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Digital Trends
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
PTA's nostalgic ode to the '70s remains underrated — and it's on Amazon Prime Video (July 18-20)
Every time I log into Amazon, I'm surprised by just how deep their library of interesting movies is. That's not to say that every movie on the streaming service is good, and that's true for basically every streaming service (except maybe the Criterion Channel). These are three movies that I love and I think are well worth checking out. They're all fairly recent releases, so if you missed them during the heady, strange days of the pandemic, now is the perfect time to catch up: Recommended Videos We also have guides to the best new movies to stream, the best movies on Netflix, the best movies on Hulu, the best movies on Amazon Prime Video, the best movies on HBO Max, and the best movies on Disney+. Licorice Pizza (2021) Paul Thomas Anderson's most recent film, Licorice Pizza, is a nostalgic ode to the 1970s that's, quite naturally, just a little bit acidic. The film is intentionally episodic, following a high school kid with show business dreams as he hatches a variety of moneymaking schemes in the greater Los Angeles area. When he meets Alana, the two of them find themselves inextricably connected, in spite of an age difference that should make them an unnatural match. Licorice Pizza is swooning, romantic, and bizarre in ways that only an Anderson film could be, and it made a star out of both Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim. You can watch Licorice Pizza on Amazon Prime Video. Red Rocket (2021) Before Sean Baker directed the best picture winner Anora, he made Red Rocket, which has a decidedly less sympathetic central character than his next film. Red Rocket follows a former porn star who returns to his small hometown in Texas after washing out in Hollywood. A relentless hustler, he works to manipulate everyone he meets in the hopes of returning to Hollywood and getting out of pretty crippling debt. Featuring an incredible central performance from Simon Rex, Red Rocket is bracing and confrontational but also feels remarkably alive. You can watch Red Rocket on Amazon Prime Video. Another Round (2020) Another Round has a remarkably simple premise, but one that's executed beautifully. It follows four middle-aged teachers who, after finding themselves fed up with their normal routines, decide to start drinking daily. They call it an experiment, but it quickly becomes an excuse to let their lives spiral out of control. Featuring a remarkable central performance from Mads Mikkelsen, Another Round is a movie about how hard it is to be satisfied with the life you're leading, even if there's nothing all that obviously wrong with it. And it doesn't hurt that it has one of the best endings of any movie this century. You can watch Another Round on Amazon Prime Video.
Tom's Guide
03-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Tom's Guide
One of the best indie comedy movies of the last five years is now streaming on Prime Video — and it didn't deserve to bomb at the box office
Considering I'm both British and born in the 1990s, it's strange that the main feeling that I took away from 'Licorice Pizza' was one of youthful nostalgia. The 2021 indie comedy is director Paul Thomas Anderson's love letter to his adolescence in '70s Los Angeles, so as somebody who grew up thousands of miles away and in a different decade, I can't relate to the place and time. Yet, what is universal about this charming flick is how it portrays the excitement and heartbreak of a first love, and that innocent optimism (and swaggering self-confidence) that comes when you're not even legally old enough to drink. That's something that I reckon we can all relate to, whether born in the San Fernando Valley or Newcastle Upon Tyne, like me. Looking over Prime Video's July 2025 slate, I was delighted to see 'Licorice Pizza' has now been added to the Amazon-owned streaming service, and I'm hoping it'll act as something of a second chance for the flick after it struck out at the box office (grossing a poor $33m globally against its $40m budget). Few movies in recent years have deserved to bomb less. In 1970s California, Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman) is a precocious 15-year-old with an entrepreneurial spirit and a side hustle as a child actor. During school picture day, he meets 25-year-old Alana Kane (Alana Haim) and becomes instantly infatuated with this older woman. He comes determined to impress her and convince her that their blossoming romance can endure despite the questionable age gap. What follows is a story of first loves, growing up, and chasing your dreams. Plus, as it's a flick from director Paul Thomas Anderson, you can rest assured the movie drips with era-appropriate style, with a fitting soundtrack to boot. Remarkably, 'Licorice