Welcome back, Bong Joon Ho. It’s been six years since Parasite, the spectacular thriller that became the first non-English-language film to win the Oscar for Best Picture. This weekend, Bong returns with his latest film, Mickey 17. The sci-fi comedy follows a disposable employee (Robert Pattinson) who returns as a clone after repeatedly dying on a colonization mission.
Mickey 17 is already generating positive reviews, which isn’t surprising because of the talent behind the camera. In honor of Bong’s return, one of the free movies to stream this weekend comes from his early filmography. The other two selections are dedicated to an Oscar-winning filmmaker and an acting legend who recently passed away.
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 Max, and the best movies on Disney+.
Memories of a Murder (2003)
With all due respect to Barking Dogs Never Bite, Bong’s second feature, Memories of a Murder, is the one that put him on the map. Based on a real-life South Korean serial killer, Memories of a Murder follows Park Doo-man (Song Kang-ho) and Seo Tae-yoon (Kim Sang-kyung), two detectives assigned to investigate a string of rapes and murders.
The two detectives possess different styles — Park is the aggressive investigator, while Seo relies more on scientific analysis. Essentially, the movie presents an old-school versus new-school approach to policing. The ruthlessness and brutality weigh heavily on both investigators, as it tests their ethics and values. Instead of an open-and-shut whodunit, Bong explores morality and human fallibility, resulting in one of the best murder mysteries of all time.
Stream Memories of a Murder for free on Tubi.
Red Rocket (2021)
After working as an independent filmmaker for over 25 years, Sean Baker finally broke through to mainstream audiences with Anora, the romantic dramedy that won five Oscars, including Best Picture. Baker has an eye for spotting talent, as evidenced by Oscar winner Mikey Madison. In his previous film, Red Rocket, Baker cast Simon Rex, the unorthodox actor best known for his work as the rapper Dirt Nasty.
Rex’s animated energy was perfect in the role of con man Mikey “Saber” Davies, a washed-up porn star who returns home to Texas after flaming out in Los Angeles. Mikey seeks shelter at the home of his estranged wife (Bree Elrod) and sells drugs for money. Mikey soon begins dating 17-year-old Strawberry (Suzanna Son) and sees her as his ticket back to the porn industry. Red Rocket thrives as an exploration of a narcissistic hustler in the Trump era, with Rex near-perfect in a role he waited for his entire life.
Stream Red Rocket for free on Pluto TV.
Mississippi Burning (2009)
On February 17, the world lost an acting giant in Gene Hackman, who was 95. Very few actors can claim they were the best in their field at one point in time. Hackman was, without question, one of the best actors to ever grace the big screen. Despite looking 45 for three decades, Hackman let the work speak for itself, and man, was it sensational.
With a handful of Hackman’s performances on Tubi, we’ll settle on Mississippi Burning, the crime thriller from director Alan Parker. After the disappearance of three civil rights workers in a small Mississippi town, the FBI sends agents Rupert Anderson (Gene Hackman) and Alan Ward (Willem Dafoe) to investigate. No one wants to cooperate. The authorities do want to indict themselves, and the African American community fears the Ku Klux Klan. Without much help, Anderson must resort to aggressive tactics to get what he wants. Get ready for an acting masterclass from Hackman.
Stream Mississippi Burning for free on Tubi.