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Joma Films
James Le Gros and Jesse Borrego star in “Phoenix, Oregon,” a comedy about two middle-aged men with a plan to start a bowling alley/pizza joint.
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Apple TV+
From left, Nicholas Hoult, Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie star in “The Banker,” which follows two black businessmen and their plan to surreptitiously break into the real estate market in the 1950s.
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Amazon Prime
Enid (played by Margo Martindale, right) gets her point across in the quirky “Blow the Man Down” which begins streaming March 20.
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Disney+
Family-friendly “Togo” is based on the true story about a famed sled dog and his musher Leonhard Seppala (Willem Dafoe)
If you’re home-sheltering due to coronavirus fears, or just looking for some movies with fresh ideas, here are six terrific indie movies available for streaming (or will be on March 20).
“Phoenix, Oregon”
Since theaters are closed and newly released entertainment options are scant, the makers of “Phoenix, Oregon” came up with a novel notion. They joined with an indie film distributor to stream the film and benefit the small theaters that were slated to screen it originally. It’s a simple process. To watch “Phoenix, Oregon” online, just purchase a ticket via a link and then select the indie theater that will later get a cut from that purchase. More creative collaborations such as that are needed in the days ahead.
The big-hearted film centers on a wannabe graphic novelist Bobby (James LeGros), who shuffles through life tending bar at a chintzy Italian restaurant when he’s not hanging in his messy trailer in small-town Oregon. To the rescue comes Bobby’s buddy Carlos (Jesse Borrgeo) who asks him to enter in a business partnership fora pizza parlor/bowling alley. With a slick investor (Reynaldo Gallegos) and a sassy wine seller (Lisa Edelstein) mixing things up, plans hit lows and highs. Writer/director Gary Lundgren’s amiable charmer peps up downhearted spirits, and features another ace performance from indie pin-up guy LeGros. (Rated R for language; streams starting March 20, www.phoenixoregonmovie.com.)
“Blow the Man Down”: Two very different sisters (Sophie Lowe and Morgan Saylor) in a Maine fishing village tangle with busybodys, a dead body and shocking town secrets in directors/writers Danielle Krudy and Bridget Savage Cole’s knockout feature debut. The two leads are memorable, but this delectable neo-noir belongs to Margo Martindale and June Squibb, the harborers of shocking community intel. It’s a must-see. (Rated R for language, some violence, sexual content and brief drug use; available March 20 on Amazon Prime.)
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“The Banker”: Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie make for a delicious pairing in George Nolfi’s entertaining, informative dramatization about a how real-life real estate businessmen Bernard Garrett (Mackie) and Joe Morris (Jackson) devised a crafty way in the racist ‘50s to do biz by hiring a cute white guy (Nicholas Hoult) to be their face in a white-washed real estate market. The ruse, though, comes with a downfall. From the period detail to the acting, this is a well-made and handsome effort. (Rated PG-13, for some strong language including a sexual reference and racial epithets, and smoking throughout; available March 20 on Apple TV+.)
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“The Platform”: Spanish filmmaker Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia ups the gore and grossness in this claustrophobic, imaginative horror show reminiscent to that Oscar-winning parable about the haves and have-nots in “Parasite.” His grim dystopian vision finds various people waking up in spartan, stark rooms that are part of a concrete cylinder-like building. Each day a lavish banquet is prepared and sent via a platform from the top room to the floor way below. It literally becomes a dog-eat-dog battle as each try to survive and eat the scraps. It’s nasty, but one of the best horror films of the year. (Not rated; available to stream March 20 on Netflix.)
“Togo”: Are the kids driving you nutso being stuck inside? Check out this Disney+ original based on the true story about the heroic sled-dog Togo and his musher Leonhard Seppala (Willem Dafoe). It’s the perfect find. Ericson Core’s gripping, suspenseful and emotional story is set in 1925 Alaska and finds Togo leading the charge to get diphtheria medication to children. It’s a lovely and exciting film, one of my favorite cinematic dog stories ever. And it’s not an animatronic dog! (Rated PG, for some peril, thematic elements and mild language; available now on Disney+.)
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“Big Time Adolescence”: After its well-received debut at Sundance, this hilarious “Booksmart”-like take on high school debuts on Hulu. It works for three reasons: a well-tuned screenplay from writer/director Jason Orley, a likeable performance from Griffin Gluck and a golden performance from “Saturday Night Live’s” Pete Davidson. The teenaged Mo (Gluck) pals around with ne’er-do-well Zeke, who always has big plans for others to do his dirty work. It’s a joy to watch, but does come with sharp edges. Davidson has a great acting career ahead of him. (Rated R for drug content, alcohol use, pervasive language, and sexual references — all involving teens; streams March 20 on Hulu.)
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