By: Oden Taylor

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In an era of self-isolation and social distancing, the movie industry has had to rethink the old ways of releasing their new content to consumers. Instead of going out to the movie theaters, this year the movies are coming straight to our homes through digital streaming services. The following is a list of five movies that you may have missed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic that can help ease your hunger for new content. 

1.“Black is King” | Drama, Visual Album

“Black is King”, Beyonce’s newest visual album, recreates the story of Disney’s “The Lion King”, as a message of hope and strength for young Black boys and girls and their parents alike. This movie came out in line with many of the recent call-outs of systemic racism in our society and not only highlights Black voices and performers but also illustrates the power of human resilience. Watch: Available on Disney Plus.

Watch the official trailer here 

2.“Yes, God, Yes”  | Comedy

“Yes, God, Yes”, written and directed by Karen Maine, tells the story of a young Catholic girl who is having trouble fitting in with her classmates for one very big reason. While everyone else in her class is pledging themselves to abstinence until marriage, her hormones are raging inside her causing her to make some very questionable choices along the wild ride this movie has to offer. Watch: Available on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and Youtube.   

Watch the official trailer here 

3.“Vivarium” | Psychological Thriller

“Vivarium”, directed by Lorcan Finnegan,  is a film like no other. It tells the story of a couple looking to find new housing in a suburban development where all of the houses look exactly the same. After meeting with a property manager the couple is unsure of whether they want to stay there, but unbeknownst to them leaving is not an option. This film takes a very provocative and critical look at the idea of the American dream and turns it on its head. Watch: Available on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Youtube, and Vudu.

Watch the official trailer here 

4.“The Secret Garden” | Fantasy / Family-Friendly 

“The Secret Garden”, directed by Marc Munden, is an “in-theater rental”, meaning it costs almost as much to rent as it would to purchase a ticket at a theater. Don’t let this be a deterrent as this heartwarming movie does not disappoint. With the help of some of the same producers that created the wizarding world of “Harry Potter”, the visual effects help to immerse the viewer into a new realm of fantasy. Watch: Available only on Amazon Prime Video Cinema. 

Watch the official trailer here 

5. “The Rental” | Suspense / Horror

“The Rental”, directed by Dave Franco, tells the story of a group of friends who go on vacation and stay in a privately owned online vacation rental home, similar to something one might find on Airbnb. The trip starts off on a bad note as the guests suspect the owner of their rental is racist and the movie takes many wild twists and turns from there as the guests begin to suspect someone may be watching them. This movie is not only one of the best movies to come out in 2020, but it is also one of the most creative concepts in the suspense genre. Watch: Available on Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and Youtube.

Watch the official trailer here