The Hollywood nostalgia binge guide

From cinematic gems to unexplored marvels to decades-old Hollywood classics, the streaming world is full of classic Hollywood movies that are not only binge-worthy during the lockdown but also promise to leave behind a feel good nostalgia. A revisit could be worth it.

IANS picks a few old films that you might want to revisit, that will let you relax and bust the stress of lockdown.

* Sleepless In Seattle (1993)

It's an evergreen love story, featuring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. The classic is a heart-warming story of a mourning widower Sam Baldwin (Hanks) finding love once again. It is available on Netflix.

* The Sixth Sense (1999)

The supernatural psychological thriller, written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, tells the story of Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), a boy who is able to see and talk to the dead, and Malcolm Crowe (essayed by Bruce Willis), a psychologist who is trying to help the child. It is available on Netflix.

* Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)

The romantic comedy follows an estranged couple who have erased each other from their memories. Featuring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, it is available on Netflix.

* It Could Happen To You (1994)

Based on a true incident, the romantic comedy-drama is about a New York City police officer (Nicolas Cage) who wins the lottery and splits his winnings with a waitress (Bridget Fonda). It is available on Netflix.

* Pearl Harbor (2001)

As the name suggests, the movie presents a fictionalised version of the Pearl Harbor attack. It follows American friends Rafe McCawley (Ben Affleck) and Danny Walker (Josh Hartnett) as they enter World War II as pilots. It is available on Netflix.

* Rebecca (1940)

Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the psychological thriller tells the story of an aristocratic widower Maxim de Winter and Joan Fontaine as the young woman who becomes his second wife. Her life turns upside down when she discovers that Maxim had killed his ex-wife. It features Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. It is available on Netflix.

* Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

An erotic mystery psychological drama, the film was directed, produced and co-written by Stanley Kubrick. It is about the sexual adventures of Dr. Bill Harford, who is shocked when his wife, Alice, reveals that she had contemplated having an affair a year earlier. The film stars Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. It's streaming live on Netflix.

* The Aviator (2004)

It's a classic film by Martin Scorsese about Howard Hughes, who despite suffering from germophobia and psychological illness, is trying to design a new aircraft. He faces personal issues but becomes a successful filmmaker. The biographical drama, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Cate Blanchett and Kate Beckinsale, is streaming on Netflix.

* The Stranger (1946)

The film, starring Edward G. Robinson, Loretta Young, and Orson Welles, is about a war crimes investigator tracking a high-ranking Nazi fugitive to a Connecticut town. It is streaming on Netflix

* Indiana Jones And The Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)

Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film stars Harrison Ford as archaeologist Indiana Jones, who battles a group of Nazis searching for the Ark of the Covenant. The film promises an adventurous ride to the jungle and back. It is streaming on Netflix.

* The Mask (1994)

Mask your isolation woes away with Jim Carrey's fun film "The Mask". Available on Netflix, it is about Stanley Ipkiss, an unfortunate bank clerk who finds a magical mask that transforms him into a mischievous hero with superpowers.

* American Pie (1999)

From the notorious pie scene to many "self loving" moments to the curiosity around sex, the 1990s teen sex comedy is about guys on a mission to lose their virginity before high school graduation. The film has become a pop culture phenomenon and has cult following amongst youngsters. It stars Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Alyson Hannigan, Natasha Lyonne, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Tara Reid, Mena Suvari, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Sean William Scott and Eugene Levy. It's live on Netflix.

* Jurassic Park (1993)

The science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg chronicles a disastrous and dangerous attempt to create a theme park of dinosaurs. It stars Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum and Richard Attenborough. It's live on Netflix.

* Apollo 13 (1995)

The space docudrama, directed by Ron Howard, stars Tom Hanks, Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, and Ed Harris. It narrates the story of astronauts Lovell, Haise and Swigert of the Apollo 13 moon mission, who get stranded after their spacecraft gets damaged. It's live on Netflix.

* Tucker: The Man And His Dream (1988)

The biographical comedy-drama recounts the story of Preston Tucker and his attempt to produce and market the 1948 Tucker Sedan, which was met with scandal between the "Big Three automobile manufacturers" and accusations of stock fraud. It is directed by Francis Ford Coppola and stars Jeff Bridges. It's live on Netflix.

* Forrest Gump (1994)

The American comedy-drama film based on the 1986 novel of the same name by Winston Groom. The story depicts several decades in the life of Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks), a slow-witted but kind-hearted man from Alabama who witnesses and unwittingly influences several defining historical events in the 20th century in the US. The film was directed by Robert Zemeck. You can watch it on Netflix.

