Welcome to September. Summer is over. Some of you may be thinking “wake me up when September ends.” But for those of you looking to stay awake the entire month, and maybe even watch some cool throughout, I dug up the following options for you.
Below are some great movies streaming now on Disney Plus, Prime Video, Paramount Plus, Hulu, and Apple Plus you should check out this month.
Disney Plus: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest (2006)
Complaining about overused CGI looking like slop in current blockbuster films is a pretty trendy thing to do these days. When citing blockbusters of yesteryear that look great and aim to entertain on the grandest scale, Dead Man’s Chest is often mentioned. And with good reason. The CGI is spectacular and the action set pieces are absolutely thrilling. Although it is technically a “rollercoaster movie,” it has infinitely more character and liveliness than most of the superhero movies of the last 15 years that Martin Scorsese dubbed as theme park rides. It’s a reminder of the heights that big summer blockbusters can reach. We deserve more modern movies as awesome as Dead Man’s Chest.
FOR FANS OF: The Mummy; King Kong; Hellboy
Prime Video: Blow Out (1981)
Brian De Palma might have one of the most intriguing and confusing filmographies. His ability to dip into the blockbuster mainstream with films like The Untouchables or Mission: Impossible is perfectly balanced by his desires to be a horny weirdo with films like Body Double and of course Blow Out. It feels like this film is De Palma at his purest. It’s him fully in his bag. The results are nothing short of remarkable. The ending is one of the best punctuations in cinema history and it’s probably the single best performance of John Travolta’s career.
FOR FANS OF: Suspiria; Body Double; Vertigo
Paramount+: Flags of Our Fathers (2006)
Flags of Our Fathers succeeds most admirably when exploring the toll that war can take on the individuals who participate in it. Especially when they become symbols for something larger than life. Those lives – both the survivors and those who perish on the battlefield – are cruelly chewed up and spit out by the war machine. Their heroics are co-opted for a larger purpose. However, at the end of the day, it’s a story about the young men we send off to war, and how it molds and shapes them for the rest of their lives. The personal drama is way more captivating than any of the wartime action, which is a staple of a truly worthwhile war film.
FOR FANS OF: Saving Private Ryan; American Sniper; Hacksaw Ridge
Hulu: Jennifer’s Body (2009)
Horror/comedy is such a difficult tone to balance, but Jennifer’s Body hits all of the notes beautifully. Terrifying one minute and laugh out loud hilarious the next – sometimes you get both in a singular moment. Megan Fox is nothing short of spectacular in this. You can tell she’s having an absolute blast. These are the types of roles she should have been getting all time (and still getting now). On top of being a blast, Jennifer’s Body is also a surprisingly smart movie. It’s a subversive criticism on all things of its era. Come for the scares and stay for the commentary.
FOR FANS OF: Cabin in the Woods; The Babysitter; Idle Hands
Apple TV+: Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
2023 will undoubtedly go down as the year of Barbenheimer, but the strongest movie of the year remains Killers of the Flower Moon. The weighty emotionality of the subject matter and the massive runtime have been enough to scare audience members away. But if you’re willing to stream an entire season of The Bear in one day, you should be able to commit a weekend afternoon to Killers. Scorsese’s latest film is another triumph in one of the most storied cinematic careers we’ve ever seen. It’s obvious the man still has it at age 80. Hopefully we get a few more masterpieces from him before he finally hangs it up.
FOR FANS OF: The Irishman; Wind River; Gangs of New York
Make sure you check out all of these awesome options and let us know what you think. Also, be sure to let us know the best hidden gems you’ve streamed recently. Share in the comments and help us expand the list!
See you next month!