From left: Taika Waititi, Jonathan Brugh and Jemaine Clement in a scene from "What We Do in the Shadows" (2014).

The 50 years between 1970 and 2020 have been monumental in movies and have changed greatly both in tone and technicality. What looked cutting edge in 1977, looks cheesy now. Actors spoke and moved differently, and the films looked entirely different in the ’80s and ’90s.

Throughout it all, movies cement themselves in our daily lives, giving audiences an escape and a light when everything seems bleak. That’s why we love them — we relate to them and feel connected to the visual storytellers.

The following films are available on various streaming services or for rent, but double check as sites often switch things out frequently — what’s on Netflix today may be on Hulu tomorrow or completely unavailable.

Happy streaming!

1970s

The decade began on rocky ground. Studios dealt out flops as audiences’ tastes evolved and the nationwide economy slumped. Themes began to shift from the studio films of old to smaller, grittier and more sentimental films often directed by auteur filmmakers. By the mid-1970s, a major change came with “Jaws,” and the summer blockbuster was born.

“The China Syndrome” (1979) — If HBO’s “Chernobyl” opened a vein for nuclear disaster flicks, this one will have you stressing about it long after the credits roll. A news reporter and her cameraman (Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas) are reporting on a near meltdown at a nuclear plant. But the shift supervisor, played by the masterful Jack Lemmon, believes there are more safety violations risking a disaster. He takes the plant and reporters hostage, demanding the facility be decommissioned. The film is powerful and feels prophetic now. Stream it on Crackle (with ads) or rent it on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.

“Drunken Master” (1978) — While it wasn’t released officially in the U.S. until 2000 under the title “The Legend of Drunken Master,” the film was the second highest grossing film in the Hong Kong box office that year and made Jackie Chan a household name. Chan plays Wong Fei-Hung, who is sent to learn a version of kung fu from his notoriously drunk and cruel uncle. However, the style of Drunken Boxing is fluid and powerful allowing Wong Fei-Hung to use his skills to save his father from an assassin who’s never lost a fight. The movie is full of great action sequences and fight choreography mixed with a very funny script. Stream it on Starz or rent it from Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube

“The Muppet Movie” (1979) — Surprisingly full of more adult humor (not inappropriate, it’s still family friendly) than I remembered, it is still just as heartwarmingly fun. Featuring the whole gang of muppets as they make their way to Hollywood to break out in the movie industry. Keep an eye out for a plethora of cameos from the big stars of the late ’70s. Stream it on Disney Plus or rent it from Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.

“Young Frankenstein” (1974) — What makes this classic Mel Brooks film continue to work so well is because it’s humor comes from the complete seriousness of the way its played out. Gene Wilder commits to his character’s pomposity and scientific zeal and counterbalances Marty Feldmen’s more traditional comedic stylings. The cast shines throughout, making it one of the best comedies of all time. Stream it on Amazon Prime or Starz.

1980s

Shoulder pads, hairspray and a decade of high -concept, blockbuster format films. In a lot of critics’ minds, the ’80s marked the worst decade for movies. Despite the studio -driven hunger for big money makers and a turn from the New Hollywood, filmmaker-driven features from the ’70s, there’s still some things to watch if only for the nostalgia factor.

“9 to 5” (1980) — Three office workers played by Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and the one and only Dolly Parton finally have enough of their sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot boss (Dabney Coleman) and basically hold him hostage while they fix everything that is wrong about the company that continually put them down. It holds up masterfully today and is maybe even more relevant in the post-#MeToo era. ’Atta girls. Stream it on Starz or Sling TV or rent it from Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.

“Arthur” (1981) — The story of a boozy, letchy and spoiled rich kid played by Dudley Moore as he saunters ever closer to a marriage his father set up. Arthur has had everything handed to him, so when he meets the street smart and working-class Linda, played frankly by Liza Minnelli, he falls for her, but he’ll lose all his money if he chooses her over his father’s pick. The film, while still very much of its time, is charming throughout — thanks in part to John Gielgud’s Oscar-winning turn as Hobson, Arthur’s butler, it continues to shine all these years later. Stream it on Amazon Prime or HBO Now/Go or rent it from Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.

“A Fish Called Wanda” (1988) — A British caper where bumbling barrister Archie Leach (John Cleese) finds himself defending a diamond thief whose accomplices (unknown to Leach) include a clueless weapons expert (Kevin Kline), stuttering aide (Michael Palin) and a grifter (Jamie Lee Curtis). The main cast is pitch perfect in their roles, which they helped shape early on in filming, earning Klein a rare Oscar win for a comedic performance. Stream it on Hulu or rent it from Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.

