UPDATE: In an offer you absolutely can't refuse, Francis Ford Coppola's masterful Godfather trilogy is now streaming on Stan – read more about it on Page 5!
As each streaming service's content library continues to grow, it's hard to keep track of the best movies these platforms have to offer. When it comes to the Australian streaming service Stan, there's an enormous amount of films of variable quality available to stream instantly. Our job is to sift through that huge catalogue and pick out the 'crème de la crème' for you.
- Don't have Stan? These are the best movies on Netflix: great films you can watch in Australia right now
- Want some more prime content? These are the best movies on Amazon Prime Video: top films to watch in Australia right now
To make things as straightforward as possible, we've separated our choices into genres, so that you can jump straight to the type of movie you actually feel like watching. Curated by TechRadar editors and backed up with ratings from IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes, these films should offer something for everyone. We'll keep this list up to date with must-watch movies, so you can spend less time browsing and more time watching! Here are the best movies on Stan.
- TV shows more your thing? Here are the best TV shows to stream on Stan
Now that Stan has partnered with Disney, the service is the official streaming home of Marvel Studios content in Australia, meaning you can expect all the best superhero movies to land here at some point. These are the ones currently streaming on Stan.
Avengers: Infinity War
Image credit: Disney
With Avengers: Endgame currently shattering box office records on its way to becoming the highest grossing movie of all time, Now's as good a time as any to revisit (or possibly watch for the first time) the film that preceded it. Avengers: Infinity War achieves the almost impossible task of setting up a payoff for the 22 Marvel movies have been released over the last decade. Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and the rest of the heroes in Marvel's Cinematic Universe must face Thanos (Josh Brolin), a powerful villain who plans to wipe out half the living creatures in the entire universe. Of course, Endgame is the real conclusion to the story ten years in the making, leaving Infinity War to act as an immense cliffhanger – the likes of which has never been seen before.
IMDB Rating: 8.5, Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
Watch Avengers: Infinity War on Stan right now
Black Panther
Image credit: Disney
A groundbreaking film for Marvel Studios in terms of ethnic representation, Black Panther gave audiences a superhero tentpole film with an almost entirely black cast that managed not only to break Hollywood boundaries, but also box office records – in fact, Black Panther is currently the highest-grossing standalone superhero movie of all time. T'Challa (Chadwick Boseman), new king of Wakanda, finds himself challenged by an angry outsider (Michael B. Jordan) who claims to have a legitimate birthright to the throne. Now, he must stand up and become the king his nation deserves, not only for the good of his people, but for the good of the world. As thought-provoking as it is action-packed, Black Panther is a triumph from start to finish.
IMDB Rating: 7.4, Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
Thor: Ragnarok
Image credit: Disney
One of the funniest and most entertaining Marvel movies to date, Thor: Ragnarok finds Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Loki (Tom Hiddleston) ejected from Asgard after their once-banished evil sister Hela (Cate Blanchett) returns to take back the throne. Stuck on a junk planet on the other side of the universe, Thor coincidentally reunites with his Avenger buddy Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). With the help of their new friend Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), the group sets off a plan to return to Asgard and rescue their people from Hela's tyrannical rule. Bursting at the seams with energy and vibrant colour, Thor: Ragnarok is an unabashed space opera with its tongue firmly pressed against its cheek. You can thank director Taika Waititi (What We Do In The Shadows) for that – watch out for his scene-stealing role as Korg, the imposing rock warrior with a hilariously gentle Kiwi accent.
IMDB Rating: 7.9, Rotten Tomatoes: 92%
Spider-Man trilogy
Image credit: Sony Pictures
Spider-Man has been thrust back into the spotlight in a major way of late, with a recent appearance in Avengers: Infinity War, a fantastic PS4 video game and a terrific new CGI animated film all contributing to the character's timelessness. Because of this, now's the perfect time to revisit Sam Raimi's blockbuster Spider-Man trilogy, which starred Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and James Franco. Though the films themselves vary in quality, they're still a lot of fun and hold up fairly well in a storytelling sense. Also, all three movies are available in 4K Ultra HD resolution on Stan, and they all look fantastic.
