During this time of isolation due to the coronavirus, my family and I are especially grateful for movies, books, and our pets. Our favorite movie theater, Film Forum, has partnered with its distributors to present virtual cinema for a rental fee of $12 (half of this is shared with the non-profit cinema). A movie theater in your area may offer something similar, or you can visit Film Forum online. Here are my 3 picks of the international films showing now.

The Whistlers

This movie from Romanian director Corneliu Porumboiu has a wry sense of humor. Though understated, it slowly builds in suspense. It’s both a thriller and a send-up of a thriller, full of references to movies and clever use of music. For language lovers, it’s interesting to hear dialogue in Romanian (the movie also features Spanish and English).

The premise of the movie is that Romanian cop Christi must go to the Canary Islands to learn an age-old whistling language in order to communicate with a gang of crooks without being understood by the police. (Visually, it’s a fabulous escape to these rugged and gorgeous islands!) How corrupt is Christi? And who’s double-crossing whom?

Since I’m a parent, I’ll add my own “Common Sense Media” take on this for parents. I’m glad I didn’t watch it with my teenage kids. Not because it’s too inappropriate for teenagers (one sex scene, some shoot ’em up violence, and one surprisingly bloody moment), but because the movie jumps around in time and the viewer has to figure out a lot of things. My kids would have constantly been asking me questions, and the fact is I’m not even exactly sure what happened myself. So, recommended for adult viewers who can tolerate ambiguity!

Corpus Christi

Directed by Polish director Jan Komasa, this is a remarkable film about a young man in prison who upon his release poses as a Catholic priest in a small town. Bartosz Bielenia’s performance is mesmerizing. Is he just a con artist, or does he truly believe? A tragic accident still haunts the townspeople. The would-be priest helps them deal with their grief in unorthodox ways, and discovers a disturbing secret in the process.

This is a very moving, gripping film. I should add that there is a lengthy scene of almost unbearable violence at the end, which makes it inappropriate for young people. (Sex and drug use are present, too.)

Sorry We Missed You

British filmmaker Ken Loach is known for his absorbing and realistic style, and this film is no exception. It follows the life of a struggling British family as the father takes a delivery job in the gig economy and the mother works as a home health aide. The performances of the actors playing the parents and the two children are outstanding. It’s bleak, but also reveals moments of family joy and intimacy. This movie is a powerful indictment of the harsh capitalist world we live in, but the observations grow naturally out of the experiences of the characters. The northern English accents are so thick that there are subtitles! This is also interesting for people who love languages and regional accents.

I saw this one at Film Forum in person with my 13-year-old son right before the current isolation measures began. I think it’s a great film for teenagers to see because it’s very empathetic and thought-provoking. There is one scene of violence toward the end when a character is punched and kicked and left with a bloody face. There is also a lot of swearing. I thought New Yorkers had foul mouths, but they’ve got nothing on this working-class lad in Newcastle.