Now Stream This: ‘In The Line Of Fire’, ‘Shutter Island’, ‘48 Hrs.’, ‘Ocean’s 11’, ‘Tombstone’, ‘Attack The Block’, ‘The River Wild’, And More
(Welcome toNow Stream This, a column dedicated to the best movies streaming on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and every other streaming service out there.)
Now Streaming on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video
Release Date:1993Genre:ThrillerDirector:Wolfgang PetersenCast:Clint Eastwood, John Malkovich, Rene Russo, Dylan McDermott, Gary Cole, Fred Dalton Thompson, John MahoneyIn the Line of Fireis the type of taught, nifty thriller that Hollywood wouldn’t even dream of making these days. No big special effects, no superheroes, no franchise potential. Just a well-told, R-rated story.Clint Eastwoodis an aging Secret Service Agent who was actually in Dallas on the day that Kennedy was assassinated. He still carries the guilt around that he was unable to save JFK, and that guilt colors his actions when a would-be assassin targets the current president. That assassin is a major creep played to perfection byJohn Malkovich, who elevates the film to another level with his slimy, scary performance. Eastwood’s Secret Service man is gung-ho at stopping Malkovich before he can get close to POTUS, but everyone else thinks the old man is overreacting. Everyone, that is, except fellow Secret Service AgentRene Russo, who just happens to be – gasp! – a lady! Eastwood and Russo fall into a fun, flirty relationship, but there’s no time for romance when there’s a madman building himself a fancy plastic gun to avoid metal detectors.Wolfgang Petersenbrings a workman-like precision to all of this, and Eastwood isn’t afraid to lean into his age (although he’s technically playing a character who was younger than he was at the time the film was shot).For fans of:The Firm,Absolute Power, Clint Eastwood playing piano.
Now Streaming on Netflix
Release Date:2010Genre:MysteryDirector:Martin ScorseseCast:Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson, Max von Sydow
If you enjoyed the line “What is grief, if not love persevering?” fromWandaVision, can I interest you in #1 Marvel fanMartin Scorsese’sShutter Island? I’m not going to callScorsese’s mystery-thriller “underrated,” because it received positive reviews and was a big hit. But the film is often toted as “lesser Scorsese,” with many folks unhappy about the twists the story throws out. I say nuts to that!Shutter Islandis actually top-tier Scorsese – a film about murder, madness, and yes – grief. U.S. MarshalLeonardo DiCapriogets called out to an insane asylum on a secluded New England island to find a missing patient. But nothing on the island is as it seems, and DiCaprio’s past – particularly the death of his wife, played byMichelle Williams– haunts him at every turn. Gothic, creepy, and remarkably sad,Shutter Islandis worth revisiting.
For fans of:Laura,Isle of the Dead, lots of rain and lots of overblown Boston accents.
Now Streaming on Amazon Prime Video
Release Date:1982Genre:ComedyDirector:Walter HillCast:Nick Nolte, Eddie Murphy, James Remar, David Patrick Kelly, Sonny Landham, Annette O’Toole
The film that turnedEddie Murphyinto a full-blown movie star,48 Hrs.hasn’t exactly agedwell(the racial politics were already suspect at the time of the release and are even worse now). ButWalter Hill’s ultra-violent anti-buddy film is still worth watching, primarily to see Murphy turn into a major player right before our eyes. This was his film debut, and behind-the-scenes there was some concern that casting him was a mistake. Murphy plays a convict who gets sprung from jail by miserable, grumbly, unapologetically racist copNick Nolteto track down a pair of cop killers that Murphy tangled with in the past. Nolte and Murphy loathe each other through this whole thing, and even have a lengthy scene where they kick the shit out of each other in the street. In the end, though, they find a grudging respect for one another, but not before a major body count piles up.
For fans of:Beverly Hills Cop,Midnight Run, the relaxing sound of Nick Nolte’s glass-gargling voice.