IMDB Rating: 7.3, Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
Need some kid-friendly content to entertain the family with? Stan has a number of great kids and family movies on offer that should keep everyone happy. These films are guaranteed to please the whole family.
Red Dog
Image credit: Roadshow
An Australian family favourite, Red Dog tells the heartwarming true story of a delightful pooch that united an entire community while roaming the Outback looking for his actual owner. The dog brings people together everywhere he goes – some people find love, others find themselves. Starring Josh Lucas and Rachael Taylor, Red Dog is a beautiful movie that the whole family will enjoy. Though the dog is red, this is a true-blue Aussie classic.
IMDB Rating: 7.5, Rotten Tomatoes 82%
Speed Racer
Image credit: Warner Bros.
A movie that's way better than its reputation would suggest (the film was derided upon its initial release but has steadily grown a cult following), Speed Racer was clearly a passion project for the Wachowskis, directors of The Matrix. A tale of integrity, family and standing up to corruption, Speed Racer is much more than a sugary kids film (though it is that, too). Featuring some of the most mind-blowing and cartoony visuals of any live action film in existence, Speed Racer puts its pedal to the metal and achieves some deliriously psychedelic race sequences in the process. Sure, it'll still have its fair share of detractors who refuse to get behind its incredibly vibrant and overwhelming visuals, but give it a chance and you might just find it to be a sensational family film with a huge heart.
IMDB Rating: 6.0, Rotten Tomatoes 40%
Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole
Image credit: Warner Bros.
When one thinks of director Zack Snyder, the mind often goes to his violent action films, such as 300, Watchmen and Batman v Superman. But did you know he also directed an Australian animated kids film about warrior owls? While obviously lighter in tone than some of his other works, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole is just as stylish as you'd expect from Zack Snyder, with his liberal use of slow-motion and speed-ramping giving the film that unmistakable Snyder look and feel. Featuring stunning animation and terrific voice performances from Aussie actors like Ryan Kwanten, Essie Davis, Abbie Cornish, Richard Roxburgh and Joel Edgerton, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole is a real hoot.
IMDB Rating: 7.0, Rotten Tomatoes 50%
Happy Feet
Image credit: Warner Bros.
Another Australian animated kids film about birds, Happy Feet took the world by storm when it released in 2006. A delightful family film from director George Miller (Babe, Mad Max: Fury Road), Happy Feet follows a penguin named mumble whose lack of singing talent leads him to dance to find his mate. With an all-star cast featuring Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Hugh Jackman, Nicole Kidman and Brittany Murphy, Happy Feet is guaranteed to make you tap your feet.
IMDB Rating: 6.5, Rotten Tomatoes 75%
Where the Wild Things Are
Image credit: Warner Bros.
Based on the classic children's book by Maurice Sendak, Where the Wild Things Are is an awe-inspiring story of a young boy named Max (Max Records) who runs away from home after an argument with his mum (Cathertine Keener), only to end up on an island filled with creatures who name him as their king. Max instantly befriends a gentle giant named Carol (voiced by James Gandolfini) and while everything is going well for a while, things start to turn dark, leading Max to realise how much he misses home. Directed by Spike Jonze (Her, Being John Malkovich), Where the Wild Things Are is an artful family film that hits you right in the heart.
IMDB Rating: 6.8, Rotten Tomatoes: 73%
Feel like watching something that'll put a tingle in your spine? Well, look no further, because Stan has a large selection of horror films that should please even the most hardened gore-hound. These are some of the best.
Carrie
There have been countless Stephen King film adaptations over the last few decades, but Carrie was the first (and arguably best). Sissy Spacek plays a tormented teenage girl who is pushed over the edge by her mean classmates and domineering mother – with incredibly violent results. A bloody classic.
IMDB Rating: 7.4, Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
The Descent
Not one for claustrophobic types, The Descent follows a caving expedition that goes horribly wrong, leaving a group of women to fend for themselves against some truly terrifying cave-dwelling creatures. An absolute masterpiece of terror, The Descent is one of the best horror movies to come out of the UK.
