Friday, November 10, 2017

I Stream, You Stream Vol. 55

by Patrick Bromley
As always, I've found some really cool stuff for you to stream this weekend.

Savage Dog (2017, dir. Jesse V. Johnson) To be 100% honest, I didn't completely love this movie. It's ok. It's entertaining. But I swore a solemn oath to myself that if a movie features Scott Adkins punching and/or kicking people in the face, I would not only watch it but also try to get other people to watch it, too. It's called spreading the Gospel of Adkins. Look it up. (Watch on Netflix)
Out Cold (2001, dir. Brendan & Emmett Malloy) This came up on our 400th episode because Adam Riske had not yet seen it, which I strongly encouraged him to rectify. He did, and now he, too, is a fan. Please understand that this movie is almost impossibly stupid, but it leans into its stupidity and is one of those comedies in which it feels like everyone got away with something because the studio wasn't paying attention. Seize the carp. (Watch on Hulu)
Year of the Dog (2007, dir. Mike White) I don't think I've seen this one since it was released in theaters over 10 years ago, but I remember being impressed by both Molly Shannon's performance (she's so much better at playing sad people trying to hold it together than she is at the kind of broad comic stuff she did on SNL) and at writer/director Mike White's commitment to telling a specific story about a specific person. His work can be hit or miss with me, but I like that he often upends conventional movie plotting and really tries to pay attention to the kinds of characters on which he typically chooses to focus. (Watch on Amazon Prime Video)
Hard Eight (1997, dir. Paul Thomas Anderson) I know I recommended this a while back on FilmStruck, but now here it is for everyone to watch for free without signing up for any subscription service. And because it's very hard to find on DVD these days (it's OOP and costs a lot), you really want to take advantage and watch it while you can. Paul Thomas Anderson has a new movie coming out later this year (Phantom Thread), and while I've learned to not let myself get too excited about a new PTA anymore, there was a time when he was probably my favorite working director. This still feels like a first movie, but it's a hell of a first movie. Phillip Baker Hall gives one of my all-time favorite performances as one of my all-time favorite movie characters. (Watch free with ads on Vudu)
Vice Squad (1983, dir. Gary Sherman) Speaking of hard to come by! This was out of print for years and hard to pick up on DVD for less than $50; a cheaper option now appears to be available, but it's also streaming for FREE on Tubi TV! You're welcome. It's a glorious piece of trash from the perpetually underrated Gary Sherman in which a prostitute (Season Hubley) is hunted by a murderous pimp named -- wait for it -- Ramrod, played by Wings Hauser in a performance brought to you by all of the cocaine available in the 1980s. I remember bringing Erika to see a midnight screening of this at the Music Box years ago, and of course she was a sport because she loves movies and she's nice, but this kind of movie isn't always her bag. At least she got to hear me sing the movie's theme song, "Neon Slime," (performed in the movie by Wings Hauser and cocaine) during the entire car ride home. So in a way we both won. (Watch free on Tubi TV)

3 comments:

  1. Vice Squad used to play on a seemingly endless loop on Cinemax on weekends back when I was in college and cable movie channels were a new thing.

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  2. been wanting to watch Savage Dog for a while, because of Adkins, obviously. your blurb on the movie doesn't encourage me to do it, even with the Adkins factor. it's still on the list, it just got bump down a couple of notches

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