Streaming Roulette: Mister Tibbs, Maria Braun, Alfred Kinsey

by Nathaniel R

If you're new to the site this is how we share new streaming offerings for the month. We select a handful (or two) of titles and just randomly hit a place on the scroll bar to see what the film looks like - no cheating. Sadly despite the so-called "streaming wars" there just isn't much out there to suggest that any of the channels (barring the must-have Criterion Channel) want any viewers who are obsessed with anything other than decent to lame movies made between 2002-2019. Even the 1990s are getting fairly uncommon to see on streaming services. Ready? Let's play...

I think we should go very soon... like... RIGHT NOW."

Outbreak (1995) on Netflix
What better time to watch this oldie but right now in the midst of another massive global health scare. (In truth I barely remember this picture other than finding it ridiculous at the time. But then, I was younger and it's a truth that young people dont scare as easily as older people when it comes to their mortality.)

I think you're making a big mistake, that's how I feel. 

Jerry Maguire (1996) on Netflix
In 1996 I thought the Oscars were making a big mistake by not crowning Tom Cruise for Best Actor. Did you? That said I haven't seen the movie since the 1990s. Does it hold up? 

Young man, I have to keep peace in this house so will you please pick it up now?

They Call Me Mister Tibbs (1971) on Criterion Channel
Hypnotized by those curtains! Love Best Picture winner In the Heat of the Night (1967) but somehow have never watched its sequel. Have you?

VO: I finally went to a High School Party. It was terrifying. I was so afraid I'd do something fucked up.

I Am Not Okay With This (S1) on Netflix
Sophia Lillis (It) stars in this supernatural high school drama. Have any of you binged it alrady? If so is it worth a watch? Just from this tiny sampling it looks terrible but then we have known severe allergies to voiceover.

Teache: If I can't get to sleep I like to close my eyes and think of all the Johns I know. Not only Johns, sometimes Peters.
[Class chuckles]

Kinsey (2004) on Hulu
Confession: I do not remember this scene at all. Or even that Tim Curry was in the movie! 

-Would you tell us more about this bar?
-It's a bar like any other.

The Marriage of Maria Braun (1978) on Criterion Channel
It's hard to be a completist with Rainer Werner Fassbinder movies as he made so many in his short life but can you believe i've never seen this one which is widely considered one of his true classics? 

Sorry to have kept you waiting. Do you want a tea or coffee?

Anna (2019) on HBO 
Boy this Luc Besson actioner about a badass beauty (his specialty) sure came and went quickly. Was it subpar or just lost in the shuffle of content content content in theaters and (now) on streaming. Also while we're looking at this imag I think it's fair to ask: WHAT HAPPENED TO CILLIAN MURPHY'S CAREER?

Hey baby.

Match Point (2005) on HBO
Had totally forgotten that Scarlett Johansson whispers to horses in more than one movie! ;)

I'm bleedin'. I'm bleedin' bad!

The Crazies (1973) on Prime
George Romero for your horror freaks. (This guy's just been stabbed by a little old ladie with knitting needles.

ALSO STREAMING IN RIGHT NOW...

• The Short Films of Mati Diop (2009-2015)
• $ (1971)
• Ali Fear Eats the Soul (1974)
• The Anderson Tapes (1971)
• Angels in the Outfield (1951)
• Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice (1969)
• Brother John (1971)
• Cactus Flower (1969)
• The Deadly Affair (1967)
• Dr Strangelove Or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
• Fail Safe (1964)
• The Getaway (1972)
• In Cold Blood (1967)
• In the Heat of the Night (1967)
• If... (1968, UK)
• The Italian Job (1969)
• Kill the Umpire (1950)
• The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne (1987, UK) - yes, we'll do a post on this soon. We've heard your pleas.
• Mackenna's Gold (1969)
• The Out of Towners (1970)
• The Pawnbroker (1964)
• The Slender Thread (1965)
• Take Me Out to the Ballgame (1949)

later this month - a selection

• Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) -March 7th
• Safe (1995) - March 9th
• Orlando (1992) - March 11th
• Starring Rita Hayworth (various) March 15th
• German Expressionism (various) March 22nd
• Starring Catherine Deneuve (various) March 29th

