PSYCHOTRONIC NETFLIX – THE RETURN OF STREAMAGEDDON!

It was almost a year ago that I addressed “streamageddon,” an odd bit of panic that appeared when Netflix seemed to be pulling a large number of titles from its streaming roster. This past week, the phenomenon appeared again, with the likes of Gizmodo reporting on flicks that, as of January 1, you’d no longer have instantly available on one particular streaming service. It reached peak boil with a front-page article on CNN in one of the most ridiculous pieces of journalism I’ve read in a while.

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Even beyond the absent-minded genre-shaming (“Ha ha, KILLER KLOWNS FROM OUTER SPACE is going away! Isn’t that a silly title! Who’d want to watch that? Anyway, FLASHDANCE is a classic that warrants your attention.”) and the fact that the source cited is a friggin’ REDDIT POST (because actually checking out which titles are leaving is sooooo haaaaard), the whole thing just felt like infantile scaremongering. It was as though instead of simply not being available on a service, every available copy of TITANIC would instantly vanish, and the actors would all be rounded up and murdered, and any memories you had of the film would be replaced by Shia LaBeouf recreating every role BE KIND REWIND-style.

Yes, Netflix’s rights to some movies expired yesterday. But this happens every month, as movies come and go. And plenty of films did the former, as evidenced by the list below, of noteworthy movies that have shown up on streaming in the past month. The movies themselves still very much exist, and can be rented from your local video store or library.

The fact that a movie is no longer available on streaming should be about as much news as a new episode of “60 Minutes,” and no self-respecting film fan should be relying on Netflix as their sole source of movies. Netflix should be treated like a restaurant – you can always find stuff you’d like, but you can’t rely on it to have every type of food you’ve ever craved.

If you want to bitch about Netflix, you can bitch about the bizarre interface, the reluctance to utilize social media well or the inability to be any good at promoting the stuff it has. But don’t complain about that a particular movie you love isn’t available. Netflix isn’t a Las Vegas buffet, and it also costs a hell of a lot less.

In any case, let’s get to the good stuff! Here, organized for your inconvenience, are over a hundred titles that have shown up on the service in the past month. Hopefully you’ll be able to find something to suit your palette.

 

New Releases (Mainstream)

The Iron Lady (2011, Dir. Phyllida Lloyd) Meryl Streep, Jim Broadbent

Never Back Down (2008, Dir. Jeff Wadlow) Sean Ferris

Stand Up Guys (2012, Dir. Fisher Stevens) Al Pacino, Christopher Walken, Alan Arkin, Julian Margulies

 

New Releases (Indie)

The Angels’ Share (2012, Dir. Ken Loach) Paul Brannigan

As I Lay Dying (2013, Dir. James Franco) James Franco, Tim Blake Nelson

C.O.G. (2013, Dir. Kyle Patrick Alvarez) Jonathan Grodd, Denis O’Hare, Dean Stockwell

A Lonely Place to Die (2011, Dir. Julian Gilbey)

Lovelace (2013, Dir. Rob Epstein, Jeffrey Friedman) Amanda Seyfried, Peter Sarsgaard, Chris Noth, Hank Azaria, Sharon Stone, Bobby Cannavale

The History of Future Folk (2012, Dir. Jeremy Kipp Walker, J. Anderson Mitchell)

Ninja: Shadow of a Tear (2013, Dir. Isaac Florentine) Scott Adkins

Prince Avalanche (2013, Dir. David Gordon Green) Paul Rudd, Emile Hirsch, Lance LeGault

Sightseers (2012, Dir. Ben Wheatley)

 

New SciFi

Alien Uprising (2012, Dir. Dominic Burns) Jean-Claude Van Damme, Sean Pertwee

Bounty Killer (2013, Dir. Henry Saine) Matthew Marsden, Kristanna Loken, Gary Busey, Beverly d’Angelo

Stranded (2013, Dir. Roger Christian) Christian Slater, Brendan Fehr

 

New Horror

Berberian Sound Studio (2012, Dir. Peter Strickland) Toby Jones

The Bell Witch Haunting (2013, Dir. Glenn Miller)

Cheerleader Massacre 2 (2009, Dir. Brad Rushing)

Devil’s Pass (2013, Dir. Renny Harlin)

Duress (2009, Dir. Jordan Baker) Martin Donovan, Sakis Rouvas, Billy Wirth

Gallowwalkers (2013, Dir. Andrew Goth) Wesley Snipes

The Haunting in Connecticut (2009, Dir. Peter Cornwell) Virginia Madsen, Kyle Gallner, Elias Koteas, Martin Donovan

