Believe it or not, a lot of new films have been released since movie theaters were shuttered by the coronavirus pandemic — and a lot of good films.
Believe it or not, a lot of new films have been released since movie theaters were shuttered by the coronavirus pandemic — and a lot of good films.
They have arrived by streaming service, cable television, on-demand, drive-in and even Instagram. But the movies have kept coming. Here are 10 favorites of AP Film Writers Jake Coyle and Lindsey Bahr:
“Driveways”: A gracefully understated film about next-door neighbors — one an eight-year-old boy (Lucas Jaye), the other a retired Korean veteran ( Brian Dennehy, in one of his last performances) — who become unlikely friends, Andrew Ahn’s exquisitely gentle little movie has felt blessedly nourishing this spring. The tale might be sentimental, but Ahn’s touch is true, and the performances of the three leads (including Hong Chau, as the boy’s mother) are all tenderly human. The beautiful final shot is achingly sweet. (Available for digital rental.) — Coyle
— “Never Rarely Sometimes Always”: Eliza Hittman’s “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” will break your heart, and you’ll be glad it did. This quiet, sharp and deeply felt drama about a teenage girl in rural Pennsylvania who must travel to New York to get an abortion is the kind of film that burrows deep into your being and stays with you long after. Newcomers Sidney Flanigan and Talia Ryder capture the unease of simply existing in their teenage girl bodies when the world sees them only as objects to be possessed and controlled. (Available for digital rental) — Bahr
— “New York,New York”: Spike Lee has an ambitious Vietnam War veteran film, “Da 5 Bloods,” coming to Netflix, but he’s already made possibly the most indelible and moving film of the pandemic. Set to Frank Sinatra, the three-minute short “New York,New York” simply and straightforwardly captures lockdown in Lee’s home city.
