His time as America's Ass may be over, but Chris Evans is just getting started as a movie star. Our newly former Captain America has a bright future ahead of him, but also plenty to watch in the present on streaming services. Evans has been working steadily in the business since 2000, which saw him in The Newcomers film and the Opposite Sex TV series. Here are just a handful of movies to stream on Netflix or Amazon -- or really wherever you can stream things on the cheap, depending on your subscription services.
The Red Sea Diving Resort
The exciting thing about this week is we get a brand new Chris Evans movie premiering on Netflix on Wednesday, July 31. Not only that, it's bearded Evans, for all those fans who missed Cap's beard. At any rate, The Red Sea Diving Resort is set in the early 1980s, following the real-life rescue efforts of the international agents and Ethiopians who used a holiday retreat in Sudan as a front to rescue and evacuate Jewish-Ethiopians to Israel. It's heavy stuff, but the film is meant to be a thriller as well as a drama. The all-star cast includes Michael K. Williams, Haley Bennett, Michiel Huisman, Greg Kinnear, and even Sir Ben Kingsley.
Stream The Red Sea Diving Resort starting Wednesday, July 31 here on Netflix.
Snowpiercer
I do wish Chris Evans could get more roles like Curtis Everett in Bong Joon-ho's Snowpiercer. His speech toward the end -- he doesn't get enough dark, meaty, raw material like that. I loved this movie. It's both disturbing and thought-provoking, plus I'm never going to turn down a crazy Tilda Swinton performance. Snowpiercer came out in 2013, shortly after Chris Evans had joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Captain America: The First Avenger in 2011, and then The Avengers in 2012. It was right before Evans would return for Captain America: The Winter Solder in 2014. Perfect timing for an indie showcase role like this, and Snowpiercer still holds up years later.
Stream Snowpiercer now on Netflix.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Chris Evans has been on a serious streak since taking the role of earnest Steve Rogers, but don't forget how much of a cocky bro type he was for so much of his early career. You can see how much fun he has as actor/skateboarder/evil ex Lucas Lee in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. I love the over-the-top rasp he had for the movie. He steals every second. It's interesting to think of where Evans' career might've gone if he didn't take the role of Captain America. Scott Pilgrim came out in 2010, the year before The First Avenger. It was right after Evans had showcase roles in Push (2009) and The Losers (2010). Would he have kept getting cocky roles more like his Johnny Storm than Steve Rogers? Maybe. I'm glad things turned out as they did.
Stream Scott Pilgrim vs. the World now on Netflix.
Puncture
Chris Evans had the lead role in Puncture, and earned a backhanded compliment from Roger Ebert for it. The 2011 indie film was based on the true story of Mike Weiss, played by Evans in the film. Weiss was a lawyer, but also a drug addict, and the film followed a case where a local ER nurse was pricked by a contaminated needle, contracted AIDS, and died. Here's what Ebert said about Evans and the film in his review:
Weiss is played so well by Chris Evans that his character upstages the issues. It seems clear that the health-care system is corrupt, and that health industries will spend unlimited funds to avoid a court defeat in this case. One of the industry's high-priced lawyers is Nathaniel Price (Brett Cullen), who is all confidence and polish, surrounded by mahogany and brass, and tends to refute Weiss by his very presence. But he and the other supporting actors, good as they are, find themselves upstaged by Weiss and by Evans' performance. It's unfair to complain that Weiss seems over the top. The portrayal seems to be accurate.
How's that for a roundabout film endorsement? At least it was a huge compliment for Chris Evans' performance, so give it a stream.
Stream Puncture right now on Amazon Prime Video.
Before We Go
This 2014 romantic drama was Chris Evans' directorial debut. He also helped produce the film and co-starred in it with Alice Eve. The charming, relatively short (90 minute) movie had a quiet limited opening and yawns from critics. It's not going to go down in cinematic history as one of the greatest directorial debuts, but it was a great story for Evans to use to get his feet wet in the job. I do hope, now that his life isn't mapped around Marvel movies, that he makes plans to direct more features in the future.
Stream Before We Go right now on Amazon Prime through IMDb TV (free with ads).
BONUS: Sunshine
Looking back, I'm pleasantly surprised Danny Boyle cast Chris Evans in Sunshine. It was 2007 and Evans was fresh off Fantastic Four in 2005, with the sequel also in 2007. I can't say he was an obvious choice to play a serious engineer in this sci-fi thriller, written by the brilliant Alex Garland, and co-starring Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne, Cliff Curtis, and Michelle Yeoh. Sunshine had strong reviews but made almost no money off a very limited release. That surprises me, and seems short-sighted, but I suppose that now makes it a cult classic.
It's not on Netflix, but if you don't want to pay to rent/buy it, stream Sunshine right now on HBO Go.
If you're looking for more streaming recommendations, check out these past features:
• 5 Excellent Keanu Reeves Roles Worth Streaming On Netflix And Amazon
• 5 Sci-Fi TV Shows To Watch On Netflix: Our Streaming Recommendations
• 5 Documentary Series To Watch On Netflix: Our Streaming Recommendations
• 5 British TV Comedies On Netflix You Should Bloody Well Watch: Our Streaming Recommendations
• 3%, Occupied, Harlots, and Other Streaming Recommendations
• 5 Robert Downey Jr. Movies To Love 3000 On Netflix
Do you plan to watch Red Sea Diving Resort this week on Netflix? What other Chris Evans films are you streaming, and on what platforms?