* Cast Away (2000)

The film is about Chuck Nolan (Tom Hanks) who finds himself marooned on a desolate island after a plane crash. It's a story of how he survives in his new home. You can watch it on Netflix.

* Sophie's Choice (1982)

With Meryl Streep in the lead role of Sophie Zawistowska, the drama set in post-World War II Brooklyn revolves around Sophie's struggle as a Polish-Catholic immigrant in the US who had survived a Nazi concentration camp. Kevin Kline plays her all-consuming lover, Nathan. You can watch it on Netflix.

* Goodfellas (1990)

Directed by Martin Scorsese, the film is about Henry Hill who along with his friends Jimmy and Tommy, become a gangster from a petty criminal in New York. You can revisit the classic on Netflix.

* Blade Runner (1982)

Ridley Scott's film is about Rick Deckard, an ex-policeman who becomes a special agent with a mission to exterminate a group of violent androids. Starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer and Sean Young, it is live on Netflix.

* The Godfather (1972)

Francis Ford Coppola's cinematic gem is about Don Vito Corleone, head of a mafia family, and how things turn dangerous when he decides to hand over his empire to his youngest son Michael. It stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Richard Castellano and Robert Duvall amongst others. It is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

* Indecent Proposal (1993)

Based on the novel of the same name by Jack Engelhard, it's a story about a married couple who go through a turbulent time when a stranger's offer a million dollars for the wife to spend the night with him. It is directed by Adrian Lyne, and stars Robert Redford, Demi Moore, Woody Harrelson and Seymour Cassel. It is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

* Top Gun (1986)

"Top Gun" was apparently inspired by a magazine article on Navy pilots. The film followed the life of a fighter pilot and launched Tom Cruise's career as a global action star. From iconic moments featuring Cruise on a motorcycle and flying a jet, a volleyball game, shirtless men, aerial tricks to its music, there are many reasons to watch the movie once again. It is live on Amazon Prime Video.

* Rambo: First Blood (1982)

The film is about Rambo, a troubled and misunderstood veteran, and his mission to rely on his combat and survival senses against the abusive law enforcement of the small town of Hope, Washington. Sylvester Stallone's iconic movie is available on Amazon Prime Video.

* Wish Upon A Star (1996)

Starring Katherine Heigl and Danielle Harris, the film focuses on two teenage sisters that magically swap bodies because of a wish made on a shooting star. It is live on Amazon Prime Video.

* The Bodyguard (1982)

The romantic thriller, directed by Mick Jackson, is about a former Secret Service agent-turned-bodyguard who is hired to protect a music star from an unknown stalker. It stars Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston. It is live on Amazon Prime Video.

* Dirty Dancing (1987)

The romantic dance film stars Jennifer Grey as a young woman named Frances Houseman, who falls in love with dance instructor Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze) during a vacation. It is available on Amazon Prime Video.

* The House On Sorority Row (1982)

Directed by Mark Rosman, the film follows a group of sorority sisters who are being stalked and murdered during their graduation party after they conceal a fatal prank. It is live on Amazon Prime Video.

* The Little Mermaid (1989)

The fantasy film tells the story of a mermaid princess named Ariel who dreams of becoming human and falls in love with a human prince named Eric. It is available on Hotstar.

* The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

The film is based on Stephen King's 1982 novella, "Rita Hayworth And Shawshank Redemption", and it tells the story of two prisoners who forge a lifelong friendship. These are Andy Dufresne (Tim Robbins), a man wrongly convicted for the murder of his wife and her lover, and Red (Morgan Freeman), who is serving out a life sentence. Frank Darabont's film, widely considered a classic now, is available on Hotstar.

* The Matrix (1999)

The film tells the story of Thomas Anderson, a computer programmer, who leads a fight against powerful computers who have constructed his entire reality with a system called the Matrix. Starring Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne, and Carrie-Anne Moss, the film is available on Hotstar.

* Seven (1995)

The thriller is about a serial killer who begins murdering people according to the seven deadly sins. It stars Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey and John C. The film is available on Hotstar.

* Lethal Weapon (1987)

The buddy cop action film is about officers Martin Riggs and Roger Murtaugh of the Los Angeles Police Department. It takes people on an exciting trip when the cops are assigned a mission to stop a dangerous crime lord from China from getting his brother out of jail. Starring Mel Gibson, Danny Glover and Gary Busey, the film is available on Hotstar.

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