“The Invisible Man” was a hit in theaters just last month. Now it hopes to be a hit in your home, much earlier than expected.
The coronavirus outbreak has prompted some studios to think creatively about their content, shelving many of their unreleased films until later dates. But what about those movies that were playing when theaters began to close? We look at a handful of them here, let you know where you can see them at home, and look back at the ways we covered them.
‘Birds of Prey’
The Harley Quinn action movie from the DC Comics universe, starring Margot Robbie, opened last month (which now feels like a year ago).
Where to watch it: Available for digital purchase March 24 through Amazon, iTunes, Vudu and other platforms.
How we covered it: For those unfamiliar with the comic-book history of the main characters, we offered this explainer, with tidbits on the complicated back story of Huntress, the long history of Black Canary and the trained assassin skills of Cassandra Cain.
And the film’s director, Cathy Yan, narrated one of the movie’s most spirited action moments: a fight in a fun house:
‘Bloodshot’
This sci-fi action film stars Vin Diesel in “Memento”-meets-”Terminator” mode. It opened March 13 and barely got a weekend in movie theaters.
Where to watch it: Available for digital purchase March 24 through Amazon, iTunes, Vudu and other platforms.
‘Emma’
The latest adaptation of Jane Austen’s novel, with eye-catching visuals, initially hit theaters Feb. 21.
Where to watch it: Available for 48-hour rental on Amazon Prime, iTunes and other online stores as well as on cable systems like Comcast.
How we reviewed it: Manohla Dargis wrote that while she found some of the style tics a little overdone, “Austen’s story and words, it turns out, prove unsurprisingly durable and impervious to decorative tweaking.”
‘Frozen 2’
The powerhouse animated sequel took theaters by storm, with a $1.4 billion gross.
Where to watch it: Now streaming on Disney Plus
How we covered it: The writer Alexander Huls looked at the rarity of movie musical sequels and evaluated the best and worst. Robert Ito looked at some of the film’s fashions, from ice boots to travel cloaks. In an interview, the songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez discussed how they found musical inspiration in a Latin hymn, grief and Bryan Adams.
One of the film’s directors, Jennifer Lee, discussed her work on the franchise. And in her review, Manohla Dargis celebrated some of its empowering themes, but criticized its character design, writing, “Hearing women sing of freedom is irresistible, but Disney needs to take its old-fashioned ideal of female beauty and just, well, let it go.”
‘The Hunt’
This horror-satire’s timing hasn’t been great. The release was canceled last year after controversies about its politics and gun violence, then the opening was back on … in the midst of a pandemic.
Where to watch it: Available for 48-hour rental on Amazon Prime, iTunes and other online stores as well as on cable systems like Comcast.
How we covered it: Brooks Barnes looked at the movie’s history when the release was rescheduled. Dave Itzkoff interviewed the lead actress, Betty Gilpin. And the film’s director, Craig Zobel, narrated a scene:
‘The Invisible Man’
This horror thriller starring Elisabeth Moss opened on Feb. 28 to strong box office and strong reviews.
Where to watch it: Available for 48-hour rental on Amazon Prime, iTunes and other online stores as well as on cable systems like Comcast.
How we reviewed it: Making it a Critic’s Pick, Manohla Dargis praised the work of the film’s star, writing, “Moss’s full-bore performance — anchored by her extraordinarily supple face — gives the movie its emotional stakes.”
‘Just Mercy’
This drama, based on the memoir of the criminal justice lawyer Bryan Stevenson, received a muted release in December and a wider one in January.
Where to watch it: Available for digital purchase on March 24.
How we covered it: The director Destin Daniel Cretton narrated a scene involving an emotional discussion between two characters on death row:
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