newly streaming for March

• All the Bright Places (2020)
• Altered Carbon (S2)*
• Always a Bridesmaid (2019)
• Angry Birds 2 (2019)
• Beyond the Mat (1999)
• Cop Out (2010)
• Corpse Bride (2005)
• Donnie Brasco (1997)
• Followers* (S1)
• Freedom Writers (2007)
• The Gift (2000)
• Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)
• Go Go Cory Carson (S2)*
• Goodfellas (1990)
• Haywire (2011)
• He's Just Not That Into You (2009)
• Hook (1991)
• Hugo (2011)
• The Interview (2014)
• Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011)
• Lemony Snicket's a Series of Unfortunate Events (2004)
• Life as We Know It (2010)
• Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003)
• Queen Sono* (S1)
• Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)
• Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)
• Richie Rich (1994)
• Semi-Pro (2008)
• The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
• Sleepover (2004)
• Space Jam (1996)
• The Story of God with Morgan Freeman (s3)
• There Will Be Blood (2007)
• Tootsie (1982)
• Unstoppable* (S1)
• Valentine's Day (2010)
• Velvet Coleccion: Grand Finale (s2)
• ZZ Top: That Little Ol' Band from Texas (2019)

later this month (selection)

• Lost Girls (March 13th)
• Silver Linings Playbook (March 16th)
• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (March 16th)
• The Platform (March 20th)

newly streaming for March

• 50/50 (2011)
• Abduction (2011)
• After the Wedding (2019)
• Blue City (1986)
• Cantinflas (2014)
• Charlotte's Web (1973)
• The Cooler (2003)
• Danny Roan: First Time Director (2006)
• Deck the Halls (2005/2011)
• The Descent (both movies)
• Destiny Turns on the Radio (1995)
• Eyes of an Angel (1994)
• Foxfire (1996)
• Free Willy (all three movies, 1993-1997)
• Friends with Kids (2011)
• Furry Vengeance (2010)
• Good Morning, Killer (2011)
• Good Will Hunting (1997)
• Hide (2008)
• Hornet's Nest (2012)
• Innocent (2015)
• The Interview (2014)
• Lady in a Cage (1964)
• Leap Year (2010)
• Major League II (1994)
• Man on a Ledge (2012)
• Natural Born Killers (1994)
• Night of the Living Dead (2012)
• Notes on a Scandal (2006)
• Richard the Lionheart (2014)
• Ricochet (2011)
• Righteous Kill (2008)
• Run the Race (2018)
• Silent Tongue (1993)
• Silent Witness (2011)
• The Skull (1965)
• Standing in the Shadows of Motown (2002)
• Swingers (1996)
• Tenderness (2009)
• Up in the Air (2009)
• Waiting to Exhale (1995)

later in the month (a selection)

• Monos (March 9th)
• Hello I Must Be Going (March 15th)
• Little Fires Everywhere (March 18th)

newly streaming for March - a selection only since they often shared titles with Hulu (so many of those are also here)

• Grantchester (S4)
• Henry's Crime (2010)
• Hunters (S1)
• Ice Princess Lily (2019)
• Spinning into Butter (2007)

later in the month - a selection

• Blow the Man Down -March 20th
• Making the Cut (S1) - March 27th

newly streaming for March

• The Adjustment Bureau (2011)
• Along Came Polly (2004)
• Armageddon (1998)
• Babe (1995)
• Babe Pig in the City (1998)
• Battle for Terra (2009)
• Bedazzled (2000)
• Big Momma's House 2 (2006)
• Bridges of Madison County (1995)
• Crimson Peak (2015)
• Dodgeball (2004)
• Enemy at the Gates (2001)
• Fight Club (1999)
• Gamer (2009)
• The Getaway (2019)
• Hall Pass (2011)
• Happy Feet Two (2011)
• Hunter Killer (2019)
• In the Valley of Violence (2016)
• Johnny English (2003)
• Johnny English Strikes Again (2019)
• LOL (2012)
• Mr & Mrs Smith (2005)
• My Left Foot (1989)
• Pups United (2015)
• The Zookeeper's Wife (2017)

later in month -a selection

• Yesterday (2019) - march 7th
• The Outsider (season finale) -March 8th
• Women of Troy -march 10th
• Westworld (s3) -March 15th
• Blinded by the Light - March 22nd

Comments

[joel6]

They Call Me Mr. Tibbs is a big comedown from In the Heat of the Night. Poitier is good as usual but the film rather standard. Not a waste of time or even bad just comparatively speaking it's run of the mill.

