Things to Do at Home: The Best Movies, TV Shows, Operas and Stage Plays to Stream

Mandatory stay-at-home and social distancing orders have Hawai‘i residents scrambling to figure out our own versions of the “new normal.” But at the end of the day we all need a little distraction while we attempt to curb the spread of COVID-19. So let us introduce to you the ultimate guide to quaran-streaming.

April 1, 2020

Katie Kenny,

Movies

Stream a Movie Meant for Box Office Release, Now!

A handful of newly released movies have been smartly switched from the cinemas to streaming services. Some of the biggest names are DC’s Birds of Prey with Margot Robbie; The Invisible Man starring Elisabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale); Guy Ritchie’s newest an-American-in-London ensemble gangster film, The Gentleman, starring Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam and hapa hottie Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians); and The Way Back starring Ben Affleck. These titles range between $14.99 and $19.99 on Amazon Prime, which seems high but not if you had to buy two or more movie tickets instead. All of these are on my list—or my dad’s list since I’m stealing his account right now. (What can I say? Times are tough.)

After rewatching this trailer I can’t help but feel like I need to rethink streaming this at home alone.

#ICYMI Movies

Most of us had every intention of watching Martin Scorsese’s three-hour-plus Oscar-nominated Jimmy Hoffa movie, The Irishman on Netflix, but that’s a really long time if you’re not home most of the day. Well, now’s your time. Other recent big hits to catch if you haven’t already are Parasite (April 8, Hulu), Jojo Rabbit, Knives Out, Uncut Gems, Ford v Ferrari and 1917 (all starting from $5.99, Amazon Prime). But skip Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood because it was all Hollywood hype.

Please Sir, I Want Some More

Let’s be real: Streaming services have been putting out some pretty good original content. For movies this month Netflix is giving us a number of new releases including the Alan Yang (producer and writer of Parks and Recreation, Master of None and The Good Place) multigenerational drama surrounding a Taiwanese American family called Tigertail, which is coming out April 10. And the Joe Russo (who directed the last two Avengers and Captain America movies) war action/drama, Extraction, starring Chris Hemsworth and David Harbour (Stranger Things), comes out April 24.

TV

True Crime Isn’t Going Anywhere

On March 13, Buzzfeed released the sixth season of its popular Buzzfeed Unsolved: True Crime web series. So far there are only three 19- to 25-minute episodes available on YouTube and Amazon Prime but expect more every Friday this month. If you get hooked and want more, the first five seasons of the show are on Amazon Prime, YouTube and Hulu, as well as the Supernatural and Sports Conspiracies spinoffs.

The Lazy Person’s Perfect Party

By now you’ve caught wind of a Netflix watch party. You and your buddies download the Chrome browser extension, pick a show, join the joint session, start typing in your group’s chat window and then kick back with a box of your finest wine. Tiger King, both seasons of You and the cringe-worthy yet addicting Love Is Blind are definitely made for watch parties.

Finally Binge-Watch One of Those Shows

This is easy: High Fidelity (Hulu), Schitt’s Creek (Netflix, Hulu, YouTube), Sex Education (Netflix), When They See Us (Netflix), The Haunting of Hill House (Netflix), Little America (Apple TV+), The Morning Show (Apple TV+), Russian Doll (Netflix) and The Umbrella Academy (Netflix). Add to watchlists immediately. Thank me later.

But how about all those epically long shows everyone talks about that you never had the time to get into? Now’s your chance to finally binge-watch Breaking Bad (Netflix), The Wire (Amazon Prime), Black Mirror (Netflix) and Mad Men (Netflix).

What’s New

Given the cast of Mrs. America (series premiere on April 15, FX on Hulu) includes Cate Blanchett, Little Fires Everywhere (currently releasing new episodes every week, Hulu) stars Reese Witherspoon and Kerry Washington, and Run (series premiere on April 12, HBO) has Merritt Wever from the insanely good Unbelievable, I’m adding these three to my dad’s lists.

Stage

Say goodbye to the cheap seats in the back. Sit front row (and in your jammies!) and catch these productions from across the Mainland and the pond. Starting on April 2, London’s National Theatre launches a free at-home experience with One Man, Two Guvnors’ starring James Corden. Then every Thursday after, you can watch Jane Eyre, Treasure Island and (one of my personal Shakespearean favorites) Twelfth Night.

Looking for a dreamboat with a sexy English accent to get you through those lonely nights at home? Look no further than Richard Armitage (who starred in the recent Netflix binge-worthy hit, The Stranger) in The Crucible on Digital Theatre.

And just in case you can’t get enough Shakespeare in your life, Patrick Stewart has taken to reciting the Bard’s sonnets every day on his Instagram.

View this post on Instagram

#ASonnetADay
A post shared by Patrick Stewart (@sirpatstew) on Mar 31, 2020 at 1:06pm PDT

Closer to home, Broadway fans can get a free trial with Broadwayhd.com and start streaming plays, musicals and classical ballets such as modern productions of Romeo and Juliet with Orlando Bloom, critically acclaimed performances of The Glass Menagerie with the legendary Katharine Hepburn, an all-female interpretation of Henry IV, Miss Saigon (marking its 25^th anniversary), Kinky Boots, The King and I, Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty and more. Enjoy the free trial and then consider supporting the struggling arts by subscribing for $8.99 a month.

Opera

Bellini’s Norma, starring Sondra Radvanovsky, Joyce DiDonato, Joseph Calleja and Matthew Rose, conducted by Carlo Rizzi, will become available on Sunday, April 5.

The Metropolitan Opera gives fans a chance to stream a new production every night with its Nightly Opera Streams. Each free stream is available for one day, before the next one is released.

Great Long Reads From Our Files

The Strange Stories of Hollywood Filming in Hawai‘i

From plastic palm trees to on-set pranks, from fake languages to obstinate water buffalo, intrepid humor writer Charles Memminger has uncovered the funniest, strangest tales of Island moviemaking.

Read more

The 10 Worst Movies and TV Shows Shot in Hawai‘i

Here’s a roundup of our 10 least favorite movies and shows filmed in Hawai‘i, based on production quality, cultural impact, effect on the state and respect for the Islands.

Read more