Ahh lockdown, so we meet again. How we dreaded your return but hoped we had seen the last of you.
Even though we are old hat at being locked down and facing a few days at home by now, the announcement of a stay-at-home order can leave even those of us who routinely shudder at making plans, feeling anxious about how to stay busy and entertained.
Never fear, dear friends, whether you are in lockdown, under the weather, over the winter or socialising just ain’t your thing, we have put together a great guide on what to watch, play, read and listen to when the indoors are your best option.
Watch These
Crime Dramas
If you are a big fan of robust and suspenseful tv shows then our round-up of the best gritty crime dramas is practically made for you. From City on a Hill to Lupin, there are some great options for fans of this genre.
True Crime
If real crime is more your thing than dramatised, we’ve got you covered there too. Evil Genius: The True Story of America’s Most Diabolical Bank Heist and McMillion$ are just a few of our favourites, but there are plenty more featured in our round-up of the best true crime to stream right now.
Animated
Maybe all of this doom and gloom isn’t your thing, at least not during times when life feels quite scary as it is. In that case, there is never a bad time to get into the irreverent world of adult animation to soothe your soul. Yes, some of the subject matter in shows such as Tuca and Bertie can be dark but set against vibrant colour palettes and whimsical scenery, these topics somehow feel a little lighter. For more animated options, be sure to read our round-up of the best adult animations to embrace your inner child.
Comedy
Sometimes though, we totally get that you don’t have the time or the mental dedication to watch a whole new series. We hear you, truly — it’s why we love to comfort watch the same shows again and again. Another option, however, is to check out one of the movies that “science” has deemed to be the funniest.
You read that right, science doesn’t just decide when it’s safe for us to leave our homes, it can also determine what makes us laugh the most. Earlier in 2021 science declared Superbad — the coming-of-age comedy starring Michael Cera and Jonah Hill — the funniest movie of all time and although we felt that was a pretty big claim, we also think that Superbad might just be the film we need right now.
Otherwise, there is also third place recipient Scott Pilgrim vs the World, Mean Girls which nabbed the fourth spot, and Ghostbusters (the original) which came in fifth, that you can while away a few hours laughing at. Incidentally, Anchorman, Borat, Hot Fuzz, Airplane!, Naked Gun, The Party, and Booksmart were the films that our Latch team deemed the funniest so, of course, we suggest you watch those too.
Play These
It can be hard to navigate the world of podcasts when there are so many out there. How on earth are you supposed to know where to begin and what is going to keep you entranced the way that Serial did all those years ago?
Luckily for you, when it comes to podcasts, our team knows what’s up!
Here are just a few of the poddies we emphatically suggest you listen to the next time you want to have a laugh or learn something new. Because there are so many that we are loving right now, we’ve broken them down into genres to help you find the right one for you faster.
Crime
The Teacher’s Pet
Serial
Loose Units
Pop Culture
The Watch
The Big Picture
You’re Wrong About
The Cut Podcast
Shameless
Rewatch Podcasts
Sentimental in the City
Drama Queens
Welcome to The O.C., Bitches!
News
Matt & Alex All Day Breakfast
The Daily
The Ezra Klein Show
Today in Focus
7am
Sport
No Dunks
History
The C Word
Even the Rich
Bowery Boys
Advice
Call Her Daddy
How To… Life
Comedy
The Joe Rogan Experience
Smartless
Girls Gotta Eat
My Dad Wrote a Porno
Celebrity
Who? Weekly
Little Gold Men
Mamamia Out Loud
Interview Podcasts
Family Secrets
Renegades: Born in the USA
Offline, The Podcast
Music
Dissect
Desert Island Discs
Informative
Stuff You Should Know
Ephemeral
Experience These
Knot by Darkfield Radio
If you are looking for something really unique (and a little bit scary) to try, purchase tickets to Darkfield Radio‘s Knot — a three-part immersive audio experience designed for one person which unfolds in three different locations in one evening, blurring the lines between real and imagined.
Produced in Australia by Melbourne-based company Realscape Productions, Knot takes audiences through three intersecting, interwoven episodes revolving around a traumatic event, questioning how inevitable anything is.
Knot is currently running from 5pm every Friday, Saturday and Sunday until September 30, 2021. Tickets are available at darkfield.com.au/radio
Stream by the Sydney Opera House
In April 2021 The Sydney Opera House launched “Stream” — in an effort to compete with Netflix, Stan, Disney+ and all of the other platforms today’s viewers have to choose from.
Stream is available across TV, mobile, desktop and tablet devices, with 30 hours of programming across more than 45 performances and events available to watch on-demand. Every month, content lands on the service with the cost of a subscription currently costing nothing, but with ticketed performances and events available to rent.
Art by Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre
The Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre has relaunched its popular digital program to allow us to get our art fix, even while we are at home.
You can walk through a current CPAC exhibition — GINA by the late Gina Sinozich — and immerse yourself in her distinctive artistic style and powerful way of story-telling, enjoy a film screening for NAIDOC Week 2021 or even keep your kids busy with a range of online art activities.
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