Now Streaming on HBO Max
Release Date:2001Genre:Heist ComedyDirector:Steven SoderberghCast:George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Andy García, Bernie Mac, Julia Roberts, Elliott Gould, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Eddie Jemison, Don Cheadle, Shaobo Qin, Carl Reiner
You know that feeling when a cool spring breeze comes blowing in on a sunny day and you let it all wash over you? That’sOcean’s Eleven,Steven Soderbergh’s ultra-hip, ultra-enjoyable riff on the original Rat Pack movie. As low-stakes as humanly possible,Ocean’s Elevenis a hang-out movie, where all the people hanging out are also plotting a massive heist. Fresh out of prison, lifetime thiefGeorge Clooneyreunites with his BFFBrad Pittand they go about assembling a team to rip-off casino mogulAndy García. And oh yeah, the casino mogul just happens to be dating Clooney’s ex-wife, played byJulia Roberts. Soderbergh would successfully use this formula for two more movies, and in truth, the entire trilogy as a whole is just a delight. But the first film has just the right amount of magic to get things going.
For fans of:Out of Sight,Logan Lucky, Brad Pitt eating lots of snacks.
Now Streaming on Shudder
Release Date:2020Genre:HorrorDirector:Bryan BertinoCast:Marin Ireland, Michael Abbott Jr., Xander Berkeley
I think all horror fans have their own particular type (orbrand, if you will/must) of horror. For me, the best of the best horror is the type thatsllllllowwwwlybuilds, and builds, and builds. I realize that isn’t for everyone – lots of folks seem to prefer the instant gratification of a good jump scare, and that’s fine. But to me, there’s something powerful about a horror movie that takes its time to build up a thick, almost impenetrable sense of dread.The Dark and the Wicked, the latest fromBryan Bertino, director ofThe Strangers, understands exactly how to do that. It’s a movie full of long, uncomfortable, dread-inducing moments that will have you uneasily darting your eyes back and forth, waiting forsomethingterrible to happen. The pic follows a pair of siblings (Marin Ireland and Michael Abbott Jr.) who return to the family farm when their father ends up in a kind of coma. The brother and sister think it’s their duty to come home and help their mom (Julie Oliver-Touchstone), but mom makes it pretty damn clear she doesn’t want them there, which in turn leads to all kinds of unsettling scenarios, most of which involve darkly lit rooms where anyone – or anything – could be lurking.
For fans of:Hereditary,The Strangers, fear.
Now Streaming on Hulu
Release Date:1999Genre:ActionDirector:John McTiernanCast:Antonio Banderas, Diane Venora, Omar SharifThe 13th Warrioris one of the biggest box office flops in history, and there was a ton of behind-the-scenes drama involving reshoots and all sorts of other murky details. But here’s the thing: this is a fun adventure film. Based on the bookEaters of the DeadbyMichael Crichton(who actually did some of the reshoots here himself, even though the final film is credited solely toJohn McTiernan), this is essentially a re-telling ofBeowulf.Antonio Banderasis a poet in 922 A.D. who gets roped into accompanying a band of Norsemen on a quest. That quest involves doing battle with an army of “monsters” who turn out to be humans wearing animal skins – not that that human distinction makes them any less deadly. None of what’s going on here holds up to historical scrutiny, but that’s okay. Sometimes you just want to watch a bunch of dudes swinging around big swords.For fans of:Valhalla Rising,Gladiator, recognizingBeowulfreferences.
Release Date:1993Genre:WesternDirector:George P. CosmatosCast:Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Powers Boothe, Michael Biehn, Dana Delany
Myths become reality inTombstone, a stylish, violent Western directed byGeorge P. Cosmatos. Sort of.Tombstonehad a notoriously rough production: screenwriterKevin Jarrewas initially supposed to direct the film, but realized pretty quickly that he was out of his league (it was his debut). Officially, Jarre was replaced by George P. Cosmatos, who was reportedly very difficult to work with. But unofficially, starKurt Russellactually directed most of the movie – or so the story goes. If any of this is true, it’s kind of a miracle thatTombstoneworks as well as it does. Russell is legendary lawman Wyatt Earp, who moves to the cow town of Tombstone with the hopes of starting a new, gun-free life with his brothers, played byBill PaxtonandSam Elliott. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work out, because the town is overrun by the Cowboys, who are treated here like the Western’s answer to the mafia. Soon, Wyatt, his family, and his best pal Doc Holliday (Val Kilmer) are drawn into violence. The gunfights here areloudand in-your-face, but it’s the performances that anchor everything. Russell and his mustache are great, Elliott and Paxton both bring a realism to their respective roles, andPowers BootheandMichael Biehnboth make for great slimeball villains. But everyone knows that this movie really belongs to Kilmer, whose take on Doc Holliday is already the stuff of legend. Smooth, funny, stoic, and sickly, Kilmer’s Holliday is iconic (and I don’t use that word lightly) from the second he shows up on screen. Even ifTombstoneweren’t a good movie to begin with (which it is), it would be worth watching for Kilmer’s work alone.
