It would be hard, you might think, to make a boring biopic around the life of Alexander the Great. Whether seen as hero or villain, this was certainly an eventful life, and one that’s had cultural relevance that’s lasted for more than 2,000 years. This film take on his life mistakes ponderousness for intelligence, and only comes to life briefly in some decently rendered action scenes. It also never bothers to reconsider any of the lazy and dull Orientalist tropes that have plagued this sort of history for way, way too long. Full disclosure here, and this is rare for me: I’ve never been able to make it all the way through Alexander, not in any of its three various director’s cuts, and I’ve given up on trying. If the last act pulls the whole thing together into a cohesive bit of genius—well, I suppose I’ll never know.
Where to stream (though we don’t advise it): Digital rental
Watch instead: JFK (1991)
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In the era of QAnon, Stone’s penchant for conspiratorial wheel-spinning seems less charmingly quirky and more like the forerunner of much of the more extreme thinking that’s lately become inescapably mainstream. Still, there’s no question that JFK remains a compelling bit of storytelling—sort of modern American history by way of The X-Files. Given our growing lack of interest in actual history, this’ll doubtless be taught in schools one day.
Where to stream: Digital rental