Lenny (1974)

Featuring: Dustin Hoffman, Valerie Perrine. Director: Bob Fosse

Warning: This movie is only supposed to be available for streaming until Nov. 20th so act fast!

I really wanted to love this movie. I admire Lenny Bruce and I seem to remember hearing about an up-and-coming actor named Dustin Hoffman who is supposed to be pretty good. It seemed like this movie should have had it all, but throughout the film I kept getting the feeling that something was lacking. The acting was very good and the material was very interesting, but I think what was missing might have been spectacle.

The movie seemed a little too quiet and deliberate for a biopic about a man as controversial as Lenny Bruce. Now, I'm not saying there should have been as much spectacle as there was in The People vs. Larry Flynt, because no one did spectacle quite like Larry Flynt. It is worth making the comparison, however, because the two films (and the lives of their two subjects) did follow very similar paths. Controversy, tragedy, and (justifiable) obsession with the first amendment. Sadly, Lenny Bruce passed away before his fight for  first amendment rights could yield any fruits. Maybe that's the real reason I don't like this movie as much as The People vs. Larry Flynt, there was no vindication, no moment of glory, no spectacle. Just tragedy.

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According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 11/20/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Dustin Hoffman as Lenny Bruce, how could I resist?

Is it artsy? Yes, in that sort of artsy way that is particular to movies from the 70's. Black and white, a ton of close ups.

What stood out the most to you? How much more interesting the second half of the movie was then the first.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Don't expect it to be very funny just because it's about Lenny Bruce, it's actually a pretty depressing movie.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars.

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Born on the Fourth of July (1989)

Featuring: Tom Cruise, Tom Berenger, Willem Dafoe. Director: Oliver Stone.

Warning: This movie will only stream until May 1st so act fast!

We all know Tom Cruise is a d-bag. I think we can all agree on that. All the Scientology crap, the jumping on couches and the whole closeted homosexual bit just turns people off of him and for good reason. He's a weird little man. All of his eccentricities make it very hard to take him seriously these days. He's not a bad actor though. There was a stretch there when he was a decent leading man and Hollywood's golden boy.  Sure, he's no Paul Newman, but he's not a talentless hack posing as a leading man like say, Warren Beatty, either.

In Born on the Fourth of July everyone's favorite Scientologist  gives one of the best performances of his career as a young man who goes to Vietnam as an idealist and returns a cynic and a cripple. Believe it or not, I thought Cruise was really believable in this role and probably even deserved the Oscar nomination he got for it.

The movie itself seemed a little uneven to me. It seemed to sort of just bounce around and there wasn't nearly enough about his time as a protester. I don't really get the academy's love of Oliver Stone (he won another best director award for this one) in the 80's. I've enjoyed a lot of Oliver Stone movies but he has never seemed to be a master of the craft like say, Scorsese (who was continually snubbed in the 80's). His movies all feel rushed and unbalanced. It's like he won his awards based on how good his movies could have been if he wasn't coked out the entire time he was making them. That being said, this is a good movie and worth watching for Cruise's performance. Yea, I just said that.

Click here to add this movie to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 5/1/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? It's an Oliver Stone movie I hadn't seen yet, it stayed there so long because Tom Cruise was on the cover.

Is it artsy? No.

What stood out the most to you? A surprisingly awesome performance from Tom Cruise.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? In a good mood so the depressing life of a troubled Vietnam vet won't bring you too far down.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars. 

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In Search of Beethoven (2009)

Director: Phil Grabsky.

Warning: This documentary will only stream until April 27th so act fast!

Ever since I saw Amadeus, the fascinating movie about the life of Mozart, I've been interested in learning more about the lives of history's great composers. I've always been intrigued by the geniuses that have changed the world. If you can't be one, at least learn to fake it. Since I'm too lazy to do any actual research on Mozart, Beethoven and the like I just scour Netflix for interesting documentaries.

Phil Grabsky is the award winning director of In Search of Mozart, according to Netflix anyway. For some reason Netflix doesn't actually carry In Search of Mozart (even on disc) even though they mention it in the description for this documentary. That annoys me, because while this may not be the most well done documentary I've ever watched, it was still great to learn about the genius of Ludwig van and I would have liked to have done the same with Mozart. Especially considering how closely the story of one impacted the other.

Mozart came first and left a big shadow, one that Beethoven strove to overcome for most of his career. He eventually did surpass Mozart (depending on your opinion) and completely revolutionized the way compositions were structured. What's really incredible is that he did most of it while being either partially or completely deaf. Talk about overcoming a disability. It also made him a very dark person. Imagine not even being able to enjoy the creations you slaved away at? That must have been torture, but he kept going, despite being suicidal. He was a fascinating guy, and while this documentary got a little bogged down at times it is a worthwhile watch just to learn more about the genius of Beethoven.

To add this documentary to your Netflix queue click here. 

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming on 4/27/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I like learning about geniuses.

Is it artsy? No, but it is about the life of an intense artist.