Pizza' is the movie debut of both Cooper Hoffman (son of legendary actor Philip Seymour Hoffman) and Alana Haim (one part of the American pop-rock band, Haim). You certainly wouldn't think either star was making their first step into the cinema world as both give a performance that seems well beyond their lack of on-screen experience. That's a very good thing, because 'Licorice Pizza' hangs almost entirely on their lead performances. Rather than offering viewers a twisting plot, 'Licorice Pizza' is, at times, almost a mood piece, aiming to replicate a very specific era in a very specific location. And within just a few scenes, you'll find yourself charmed by Gary and Alana and want to see them find success. Which isn't to say the Paul Thomas Anderson movie lacks substance either. Yes, its plot is a little plodding, but the snappy dialogue and litany of sharp observations ensure that it's always engaging. Plus, the 'will-they-won't-they' aspect of the story gets its hooks into you. But the lack of a critical eye on the uncomfortable age gap between the central pair is a bit bothersome. Alongside star-making turns from Hoffman and Haim, 'Licorice Pizza' packs a strong supporting cast including Sean Penn, Benny Safdie, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, John Michael Higgins and Bradley Cooper. The latter features in the movie's most hilarious sequence. The ever-hustling Gary opens a waterbed business, and during a home delivery to an egotistic stylist, Jon Peters (Cooper), who humiliates him in front of Alana, he decides to get revenge by flooding the stylist's plush hillside home. Things get a little dicey when they run into the stylist, broken down in the middle of the road, when attempting to make a quick escape from the scene of the crime. The inherent awkwardness and dramatic irony are the stuff of comedic genius, and Bradley Cooper is in his element, hamming things up. 'Licorice Pizza' is the definition of an easy-watching indie comedy. It's intentionally small-scale in ambition, but it's anything but slight when it comes to heart. The flick is bursting with good-natured warmth, and its central duo quickly work their way into your affections. You'd have to have a stony disposition not to come away seriously charmed. If all of my praise above hasn't quite convinced you to add 'Licorice Pizza' to your Prime Video watchlist, then know I'm far from alone in my enjoyment of this sweet little movie. 'Licorice Pizza' currently holds a strong 90% score on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. 'Licorice Pizza finds Paul Thomas Anderson shifting into a surprisingly comfortable gear -- and getting potentially star-making performances out of his fresh-faced leads,' reads the site's 'Critics Consensus.' Overall, if you're looking for a movie that offers simple charms and a cast of characters you can't help but warm to, 'Licorice Pizza' is certainly worth watching. The performances from Cooper Hoffman and Alana Haim are reason alone to give this Paul Thomas Anderson joint a chance. 'Licorice Pizza' is far from the only movie added to Prime Video's movie library this month. For more viewing recommendations, here's a guide to everything new added to Prime Video in July, which includes more must-watch movies. Watch "Licorice Pizza'" on Prime Video now
Geek Feed
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Feed
Mark Hamill Hosts a Bizarre Game Show in Trailer for The Long Walk
Some fans (me specifically) have been very disappointed that Cooper Hoffman didn't get cast as Plutarch Heavensbee in the upcoming Hunger Games prequel, but it looks like he's going to be in a movie that's focused on another sadistic game show. Check out the trailer for The Long Walk : The film is an adaptation of a Stephen King novel, and is being directed by Francis Lawrence, who was also behind the Hunger Games movies since Catching Fire . As for the premise of the film, the trailer pretty much explains it: A group of young people sign up for a televised Death March, and the last person standing ends up winning. Besides Hoffman, the movie also features Ben Wang, David Jonsson, Judy Greer, and of course, Mark Hamill. I do have to say, though Hamill is best known for Luke Skywalker in Star Wars , he makes for a very fantastic character actor—even surpassing Harrison Ford who pretty much only plays himself. I'll admit the 'Stephen King Renaissance' has slowed down since the release of the last IT movie, but the guy just has so much source material that is being asked to be made into films. It's kind of odd that they're even mining the content from before he was Stephen King, as The Long Walk is based on a novel that he released under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. With a solid premise and a great cast, The Long Walk should pique everyone's interests come September as they wait for the next Hunger Games which comes out next year. Watch out for The Long Walk when it comes out in theaters on Sept. 12.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