[Jakey]

Beyond the Mat was fairly controversial upon its release - they were given permission to film backstage at a then-WWF event but Vince McMahon was irate when the film ended up being unflattering to the business. At one point, Mick Foley is wrestling a match in front of his wife and young children where he is handcuffed and The Rock WAFFLES him with unprotected chair shots to the head. I’m frankly shocked it’s suddenly available for streaming now.

[Travis C]

Re. Cruise: as much of a patriot as I am (although I am not), I do believe also that Geoffrey Rush stole Tom's Oscar that year.

[par]

while the thought of tom cruise winning an oscar for acting makes me laugh, he played the only character in the 1996 line-up that didn't have some form of disability - so he didn't stand a chance

my favourite actor in '96 was william h macy in fargo [i bumped him up to lead where he belongs]

[/3rtful]

Michael Caine has Tom Cruise's Oscar. It saddens me he has given up on being a legitimate actor. Everything he does now serves his commercial viability. Would be nice if he took a chance at doing a movie that was centered on character instead of spectacle.

[MDA]

@3rtful - completely agree. I think his last movie wasn't your standard popcorn flick was Lions for Lambs, which was in 2007. And I think he's great in Jerry Maguire, one of his best roles.

[Jakey]

My mom was watching THE GREEN MILE tonight - all of this Tom Cruise discussion makes me want to discuss the 1999 Supporting Actor Race! Not necessarily in a Smackdown format, but it’s a truly fascinating year and lineup (Caine, Cruise, Duncan, Law, Osment). Maybe Nick Davis will illuminate us with his ‘99 series?

[Rebecca]

I will definitely watch "Maria Braun" as well as "Ali: Fear Eats the Soul" as though it's a hard task to be a Fassbinder completist, those two are essential.

I'll probably end up watching "Outbreak" too - disease outbreak stories are somehow in the same wheelhouse as con, grift and heist movies for me - I'll watch them all, don't care if they're good or not.

[cal roth]

If Tom Cruise had won for Jerry Maguire and Magnolia he'd have two very deserving wins. Isn't that weird?

[Andy]

They should have given Cruise the Oscar for Jerry Maguire, no doubt. It was Peak Tom Cruise, but also a legitimately good performance.

Who even remembers Shine outside of the Oscar community?

[Wimsey]

A film from 1995 an "oldie". My God.

[NATHANIEL R]

Wimsey -- lol. that was half a joke. but 1995 is 25 years ago so it's pretty distressing.also in the world of streaming unfortunately 1995 is definitely "old movie". it makes me crazy how few pre 2000s movies they'll play... and surely they can't cost as much to license so what's the problem? grrr.

Jakey -- alas Nick's series is over but it was in preparation for a book (!!!) so we have that to look forward to.

[Rob]

Yes, Tom Cruise was genuinely good in Jerry Maguire. That was a deserved nomination for him. He has since reverted back to the safe zone of corporate product, some good, some bad. But he has ceased to be at all interesting to me.

[James]

Recommendations:

Best Film Ali: Fear Eats the Soul (1974)
While its rewards are rich on every viewing, the less known the first time seen provides a lasting pleasure.

Best Male Performance: The Pawnbroker (1965)
As a Holocaust survivor, Rod Steiger won an Oscar nomination. One memorable moment occurs when the composition and emotion is inspired by Picasso's 1937 anti-war masterpiece Guernica.

Best Actressing: The Bridges of Madison County (1995)
As an Italian war bride who landed on a farm in Iowa and discovers true passion on a chance encounter with a photographer, Meryl Streep may have equaled this performance, but never exceeded it.

