Australia may be on the path to recovery and lifting lockdowns nationwide, but we’re not out of the woods just yet. Many of us are still required to spend time at home, and while we may have to spend much of the day working on the computer, it certainly affords us more time tp spend in front of the TV.
But while many places and publications will recommend the best TV shows and movies to watch on the likes of Netflix and Stan, SBS On Demand has some infectious content of its own for your viewing pleasure. The publically-funded Australian TV network offers a number of TV shows and movies to watch completely free of charge, and the selection on offer is on constant rotation, so there’s always something new to find.
Content is specially curated too, so some decent thought has gone into what you’re presented with, so we suspect you’ll easily be able to find a new favourite (just make sure you sign up for a free account first).
There’s over 7,000 hours worth of content to choose from, but we’ve picked out some of the best movies that caught our eye, to take a little bit of stress away from this global situation.
The Death Of Stalin
Scottish director Armando Iannucci takes control over an all-star cast – including Steve Buscemi and Jason Isaacs – in this political satire black comedy that sees Joseph Stalin's Council of Ministers fighting it out for power, following their leader's death.
IMDB: 7.2/10
Run Lola Run
This 1998 German movie stars Franka Potente (Blow, The Bourne Identity) as Lola, a woman who must get together 100,000 Deutschmarks in twenty minutes to save her boyfriend's life, but there are three potential outcomes.
IMDB: 7.6/10
A Private Function
Heading over to England now and A Private Function, a laugh-a-minute comedy starring Dame Maggie Smith and Michael Palin. The duo star as a husband and wife team who, in 1940s Yorkshire and strict food rationing, plot to steal a pig being raised for an illegal party in celebration of Princess Elizabeth's marriage to Prince Philip.
IMDB: 6.5/10
Molly's Game
Aaron Sorkin's directorial debut sees Jessica Chastain assume the role of Molly Bloom, a real-life target of the FBI, following her involvement with a high-stakes poker game.
IMDB: 7.4/10
The Big Short
More relevant than ever given what happened in January 2020 between Reddit and Wall Street, The Big Short stars an ensemble cast of Bale, Pitt, Carell and Gosling, four separate traders who seek to gain from the impending collapse of the economy.
IMDB: 7.8/10
Birdman
Cleaning up at the 87th Academy Awards, Birdman follows a Hollywood actor (played by Michael Keaton) who no longer finds himself in the limelight, attempting to stage a Broadway production of one of his favourite short stories. With virtually the entire film appearing to be shot in one take, Birdman not only has a plot to entice viewers, but is a marvel of modern cinematography.
IMDB: 7.7/10
The Girl In The Fog
Based on the book of the same name, this thriller, set in an Italian mountain village, follows a detective sent to said village to investigate the disappearance of a fifteen-year-old girl. As the title suggests, she has been consumed by fog, and, as any great thriller story reveals, not everything is at it seems.
IMDB: 6.8/10
Mother
This 2010 winner of Best Film at the Asian Film Awards follows the story of a mother's quest to prove her mentally disabled son's innocence, after he is arrested for the murder of a young girl in South Korea.
Kingpin
This 1996 classic sees Woody Harrelson star as a highly accomplished bowler who, after participating in some illicit activities, is stripped of his fame. He then recruits a protege to help carry out his schemes instead.
IMDB: 6.9/10 6.9/10
Burning
Widely regarded as one of the greatest films of 2018, this South Korean psychological mystery drama follows a deliveryman, Jongsu, who is introduced to a friend, Ben, his childhood friend, Jun, met on a trip to Africa. The film then follows what happens after Ben tells Jongsu about his unusual hobby.
IMDB: 7.5/10
The Proposition
Set in the Australian outback in the 1880s, The Proposition sees a lawman captured and forced to kill his older brother, or risk having his younger brother killed instead.
IMDB: 7.4/10
Rams
This Icelandic comedy follows the story of two brothers who haven't spoken to each other in 40 years. Each has their own flock of sheep to tend to, but when an infection takes over their town, they need to decide between their longstanding feud or the survival of their flocks. This 2015 movie has since been remade in 2020, with New Zealand actor Sam Neil in a starring role.
IMDB: 7.3/10
Dom Hemingway
This British film unites Jude Law and Richard E. Grant as a pair of best friends, with the former heading out to seek payback for spending time in jail for his boss, Ivan Fontaine.
IMDB. 6.2/10
Margin Call
This 2011 drama features an all-star cast and focuses on how a Wall Street investment bank deals with the 2007-08 financial crisis, over a 24-hour period.
IMDB: 7.1/10
Anonymous
If you're a fan of period dramas, Anonymous could be for you. It's a fictionalised version of the life of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, who claims to be the actual author of William Shakespeare's plays.
IMDB: 6.9/10
The Way Of The Dragon
SBS has added a few Bruce Lee movie's to its library recently, but it's The Way Of The Dragon that we've picked out. The only movie that Bruce Lee directed himself, this action-comedy also features legendary hard man Chuck Norris in his movie debut.
IMDB: 7.3/10
All Quiet On The Western Front
Based on the 1928 novel of the same name, this movie adaptation follows a young soldier as he's sent off to fight in WWI. It goes on to examine the mental stress he faces and the dissociation with regular life when he returns home.
IMDB: 7.1/10
