Here are ten films that I recommend checking out this weekend.  These films are all streaming so, if you’re stuck inside due to weather or crippling depression, give them a shot!

In Honor of Clint Eastwood

Saturday will be Clint Eastwood’s 95th birthday.  Clint’s career has stretched from the 50s t0 the present day.  (Though some thought he might retire after 2024’s Juror #2, Eastwood is reportedly working on a new film.)  We’ll be posting a lot of Eastwood reviews tomorrow but I want to take the time right now to mention three of his films that will be streaming this weekend.

First off, 2024’s legal thriller, Juror #2 (which I consider to be the best film of 2024), is still streaming on Max.  Featuring excellent performances from Nicholas Hoult and Toni Collette, Juror #2 is an entertaining courtroom thriller that, in its efficient and non-flashy way, shows that Eastwood is still one of the best directors work.

Clint Eastwood was 88 years old when he gave one of his best performances in 2018’s The Mule.  The Mule tells the true story of a 90 year-old widower who found a second job smuggling drugs across the country for a Mexican cartel.  Eastwood gives a likable performance as someone who is definitely not an action hero but who gets a second lease on life by working with some very dangerous people.  This film is tense, poignant, and surprisingly funny at time.  It’s on Netflix.

Also on Netflix is 2014’s American Sniper, a film that Eastwood directed.  Bradley Cooper gives a strong performance as Chris Kyle and Eastwood direction will leave you breathless.  This film was controversial when it was released.  It had only been two years since Eastwood gave his speech at the Republican Convention and, amongst the online crowd, there was still a lot of anger at him.  (Considering that the online critics often presented themselves as being film experts, it was surprising how many of them apparently did not know that Eastwood was, at the time, a lifelong Republican.  Apparently, he’s currently registered as a Libertarian.)  Personally, I don’t find American Sniper to be a political film.  Eastwood’s made a lot of films about war and he’s never been one to glorify it.  Instead, as with many of Eastwood’s films, it’s a character study of man who has to learn how to live with his actions.

Here’s Some More Action

If you’re in the mood for some non-Eastwood action, here’s some suggestions.

Rolling Thunder (1978), starring William Devane and Tommy Lee Jones, is both a revenge film and a look at the struggle of two men returning to a country that they no longer recognize.  Devane and Jones’s characters have recently returned from a Vietnamese POW camp.  When Devane’s wife and son are killed by bandits and Devane’s hand is lost in a garbage disposal, he and Jones join forces to “clean them up.”  This film is a favorite of Quentin Tarantino’s and I personally consider it to be one of the best Texas-set films ever made.  Devane has never been better and Jones deserved an Oscar for his performance as the emotionally shattered and withdrawn vet who comes to life when it time to “kill a bunch of people.”  Rolling Thunder is currently on Tubi.

Jeff says that The Delta Force (1986) is the greatest film of all time.  And while I personally don’t think that’s possible as long as Money Plane exists, I will say that there is something very emotionally satisfying about watching Chuck Norris and Lee Marvin take out a bunch of terrorists.  I dare you not to shed a tear when George Kennedy’s priest walks to the front of the plane and declares that if the terrorists are taking the Jewish passengers hostage, they’ll have to take him as well because “I’m Jewish.”  The Delta Force can be found on Tubi and Prime.

Finally, I don’t think Brad would forgive me if I left out Charles Bronson.  Breakheart Pass (1975) is an interesting and unfairly overlooked Bronson western, one that mixes a genuine murder mystery with all the action that one could hope for.  Playing a 19th century detective on a train, Bronson more than holds his own against an impressive array character actors, including Charles Durning and Ben Johnson.  It can currently be viewed on Tubi and Prime.

Odds and Ends

I read a story this week that France is planning on banning outdoor smoking.  Seriously, what is happening to that country?  How did they go from being the country of sexy ennui to the country that bans smoking?  It’s a shame.  If you want to remember France the way it was and the way it should still be, check out Jean-Luc Godard’s classic Breathless (1960), a film that still packs quite a stylistic punch.  Jean-Luc Belmondo is the ultimate existential outlaw.  Jean Seberg is the perfect femme fatale beatnik.  The ending remains haunting and unforgettable.  Belmondo would never let anyone tell him whether or not he could smoke.  The film is currently streaming on Max.

Uh-oh!  This weekend might be your last chance to see my favorite film of 2020, Money Plane, on Tubi!  (It’s currently listed in the dreaded “Leaving Soon” category.)  Ignore what the critics not named Lisa might tell you.  Money Plane is an absolute blast.  If for no other reason, see it for Kelsey Grammer’s wonderfully unhinged performance as the Rumble.  For now, Money Plane is on Tubi and Prime.

Also listed as “Leaving Soon,” is Dario Argento’s classic directorial debut, Bird With The Crystal Plumage (1970).  One of the best giallo films ever, Argento’s thriller continues to be a twisted delight, featuring excellent performance from Tony Mustante and Suzy Kendall and one death scene that literally makes me put my hands over my eyes every time I watch the movie.  This is one of the great shockers.  For now, it can be found on Tubi and Prime.

Finally, The Last Movie Star (2017) is a flawed film but it features a wonderful, late career performance from Burt Reynolds.  The Last Movie Star pays tribute to both Reynolds as an actor and a cinematic icon.  It can be found on Tubi.

Check out last week’s suggestions here!