Texas Chainsaw (2013, Dir. John Luessenhop) Alexandra Daddario, Marilyn Burns, Gunnar Hansen, Bill Moseley

The Undying (2009, Dir. Steven Peros) Robin Weigert, Jay O. Sanders, Wes Studi

Zombie Hunter (2013, Dir. K. King) Danny Trejo, Martin Copping

 

Old Horror

April Fool’s Day (1986, Dir. Fred Walton)

Carrie (2002, Dir. David Carson) Angela Bettis, Patricia Clarkson

The Keep (1983, Dir. Michael Mann) Scott Glenn, Jurgen Prochnow, Alberta Watson, Gabriel Byrne, Ian McKellen, Robert Prosky

Madhouse (2004, Dir. William Butler) Joshua Leonard, Jordan Ladd, Natasha Lyonne, Lance Henriksen, Leslie Jordan

The Ninth Gate (1999, Dir. Roman Polanski) Johnny Depp, Frank Langella, Lena Olin

 

Japan

Chanbara Beauty: The Movie – Vortex (2009, Dir. Tsuyoshi Shoji)

Drug War (2012, Dir. Johnnie To)

Female Convict Scorpion (Sasori) (2008, Dir. Joe Ma) Miki Mizuno

Karate Girl (2011) (Dir. Yoshikatsu Kimura)

Yakuza Hunters: Duel in Hell (2010, Dir. Kazushi Nakadaira, Shin’ichi Okuda)

Yakuza Hunters: Final Death Ride Battle (2010, Dir. Kazushi Nakadaira)

Zombie Ass: Toilet of the Dead (2011, Dir.Noboru Iguchi)

 

Thailand

Chocolate (2008, Dir. Prachya Pinkaew) JeeJa Yanin

 

China

The Chinese Connection (1972, Dir. Wei Lo) Bruce Lee

Gallants (Da Lui Toi) (2010, Dir. Clement Sze-Kit Cheng, Chi-kin Kwok)

 

Korea

The Tower (2012, Dir. Ji-hoon Kim)

A Werewolf Boy (2012, Dir. Jo Sung-hee)

 

Russia

The Horde (2012, Dir. Andrei Porshkin)

Nostalghia (1983, Dir. Andrei Tarkovsky)

 

France

Amelie (2001, Dir. Jean-Pierre Jeunet) Audrey Tautou, Dominique Pinon

 

Mexico

Post Tenebras Lux (2012, Dir. Carolis Reygadas)

 

Crap

The Fog (2005, Dir. Rupert Wainwright) Tom Welling, Maggie Grace, Selma Blair

Paranormal Whacktivity (2013, Dir. Roger Roth)

 

This Wasn’t in the Public Domain BEFORE?

Dressed to Kill (1941, Dir. Eugene Forde) Lloyd Nolan

Sherlock Holmes (2009, Dir. Rachel Goldenberg)

 

2000s

Bulletproof Monk (2003, Dir. Paul Hunter) Chow Yun-Fat, Seann William Scott

Changing Lanes (2002, Dir. Roger Michell) Ben Affleck, Samuel L. Jackson, Toni Collette, Richard Jenkins

Holes (2003, Dir. Andrew Davis) Sigourney Weaver, Jon Voight, Tim Blake Nelson, Patricia Arquette, Siobahn Fallon

Hotel (2003, Dir. Mike Figgis) Saffron Burrows, Salma Hayek, Lucy Liu, Burt Reynolds, Julian Sands, David Schwimmer

Narc (2002, Dir. Joe Carnahan) Jason Patric, Ray Liotta, Chi McBride

Novocaine (2001, Dir. David Atkins) Steve Martin, Helena Bonham Carter, Elias Koteas, Laura Dern, Kevin Bacon

Pathology (2008, Dir. Marc Scholermann) Milo Ventimiglia

 

Corman

Battle Beyond the Stars (1980, Dir. Jimmy T. Murakami) George Peppard, Robert Vaughn, Richard Thomas, Sybil Danning, John Saxon

The Big Bird Cage (1972, Dir. Jack Hill) Pam Grier, Anitra Ford, Sid Haig, Carol Speed

Bloodfist (1989, Dir. Terence H. Winkless) Don “The Dragon” Wilson, Billy Blanks

Death Race 2000 (1975, Dir. Paul Bartel) David Carradine, Sylvester Stallone, Mary Woronov, Roberta Collins, Don Steele