For fans of:Wyatt Earp,Silverado, Val Kilmer saying stuff like, “I’m your huckleberry,” and “You’re a daisy if you do!”
Release Date:1994Genre:Action-AdventureDirector:Curtis HansonCast:Meryl Streep, Kevin Bacon, David Strathairn, John C. Reilly, Benjamin Bratt, Joseph Mazzello
Did you know thatMeryl Streeponce made an action-adventure about whitewater rafting? You do now! It’s calledThe River Wild, and it’s the type of fun, disposable stuff that Hollywood used to be happy to pump out back in the day. Streep plays an expert whitewater rafter who is in the midst of marital trouble with her husband,David Strathairn. Still, the husband and wife end up going on a rafting trip together with their young son (Joseph Mazzello). Soon, marital striffe is the least of their worries as the family gets taken hostage by two thieves on the run, played byKevin BaconandJohn C. Reilly, and orders Streep to take them down the river. Will Streep’s expertise in whitewater rafting lead to thrilling action sequences on the rapids? Will Kevin Bacon ham it up as the villain? Will David Strathairn’s weak-willed character learn to be brave, thus winning back his wife’s heart? You know it! And it’s pretty damn entertaining to watch.
For fans of:Breakdown,The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Meryl Streep having fun and not worrying about getting nominated for an Oscar.
Release Date:2011Genre:Sci-Fi Horror ComedyDirector:Joe CornishCast:John Boyega, Jodie Whittaker, Nick FrostJohn Boyegaburst onto the scene with his fantastic, commanding presence inJoe Cornish’sAttack the Block. Boyega is Moses, a teenage gang leader living on a council estate in South London. One night (Guy Fawkes Night, to be exact), furry aliens with glowing fangs invade, and Moses and several other residents are going to have to deal with it. This all makes for a crackling sci-fi-horror-comedy – it’s the type of film that understands all of those genres inside and out and knows exactly how to blend them all together to create something special. It’s genuinely puzzling that Joe Cornish hasn’t had a bigger movie-directing career following this killer debut.For fans of:Shaun of the Dead,The World’s End, big alien gorilla wolf motherf***ers.
Now Streaming on The Criterion Channel
Release Date:2002Genre:Silent Horror BalletDirector:Guy MaddinCast:Zhang Wei-Qiang, Tara Birtwhistle, David Moroni, CindyMarie Small, Johnny Wright, Brent NealeGuy Maddingives you aDraculaunlike the others with his haunting, playfulDracula: Pages from a Virgin’s Diary. It’s pretty much the story you know – a vampire comes to England and starts sucking neck. But this is also a ballet. The Royal Winnipeg Ballet had adapted Bram Stoker’sDracula, and Maddin got them together for this film version. But this is not a filmed stage play; it’s instead akin to a silent movie, complete with title cards and old-school camera tricks. There’s no audible dialogue because we don’t need it. Instead, the story is interrupted through the dancer’s movements. Maddin adds an extra layer to the film by playing up the buried xenophobia in Stoker’s book. After all, the famous novel is essentially a story of a foreigner invading England and corrupting traditional English life. Here, Maddin has the xenophobia directed against “the East,” as a title card says, since Dracula is played by Chinese performerZhang Wei-Qiang.For fans of:Draculamovies that try new things.
