is the twin stars of Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie which elevate this psychological drama to must-see status.
Director James Mangold (recently recruited to take on the fifth Indiana Jones film) made the film following his exceptional police drama Cop Land. It’s quite the one-two punch, and Mangold steps back here to let the cast bring the heart of the story out.
Brightburn
With superhero film making huge amounts of money it was only natural that audiences would be looking for something more than powerful beings fighting off extraterrestrial threats. Brightburn from James, Mark and Brian Gunn subverts the Superman origin story to gruesome effect. Elizabeth Banks and The Office’s David Denman play parents of Jackson A. Dunn’s Brandon, the young boy coming to terms with bullys, his powers and his alien origins. It’s a terrifying premise, and the darkness at the heart of this film makes for a compelling tale.
The Lady in the Van
For 15 years Mary Shepherd lived in a beaten up old van in the London driveway of Alan Bennett. The odd situation inspired a book, a stage play and a radio play and finally this 2015 film. As well as Bennett’s wry observations the true magic here is Maggie Smith, who took on the role for the radio and stage adaptations. Heartwarming, but with melancholic shades, this is a fine film to share an evening with.
Groundhog Day
This is a well loved film that, appropriately, works on repeat viewings. It is also a rare thing: a high concept comedy film which made a massive amount of money. It is also in no danger of a remake, though it has become shorthand for any film with a timeloop. Bill Murray brings great nuance to his role, and will charm you time and time again.
Blade Runner 2049
It seemed an impossible task: to follow up one of the greatest landmark sci-fi films of all time, and to do it well. In lesser hands it might have failed, but Denis Villeneuve’s sequel to Blade Runner was just as full of neon-soaked existential dread and complex emotional themes as the 1982 original. Harrison Ford and Edward James Olmos return from Ridley Scott’s film, joined by Ryan Gosling, Ana de Armas, Robin Wright, Mackenzie Davis and Jared Leto. It’s a visual spectacle, and a worthy continuation of a genre-defining film.
