Sure-Fire Streaming: Jerry Maguire, Copshop, Bombshell, and more
By Jordan Parker
The best in TV and film from your living room.
Jerry Maguire – Available On Netflix
One of the best romantic comedies of all time is also a huge star vehicle for Tom Cruise.
He plays a self-centred, money-hungry sports agent who changes his whole philosophy on life following an epiphany.
He's forced to go out on his own when he loses his job, and finds the things that really mean something to him in life.
Cruise, the Oscar-winning performance from Cuba Gooding Jr., Renee Zellweger and and Regina King are all fantastic.
Writer-director Cameron Crowe – long the king of the sentimental comedy – makes one of his best here.
It will make you laugh endlessly and bring tears to your eyes, all in the span of two hours.
Bruce Almighty – Available On Netflix
Jim Carrey has long been one of my favourite comedy actors, and this flick never fails to put a genuine smile on my face.
Bruce feels that nothing in his life ever goes right. He blames God – who he prays to regularly – for never giving him anything worthwhile.
One day, he says he could do God's job better than he can, and wakes up the next morning with the challenge to hear prayers and change people's lives. But the responsibility may be more than he bargained for.
Carrey and Jennifer Aniston have remarkable, wonderful chemistry here, and they headline this one admirably. With Steve Carell in a scene-stealing role and Morgan Freeman playing God, it's a perfect ensemble.
It's a heavenly little affair that never fails to leave me grinning ear-to-ear.
Copshop – Available On Prime Video
Sometimes you just need a good, old fashioned shoot-out action picture.
That's exactly what you're going to get with director Joe Carnahan's Copshop. He's responsible for such gems as Smokin' Aces, The Grey and The A-Team, and his mastery of the genre is shown in spades here.
It follows a con artists who purposely gets arrested in a small-town so he can be protected in the jail cell.
But when an assassin ends up in the precinct under lock and key at the same time, the two ready to do battle. In the middle of it all is a rookie cop who must find a way to survive.
Gerard Butler is fantastic as a villain, and Frank Grillo does the grizzled, gruff act he's known for. They're joined by Alexis Louder, who may just kick more butt than the both of them.
If you want highbrow art, this isn't your movie. But if things exploding and unloading gun clips will do the trick, check it out.
Bombshell – Available On Netflix (On Saturday)
In the midst of the #MeToo era, this incredible, evocative film came along and made everyone very, very uncomfortable.
It follows the true story of the women who worked at Fox News, and the truth about the sexual misdeeds of their boss, Roger Ailes.
Director Jay Roach – best known for movies like Meet The Parents and Austin Powers – creates an ambitious, difficult comedy-drama.
Margot Robbie and Charlize Theron were nominated for Oscars in this one, and they're joined by Nicole Kidman, Allison Janney, Kate McKinnon, Connie Britton, Malcolm McDowell, and John Lithgow as Ailes.
It's a well-acted film that's grounded by the performances, even if it sometimes comes close to toppling under the pressure of the important story it's telling.
The Cider House Rules - Available On Prime Video
I had no idea what I've been missing, as this one came out in 1999 and I've completely missed it this entire time.
The Cider House Rules – based on John Irving's classic novel – follows a young man as he leaves his work as a doctor at an orphanage to see the world and pick apples on a farm.
He learns more about himself, society and the difficulties people face than he ever thought possible in Lasse Hallstrom's classic flick.
It was nominated for seven Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture. It won Best Adapted Screenplay, and a Supporting Actor Oscar for the fantastic Michael Caine.
Tobey Maguire, Charlize Theron, Delroy Lindo, Jane Alexander, Paul Rudd and an incredibly young Kieran Culkin also star.
This is a heartfelt, touching and absolutely beautiful film that's difficult to forget.