10 Films For The Weekend (5/30/25)

Posted on May 30, 2025 by Lisa Marie Bowman

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!

Monday Live Tweet Alert: Join Us For Stone Cold 2 and The Mule!

Posted on July 24, 2023 by Lisa Marie Bowman

As some of our regular readers undoubtedly know, I am involved in hosting a few weekly live tweets on twitter and occasion ally Mastodon. I host #FridayNightFlix every Friday, I co-host #ScarySocial on Saturday, and I am one of the five hosts of Mastodon’s #MondayActionMovie ! Every week, we get together. We watch a movie. We snark our way through it.

Tonight, for #MondayActionMovie, the film will be 1997’s Stone Cold 2! Selected and hosted by Rev. Magdalen, this movie features Brian Bosworth! So, you know it has to be good!

Following #MondayActionMovie, Brad and Sierra will be hosting the #MondayMuggers live tweet. We will be watching 2018’s The Mule, starring CLINT EASTWOOD! The film is on Prime!

It should make for a night of fun viewing and I invite all of you to join in. If you want to join the live tweets, just hop onto Mastodon, pull up Stone Cold 2 on YouTube, start the movie at 8 pm et, and use the #MondayActionMovie hashtag! Then, at 10 pm et, switch over to Twitter and Prime, start The Mule, and use the #MondayMuggers hashtag! The live tweet community is a friendly group and welcoming of newcomers so don’t be shy.

Film Review: The Mule (dir by Clint Eastwood)

Posted on May 31, 2020 by Lisa Marie Bowman

In The Mule, Clint Eastwood plays Earl Stone.

In some ways, Earl is typical of the characters that Eastwood has played during the latter part of his career. He’s grouchy. He’s alienated almost everyone who was previously close to him. He drives an old pickup truck and he has no idea how to text and he seems to literally snarls whenever he sees anyone under the age of 60. He served in the Korean War and he’s not scared of guns.

In other ways, Earl is not a typical Eastwood character at all. First off, he’s on the verge of financial ruin. Earl may not be the first Eastwood character to not know how to responsibly handle money but he is perhaps the first one to be on the verge of homelessness as a result. (He’s perhaps the first of Eastwood’s modern character to face real-world consequences for his flaws.) Secondly, Earl often seems to be lost in the 21st century world. In Gran Torino and Trouble With The Curve, Eastwood played grumpy old men who could still hold their own when it came to dealing with younger people. But, in The Mule, Earl seems to be defeated by life. The only thing that he really has going for him is his reputation as a horticulturist and, as the film makes clear, that’s not a skill that’s going to bring in much money.

That all changes when Earl has a chance meeting with Rico (Victor Rasuk), a friend of his granddaughter’s. Knowing that Earl is desperate for money, Rico tells him that he could make a quick payday by transporting a package for some friends. After giving it some thought, Earl agrees. When Earl meets Rico’s friends, everyone is shocked at how old he is. They’re even more shocked when Earl says that he doesn’t know how to text. Earl is given a phone and told to answer it whenever it rings but to never use it to call anyone. A package is put in the back of Earl’s pickup truck. It’s suggested that Earl not look in the package.

Does Earl know that he’s transporting drugs? At first, it’s hard to say. While it seems obvious to us, Earl is from a different time. Still, once Earl does eventually learn that he’s being used as a drug mule, it doesn’t seem to bother him. If nothing else, Earl actually seems to get a kick out of being a real-life outlaw. He continues to make his runs and he continues to make money and, perhaps most importantly, he now has a purpose in life. In a strange way, the drug runners even become his new family. (They call him Tata, which is Spanish for grandfather.) Of course, they’re a family that makes it cleat that they’ll kill Earl if he’s ever late delivering the package but that doesn’t seem to matter to Earl.

Meanwhile, the DEA (represented by Laurence Fishburne, Bradley Cooper, and — somewhat inevitably — Michael Pena) are hearing reports about a new drug mule who has been nicknamed Tata. What they don’t suspect, of course, is that Tata is a 90 year-old man who has no criminal record and who is always very careful to obey all the traffic laws. Even when Earl is pulled over by the police, he’s such a nice old man that they let him go without bothering to really search his vehicle. It seems like Earl’s got a perfect thing going but, unfortunately, things are never as good as they seem and eventually, the reality of Earl’s situation intrudes on his fantasy….

It’s been said that The Mule is going to be Eastwood’s final film as an actor and he gives an excellent performance as Earl. The Mule, which feels, in many ways, like a good-natured companion piece to Gran Torino, features Eastwood at both his most vulnerable and, probably not coincidentally, his most likable and sympathetic. In this film, Eastwood makes clear that he’s no longer the righteous Dirty Harry or the mythological Man With No Name. Now, he’s just a man nearing the end of his life and trying to come to terms with the mistakes and the decisions of the past. Eastwood plays Earl like a man who knows that his time is limited. Smuggling drugs gives him a chance to feel like he’s alive again but, throughout it all, there’s still a deep sadness. Earl can use his money to pay his bills and to fix up the local VFW hall but he still can’t buy his family’s forgiveness. Watching the film, it’s impossible not to feel for Earl. You’re happy that he found at least a little satisfaction with his criminal career, even though you immediately suspect that things probably aren’t going to turn out well for him.

Admittedly, there is one cringe-worthy scene in which it’s suggested that the 90 year-old Earl has had a threesome with two twenty year-olds (and one gets the feeling that the scene would not have been included if not for the fact that the film’s star was also the director). For the most part, though, this is a thoughtful film that features a poignant performance from Eastwood and which is directed in a restrained, but empathetic manner. If this is Eastwood’s swan song as an actor, it’s a good note to go out on.

Weekly Trailer Round-Up: Aquaman, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The Mule, Vice, On The Basis of Sex, Mortal Engines

Posted on October 7, 2018 by Jedadiah Leland

Last week the internet was abuzz after the release of an extended, five-minute trailer for Aquaman. That trailer kicks off this week’s trailer round-up. Aquaman will be released on December 21st.

Coming out the week before Aquaman, the animated Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse will provide a new look at everyone’s favorite webslinger and will help us all emotionally recover from the end of Avengers: Infinity War. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse is in theaters on December 14th.

Clint Eastwood is a machine. At an age when most people are retired, Eastwood is still cranking out movies and winning awards. The Mule is based on the true story of the world’s oldest drug runner. Eastwood directed and, for the first time since Trouble With The Curve, stars. The Mule will be released on December 14th.

In Vice, Christian Bale is transformed into former Vice President Dick Cheney. This film was directed by Adam McKay so it’s portrayal of Cheney and George W. Bush (played by Sam Rockwell) will probably not be a positive one. Vice will be released on December 25th and will answer the question: “Does anyone other than Adam McKay care about Dick Cheney anymore?”

Vice will be getting some competition on Christmas from another politically charged biopic. On the Basis of Sex stars Felicity Jones as Ruth Bader Ginsburg.