Entertainment

You Can Stream These Bill Paxton Movies Today

by Allie Gemmill
Paras Griffin/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

Learning of the sudden and untimely passion of actor Bill Paxton at age 61 was absolute heart-wrenching for me. I grew up with the films of Paxton and admired his sensitivity (even when playing the villain of the story) that he brought to each of his role. So, to try and pay homage to the late and great actor, I've tracked down which of Paxton's films that can be streamed now, across a variety of platforms. Of course, if you're itching to rewatch Titanic or Tombstone, you may be better off borrowing a friend's copy or getting it off iTunes, but if you're looking to revisit Paxton's film roles and you want to do so with movies that are "deep cuts" in his resumé, then boy, do I have some goodies for you.

Now, a handful of these films can be streamed ASAP on a variety of platforms. There are some good ones, though, that you will have to rent. The fee is peanuts, but honestly, any money spent on watching a Paxton pic is money well spent in my book. These films includes some classics — yes, Aliens made it onto the list — as well as some of Paxton's less popular pics, like A Simple Plan. You can't go wrong with any of these films and honestly, if there's any way to commemorate Paxton's great work, it's with these movies.

1. Nightcrawler

You can see Paxton as a news-hungry cameraman competing with Jake Gyllenhaal's Louis Bloom on Netflix.

2. The Colony

This post-apocalyptic thriller features Paxton. The Colony will surely give you the thrills and chills that only Paxton can deliver. It's available to stream on Netflix now.

3. Frailty

Paxton plays a religious fanatic with a dark, murderous secret whose legacy of gets passed onto his sons in more than one insidious way. See Frailty on Netflix before it leaves.

4. A Simple Plan

This thriller stars Paxton alongside Bridget Fonda and Billy Bob Thornton as three people who happened up a motherlode of cash and no idea what to do with it. Stream it now on Amazon Prime.

5. Twister

One of Paxton's ultimate roles, Twister is a classic '90s thriller. Paxton plays a twister-chaser who may get more than he bargained for when his ex and former teammate joins him in tracking an epic tornado. Stream it on Amazon Prime.

6. Aliens

Aliens gave Paxton the opportunity to ad-lib one of his most famous movie lines and be a part of one of the most beloved sci-fi movie franchises. You can rent Aliens on Amazon now.

7. One False Move

Paxton plays Dale "Hurricane" Dixon in this film about a local Arkansas cop with a major secret about a woman he's been tasked to track down by two L.A. cops. Rent it on Amazon today.

8. Trespass

A deeper cut in the Paxton credit list is 1992's Trespass, a thriller about two men who find a map that could lead to a hidden stash of gold. You can rent it on Amazon.

9. Apollo 13

This Ron Howard-directed drama about the fateful space mission is unmissable. Rent it on Amazon today.

10. True Lies

Paxton plays Simon, the man protagonist Harry Tasker (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger) believes is having an affair with his wife. Check out this action comedy on Amazon.

11. Edge Of Tomorrow

Paxton had a small role in the Doug Liman-directed smash hit starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. The whole film is excellent but damn if the dash of Paxton doesn't make Edge Of Tomorrow worth the rent on Amazon.

Remember Paxton with these must-see films.