Joe Exotic. Jeff Lowe. 3 teeth. Carole Baskin. Sardine oil. It’s been a wild few weeks, hasn’t it? In fact, we’re coming up on a month since the initial quarantines and lockdowns in the U.S. Tiger King was there when you needed it. It got you through the rough first week. You knew that in an Oklahoma penitentiary, there was someone who had it a little worse off than you did. But now what? You finished Tiger King, where are you supposed to get your redneck-illegal-half-thought-out fix?
Never fear, InQua is here with 5 things you need to stream now that you’ve finished Tiger King.
1. Masterminds (2016)
Maybe you’ve seen it. Maybe you haven’t. Perhaps it’s been a few years. Now’s the time to watch it again. This movie, based on a true story (true enough), will have you laughing, quoting, and scouring the wiki page after you finish it. It tells the story of a simple North Carolina man who in 1997, organized one of the largest bank heists in U.S. history.
Zach Galifianakis, Kristen Wiig, Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon. With a casting like that, you know it’s gotta be good. Masterminds was actually directed by Jared Hess, known best for writing/directing Napolean Dynamite, Nacho Libre, and Gentleman Broncos.
Masterminds is available to stream on Hulu right now, so I hope you cool cats and kittens aren’t the kind of people to only have Netflix these days…
2. Logan Lucky (2017)
For everyone who loved Daniel Craig’s accent in Knives Out, you best hold up. He first pulled that accent off in 2017’s Logan Lucky, a well-reviewed yet under-viewed heist film. Set once again in North Carolina, specifically around the famed Charlotte Motor Speedway, it’s one that you need to see if you haven’t yet.
Directed by Steven Soderbergh, whose work includes Erin Brockovich, Magic Mike, Ocean’s 11 and 12 (and I suppose 13), and the recently resurgent pandemic film, Contagion. He’s no first-timer, and watching it you can tell his experience with the Ocean‘s films influenced Logan Lucky. That said, this is a new story with a fresh perspective and lively cast. Adam Driver and Channing Tatum head up the operation with the assistance of Daniel Craig and Katie Holmes, among others. See if you can spot Seth Macfarlane while you watch. Did I mention Hilary Swank and Sebastian Stan are in it as well?
Logan Lucky is available to rent on YouTube, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, and Vudu. It may not be a tiger king and a big cat sex cult following a man named Doc, but it’s definitely Southern enough to keep you hooked.
3. Wild Wild Country (2018)
Peace, love, and poisoning the local buffet. No folks, it’s not Joe Exotic’s next scheme for shutting down Big Cat Rescue, it’s the true story of the Rajneeshee in 1980s Oregon. Wild Wild Country is on Netflix, and if you didn’t catch it when it first dropped in 2018, the time is now.
Executive producers Mark and Jay Duplass (who, mark my words, are on their way to the top) deliver an inside look like none other. It’s unbelievable at first, especially for a child of the 90s who didn’t grow up in Oregon. What happens when an Eastern religion decides on rural Oregon, Antelope to be exact, as their new holy land? Rajneeshpuram, as it was soon called, was as devout as it was devious, frightening as it was faithful.
How spicy does this get? You’ll have to watch and find out. I can say that we get some deeper questions answered like, what happens when a female takes over and leads a cult? So often, men lead the cults and it’s easy to hate their psychotic and abusive behaviors. This is a case that breaks that cliche and makes us ask questions about power and its ability to corrupt. What happens when a community of outsiders settle in an area with intent to vote their way into power? These questions on democracy and more are brought to light. Can something that provides its people good still be bad? Honestly, it makes you take a look at any group you’re a part of and check yourself.
All this and more, available right now on Netflix to stream. Start it today!
4. Documentary Now! (2015 – )
Want to watch short documentary-style episodes without the weight of watching truly sad true stories? Look no further than Documentary Now!
Lorne Michaels of SNL executive produces the series written by Fred Armison, Bill Hader, and Seth Myers. My take? It’s better than SNL‘s been in years, and you can tell the actors and writers have fun with it. Lest I forget, each episode is introduced by none other than Helen Mirren. Yes, that Helen Mirren. Plus, there’s guest stars on most episodes. Jack Black, Michael Keaton, John Mulaney, to name a few.
It’s fun, it’s short-form, it’s good satire, and it’s hilarious. They parody the events of Wild Wild Country by the way, and it’s great. Short enough to catch a few episodes at a time, but on its 4th season in case you’re in a binging mood. Start now, because you know once productions return to shooting, Documentary Now! will be making a Tiger King episode. I guarantee it.
5. Blackfish (2013)
Let me guess, let me guess. You watched Tiger King and NOW you decided that animal cruelty and exhibitionism is bad. Did I guess correctly? All are you travel bloggers and Bali visitors quietly scrubbing your Instagram of all the photos of you with sedated tigers? Hey, we all get called out once in a while and have to shape up and be better. Just look at what 2013’s Blackfish has done to Sea World.
Now, I’m not gonna lie. This isn’t the easiest thing to sit through if you’re like me and timid around sea creatures. That’s their territory, we’re just land lovers splashing around it. To watch an Orca take a trainer under the water by the foot is…startling. It’s no wonder that following the success and popularity of Blackfish, a string of financial and legal impacts led to Sea World officially starting to phase out orcas and ending breeding in captivity.
Maybe Joe Exotic had the right idea in going to PETA and ratting out his fellow big cat dealers. If he’d have watched Blackfish, he might have gotten ahead of the coming storm. You can watch Blackfish on Hulu, or rent it on your preferred streaming service.
Check out our article on 8 Classic Movies to watch in self-isolation while you’re here!