IMDB Rating: 7.2, Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
Scream
The late, great horror director Wes Craven had a habit of making a game-changing fright flick at least once per decade. In the '70s, it was The Last House on the Left. In the '80s, he birthed the horror icon Freddy Kruger in A Nightmare on Elm Street. The kids of the '90s, however, had grown accustomed to the usual horror tropes, which is why Craven's self-aware slasher Scream became such a sensation. The characters in this knew they were in a horror film, which allowed the movie to exploit the genre's rules at every turn.
IMDB Rating: 7.2, Rotten Tomatoes: 79%
Wolf Creek
Loosely inspired by actual events, Wolf Creek gave birth to Australia's first real horror icon in Mick Taylor (John Jarratt), a sadistic bushman who enjoys nothing more than hunting and killing tourists in the middle of the Outback. Once you've watched this, check out its sequel, Wolf Creek 2, as well as the incredible Stan Original series.
IMDB Rating: 6.3, Rotten Tomatoes: 53%
Cabin in the Woods
Another self-aware horror movie in the vein of Scream, Cabin in the Woods acts as a meta-commentary of the horror genre and its audience. We've all seen countless horror films set in a cabin, each one featuring a different group of stock characters facing some form of horrific demise – we don't even seem to mind that only the threat itself ever really seems to change. The joke here is that there are actually people behind the scenes who are pulling the strings – it's all a matter of re-arranging the pieces to see what happens next. Starring Chris Hemsworth (before he was famous) and written by Joss Whedon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Avengers), Cabin in the Woods is both clever and scary.
IMDB Rating: 7.0, Rotten Tomatoes: 9.2
In the mood for a good tear-jerker? What about a serious, high-brow piece of cinema? The films below should do the trick. Here are our picks for the best dramas on Stan.
The Godfather trilogy
Regarded by many as one of the greatest films of all time, Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather is, first and foremost, a story about family. Of course, the 'family' in this instance is in the Italian American mafia, and is led by Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando). After denying a move into the narcotics business, Vito is gunned down by a rival crime family. Now, his youngest son Michael (Al Pacino) is forced to lead the family, starting with a deadly retaliation for his father's attack. Before long, all of the mafia's Five Families are forced into war, and Michael must do what he can to put an end to it all. Followed soon after by the equally brilliant film The Godfather Part II (starring Robert De Niro as a young Vito Corleone), the trilogy is eventually closed out by a less impressive third instalment. Nevertheless, The Godfather trilogy remains required viewing for any serious cinephile.
The Godfather: IMDB Rating: 9.2, Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
The Godfather Part II: IMDB Rating: 9.0, Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
The Godfather Part III: IMDB Rating: 7.6, Rotten Tomatoes: 68%
Patriots Day
A harrowing (and eventually) uplifting retelling of the events surrounding the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013 which killed three people and injured hundreds of others. Directed by Peter Berg (Deepwater Horizon, Lone Survivor), Patriots Day plays out like a procedural thriller that begins with the morning in question and follows through to the aftermath, including the ensuing manhunt that saw brave police officers and federal agents (played by Mark Wahlberg, Kevin Bacon and John Goodman, among others) track down and confront the terrorists responsible. Emotionally devastating yet hopeful for the future, Patriots Day is a powerful film that's filled with heart, showing how the inhabitants of a city can come together to rise up against hatred.
IMDB Rating: 7.4, Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
There Will Be Blood
A stunning commentary on the nature of greed and morality, Boogie Nights director Paul Thomas Anderson's There Will Be Blood is a blistering examination of how easy it is for a soulless man to prosper in a morally bankrupt world, while those who attempt to sink to his level find only their own demise. Daniel Day-Lewis won an Oscar for his portrayal of Daniel Plainview, an unscrupulous prospector who will stop at nothing to achieve wealth and power as an oil magnate, even if that means wrenching away oil rights from people who don't know any better. On the other side of the coin is Paul Dano's character of Eli Sunday, a preacher whose family was swindled by Plainview for their oil rights. Though Sunday, as a man of God, attempts to take the moral high ground against Plainview, his soul is quickly corrupted by greed and a need to overpower his adversary, demonstrating how religion can be poisoned by capitalism. If you come into the film looking for a plot, you may find yourself disappointed. However, if you're after a story filled with big, overarching themes that explore the very essence of human nature, almost like a biblical parable, you might find There Will Be Blood to be a stone-cold masterpiece.
