Good movies I can stream right now?

June 30, 2012 2:26 PM

Something fun to watch on Amazon instant video right now?

I need something to stream for less than $10.

Something sharp and competent, and just plain good. Examples of movies linked together by this kind of goodness:

True Lies
Evil Dead 2 / Army of Darkness
Gross Point Blank
Romy and Michelle's Highschool Reunion
Blues Brothers
Big Trouble in Little China
Brick
Kiss Kiss Bang Bang
Harold and Maude

You know what I'm talking about, right? Stuff that hits the sweet spot and delivers. We plan on starting the movie up in the next... half hour or so.

Recommendations?

posted by jsturgill to media & arts (19 answers total)

The Guard might interest you. Dark humor, good storyline and some great action.

Here's IMDB's take on it
posted by buggzzee23 at 2:34 PM on June 30, 2012

- How To Get Ahead in Advertising (I just added this to my watchlist last night!)
- There's a bunch of Jeremy Brett's Sherlock Holmes available. The Watson character is a complete doofus in these, but Brett's Sherlock is top notch.
- Drive
- The Full Monty
- The Artist
- Mean Girls
- The Truman Show
- Clueless
- Clue
- Melancholia (not for everyone, but excellent)
- The Iron Giant
- Ghostbusters 2
posted by carsonb at 2:36 PM on June 30, 2012

Holy Crap!I just noticed Amazon wants $14.99 for The Guard. Sorry about that.
posted by buggzzee23 at 2:38 PM on June 30, 2012

Seconding clue.
posted by IwishIwasFordMaddoxFord at 2:39 PM on June 30, 2012

Let's not quibble over details :) Thanks for the suggestion.
posted by jsturgill at 2:39 PM on June 30, 2012

- Up
- Kung Fu Panda
- Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

I'm still browsing the list. BBL.
posted by carsonb at 2:40 PM on June 30, 2012

Wanderlust (if you can take David Wain's eccentricities). Worth it to deal with some weird plotting for some very very funny acting (I'd say it's in the spirit of Grosse Point Blank).
posted by Jon44 at 2:55 PM on June 30, 2012 [1 favorite]

Have you ever seen the movie "Support your local Sheriff"? My Kindle Fire tells me it's available for $2.99. It's an absolute classic comedy, with a top notch cast. James Garner as the good guy, Walter Brennan as the bad guy, and Jack Elam as the comic sidekick...
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 3:03 PM on June 30, 2012 [3 favorites]

OK, so we've picked a movie. This time. I won't say which, and please keep making suggestions (because there will be a next time). Gracias!

The ones I've seen from these are all solid, including Support Your Local Sheriff. I'm not sold on Kung Fu Panda, though. Really, it's good?
posted by jsturgill at 3:09 PM on June 30, 2012

Favorite movie I have streamed lately is Tucker and Dale vs. the Evil, which should be right up your alley if you like Evil Dead.
posted by saffry at 3:48 PM on June 30, 2012 [3 favorites]

I'm not exactly a huge Kung Fu movie buff, but I've got a bit of appreciation for 'em. Kung Fu Panda is a solid entry in the genre, and if you can look just a bit past Jack Black's imported mannerisms I think you'll find you like it.
posted by carsonb at 4:34 PM on June 30, 2012

I was tickled to learn that Mean Girls is free to Prime members. Not sure how much it is non-Prime.
posted by lunasol at 5:09 PM on June 30, 2012

Coen Brothers movies are always my go-to when bored:
--Raising Arizona
--Blood Simple
--The Big Lebowski

Those will get you started...
posted by PixieS at 6:13 PM on June 30, 2012

Dunno about Amazon Instant, but we recently watched Pontypool on Netflix streaming and quite enjoyed it. Low budget; definitely thriller-not-horror; interesting and at no point did we feel our intelligence had been insulted.

Also, have you seen Rango? I've been in a NO! COMPUTER! ANIMATION! headspace for some time now (didn't set out with that intention, just found myself here) and I loved it (LOVED it), in large part because of what's shown in this behind-the-scenes video. (This one too.)

And if you're willing to deal with something that's outstanding most of the way through and then slides down to merely pretty good (while still not insulting), there's Ink (trailer 2).

Also Dark City (despite being little more than atmosphere, the trailer is still mildly spoileriffic, and not recommended). A suggestion: when you hit Play, turn the volume to zero and do not turn it back up until Kiefer Sutherland faces the camera. As Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey has explained elsewhere:

Thing is, some fucking studio HACK got their greasy paws all over it, and at the last minute decided, "We need to have a voice-over that explains away all the mysterious aspects of the movie right at the beginning, before anything happens. Yeah, there's a third act reveal that totally (and skillfully) pays off 2 acts' worth of what the fuck is going on here?, but I need to make my mark on this thing to justify my salary, so I'm shoehorning in a moronic 'Here's what's going on' speech right at the very beginning."

Seriously, it's the single worst cinematic decision since Night of the Demon decided to show the monster in all his rubbery, lo-tek glory in the very first scene. Not a single, solitary justifiable reason for doing it that way, other than "I'm an overpaid moron with delusions of creativity, and I'm going to force the real creatives to do what I say because then I'm a moviemaker, instead of just a suit."

Seriously, when you pop in the Dark City DVD, keep the volume OFF when you hit play. DO NOT TURN THE VOLUME BACK ON until Kiefer Sutherland's character turns to face the camera and looks at his watch. Then turn up the volume and enjoy some of the finest sci-fi moviemaking going. [Lexi: "And then watch it again with Ebert's commentary track." NOTE: Ebert's written review is spoilery, so no linky. Watch this move with the Team LexiMonkey trick, then delve into everything Ebert has to say.]

posted by Lexica at 8:49 PM on June 30, 2012 [1 favorite]

We're watching downtown abbey on amazon instant because it's free if you have prime. I like it even though I usually don't like period pieces,
posted by Jagz-Mario at 10:18 PM on June 30, 2012

Elling.
In the the loop.
posted by pianomover at 12:00 AM on July 1, 2012

The Score starring Edward Norton, Robert DeNiro.
posted by yaymukund at 5:42 AM on July 1, 2012

The City of Lost Children (1995)
Hot Fuzz (2007)
Kung Fu Hustle (2004)
Léon: The Professional (1994)
Mystery Men (1999)
The Thing (1982)
posted by fings at 9:15 AM on July 1, 2012

L.A. Confidential
posted by Tall Telephone Pea at 4:24 PM on July 1, 2012