It feels like it’s been 10 years since 2016 thanks to our current political news cycle (well, it’s not the news cycle’s fault as much as the source of the news being our Shriveled Produce-in-Chief) so this week’s “7 Days of Streaming” tries to stay away from politics as much as possible. There might be a mention of something with political ties but for the most part, we dodge those bullets (unlike Bonnie & Clyde who took a few — 167 bullets to be exact — on May 23, 1934). Here’s what you can stream this week to celebrate the day in history:
May 19: Andre the Giant Was Born (1946)
Watch: The Princess Bride (1987)
Available on Amazon & iTunes
Unfortunately, Andre Rene Roussimoff, better known as Andre the Giant, died at the age of 46. Before that, he had a highly successful wrestling career and a few roles in television and film. His most memorable role was as Fezzik in The Princess Bride.
May 20: Hubble Telescope Supplies First Images From Space (1990)
Watch: Gravity (2013)
Available on Amazon & iTunes
Thanks to the Hubble Telescope, we have some amazing views of space. Hollywood has always been enamored with outer space and other planets but none have been more beautifully captured than 2013’s Gravity which won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and was nominated for 10 including Best Picture and won 7 becoming the most recognized non-Best Picture winner since Cabaret in 1972 which won 8 Academy Awards without winning Best Picture.
May 21: Chuck Berry Pioneers Rock & Roll Guitar (1955)
Watch: Back to the Future (1985)
Available on Amazon & iTunes
Leave it to Hollywood to give credit to one of music’s biggest innovations to a white guy. In 1955, Chuck Berry walked into the Chess Records studio and blew away everyone with “Maybellene” which featured an unforgettable guitar riff that later became known as the birth of the Rock & Roll guitar. If you want to believe Robert Zemeckis’s Back to the Future, it was Marty McFly that helped Chuck find that “new sound” he’s been looking for. Hollywood will whitewash anything.
May 22: Fahrenheit 9/11 Becomes First Documentary to Win Palme d’Or (2004)
Watch: Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004)
Available on Amazon & iTunes
I couldn’t completely avoid politics as there’s exciting news brewing at Cannes this year where Michael Moore is shopping his quasi-sequel to Fahrenheit 9/11 as he plans to turn his sights on President Donald Trump in Fahrenheit 11/9. There’s still no word on when the film will be released but until then, you could relive a dark but no longer quite as dark time as the 2004 doc dove into.
May 23: Bonnie and Clyde Killed By Police (1934)
Watch: Bonnie and Clyde (1967)
Available on Amazon & iTunes
Before their hand in this year’s Oscar debacle, Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway appeared in 1967’s Bonnie and Clyde as the titular couple. The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture but lost out to In the Heat of the Night and was recognized as one of AFI’s 100 greatest movies of all-time.
May 24: Bob Dylan’s Birthday (1941)
Watch: I Am Not There (2007)
Available on Amazon & iTunes
The music legend is still touring and will be at Firefly Music Festival in Dover, Delaware on June 18th which is Day 3 of the 4 day festival. Seeing Dylan’s name next to The Weeknd, Chance the Rapper, Kesha and T-Pain is strange but seeing Dylan portrayed by Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger and Ben Whishaw is even stranger. That’s what you get with the biopic I Am Not There.
May 25: Jesse Owens Sets 3 World Records & Ties a 4th in 45 Minutes in Ann Arbor (1935)
Watch: Race (2016)
Available on Amazon & iTunes
One of the greatest track & field athletes of all time has a hell of a story to tell and while it isn’t a great film, 2016’s Race is good enough in giving you the details of Jesse Owens’ life and times to make it a compelling watch. His feat in 1935 at a Big Ten meet in Ann Arbor where he tied the record for the 100-yard dash and set a new world record in the long jump, the 220-yard spring and 220-yard hurdles was one of the highlights of his career and likely his greatest athletic achievement.