IMDB Rating: 8.1, Rotten Tomatoes: 91%
The Social Network
Based on true events, The Social Network gives us an insight into the crazy drama behind the formation of Facebook, in which founder Mark Zuckerberg (Jesse Eisenberg) is sued by his co-founder Eduardo Saverin (Andrew Garfield) for squeezing him out of the business, as well as the Winklevoss twins (both played by Armie Hammer), who claim that Zuckerberg stole their idea for the whole site. With sharp, elegant direction from David Fincher (Fight Club, Gone Girl), a cracking script from Aaron Sorkin (The Newsroom, Steve Jobs), and a classic score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), The Social Network is one of the best films about the tech industry ever made. Needless to say, we certainly 'Like' this film.
IMDB Rating: 7.7, Rotten Tomatoes: 96%
Good Will Hunting
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck became global megastars off the back of Good Will Hunting, each bagging an Oscar for writing the film's incredible screenplay. Damon plays Will, a troubled young man from the South Boston projects who is gifted with unparalleled intellect and a photographic memory. When his gift is discovered by a genius M.I.T. professor (Stellan Skarsgård), Will is sent to see a psychologist (Robin Williams) in an attempt to get his life back in order so that he can reach his full potential. A tear-jerking masterpiece.
IMDB Rating: 8.3, Rotten Tomatoes: 93%
Chopper
Playing Australia's most notorious criminal, Eric Bana absolutely disappears into the role of Chopper Read. At the time, it was unthinkable that the TV funnyman could convince in such a dark and intense role, but his comedic edge, backed by the hulking frame he developed for the film, turned out to be a match made in heaven. Perhaps the best and most quotable Aussie true(ish) crime movie ever made.
IMDB Rating: 7.2, Rotten Tomatoes: 72%
Moonlight
Winner of the Best Picture award at the 2017 Oscars, Moonlight is a shattering chronicle of the childhood, adolescence and adulthood of a gay African-American male. Told in three segments, the lead role of Chiron is portrayed by three different actors, each facing the struggles of growing up in a poor neighbourhood in Miami. Burdened by drug-addicted mother, Chiron's only guidance comes from an unlikely source in local drug dealer Juan (Mahershala Ali in his Oscar winning role). Gripping and powerful, Moonlight is a triumph.
IMDB Rating: 7.5, Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
Animal Kingdom
After the death of his mum, Joshua (James Frecheville) is forced to live with his maternal grandmother (Jacki Weaver), the matriarch of a crime family that starts to fall apart after the after one of her sons is killed by police and the others kill a random cop in retaliation. Will Joshua fall into this cycle of violence, or will he resist it? Playing out like a Greek tragedy in the suburbs of Melbourne, Animal Kingdom is one of the most powerful Australian films of all time.
IMDB Rating: 7.3, Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Raging Bull
Based on the life of real life boxing champ Ray LaMotta (Robert De Niro giving what is perhaps the most powerful performance of his career), Raging Bull explores a man gripped by insecurity – one who'd rather get his face bashed in than confront his own demons. Abusive to his wife (Cathy Moriarty) and violent towards his brother (Joe Pesci, also magnificent), LaMotta frequently attempts to pay for his sins in the ring, each gruelling fight feeling like a culmination of his troubles at home. De Niro famously packed on the kilos to portray an out of shape LaMotta past his prime, but that's arguably the least impressive aspect of this amazingly raw and ferocious performance. One of director Martin Scorsese's greatest achievements, Raging Bull is a gripping study of toxic masculinity.
IMDB Rating: 8.2, Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Need a good laugh? Stan has a number of great comedies in its library, and these are some of our favourites. Here are the best comedies currently streaming on Stan.