”Raiders of the Lost Ark” (1981) — Here is one of those big money makers of the ’80s that even the film snobs can’t say it isn’t great. Harrison Ford puts on the hat of the swoon-worthy Professor Henry “Indiana” Jones Jr. (don’t call him “Junior”), an archaeologist and adventurer. In the first of three (yes, I said three) fun and schmaltzy films of the Indiana Jones series, our mostly fearless professor is tasked with finding the Ark of the Covenant before the Nazi’s do while jet setting around the globe to reconnect and team up with an old flame and an old friend to help him find it before its too late. Stream it on Netflix or rent it from Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube

1990s

Studio grips get tighter, encouraging a surge of independent ventures to balance it out. With the home video market really taking flight, it’s vital that movies can be just as spectacular on your 25- inch Zenith as they were sitting in the theater. Disney begins its Renaissance after nearly going bankrupt in the ’80s, and new disaster films, aided by advances in CGI, get a foothold.

“Apollo 13” (1995) — 2020 marks the 25th anniversary of the film’s original release and the 50th anniversary of the real -life mission deemed the “successful failure.” Director Ron Howard uses everything in his toolkit to bring to life the Apollo 13 mission to the moon, which takes a drastic turn when an oxygen tank explodes and they need to come back to Earth before the rest of it runs out. It’s stressful and wonderfully shot and acted throughout. Stream it on Starz or rent it from Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.

“The Commitments” (1991) — A self-proclaimed promoter creates a soul band in his hometown of Dublin. He assembles a crew of all -white musicians who know little about the genres they’re about to perform. But when they get it together, they sound fantastic. The film is full of pitch perfect performances of some classic tunes; it’s also full of use of the f-bomb. Stream it on Hoopla or rent it from Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.

“The Prince of Egypt” (1998) — This soundtrack is amazing! The classic story shows Moses discovering his Jewish roots and deciding to help free his people from bondage. The animation is also brilliant as we follow Moses (voiced by Val Kilmer) on his journey. The music really is some of the best in an animated movie — or in any movie regardless. Stream it on Hulu or rent it from Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.

“That Thing You Do!” (1996) — Tom Hanks wrote and directed his first film, and because he’s Tom Hanks, it is, of course, delightful. The movie follows the story of a band called The Wonder and their meteoric rise to fame thanks to one hit song, “That Thing You Do!” Besides being the breakout role for Tom Everett and Charlize Theron it also features great music and a fantastic title track written by Adam Schlesinger, who died recently from complications due to COVID-19. Stream it on Cinemax or rent it from Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu or YouTube.

“Tremors” (1990) — Creatures crawl their way underground, terrorizing and killing residents of the tiny town of Perfection in the high desert of Nevada. Luckily two handymen, Val and Earl (Kevin Bacon and Fred Ward) are on the job. The creature horror-comedy has a great cult following and is great fun for a B-movie. Stream it on Netflix or rent it from Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.

2000s

Tentpole franchise films really ramp up and comic book movies start to take a strong foothold in the cinema landscape. CGI gets better and better. “Moulin Rouge” brings back the big musical for the Western world, and international films start to get more recognition by American audiences.

“Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (2000) — With it’s incredibly smooth action scenes that incorporate fluid martial arts on an ethereal level (and certainly not bound by physics), it’s beautiful to watch. The plot incorporates a lot of intrigue, disguises, romance and some very strong female characters. The film would eventually become the highest grossing international film in the history of the U.S. box office. Watch it with subtitles, not the English dubbing. Stream it on Netflix or rent it from Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.

“Kinky Boots” (2005) — A shoe factory in Northampton, England, struggles to make it when the owner dies, leaving the company to his son Charlie, played by Joel Edgerton. Caught between his fiancee’s dreams of leaving the industrial town to London and the memory of his father, he realized that there is money to be made in making shoes for drag queens. Aided by the fabulous Lola (Chiwetel Ejiofor) he starts out down a road turning the tried and true oxfords into something in red patent leather. The film was eventually made into a West End/Broadway smash musical featuring music from Cyndi Lauper. Stream it on Hoopla. You can also watch the West End recording on OPB Passport with an OPB membership.

“Little Miss Sunshine” (2006) — A pretty dysfunctional Albuquerque family brings in wife and mother Sheryl’s (Toni Collette) brother, played by a serio-comic Steve Carell, after his suicide attempt. The family consists of a loser dad trying to sell his self-help guide (Greg Kinnear), a Nietzsche obsessed son who has taken a vow of silence (Paul Dano), a heroin- addicted grandfather (Alan Arkin) and daughter, Olive, who dreams of winning the Little Miss Sunshine Pageant held in California, played by the cute-as-a-button 10-year-old Abigail Breslin. So the family packs up in their old and rundown Volkswagen bus and heads west toward stumbles and falls. Through all arguments and misfortunes, they come together in support of each other and Olive. A witty script and wonderful acting make the honest showing of middle-class America shine. Stream it on Starz or rent it on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.