Grand Theft Auto (1977, Dir. Ron Howard) Ron Howard, Nancy Morgan, Rance Howard

Humanoids from the Deep (1980, Dir. Barbara Peeters) Doug McClure, Ann Turkel, Vic Morrow

Rock’n’Roll High School (1980, Dir. Allan Arkush) The Ramones, P.J. Soles, Dey Young, Mary Woronov, Clint Howard

Sorority House Massacre II (1990, Dir. Jim Wynorski)

The Student Nurses (1970, Dir. Stephanie Rothman)

Women in Cages (1971, Dir. Gerardo de Leon) Pam Grier, Roberta Collins

 

Eddie Murphy

Beverly Hills Cop III (1994, Dir. John Landis) Eddie Murphy, John Saxon, Judge Reinhold, Hector Elizondo, Theresa Randle, Bronson Pinchot

Boomerang (1992, Dir. Reginald Hudlin) Eddie Murphy, Robin Givens, Halle Berry, David Allen Grier, Eartha Kitt, Grace Jones, Geoffrey Holder, Martin Lawrence, John Witherspoon, Chris Rock, Tisha Campbell

Harlem Nights (1989, Dir. Eddie Murphy) Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor, Redd Foxx, Michael Lerner, Jasmine Guy, Della Reese, Danny Aiello, Arsenio Hall

 

1990s

American Psycho (2000, Dir. Mary Harron) Christian Bale, Jared Leto, Bill Sage, Chloe Sevigny, Willem Dafoe

The Brady Bunch Movie (1996, Dir. Betty Thomas) Shelley Long, Gary Cole, Christine Taylor, Megan Ward, Michael McKean, RuPaul, Alanna Ubach, Ann B. Davis

Bulletproof Heart (1994, Dir. Mark Malone) Anthony LaPaglia, Mimi Rogers, Peter Boyle, Matt Craven

Ghost Dog: Way of the Samurai (2000, Dir. Jim Jarmusch) Forrest Whitaker, Henry Silva, Victor Argo

Juice (1992, Dir. Ernest Dickerson) Omar Epps, Samuel L. Jackson, Tupac Shakur

Oxygen (1998, Dir. Richard Shepard) Adrian Brody, Maura Tierney

Reindeer Games (2000, Dir. John Frankenheimer) Ben Affleck, Gary Sinise, Charlize Theron, Dennis Farina

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999, Dir. Anthony Minghella) Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Gwynneth Paltrow, Jude Law

Thelma and Louise (1991, Dir. Ridley Scott) Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis

The Virgin Suicides (1999, Dir. Sofia Coppola) James Woods, Kirsten Dunst, Kathleen Turner

 

Classics

The Apartment (1960, Dir. Billy Wilder) Jack Lemmon, Shirley MacLaine, Fred MacMurray, Ray Walston

The Grapes of Wrath (1940, Dir. John Ford) Henry Fonda, John Carradine

Journey to the Center of the Earth (1960, Dir. Henry Levin) James Mason, Pat Boone

Some Like it Hot (1959, Dir. Billy Wilder) Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Marilyn Monroe

 

Robert Wise

The Day the Earth Stood Still (1952, Dir. Robert Wise) Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Hugh Marlowe

Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979, Dir. Robert Wise) William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy

West Side Story (1961, Dir. Robert Wise) Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno, George Chakiris

 

1960s

The 300 Spartans (1962, Dir. Rudolph Mate) Richard Egan, Ralph Richardson

Blue Hawaii (1961, Dir. Norman Taurog) Elvis Presley, Angela Lansbury

Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961, Dir. Blake Edwards) Audrey Hepburn, George Peppard, Patricia Neal, Buddy Ebson, Martin Balsam, Mickey Rooney

Catch-22 (1970, Dir. Mike Nichols) Alan Arkin, Martin Sheen, Richard Benjamin, Art Garfunkel, Buck Henry, Jack Guilford, Bob Newhart, Orson Welles, Bob Balaban, Anthony Perkins, Jon Voight, Martin Balsam, Paula Prentiss, Norman Fell, Charles Grodin

Zulu (1964, Dir. Cy Endfield) Michael Caine, Sean Connery, Patrick Magee

 

1970s

3 Women (1977, Dir. Robert Altman) Sissy Spacek, Shelley Duvall, Janice Rule

Escape from Alcatraz (1979, Dir. Don Siegel) Clint Eastwood, Patrick McGoohan, Roberts Blossom, Fred Ward

High Anxiety (1977, Dir. Mel Brooks) Mel Brooks, Madeline Kahn, Cloris Leachman, Harvey Korman, Dick Van Patten, Jack Riley