Goon
Perhaps the best ice hockey movie since Slap Shot, Goon follows Doug 'The Thug' Glatt (Seann William Scott), a loveable meathead with fists of steel who becomes the enforcer on a minor-league hockey team. An enforcer's role is to forcibly protect his teammates and have their backs when opposing players mess with them on the ice. That also means handing out beatings, something that Glatt is quite adept at doing. But when famously-ruthless enforcer Ross 'The Boss' Rhea returns from suspension (for seriously injuring the star player of Doug's team), he and Glatt are destined to throw down in a bout of on-ice fisticuffs for the ages where only one man will walk away. A sports comedy with Fight Club-level violence, Goon might be a bit much for the squeamish. That said, if you're well aware of how bloody ice hockey can be and think you can handle it, this is a seriously great sports movie. If you do like what you see, you might also want to hit up its sequel, Goon: Last of the Enforcers, which is also on Stan.
IMDB Rating: 6.8, Rotten Tomatoes: 82%
Ghostbusters
When there's something strange in your neighbourhood, who you gonna call? Ghostbusters, that's who! Released in 1984, Ivan Reitman's spooky comedy achieved instant-classic status, thanks in part to a brilliant and hilarious script by stars Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. But it would be Bill Murray's burgeoning star-power and wise-ass demeanour that would bring the whole film, which is about ghost hunting scientists in New York City, together so perfectly. Equal-parts hair-raising and rib-tickling, Ghostbusters is a positively ghoulish movie that the whole family can enjoy.
IMDB Rating: 7.8, Rotten Tomatoes: 97%
Zoolander
Though it wasn't immediately loved at release, Zoolander has grown over the years into an honest-to-goodness comedy classic. Ben Stiller is the titular beef-witted male model that is duped into a plot to assassinate the Malaysian Prime Minister. Owen Wilson plays Hansel, an up-and-coming rival to Zoolander. Though the two initially hate each other, they soon come together in an attempt to stop the evil plan that has been orchestrated by the truly ridiculous fashion designer, Mugatu (Will Ferrell). Backed with quotable lines and hilarious scenes, Zoolander is really, really, really, ridiculously funny.
IMDB Rating: 6.6, Rotten Tomatoes: 64%
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective
Jim Carrey was an unstoppable force in the early nineties, and along with The Mark and Dumb and Dumber, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective solidified him as the world's biggest comedy star. Carrey plays a ridiculously over-the-top private dick who specialises in animal-related cases. When the NFL's Miami Dolphins mascot is stolen, it's up to Ace to find out where it is and who was behind it. Cue a whole lot of hilarious tomfoolery!
IMDB Rating: 6.9, Rotten Tomatoes: 46%
American Ultra
Like Pineapple Express meets The Bourne Identity, American Ultra is much better than it has any right to be. Jesse Eisenberg plays a stoner convenience store clerk who hears some specific words and is promptly activated into a CIA killing machine. In an effort to cover up this mess, the agency sends two agents (Topher Grace and Connie Britton) to neutralise the situation, but things don't fly as smoothly as they'd hoped. Playing opposite Kristen Stewart, Eisenberg does a decent job of playing an action hero. Funny and surprisingly violent and action packed, American Ultra is an underrated gem.
In Bruges
A hilariously dark comedy about hit men who must lay low in Belgium after a hit gone wrong, In Bruges is the type of movie that will have you laughing uncontrollably one minute, then crying the next. Writer/director Martin McDonagh (Seven Psychopaths, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) delivers a witty script filled with sudden moments of brutal violence that will leave you speechless.
IMDB Rating: 7.9, Rotten Tomatoes: 84%
If you're a fan of muscular action films, you've come to the right place. Stan has a great selection of high-octane, testosterone-fuelled movies for adrenaline junkies. Here are our picks for best action movies on Stan.
The entire James Bond collection
Yes, you read that correctly: all 24 Bond films are now available to stream exclusively on Stan. Best of all, each film is presented in glorious 4K quality, which is something that was previously unavailable outside of expensive iTunes purchases. Join Sean Connery, George Lazenby, Roger Moore, Timothy Dalton, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig as they each take turns in the iconic role of MI6 agent and super spy, James Bond. Sure, not all of the 007 films are great (we're looking at you, Die Another Day), but they're always entertaining. And, thanks to the 4K visual upgrade, you may be more inclined to suffer through some of the lesser entries on the picture quality alone!
Stream the Bond collection on Stan now
The Expendables
The film that rounded up some of the greatest action movie stars of the '80s and '90s (along with a couple of newcomers), Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables will bring a huge smile to the face of anyone who grew up during this high-testosterone era. Joining Stallone are the likes of Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Jet Li, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis, Terry Crews and more. While the film itself is far from perfect, we can't help but get a kick out of seeing our heroes fighting alongside each other.
