Film Fridays | Movie recommendations for March

Editor’s Note: This review contains spoilers. The views and opinions expressed in this article do not reflect those of The Collegian.

March was coming with some great theatrical releases. However, with several movie theaters closing down as a safety measure against COVID-19, my movie recommendations for March include new movies coming only to various streaming services. 

With that said, stay home and away from COVID-19 for your own sake and the sake of people around you. Watch movies and wash your hands! If social distancing gets too much, consider having a Netflix Party with your friends for long-distance movie nights. Visit netflixparty.com to find out how to set it up!

Now, let’s get to this month’s picks:

The Banker (Out now on AppleTV+)

“If this was easy, somebody else would have done it a long time ago.” The Banker follows the story of the revolutionary African-American entrepreneurs Bernard Garrett (Anthony Mackie) and Joe Morris (Samuel L. Jackson) who come up with a bold plan to help other African Americans pursue the American dream in the racially oppressive 1960s. To succeed, they hire a working-class white man, Matt Steiner (Nicholas Hoult), to act as the rich and privileged face of their real estate and banking empire, while they act as the janitor and chauffeur, respectively.

The Banker is an important and timely movie with witty social commentary, an inspirational story and some promising performances. Directed by George Nolfi, The Banker is AppleTV’s second original feature film. If AppleTV debuts its original film industry with films like this one and Hala (2019), I can’t wait to see what Apple has in store for us. 

Blinded By The Light (Out on March 22nd on HBO)

“My poems. They’re not brilliant but they’re mine.” Inspired by the words and music of the American singer and songwriter Bruce Springsteen, Blinded By The Light follows the story of Javed (Viveik Kalra), a British teen of Pakistani descent growing up in England in 1987. Through poetry, Javed escapes from his father’s expectations and the racial and economic turmoil of the times. When a classmate of his introduces Javed to Springsteen’s music, Javed also finds his own voice and identity.

Directed by Gurinder Chadha, Blinded By The Light is a joyful musical comedy about hope, love, family, identity and the power of music and lyrics to shape our perception of ourselves.

Yesterday (Out now on HBO)

“Do you genuinely not know who The Beatles are?” Yesterday is based on an original concept: One day everyone wakes up and no one has ever heard of The Beatles but one guy, Jack Malik (Himesh Patel), a struggling singer and songwriter. Right when Jack starts losing hope in a music career, he rises to fame by singing and playing all the classic Beatles songs to a world that has never heard of them.

Another musical comedy now available on HBO, Yesterday was released in U.S. theaters last summer, and it was widely loved by the public. Directed by Danny Boyle, it is a heartfelt movie with a funny and brilliant concept that Beatles fans would probably hate if it came to be true. If you’re not a Beatles fan, Yesterday will introduce you to some of their legendary songs. If you’re a Beatles fan, just sit back and enjoy this movie that pays tribute to your favorite band. 

Taylor Tomlinson: Quarter-Life Crisis (Out now on Netflix)

“I am halfway through my 20s, and I am done with this shit.” American stand-up comedian Taylor Tomlinson is halfway through her 20s, and she's over it. Too old to party, too young to settle down, she looks back, shares her wisdom and laughs at her life choices.

This is the first time I’m recommending a Netflix Stand-Up Comedy Special in one of my articles, but the title kind of spoke to me. Because, you know, as if COVID-19 and all the rest of the world crises are not enough, some of us are also experiencing a quarter-life crisis with college coming to an end. So get that Netflix Party set up and enjoy Taylor Tomlinson remotely with your college buddies.

Lost Girls (Out now on Netflix)

“No one’s talking about our girls, and when they do, it’s ‘prostitute,’ ‘hooker,’ never ‘mother,’ 'daughter.’” Inspired by true events, Lost Girls follows the story of Mari Gilbert (Amy Ryan) as she begins investigating her daughter’s disappearance while the police remain relatively passive. Gilbert’s search leads to the discovery of over a dozen murdered sex workers.

Lost Girls, directed by Liz Garbus, seems like a promising mystery, thriller movie touching on crucial social justice issues regarding women, accountability and abuse of power. It is worth our time and attention.

The Platform (Out now on Netflix)

“There are three types of persons. Those at the top, those at the bottom and those who fall.” The Platform follows the story of Goreng (Iván Massagué) an inmate on the 33rd level of a vertical prison. Each level is a cell, and there are two people per cell. The prisoners are fed by a descending platform that carries the leftovers of those from higher levels. When the platform reaches a level, its prisoners have two minutes per day to eat.

This Spanish horror film is a twisted social allegory about mankind, class, power and survival. 

Directed by Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia, The Platform has been highly acclaimed in several Spanish and world award shows and festivals, such as the 2019 Toronto Film Festival, where it won the People's Choice Award in Midnight Madness. I acknowledge it is not a movie for everyone, but if you’re a fan of psychological thrillers like me, it’s quite an intriguing one to watch.

Contact contributor Myrsini Manou-Georgila at myrsini.manougeorgila@richmond.edu.