The Longest Yard (1974, Dir. Robert Aldrich) Burt Reynolds, Eddie Albert, Ed Lauter

Play it Again Sam (1972, Dir. Herbert Ross) Woody Allen, Tony Roberts, Diane Keaton

Raging Bull (1980, Dir. Martin Scorcese) Robert De Niro, Cathy Moriarty, Joe Pesci

The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With the Sea (1977, Dir. Lewis John Carlino) Kris Kristofferson

 

 

John Milius

Dillinger (1973, Dir. John Milius) Warren Oates, Cloris Leachman, Harry Dean Stanton, Geoffrey Lewis, John P. Ryan, Richard Dreyfuss

Flight of the Intruder (1991, Dir. John Milius) Danny Glover, Willem Dafoe, Brad Johnson, Rosanna Arquette, Tom Sizemore

Red Dawn (1986, Dir. John Milius) Charlie Sheen, C. Thomas Howell, Lea Thompson, Patrick Swayze, Jennifer Grey, Vladek Sheybal

 

1980s

Big Trouble in Little China (1986, Dir. John Carpenter) Kurt Russell, Kim Cattrall, Victor Wong, James Hong, Dennis Dun

Days of Thunder (1990, Dir. Tony Scott) Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Michael Rooker, Randy Quaid, Robert Duvall, Cary Elwes

Jacob’s Ladder (1990, Dir. Adrian Lyne) Tim Robbins, Elizabeth Pena

Mommie Dearest (1981, Dir. Frank Perry) Faye Dunaway, Diana Scarwid

Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987, Dir. John Hughes) Steve Martin, John Candy

Scrooged (1988, Dir. Richard Donner) Bill Murray, Karen Allen, Carol Kane, Buster Poindeter, Alfre Woodard

Spaceballs (1987, Dir. Mel Brooks) Bill Pullman, Daphne Zuniga, John Candy, Rick Moranis, Mel Brooks

 

Amityville

The Amityville Horror (1979, Dir. Stuart Rosenberg) James Brolin, Margot Kidder, Rod Steiger, Don Stroud

Amityville II: The Possession (1982, Dir. Damiano Damiani) Burt Young, Rutanya Alda, Diane Franklin, Andrew Prine, James Olson

Amityville 3 (1983, Dir. Richard Fleischer) Tony Roberts, Tess Harper, Meg Ryan

 

Documentaries

Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me (2012, Dir. Drew DeNicola, Olivia Mori)

Blackfish (2013, Dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite)

Bronies: The Extremely Unexpected Adult Fans of My Little Pony (2013, Dir. Laurent Malaquais) Lauren Faust, John DeLancie

Control Room (2004, Dir. Jehane Noujaim)

Cutie and the Boxer (2013, Dir. Zachary Heinzerling)

Deceptive Practice: The Mysteries and Mentors of Ricky Jay (2012, Dir. Molly Bernstein)

Drew: The Man Behind the Poster (2013, Dir. Erik Sharkey)

GLOW: The Story of the Gorgeous Ladies of Wrestling (2012, Dir. Brett Whitcomb)

Greenwich Village: Music That Defined a Generation (2012, Dir. Laura Archibald) Pete Seeger, Carly Simon, Judy Collins, Arlo Guthrie, Peter Yarrow, Kris Kristofferson

Nightmares in Red, White and Blue (2009, Dir. Andrew Monument) Lance Henriksen, John Carpenter, Joe Dante, Roger Corman, George A. Romero, Darren Lyn Bousman, Larry Cohen, Mick Garris

Punk in Africa (2012, Dir. Keith Jones, Deon Maas)

Sunset Strip (2012, Dir. Hans Fjellestad) Johnny Depp, Mickey Rourke, Ozzy Osborne, Pamela Des Barres, Alice Cooper, Hugh Hefner

Upside Down: The Creation Records Story (2010, Dir. Danny O’Connor)

 

Teevee

American Horror Story: Season 2 (2012)

The Aquabats! Super Show (2012)

MST3K: The Atomic Brain (1993)

MST3K: Future War (1999)

MST3K: Gamera vs. Barugon (1991)

MST3K: The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies (1997)

MST3K: Laserblast (1996)

MST3K: Night of the Blood Beast (1996)

MST3K: The Unearthly (1991)

MST3K: Warrior of the Lost World (1993)

Murder, She Wrote (1984-1995) Angela Lansbury

Torchwood: Miracle Day (2011)

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