IMDB Rating: 6.5, Rotten Tomatoes: 42%
Kill Bill
Quentin Tarantino's grand homage to exploitation cinema, Kill Bill sees star Uma Thurman go on a roaring rampage of revenge, killing everyone who was involved in her attempted assassination. Fresh out of a coma after several years, this former assassin will make her old associates pay, one-by-one, for ruining her life. And when that's done, she's taking her blood-drenched katana on a trip to meet Bill (David Carradine), her former boss and lover. Split into two pieces (both of which are now streaming on Stan), Kill Bill is a violent revenge masterpiece.
IMDB Rating: 8.1, Rotten Tomatoes: 85%
The Terminator
James Cameron made his career with this time travel-themed action thriller, which also worked to solidify Arnold Schwarzenegger as one of the biggest stars on the planet. Arnold plays a Terminator – a cyborg killing machine that's sent back in time to kill a great military leader's mother (Linda Hamilton) before he's ever conceived. This mother's child will eventually be responsible for defeating the machines in the distant future. Thankfully, a human soldier (Michael Biehn) has also travelled back in time to protect her. Perfectly mixing action, sci-fi and horror, The Terminator is a white-knuckle experience from beginning to end.
IMDB Rating: 8.0, Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
Mad Max
Long before he reached Fury Road, Max Rockatansky (Mel Gibson) was a highway cop in a particularly rough part of Australia – his beat ravaged by murderous and borderline savage street cretins. When Max's family and partner are killed by a gang with a vendetta, he gets mad. Extremely mad. One of Australian cinema's most classic films, Mad Max is high-octane revenge thriller that boasts some of the greatest scenes of vehicular carnage ever committed to celluloid. Max would eventually end up in a post-apocalyptic future, but his humble origins should never be forgotten.
IMDB Rating: 7.0, Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
We all like a good thriller, and Stan is chock-full of them. If you want a film that will have you on the edge of your seat, you've come to the right place. Below is a list of some of the best thrillers currently available on Stan.
Panic Room
Following his anarchist epic Fight Club, director David Fincher decided to make something more down to earth as his follow-up, and while Panic Room may seem like your typical home invasion thriller on paper, in this visionary auteur's hands, it's anything but. One of the more technically astounding thrillers you're ever likely to see, Fincher ratchets up the tension with his daring (and seemingly impossible) camera work, taking the audience through several stories of a New York brownstone with a swiftness and precision unseen at the time of its release. The film follows a newly-divorced mother (Jodie Foster) and her insulin-dependant daughter (a young Kristen Stewart) as they fight off a trio of home invaders. While the pair manages to reach the home's impenetrable panic room, a problem arises when it's revealed that the burglars are actually after the contents of said room. Suspenseful and smart, Panic Room is a must-watch thriller.
IMDB Rating: 6.2, Rotten Tomatoes: 75%
Nightcrawler
Jake Gyllenhaal is incredibly creepy as Louis Bloom, a man who makes money by filming grisly crime footage and selling it to news stations in Los Angeles. Driven by greed and hubris, Louis starts blurring the line between observer and active participant, eventually instigating violent incidents in order to get the scoop. A cutting commentary on our modern news cycle obsession, Nightcrawler is a riveting thriller with terrific performances.
IMDB Rating: 7.9, Rotten Tomatoes: 95%
Wake in Fright
An absolutely brilliant and confronting critique of Australian drinking culture and 'mateship', Canadian director Ted Kotchoff (First Blood) does not hold back at all when it comes to showing some of our country's uglier aspects with Wake in Fright. A school teacher finds himself trapped in an Outback mining town after losing all his money in a two-up game, leading him to go on a night of binge-drinking, fighting and kangaroo shooting with some unhinged locals. It's safe to say that he may never be the same again after this night...