Guilty Pleasure: Lady in a Cage (1964)
When the electricity goes out, wealthy widow Cornelia Hilyard (Olivia de Havilland) is trapped in her home elevator. A thug (a very young James Caan) terrorizes the invalid who must rely on her ingenuity to survive.

[V.]

Anna is really enjoyable, not a bad movie.

[Luke]

Nathaniel - I am confused regarding your comment on illian Murphy. His career looks in pretty good shape to me, not least with the enormous success of Peaky Blinders?

[markgordonuk]

Jerry Maguire hold up very well,so full of sunshine that film,

It makes me happy to just to the see that beautiful US scenery as Tom sings Tom Petty.

Cuba is admittedly not everyone's cup of tea in this but Renee is warm and loving and remains so on my viewing 24 yrs later.

On re watch,King is far better than I remembered,I was young and she struck me as typical sassy wife but there's deep emotion for Rod that she gives off in spades,they feeel like been through a lot husband and wife.

Even Kelly Preston is good.

Cruise should have had the Oscar but maybe they thought he'd be worthy later into his 40's but he's on repeat now and I wonder if he'll ever act again though he's great as Tom Cruise Big Movie Star.

[Bensunce]

Tom Cruise DEFINITELY deserved Best Actor for Jerry Maguire! I hate Geoffrey Rush's performance in Shine, but still, Tom's performance is the most complete he's done in his career... totally deserved it!

[Sawyer]

Cruise: Yes, he probably should have won in '96 but I don't remember thinking too harshly about the Rush win. I was actually pulling for Ralph. Definitely should have won in '99. The fact that he holds (for me) a top 3 all-time PTA performance is very strange. I'm curious about the Top Gun sequel this summer. Top Gun is NOT a movie that holds up very well, even with material-elevating acting (from Kilmer and McGillis in particular) but this story on paper seems more intriguing. Could it be Tom Cruise's "Creed"? If he achieves critical-acclaim for this, maybe he'll consider stretching himself more.

A couple of other points:
- I had no idea a sequel to ITHOTN existed.
- Cillian Murphy is in A Quiet Place II. For what that's worth.
- Match Point is my favorite Woody Allen this century. Talk about what happened to careers - Jonathan Rhys-Meyers!

[Daniella Isaacs]

It's not THAT hard to be a Fassbinder completest. He made fewer films than Bergman or Hitchcock, although there is some TV stuff that's virtually impossible to access.

[César Gaytán]

@Jakey

I support your idea about the discussion of the supporting actor race of 1999, specially because I consider they nominate the wrong actor from The Green Mile, i would choose Doug Hutchison instead of Michael Clark Duncan bur of course is just my appreciation.

I could bet Cruise and Osment would get most of the votes (personally i would choose Osment as winner)

[Cory Rivard]

Match Point is my fave Woody Allen movie ever! Somehow he made the greatest erotic thriller of this century and no one noticed!

[Eoghan McQ]

Match Point is very stylish and intriguing (mainly due to ScarJo's charisma) until James Nesbit of all people wakes up in a cold sweat and announced to camera that he knows the culprit behind the crime and some "ghosts" show up as well...there was a lot of dialogue from "posh British people" that rang false also. Blue Jasmine is obviously Woody's best film this century.

[NATHANIEL R]

Daniella -- but it's still very difficult. many of the films aren't on dvd and they also rarely stream. So...

[Michael Troutman]

While Cillian Murphy’s career hasn’t reached the heights people thought it might I still think there is plenty of time. He may be more famous then he’s ever been right now, Peaky Blinders is pretty popular and could open some new doors to better roles. Right now it does seem like he’s destined to end up like other talented actors with promising careers that couldn’t quite make the leap to movie star and had to settle for tv series star, but there are worse fates for actors then having Liev Schreiber’s career.

[Travis C]

Andy - Australians remember it very well.

[Someone]

See, Woody has a great sense of humour! Shame on anybody who doesn't forgive him.

[Andrew Carden]

THEY CALL ME MR. TIBBS looks and feels like a '70s NBC police procedural - watchable but a massive downgrade from its predecessor.