With the majority of the world now in lock down, more of us than ever will be turning to our small screens to keep us informed and entertained over the coming months. Here at Standby, we can’t think of a better way to pass the time than watching a classic film or series.

So, here are our top 10 things to watch whilst we’re all stuck inside!

The Stranger

Filmed on our doorstep in Manchester and starring Richard Armitage Shaun Dooley and Siobhan Finneran. The Stranger is an 8 part series which follows the life of family man Adam Price after a stranger makes a shocking claim about his wife. 

Great if you’re in the mood for a binge and some site spotting around Manchester!

Knives Out

A modern whodunit, the film follows an eccentric, combative family whose gathering has gone awry, after the family patriarch’s death leads a master detective to investigate. The Oscar nominated film features an ensemble cast, including Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jaeden Martell, and Christopher Plummer who perform brilliantly in this fun murder mystery that has twists and turns to the very end!

Years and Years

Also set in Manchester and possibly more relevant than ever right now, Years and Years follows an ordinary british family, propelled into the future and rocked by political, economic and technological advances. As the family and story fast forwards into the future, the family experiences the consequences of the modern world, including nuclear launches, immigration, and financial uncertainty.

Definitely one to watch if you’re in the mood for a good old moan!

The Two Popes

Funny, charming, and also based on a true story, The Two Popes shows life behind the Vatican walls, as the conservative Pope Benedict XVI and the liberal future Pope Francis try to find common ground to forge a new path for the Catholic Church.

Watch if you’re in need of a bit of reassurance and calming!

Lost Girls

Based on real life, Lost girls follows a desperate mother on a quest to find her missing daughter. After police inaction, she is forced to take up her own personal investigation, a search which reveals over a dozen other murdered bodies – none of them being her daughters.

For those in the mood for some drama and mystery.

The Aeronauts

Directed by Tom Harper and written by Jack Thorne, The Aeronauts is a 2019 biographical adventure film based on the book Falling Upwards: How We Took to the Airby Richard Holmes. Starring Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne, the Aeronauts (set in 1862 London) follows headstrong scientist James Glaisher and dareful young widow Amelia Wren mount a balloon expedition in the hope to fly higher than anyone in history.

Great to watch if you want to be completely engrossed for a few hours!

Tiger King

Tiger King, which came out on the 20th March is a true crime documentary television series about the life of Joseph Maldonado-Passage, the former operator of Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in Oklahoma. He once claimed to be the most prolific breeder of tigers in the United States.

Great if you want to be transported out of your house into a completely new and different world.

Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J Walker

Based on a true story, follow the inspiring story of Madam C.J. Walker, America’s first female self-made millionaire. This African American washerwoman rises from poverty to build a beauty empire and becomes the first female self-made millionaire.

Great if you’re looking for a bit of inspiration and motivation right now!

Uncut Gems

Directed by some of the biggest names in Hollywood, a witty and quick thinking New York City jeweler makes a high-stakes bet that could lead to the win of a lifetime. But with his debts mounting and collectors closing in, he must balance business, family and adversaries on all sides in pursuit of the ultimate win.

The Irishman

Directed by Martin Scorsese, with Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, The Irishman which lasts an epic 3 hours and 30 minutes, features an elegiac tale of violence, betrayal, memory and loss. Said to be one of the greatest films of 2019, turn to this film if you’re in the mood for a blockbuster!