New Stephen King film tipped to be his scariest in years as fans go wild over long-awaited adaptation
Horror fans have been left stunned by an upcoming film which has been dubbed the scariest Stephen King adaptation in decades. The Long Walk, based on King's 1979 novel, is a dystopian thriller about a group of teenage boys who compete in an annual walking contest. The boys must maintain walking at a certain speed or get shot, and the last person standing is the sole survivor. A chilling trailer for the film was released this week, and fans are already predicting that it could become one of the best Stephen King adaptations ever made. 'This gave me chills. I really hope it lives up to the book,' commented one. 'About damn time! That it took this long to adapt this story is insane. Imagined when Hunger Game and other Battle Royal concepts became popular this would have been made. Fantastic book, can be be adapted on the cheap. Can't wait!' gushed another. A third wrote, 'The release date is in September and somehow that's going to feel longer than the 35 years I've already been waiting to see this movie!' 'The trailer does a LOT of justice. A huge chunk of this trailer are scenes taken directly from the book. It looks incredible so far,' wrote a fourth. The Long Walk was directed by Francis Lawrence, who directed I Am Legend and four films from The Hunger Games franchise. It stars Cooper Hoffman, who is the son of late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman, David Jonsson from Alien Romulus, and Star Wars legend Mark Hamill. There's been a slew of adaptations from novelist King in recent years, including The Monkey, a Salem's Lot remake, and The Boogeyman. Last year, King announced that he was leaving X (formerly Twitter) as the social media platform had become 'too toxic' for him. The horror icon, 77, shared a departing statement via his account in November, following rumors that the owner of X, Elon Musk, 53, had banned him from the platform. 'I'm leaving Twitter. Tried to stay, but the atmosphere has just become too toxic. Follow me on Threads, if you like,' he wrote. Despite quitting the site, King returns to X in February. 'I'm baaaack! Did you miss me?' he announced upon his return. 'Just wanted to say that Trump is a traitorous, Putin-loving dips**t! Goes double for Elon!' While the outspoken Democrat primarily uses X to rant about Trump and Republicans, he has also used the platform to promote his projects, including The Long Walk. His next adaptation is another movie based on his 1982 novel, The Running Man. It's the second adaptation of the book following the 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The upcoming version stars Glen Powell in the lead role, alongside Katy O'Brian and Josh Brolin.
Digital Trends
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Digital Trends
In Stephen King's The Long Walk, contestants must choose to walk or die
Stephen King is a horror master who specializes in creating psychological scenarios. In The Long Walk, contestants must choose to walk or die. It's a simple premise, but the consequences are deadly. Lionsgate released the official trailer for The Long Walk, a dystopian thriller based on King's 1979 novel of the same name. The plot depicts a walking contest involving 100 men. Contestants must stay above the speed limit of three miles per hour. Falling below that number results in elimination. The tense trailer previews what happens when someone falls below the speed limit. One of the contestants receives three warnings before a soldier shoots him in the head. It's a last-man-standing contest, with 'one winner and no finish line.' The Long Walk's cast features Cooper Hoffman, David Jonsson, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Roman Griffin Davis, Judy Greer, and Mark Hamill. Hunger Games veteran Francis Lawrence directs The Long Walk from a screenplay by Strange Darling's JT Mollner. The screenplay is based on King's novel written under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman. Producers include Lawrence, Roy Lee, Steven Schneider, and Cameron MacConomy. King's novels remain as prolific as ever in Hollywood. Earlier this year, Osgood Perkins directed The Monkey, a black comedy about a toy that causes vicious deaths. Next month, Mike Flanagan's adaptation of The Life of Chuck hits theaters nearly one year after winning the People's Choice Award at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. This November, Paramount will release the second feature film adaptation of The Running Man, a novel King wrote under his Richard Bachman moniker. Edgar Wright will direct, and Glen Powell will star as Ben Richards, a contestant on the world's deadliest game show. The Long Walk opens in theaters on September 12. Please enable Javascript to view this content
