By Phillip Swann
The TV Answer Man – @tvanswerman
Amazon tomorrow (July 1) plans to add 97 new movies to its Prime Video streaming lineup, which is free to Prime members. Here are the four best in my humble opinion.
Cool Hand Luke (1967)
The drama stars Paul Newman as a 1960s rebel without a cause whose unwillingness to conform lands him in a Florida prison camp. This is Newman at the peak of his powers as he commands the screen (and his fellow prisoners) with symbolic gestures done only to thwart ‘the man.’ (This was the Vietnam era, folks.) The strong supporting cast includes George Kennedy as a beefy fellow prisoner who is won over by Newman’s pluck, Strother ‘What We Have Here Is Failure to Communicate’ Martin as the camp warden, and Jo Van Fleet as Newman’s mother. (Trivia: Van Fleet played the mom to James Dean in East of Eden; Newman auditioned to play Dean’s brother in the film but didn’t get the role.)
No Country For Old Men (2007)
The Coen Brothers’ flawless neo-western stars Josh Brolin as a good old boy who stumbles upon a jackpot of money but is then pursued by a ruthless, coin-flipping killer, played deliciously by Javier Bardem. (And let’s not overlook the commanding performance of Tommy Lee Jones as the weather-beaten sheriff.) Joel and Ethan Coen have conspired to make cinema brilliance over the years with films such as Raising Arizona, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, and Miller’s Crossing. But there may be no better Coen Brothers film than No Country For Old Men. If you haven’t seen it, take off that barbeque apron and start streaming.
Serpico (1973)
The drama is based on the real-life New York police officer Frank Serpico who exposed widespread corruption on the force. Al Pacino is at his messianic best as Serpico in this iconic film directed by Sidney Lumet. But the supporting cast is overflowing with some great New York-based actors including John Randolph, Judd Hirsch, Tony Roberts and F. Murray Abraham.
Scarface (1983)
The brilliant Brian De Palma-directed drama stars Al Pacino as Cuban refugee Tony Montana who discovers crime does pay, and exceedingly well, in coke-fueled 1980s Miami. The movie debuted in December 1983 so this year marks its 40th anniversary. While Scarface may be — okay, is — too violent for some, the film perfectly chronicles the era’s thirst for excess and hedonism through the eyes of Montana. Michelle Pfeiffer is flawless as Montana’s ice-cold, white powder-sniffing moll and the splendid supporting cast also includes Steven Bauer, Robert Loggia, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and F. Murray Abraham. Great movie, and don’t forget to say hello to Tony’s little friend.
Honorable mentions to Chaplin (great Robert Downey Jr. film), Marathon Man, Rebel Without a Cause, Saving Private Ryan, Gladiator, The Shawshank Redemption and Paths of Glory.
Here is the complete list of new movies coming to Amazon Prime on Saturday, July 1.
1900 (1977)
A Bridge Too Far (1977)
A Star Is Born (2018)
Acts of Violence (2018)
Battle Los Angeles (2011)
Battleship (2012)
Big Top Pee-Wee (1988)
Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991)
Birdman of Alcatraz (1962)
Black Rain (1989)
Black Sunday (1977)
Case 39 (2010)
Chaplin (1993)
Charlotte’s Web (1973)
Class (1983)
Continental Divide (1981)
Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Cry Macho (2021)
Father of the Bride (1991)
Flags of Our Fathers (2006)
Force 10 from Navarone (1978)
Free Willy (1993)
Freedom Writers (2007)
Frogs (1972)
Gaslight (1944)
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (2009)
Gladiator (2000)
Hacksaw Ridge (2016)
Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991)
Hondo (1953)
Hour Of The Gun (1967)
How to Train Your Dragon (2010)
Imagine That (2009)
Invaders from Mars (1986)
Irma La Douce (1963)
It’s Kind of a Funny Story (2010)
Jason’s Lyric (1994)
Jesse Stone: Death in Paradise (2006)
Jesse Stone: Night Passage (2006)
Jesse Stone: Sea Change (2007)
Jesse Stone: Stone Cold (2007)
Kick-Ass (2010)
Last Man Standing (1996)
Legally Blonde (2001)
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003)
Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events
(2004)
Little Nicky (2000)
Man in the Moon (1991)
Marathon Man (1976)
Men in Black (1997)
Men in Black II (2002)
Men in Black III (2012)
Mousehunt (1997)
No Country for Old Men (2007)
Not Without My Daughter (1991)
Once Bitten (1985)
Paths of Glory (1957)
Puss in Boots (2011)
Rampage (2018)
Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
Rocky Balboa (2006)
Rollerball (2002)
Saturday Night Fever (1977)
Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Scarface (1983)
Serpico (1973)
Sleepover (2004)
Supernova (2021)
Support the Girls (2018)
The 40-Year-Old-Virgin (2005)
The Amityville Horror (1979)
The Assassination Of Jesse James By The
Coward Robert Ford (2007)
The Queen of Versailles (2012)
The Big Country (1958)
The Family Stone (2005)
The Fighter (2010)
The General’s Daughter (1999)
The Iron Giant (1999)
The Other Guys (2010)
The Public Enemy (1931)
The Russia House (1990)
The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
The Sons of Katie Elder (1965)
The Train (1965)
The Truman Show (1998)
The Two Jakes (1990)
The Untouchables (1987)
Trolls World Tour (2020)
True Grit (1969)
Under The Tuscan Sun (2003)
Unknown (2011)
Valley Girl (1983)
W. (2008)
Wicker Park (2004)
Witness For the Prosecution (1958)
You, Me and Dupree (2006)
Yours, Mine & Ours (2005)
Have a question about new TV technologies? Send it to The TV Answer Man at swann@tvanswerman.com Please include your first name and hometown in your message.
— Phillip Swann
@tvanswerman