IMDB Rating: 7.7, Rotten Tomatoes: 100%
Léon: The Professional
French director Luc Besson has made several cult classic films (The Fifth Element, La Femme Nikita, The Big Blue), but perhaps none is more beloved than Léon: The Professional. Notable for being Natalie Portman's first film, Léon tells the story of a lonely assassin (Jean Reno) who befriends a young girl after her whole family is killed by a crooked cop (Gary Oldman). Violent and thrilling, yet filled with warmth and heart, Léon: The Professional is bloody fantastic.
IMDB Rating: 8.6, Rotten Tomatoes: 71%
Science fiction films offer us visions of the future (well, from the perspective of the times in which they were made) that open our minds to the possibilities of what humankind might be capable of, in both the good and bad sense. These are some of the best sci-fi films on Stan.
Ready Player One
Based on Ernest Cline's best-selling novel of the same name, Ready Player One sees mega-director Steven Spielberg return to science fiction for the first time since 2005's War of the Worlds. Set in a distant future where humanity spends most of its time within a virtual reality realm known as The Oasis, Ready Player One sees Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) and friends attempt to track down a hidden Easter Egg that would grant them ownership and control of the whole virtual world. Of course, it's a race against time, as the nefarious corporate stooge Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn) is also after the same prize, and has plans to exploit the online realm for commercial benefit. Packed with more pop culture references from the last 30 years than can be conceivably spotted in one viewing, Ready Player One is a delightful and visually spectacular adventure for fanboys and fangirls everywhere.
IMDB Rating: 7.5, Rotten Tomatoes: 72%
District 9
The film that put both director Neill Blomkamp (Elysium) and star Sharlto Copley (Powers) on the international stage, District 9 is an ingenious science fiction Apartheid allegory that puts marooned aliens in South African concentration camps. An anti-alien pencil pusher (Copley) has his whole world turned upside down when he is sprayed with some kind of liquid that's slowly turning him into an alien, and now he has to team up with one of the "prawns" he so despises if he has any hope of turning back to normal. Hilarious, action-packed and filled with flinch-worthy body horror moments, District 9 is an instant classic that rightfully earned a Best Picture nomination at the Oscars. Now available to stream on Stan in glorious 4K.
IMDB Rating: 7.9, Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
RoboCop
With director Neill Blomkamp (District 9, Chappie) announcing that he's bringing RoboCop back to cinemas with a direct sequel to the original 1987 film, now's as good a time as any to revisit this ultra-violent classic. A cutting satire of corporate greed in the '80s, Robocop is more than the sum of its parts. Brilliantly directed by Paul Verhoeven (Total Recall, Starship Troopers), the film sees a rookie cop viciously murdered by a group of criminals, only to be revived by a corporation and used as a robotic crime-fighting product. Pretty soon, his memories start to return, and it's only a matter of time before he tracks down his killers and discovers the real intents of his makers.
IMDB Rating: 7.5, Rotten Tomatoes: 88%
Blade Runner
Ridley Scott's thought-provoking cyberpunk masterpiece wasn't fully appreciated until a decade after its release, where it received a director's cut that addressed and excised some of the studio interference that plagued the theatrical version of the film. Harrison Ford plays Deckard, the titular Blade Runner. He's a cop of sorts whose job is to hunt down and eliminate rogue replicants, which are like artificial humans created as off-world slave labour. When a group of them decide they'd rather live, going on a killing spree in the process, Deckard sets out to take them down, but maybe this time it won't be so easy...
IMDB Rating: 8.2, Rotten Tomatoes: 90%
The Matrix
A science fiction classic, The Matrix is a cautionary tale about artificial intelligence packaged as an action-packed, visual effects spectacular. Inspired by martial arts films, anime and cyberpunk literature, The Matrix sees Neo (Keanu Reeves) discover that the world as we know it is an elaborate computer simulation that masks the real truth – Earth is a wasteland and humans are being kept alive in chambers to act as the batteries powering our new machine overlords. Whoa.
IMDB Rating: 8.7, Rotten Tomatoes: 87%
E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial
Steven Spielberg is known for making heart-warming, sentimental movies, and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial might be the one that best embodies that. A classic family film about a lonely kid (Henry Thomas) who develops a bond with a friendly alien marooned on our planet, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is capable of melting even the coldest of hearts.
IMDB Rating: 7.9, Rotten Tomatoes: 98%
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