All the new movies and film festivals you can now access from home via Hotstar, Disney+, Prime Video and more

The COVID-19 outbreak has put our lives on hold and impacted several films and ceremonies that were set to release in the first half of the year. The Cannes Film Festival is delayed, Glastonbury has been cancelled, and upcoming indie as well as mainstream releases are yet to see the light of day. However, the pandemic, as it seems, is not the end of creative content being circulated around the world. Apart from virtual music concerts and masterclasses, what we’ve also got digital access to right at home, are iconic film festivals and some much-awaited film releases. The show as they say, must go on. Without further ado, scroll down to see what you can now stream online, from South by Southwest to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Film Festivals

TCM Classic Film Festival

The annual film festival that spotlights the best of vintage works has been cancelled this year. Instead, it will run a special home edition from April 16-18. As a part of this edition, viewers will be able to watch films that have been showcased by TCM in the past decades, as well as the ones originally slated for this year. Interviews from previous years will also be distributed with the movies. The lineup includes Neptune’s Daughter (1949), A Star is Born (1954) and Sergeant York (1941) among others.

Find the schedule here.

Tribeca Film Festival

Since March 17, the Tribeca Film Festival has been releasing a short film every day on their website to help audiences navigate the current state of isolation. The American film festival was slated to take place in April 2020, but has been postponed till further notice. The select works, that also feature online premieres, can be streamed on their website

Find the short film for the day here.

Greenwich International Film Festival

From May 1-3, Greenwich International Film Festival will be hosted online for viewers around the world to enjoy. With a virtual pass for a little over Rs 13,000, you can access the three-day showcase that includes a selection of documentaries, short films and narrative features that are exclusively available at the festival.

South by Southwest

Independent filmmakers aspire to lead their journeys up to the world premiere at Austin’s South by Southwest. Amidst the coronavirus pandemic too, they won’t be disappointed. The annual festival of films, music, conferences and interactive media is available virtually to stream popular titles like Regret (2015), animated stop-motion film Blackheads and documentaries like Modern Whore and more.

Find them here.

Films

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker(2019)

Though the final instalment in the Star Wars sequel trilogy has not yet appeared on Disney+ Hotstar—where all other releases from the universe are available—it is streaming on Prime Video a little earlier than scheduled. The American space opera film directed and co-written by JJ Abrams follows The Force Awakens (2015) and The Last Jedi (2017), and brings the legendary clash between the Jedi and the Sith to a conclusion.

Available to buy on Prime Video

Emma(2020)

The adaption of Jane Austen’s popular work of fiction, Emma released in British theatres on February 14. Owing to the ongoing global situation, viewers could access it online just after a month. The comedy-drama is set in the Regency era in the United Kingdom and features a young girl prying in the romantic lives of her friends. 

Available to buy on Prime Video and Apple TV

The Hunt(2020)

Theatrically released in the United States on March 13, The Hunt was made available digitally within just a week. The horror-thriller, said to be a satire on the political divide between the American left and right, features eleven captives who wake up gagged in a forest. They soon realise that their kidnapping and the events that follow are similar to what happens in a famous conspiracy theory.

Available to buy on Prime Video

The Invisible Man(2020)

The science fiction and thriller hit theatres on February 28, but has been made available to view from home within a month. Following the journey of a woman who believes she is being stalked by her dead boyfriend, the plot soon unveils that he has acquired the ability to be invisible. The film instantly became a commercial success, and received great feedback from the critics.

Available to buy on Prime Video

Angrezi Medium(2020)

Homi Adajania’s comedy-drama, Angrezi Medium released in theatres on March 13, a few days before the nation-wide lockdown. As a result, the makers soon made it available to stream online. Set between London and Udaipur, the Irrfan Khan-starrer tells the story of a girl who wants to study in the UK. But the journey to her dream university is marked by anything but usual events, with her father facing challenges at every step owing to his lack of fluency in English.

Streaming on Prime Video

Frozen 2(2020)

Three months earlier than planned, Frozen 2 released on Disney+ Hotstar along with the platform’s launch. If you have kids at home, you know this will play on loop till the end of the lockdown.

Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar

Onward(2020)

Pixar animation Onward, which released on March 6, is also available to cosy up and watch at home. The film, which premiered at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival on February 21, features mythical creatures, magic, teenage elves with human emotions and everything you would like on a no-work afternoon.

Streaming on Disney+ Hotstar

Birds of Prey(2020)

Birds of Prey, based on the DC Comics that go by the same name, hit the cinemas on February 7. But due to theatres soon being shut, the superhero film went online by March 24. Watch the Joker breaking up with Harley Quinn, experience the multiple escapes and hideouts, and someone naming their pet after Bruce Wayne.

Available to buy on Prime Video

Bloodshot(2020)

Vin Diesel’s much awaited comic adaptation is believed to be the first in a series of films set in a shared cinematic universe. As a Marine gets killed in action, an organisations brings him back to life with its superpowers to use him as an important weapon. The film was released theatrically on March 13, but has been made available online on demand of the audiences.

Available to buy on Prime Video

The Call of the Wild(2020)

The Call of the Wild is an adaptation of Jack London’s 1903 novel that follows the life-changing adventure of a dog as he gets stolen from his home. Set in the late 19th century, the Chris Sanders movie takes us through his travels and the challenges he is faced with. Also getting an early digital access, the film can be currently streamed at home.

Available to buy on PrimeVideo

Also read:

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