What stood out the most to you? The contemporary composers they interviewed in this documentary are pretty funny looking people.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? In the mood to hear some great music and learn about how it was created.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars. 

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William Kunstler: Disturbing the Universe (2009)

Featuring: William Kunstler. Directors: Emily Kunstler, Sarah Kunstler. 

Warning: This movie will only be available for streaming until April 27th so act fast!

We here at Netflix Stream like documentaries and we like people who stand up for what they think is right - even if no one agrees with them. William Kunstler was an example of the latter and his daughters filmed a documentary about their controversial father. William Kunstler was an activist lawyer who never shied away from tough and unpopular cases. He became the prototype ACLU type lawyer that people love to hate.

His career was remarkable. He rose to fame in the 60's after defending the Chicago Seven and seemed to be involved in every controversial case in America up until his death in the 1990's when he was the lawyer for the defendant in the original World Trade Center bombing in 1993. He also, at various points, defended the Cantonsville Nine, the Black Panther Party, the Weather Underground Organization, and was involved early on in the legal battles over segregation in the south. He was also the key negotiator during the Attica Prison riots and the Wounded Knee incident in South Dakota. He eventually even made it before the U.S. Supreme Court.

In this documentary we look at the controversial Kunstler from the perspective of his daughters. These two girls must have had a crazy childhood. Protesters regularly camped out in front of Kunstler's home (which doubled as his office) and he was under constant FBI surveillance. It gave the documentary a personal touch which made the subject seem all that much more fascinating. This was an intriguing documentary and if you have any interest at all in the radicalism of the 60's and 70's or in U.S. legal history you'll enjoy this film. Love him or hate him, it's hard to deny that William Kunstler kept the system honest and for that I admire him.

Click here to add this to your Netflix queue.

According to Netflix this movie will stop streaming 4/27/11. Of course, sometimes they lie.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? William Kunstler was a fascinating character.

Is it artsy? No, standard documentary format.

What stood out the most to you? Finding out exactly how many big news stories he was right in the center of.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking to learn a bit about history.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars. 

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Michael Collins (1996)

Featuring: Liam Neeson, Julia Roberts, Aidan Quinn, Alan Rickman. Director: Neil Jordan

Warning: This movie will only stream for another week so act fast! You only have until April 6th.

Contrary to popular belief the Irish aren't a lucky people at all. In fact, I'd put them right up there with the Jews and anyone from Africa as being some of the unluckiest people in the world. Do you know how I know this? Anytime I've ever watched a movie about Irish history it has been partly inspirational but mostly tragic and depressing. If they weren't such a humorous, good-spirited and loyal people movies about them would be almost unwatchable.

This biographical tale follows the life of Michael Collins (played by Liam Neeson) who organized an uprising against the British Empire for Irish independence. For those of you who aren't very familiar with history, despite how classy the British sound, for the most part they were real sons of bitches for most of their history and ruled the world with an iron fist. This movie shows just how much respect they had for the Irish, very little.

Michael Collins' uprising was the first successful uprising against the British but it led to a controversial agreement that divided Ireland and led to even more violence. Some thought Collins a hero, others a traitor to the cause and this makes him a fascinating character study which Liam Neeson knocks out of the park.

I've always been a fan of Neeson and this just may be his best work. He gives a wonderful performance and supporting actors like Julia Roberts and Aidan Quinn give great performances as well. If you like historical biographies at all you should really check this one out. If you're Irish and have never seen this you need to queue it up right now. This is a really good movie.

To add this movie to your Netflix queue click here.

This movie will stream until 4/6/11.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I like historical biographies and Liam Neeson is always interesting.

Is it artsy? No.

What stood out the most to you? Neeson's intense performance.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Great acting, great story and a bit of violence.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars. 

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Bugsy (1991)

You never really hear Bugsy mentioned in the same breath will all the brilliant, epic mob movies we've seen over the last forty years. There's a reason for that, it sucks. I really could not stand this movie. I think Warren Beatty is one of the most overrated actors of all time. Just because you look like a leading man, it doesn't mean you are one. He tried to give a complex performance but I just couldn't believe him.

I'm really stunned that this movie got so many Oscar nominations. Nothing looked authentic at all. You could tell that every single shot took place on a Hollywood set. Even the actors didn't look right. It was weird seeing Ben Kingsly have hair and Harvey Keitel without it. It's a petty example I know, but the wigs they used were so awful looking that it illustrates the problem with the whole movie: it all looked incredibly fake.

The real shame here is that director Barry Levinson made an incredible supporting cast look like amateurs. With Annette Bening, Harvey Keitel, Ben Kingsley, and Joe Mantegna this movie really could have been a classic. Instead, you're left scratching your head and wondering what the hell happened?

Click here to add this movie to your Netflix queue.

This movie will stop streaming on 3/1/11.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? It's a mob movie and on paper had an incredible cast.

Is it artsy? Nope, it's crappy.

Best thing about the movie? The end credits.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? A mood where you don't really feel like paying attention to what's on the screen.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 2 Stars.