“Shaun of the Dead” (2004) “Hot Fuzz” (2007) “The World’s End” (2013) — The Cornetto Trilogy are three of the best genre films that include zombie/horror, police/action and apocalypse/sci-fi. They toe the line so carefully as to not fall into parody and end up with such sweet and sometimes gut wrenching twists that you can’t help but tear up. It’s rare that any film can do that, let alone three in a row. Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Edgar Wright first came on the scene with their series “Spaced” (also great), embracing nerd culture and almost predicting the meteoric rise that the geeks and nerds would see over the next decade when all the things they loved became pop culture at last. The films are not only part of it but, I would argue, one of the reasons for it. Stream “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz” on Starz or rent them on Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube. Rent “The World’s End” from Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.

2010s

The ten years that seem like yesterday had some of the highest -grossing films of all time and, oh, so many franchise films, reboots and remakes it’s hard to have had time to see much else. So here are some original films — with one exception — you may have missed or forgotten.

“The Big Sick” (2017) — A dramedy born out of real-life circumstances. Written by husband and wife team Emily V. Gordon and Kumail Nanjiani, the movie is the story of how the two met, fell in love and how Gordon got a serious illness and Nanjiani stayed by her side. Nanjiani plays a version of himself, while Zoe Kazan takes on the role of Emily. Even though you know how it ends since they are now married and still alive, it is still funny and sweet with a surprisingly good performance by Ray Romano. Stream it on Amazon Prime or rent it from Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube

“The Book of Life” (2014) — Manolo, voiced by Diego Luna, wants to be a musician, but he comes from a long line of bullfighters. He also is desperately in love with his childhood friend Maria (Zoe Saldana), who is being wooed by his friend Joaquin (Channing Tatum). The animation style is different from what Disney/Pixar puts out, and it is honestly refreshing. Produced by Guillermo del Toro and featuring lively Latin-influenced covers of pop songs as well as a couple originals, the film reminds us all to honor our pasts while choosing our own futures. Stream it on Hulu (with live TV subscription) or rent it from Amazon Prime, Google Play, Vudu and YouTube.

“Hunt for the Wilderpeople” (2016) — New Zealand filmmaker (and now Oscar-winner) Taika Waititi is on this list twice because his films are incredible. This touching and funny film is about rebellious Ricky , played by Julian Dennison, and his foster parent Hec, played by Sam Neill, who get themselves lost in the New Zealand forest after child services tries to take Ricky back to the orphanage. Their disappearance sparks a national manhunt, while the two bond over the course of their journey. Stream it on Hulu, Kanopy or Hoopla or rent it from Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.

“Klaus” (2019) — Yes, it’s a Christmas movie, but couldn’t we use a little bit of that holiday cheer about now? With excellent animation and a stirring story about the origin of Santa, the Netflix original film drives home the giving and the power of friendship. Fair warning, your heart will swell with joy even as you cry more than a few tears. Stream it on Netflix.

“True Grit” (2010) — As much as I love the John Wayne 1969 adaptation of Charles Portis’ novel, this one just nudges it out of the top position, and that is largely due to the casting of Hailee Steinfeld as 14-year-old farm girl Mattie Ross. The Coen Brothers made more of a direct adaptation of the source material than the previous version, as well telling the story of Ross seeking justice when her father is murdered. She hires a drunk and trigger-happy lawman, Rooster Cogburn, played by an often marble mouthed Jeff Bridges and together, along with Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), they set about to find the outlaw. Stream it on Amazon Prime or Hulu or rent it from Google Play, Vudu or YouTube.

“What We Do in the Shadows” (2014) — This might be my favorite movie. At least my favorite comedy. A mockumentary-style film written, directed and starring Jemaine Clement and Taika Waititi about a group of four vampires sharing a house in Wellington, New Zealand. Situations vary from figuring out who’s turn it is to do the dishes, to properly cleaning up after they’ve successfully drained a victim of their blood. From deadpan deliveries, over the top vampire/werewolf throwdowns and oblivious (thanks to some vampire magic) cops, the movie still makes me double over with laughter every time I watch it. You should watch it, too. Stream it on Kanopy or Hoopla or rent it from Amazon Prime, Google Play, iTunes, Vudu or YouTube.