Sure-Fire Streaming: Fighting With My Family, Poseidon, As Good As It Gets, and more!
By Jordan Parker
https://parkerandpictures.wordpress.com/
Fighting With My Family – Available On Netflix
I have next to no interest in the sport, and yet this comedy yarn about a former wrestler who goes around the country doing small-time gigs with his family endeared itself to me immediately.
While their father is content with little venues and meager – but passionate – fanbases, his kids Zak and Saraya yearn for more.
So when they get to try out for the WWE, they’re torn between going for their dreams and staying loyal to their dad and his work.
This cast is all-star the whole way through. From Dwayne Johnson to Nick Frost, Game Of Thrones alum Lean Headey, the wonderful lead Florence Pugh, Jack Lowden and a great supporting turn from Vince Vaughn, all of them have perfect comedic timing.
Writer-director Stephen Merchant is known for being a founder of Lip Sync Battles and being the tall, lanky, awkward guy in basically everything.
He gets to heavily flex here, and a hilarious film with a heck of a lot of heart is the result.
Poseidon – Available On Netflix
A remake of the 1972 Gene Hackman/Ernest Borgnine Oscar winner, this film never really got the proper props.
I’ll be entirely honest and say it lacks the prestige of the original, but this action tilt managed to nab an Oscar nom for Best Visual Effects, and for good reason.
This story of a luxury ocean liner that begins to sink on New Years Eve, leaving passengers struggling to survive, is an interesting affair.
Directed by Das Boot helmer Wolfgang Petersen, its biggest asset might be the insanely talented cast.
Headlined by Kurt Russell, Emmy Rossum, Josh Lucas, and legend Richard Dreyfuss, everyone provides a good performance in a genre that doesn’t require much.
It’s an effects-laden action film that does the trick if you don’t put too much weight and pressure on it. Just enjoy it for what it is.
As Good As It Gets – Available On Prime Video
This wonderful James L. Brooks film is one of the movies I go directly to when I need a pick-me-up.
It revolves around a waitress and single mother, an author and a young gay artist who all become unlikely friends after a tragic event.
As Good As It Gets is a drama-comedy that will engross you in its story, and while it doesn’t rank among Terms Of Endearment or some of Brooks’ other big hits, it certainly is a crowd-pleaser.
Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt both won Oscars for their turns here, and Greg Kinnear was nominated for his role. It’s a masterclass in acting, and these are highs for everyone involved.
As Good As It Gets is a beautiful, stirring, pretty amazing achievement, and one that simply needs to be seen.
Monster – Available On Netflix
This Netflix original releases Friday, and it’s a provocative, racially charged film that is hugely important given the political and social landscape right now.
The story of a 17-year-old aspiring filmmaker from Harlem transforms into a courtroom drama when a fateful incident puts him on trial for murder.
While the tone is uneven and the flashbacks to the events can be jarring, this is also a timely flick that has a social conscience.
The performance are dynamite, and the cast includes Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington, Jeffrey Wright, Jennifer Hudson, Tim Blake Nelson, and Jharrel Jerome.
It asks important questions about race, how our environments play into our actions, and presumptions of guilt and innocence in a court of law.
It’s not perfect, but it truly is a magnificent character study I couldn’t look away from.
The Craft – Available On Prime Video
As far as 90s guilty pleasures go, this witch flick ranks among the very top for me.
I saw this movie way too early, at 10, and the 1996 horror flick has stuck with me my entire life.
It’s about a new student at a Catholic prep school whose life is turns upside down when she meets three girls into witchraft.
All the girls begin to cast spells on those they dislike, creating turmoil all around them.
Starring ‘it’ girls from the era, Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell and Rachel True are all captivating.
With sterling supporting turns from Skeet Ulrich, Christine Taylor and Breckin Meyer, there’s plenty to love about the young cast.
You’ll really enjoy this little slice of 90s horror, and it’s worth revisiting if it’s been a while since you’ve seen it.