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Inferno: The Making of The Expendables (2010)

I don't generally like watching "the making of" type of movies but I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed this one. If you haven't heard of it before The Expendables is a throwback to the old school action movies of the 80's and early 90's directed by Sylvester Stallone and stars pretty much every action star in the history of the universe. It's a lot of fun and I suggest you check it out. Make sure you watch it before you check out this documentary because it shows damn near every major scene from the movie being filmed.

Since 80's style action movies are one of my many guilty pleasures I've liked Stallone movies for a while and have been happy about about his recent career resurgence with The Expendables and the latest Rambo movie (sorry Rocky Balboa, wasn't digging you). That being said, my opinion of him as a person was pretty much that he was a roided out guy who blew shit up in movies. After watching Inferno, I have to admit I have a whole new respect for him as a person and as an artist.

Artist. Yea, I said it. I was blown away with his passion for creating this movie. He literally put his blood, sweat and tears into this film. It seems like every ten minutes this guy was heading back to the ER. Over the course of the filming he suffered a spinal injury, and tendons separated from the bone on two different occasions in his shoulder and leg. One of the risks of continuing filming was paralysis. Not only did this tough S.O.B. continue getting beat up in action scenes but he directed and pretty much wrote the movie on the fly.  If that isn't the passion of an artist I don't know what is. I highly recommend this movie to anyone who is interested in the film making process, because although he kept it simple, his improvisational style led to a movie that a lot of people enjoyed.

Click here to watch this movie.

Stops streaming on Netflix 2/1/11.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I saw on some random website that this was interesting.

Is it artsy? No, but I have a new admiration for Stallone as a filmmaker and artist.

Best thing about the movie? The repeated visits to ER.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? A little insight into the movie making process.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 3 Stars.

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The Last Emperor (1987)

The Last Emperor is an interesting period piece about the life of the last emperor of China. Emperor Pu Yi had to have lived one of the stranger lives in history. From the age of three he was raised to believe he was infallible. Can you imagine being a kid who can do no wrong? He is completely isolated in The Forbidden City and has no contact with the outside world. He doesn't even realize that he no longer rules the country until after the Communists have already been in charge for some time. His life takes a number of twists and turns before he ends up in a reeducation camp and is really rather fascinating.

This was a really well done movie and it made me a lot more interested in learning about this period in Chinese history. The acting, plot and feel of the movie are all really good. There's a reason this film won 9 academy awards. If you're interested in period pieces or history you should definitely watch this movie. Even if you aren't, add it to your queue anyway.

Click here to add this movie to your queue.

Movie available for streaming until 1/22/2011.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I like period pieces and this is supposed to be a really good one, and it was.

Is it artsy? No.

Best thing about the movie? The strange out of place lesbian foot fetish scene.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Looking to be engaged in a really good movie.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars.

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Amadeus (1984)

Everything about this movie was good. The acting was superb, particularly from F. Murray Abraham who gave a brilliant performance as Mozart's rival Salieri. The plot was wonderful and made you think about the nature of talent, art and why some people are born with such great natural talents and others aren't. Although clocking in at 3 hours long the movie never gets dull and the costumes and music were phenomenal.

In short, this is a fantastic movie that explores the dark sides of artists and the creative process in a way that is both historical and entertaining. I never knew Mozart was such a hell-raiser. I need to get a biography on his life and you need to watch this movie. There is a reason it got a boat load of Oscars.

Click here to add to your queue.

This movie will stop streaming on 1/1/2011.

The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? I'd heard it was a great movie but never got around to checking it out.

Is it artsy? No, but it is about the pains that go with great talent and creating great art.

Best thing about the movie? Mozart's creepy laugh.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? Ready to be blown away by great music and acting (and with 3 hours to spare).

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 5 Stars. 

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My Left Foot: Special Edition (1989)

Daniel Day-Lewis is a phenomenal actor. I've never seem him in a movie in which he was anything short of brilliant. Now that Johnny Depp is a famous pirate my award for most underrated actor belongs to Mr. Day-Lewis. My Left Foot is the story of Christy Brown, a man born with cerebral palsy in Ireland back in the day when care for the disabled was complete s***. He overcame adversity to become an author and artist of renown.

The plot is about what you'd expect it to be. Disabled kid endures a bunch of harsh stuff only to make good later in life. Inspirational and all that. While the plot doesn't have many surprises the acting my Day-Lewis is extraordinary. His performance is absolutely captivating and at times he doesn't seem like an actor... he seems like the person he is portraying. You should all definitely watch this movie if you haven't seen it already.

Click here to add this movie to your queue. 

This movie will stop streaming on 1/1/2011.
The Standard 5:

Why is it in your queue? Daniel Day-Lewis.

Is it artsy? No, but Day-Lewis' performance could be called art and it's about an artist.

Best thing about the movie? Daniel Day Lewis' acting.

What mood should I be in to watch this movie? In a mood to watch something at times sad and at other times uplifting.

What rating did you give it on Netflix? 4 Stars. 

The trailer really doesn't do the movie justice but here it is anyway:

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