As we practice social distancing and quarantine during this new age of COVID-19, there’s only so much to do when stuck at home. Luckily, for all the cinephiles and TV buffs out there protecting themselves from coronavirus, we have our streaming services to keep us company. Today, at Strange Harbors, I’ll be recommending some of my personal favorites across all platforms that you can stream while self-isolating. Without further ado, here’s the official Strange Harbors quarantine streaming guide…

Timely, relevant, and genuinely terrifying, Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man recontextualizes a classic Universal monster into a modern examination of abuse, toxicity, and gaslighting. With impeccable spatial awareness, gripping soundscapes, and an unforgettable performance from Elisabeth Moss, The Invisible Man isn’t just one of 2020’s best horror movies, it’s one of its best films, period. Minor spoilers ahead…

Baffling title drama aside, Birds of Prey is a boisterous and colorful addition to the DCEU. More “DC” than “EU,” director Cathy Yan assembles a squad of DC Comics heroines in a rollicking, stand-alone adventure. While there’s not much substance to its story, Birds of Prey’s narrative shortcomings are outweighed by its confidence and bombastic action, including a pitch-perfect performance from Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn. Minor spoilers ahead…

A breathtaking technical marvel, Sam Mendes’ 1917 is a single-shot journey through the horrors of World War I. Aided by the sweeping camerawork of cinematographer Roger Deakins, the film is an astonishing piece of storytelling, if a little emotionally frigid. But even with its remoteness, George Mackay and Dean-Charles Chapman put forth tremendous physical performances that make the film a sight to behold. Minor spoilers ahead…

Introducing The Strange Harbors Podcast, a weekly discussion of film and television. With the future of HBO’s Watchmen in a state of uncertainty, we’ve decided to pivot to a more general discussion of cinema and pop culture. Join me, Derek Wong, and new host Amir Touray every week as we dive deep into big blockbusters, indie favorites, and under-seen hidden gems. Hopefully, the same insight and analysis we brought to Watchmen will translate over to your favorite films and television shows.

2019 was an embarrassment of riches when it came to cinema. While it’s true that most years require at least some thoughtful contemplation when it comes to whittling down a top ten, 2019 was especially difficult in curating a “best of” list. In the final year of the 2010s, we had tender space odysseys, biting showdowns between the haves and have-nots, treatises on loves won and lost, and deeply personal stories mined from the past - just to name a few. The movies were a hell of a place to be last year. So, let’s pour one out for the decade as it sails into history by celebrating some of my favorite films of 2019.

As we bid farewell to the 2010s, here is the A Year in Film mashup of the decade. 2019 was another great year for cinema, and now at its end, we’re celebrating all the movies that came out this year with another trailer mashup. Science fiction, drama, horror, thriller, romance - it’s all represented here in one giant extravaganza. So get comfy and grab your popcorn…

Lazy and uninspired, J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is a pandering regression from the bold new direction established by Rian Johnson’s The Last Jedi. Even worse, it’s the first Star Wars film engineered to please its loudest and most troubled demographic: the toxic fandom. A frantic rush to bring a nine-film saga to a close, The Rise of Skywalker is filled with narrative dead-ends, aborted character arcs, and generic fetch quests, all designed to please as many people as possible. Minor spoilers below…

After the back-to-back successeses on Netflix with Gerald’s Game and The Haunting of Hill House, renowned horror master Mike Flanagan attempts to snag his whale. An adaptation of the Stephen King novel and a full-on sequel to Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining, Doctor Sleep is ambitious, thrilling, and beautifully realized…but ultimately a mixed bag. There’s much to love, but the film still lies in the shadow of Kubrick’s mad genius. Mild spoilers ahead…

The Irishman, Martin Scorsese’s latest gangland epic, is a somber and morose journey through the life of Bufalino hitman Frank Sheeran. Based on the real Sheeran’s biography “I Heard You Paint Houses,” the film is a measured departure from Scorsese’s past filmography and the genre he helped revolutionize; the mob movie to end all mob movies, The Irishman is a masterful exploration of tragedy and the gravity of regret. Mild spoilers ahead…

I don’t find myself trafficking in hyperbole or superlatives very often, but Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite is a cinematic masterstroke that deserves every bit of its widespread acclaim. A film that defies both genre and expectation, Parasite is a complex and scathing meditation on class and human nature that bends to the director’s razor-sharp whims. Easy to love and difficult to categorize, Bong Joon-ho’s latest is undoubtedly the best film of the year. This review will detail some broad plot points, so if you prefer a pure experience, I suggest not reading any further. Minor spoilers ahead…

Despite the return of Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor and director James Cameron as producer, Terminator: Dark Fate once again proves that the killer cyborg franchise is running on fumes. Touted as a return to form for the series and a long-awaited followup to Cameron’s first two sci-fi classics, the film is positioned as redemption for a series that has long been floundering and misguided. Unfortunately, however, Dark Fate serves up neither the nail-biting terror of The Terminator nor the white-knuckle action of Terminator 2: Judgment Day, all the while shedding the emotional throughlines that made them great. Mild spoilers ahead…

Breaking Bad series creator Vince Gilligan returns to helm a one-shot epilogue centered around Jesse Pinkman in El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie. Taking place right after the events of the acclaimed AMC drama, El Camino is neither essential nor groundbreaking, but it is an absolute pleasure to behold. Like slipping on a pair of worn and comfortable shoes, Gilligan and Aaron Paul make a thrilling and confident return to the world they left behind six years ago. Minor spoilers ahead…

Joker, director Todd Phillips’ long-awaited - and controversial - take on the Clown Prince of Crime, is a prime example of a film whose architecture outstrips its narrative. Even with Joaquin Phoenix’s no-holds-barred performance, Hildur Guðnadóttir’s thunderous score, and Lawrence Sher’s stunning cinematography, Joker is nothing more than a shallow homunculus of better films. Mild spoilers ahead…

Sprawling in its vision and intimate in scope, director James Gray follows up The Lost City of Z with his affecting space drama, Ad Astra. Brad Pitt puts forth one of the most subdued - yet poignant - performances of his career as astronaut Roy McBride. A powerful meditation on fathers, sons, and masculinity, Ad Astra profoundly deconstructs a traditional character archetype with a deft hand. Mild spoilers ahead…

It Chapter Two, director Andy Muschietti’s followup to 2017’s wildly successful It, is a baffling hodgepodge of half-baked ideas. Every time the film has an interesting choice to make, it makes the wrong one, squandering its stellar cast and Stephen King’s rich mythology. Frustratingly overlong and exceedingly myopic, It Chapter Two is one of this year’s most disappointing horror blockbusters.

A violent romp of class warfare, Ready or Not is a fun - if predictable - exercise in survival horror. Neither very insightful nor clever, the film is bolstered by a single silver lining: the undeniable charm of Samara Weaving. The Australian actress is far and away the best part of the movie, carrying its light narrative with her considerable charisma. And while Ready or Not may not be particularly deep, its B-movie thrills and kills are sure to guarantee at least a passably good time.

Tigers Are Not Afraid, the new film from writer and director Issa López, is a haunting blend of fairy tale and horror. Bracing and fearless in its magical realism, the film navigates a nameless Mexican city in the throes of gang warfare and violence. Anchored by a stunning and precocious young cast, Tigers Are Not Afraid is a confident effort by López that combines affecting storytelling with a poignant message. Minor spoilers ahead…