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asktoobzee · 8 months

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10 Best Punk Movies & How to Stream Them

We're not talking about Dirty Harry's idea of a punk. Obviously. We're talking about good ole punk rock. And before you scan the list and freak out because you don't see The Decline of Western Civilization or American Hardcore or A Band Called Death, relax — we're also only talking about scripted films. No documentaries were considered (or harmed) during the making of this list of the best punk movies ever made.

We used 3 criteria when watching these films (and many others) in order to arrive at our best punk movies list.

Punk characters should be portrayed in a genuine light, rather than as a caricature (see the Dishonorable Mentions section below for more on this).

How much the punk ethos is a factor in the film's story.

How good (and enjoyable) the movie is.

But, you may ask, isn't the idea of "best movie" or "most punk" antithetical to the essence of punk? That's beyond the scope of this post and also — don't be that guy. So without further ado...

Our picks for the 10 best punk movies in history

#10: Smithereens (1982)

Watching this in retrospect, this feels like the rough draft of filmmaker Susan Seidelman next film, the much more successfulDesperately Seeking Susan, which starred an up-and-coming star by the name of Madonna.

This is actually more post-punk or new wave than punk, but it co-stars Richard Hell, so it deserves a place on this list. The low budget film has its lovers and haters, so it's definitely not for everyone. But if you like Clerks and have a soft spot for pre-gentrified Greenwich Village, this is the film for you.

Soundtrack punk cred:

Richard Hell and NYC underground indie rockers, The Feelies, who are post-punk at best.

Where to stream it: Max, Criterion Channel

Check out our Max Review to see if it's worth it to you.

#9: Green Room (2016)

A struggling punk band plays a last-minute gig at warehouse in the woods. It's an A24 film, so obviously things go wrong... and get bloody.

While it's really more of a horror/thriller film rather than a movie about punk, the plot hinges on the eternal conflict between punks and Nazi skins. There are plenty of "legit" punk references, like Fugazi and GBH stickers, a Minor Threat t-shirt, and most importantly, the band decides to play a certain Dead Kennedys song to a room full of red laces.

Soundtrack punk cred: Dead Kennedys (cover), Bad Brains, Poison Idea, Fear

Where to stream it: Max, DirecTV Stream

#8: We Are the Best! (Vi ar bast!) (2013)

Sweden circa 1985, three middle-class junior high school girls in Stockholm start a punk band. They're the most entertaining and outspoken fictional all-girl punk trio since The Stains, and like The Stains, they can't play. (Well, one of them can.)

They reflect on that age-old important question — What is punk? — with bassist Klara lamenting at one point that her older brother no longer listens to punk, but listens to Joy Division!

While the Swedish coming-of-age film offers a taste of early Swedish punk, it's really a heartwarming tribute to adolescent angst and female friendships. The 3 outcasts deal with bullies, boys, religion, and divorce, while lyricizing about everything from politics to nuclear radiation.

Anyone who ever picked up an instrument in their youth to make noise with friends will probably see a lot of themselves in this film.

Soundtrack punk cred: Ebba Grön, KSMB

Where to stream it: Max, DirecTV Stream

#7: SLC Punk (1998)

Two anarcho-punks hang out and question life in Salt Lake City in 1985 — which appears to be a popular year for punk movies to be set in. An kicking off with The Exploited's Sex and Violence for the opening credits is as good a way to start as any.

The film, while a comedy, focuses on the true meaning of the punk subculture and ethos more than other movies on this list. It's not the tightest screenplay ever brought to the big screen, but Sid couldn't play bass worth a damn, and he became an icon.

Besides, SLC Punk is worth watching just for the scene with 2 affluent parents giving a pep talk to their purple-mohawked son.

Soundtrack punk cred:

The Exploited, The Suicide Machines, The Stooges, Ramones, Minor Threat, Dead Kennedys, Adolescents

Where to stream it: Not on streaming services, but available to rent on Prime Video, Vudu, Apple TV, and more.

#6: Bomb City (2017)

Based on the true story of punk promoter Brian Deneke, this 2017 crime-thriller won over a dozen awards at film festivals.

In a punks vs. jocks story straight out of a Dead Kennedys lyrics sheet, it follows the days leading up to the horrifying murder 20 years before the film. It's one of those films where it's better to not to know much about it before watching, but even if you know the real story, it's one to watch.

Soundtrack punk cred:

Total Chaos, Subhumans (UK), Blanks 77, Blatz, and Filth.

Where to stream it: Prime Video, Fubo, Peacock, Paramount+, MGM+

FASTs: The Roku Channel and Tubi

Check out our reviews for Prime, Peacock, Paramount+, and MGM+ to see if one suits your needs.

#5: Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains (1982)

Newly formed all-girl punk band The Stains may have only had 3 practices, but that doesn't stop them from landing a gig as the opening act for touring British punk band The Looters.

Starring a 15-year-old Diane Lane (and 13-year-old Laura Dern), the satirical rebuke of media sensationalism and commercialism is as relevant today as it was 40+ years ago.

Soundtrack punk cred:

The bands on the soundtrack are all fictional, but band The Looters consists of punk royalty Steve Jones, Paul Cook, and Paul Simonon and actor Ray Winstone.

Where to stream it: It's not on any streaming services, but it's available for rent at the usual suspects like Amazon, Apple TV, and Vudu. Microsoft currently seems to be the cheapest option by a buck.

Library streamers: Kanopy

#4: Sid and Nancy (1986)

If punk didn't hate the monarchy, Sid Vicious and Nancy Spungen would be its king and queen.

A twentysomething Gary Oldman essentially was Sid Vicious for countless 80s suburban punks and Chloe Webb won awards for her portrayal of the perennially troubled Nancy. Courtney Love, whose own life would eerily imitate art a few years later, has a small role in the film.

Former Pistols frontman John Lydon (née Rotten) criticized Alex Cox's follow-up to Repo Man for its inaccuracies, but what biopic doesn't suffer (or benefit) from artistic license?

Soundtrack punk cred: Circle Jerks, Joe Strummer, The Pogues, Steve Jones, Gary Oldman sings 2 songs as Sid Vicious

Where to stream it: IndieFlix

FASTs: Plex

It is NOT available to rent online.

#3: Hard Core Logo (1996)

Bruce Macdonald's masterpiece gets the bronze medal on our list of punk movies. The Canadian mockumentary follows punk band Hard Core Logo on a final reunion tour across Western Canada. As egos bulge and tensions mount, frontman Joe Dick does everything in his power to hold the band together and make it through the tour.

Punk cameos include Joey Shithead, Joey Ramone, and Art Bergman as themselves. And punky Canadian alt rockers Billy Talent named themselves after the Hard Core Logo guitarist.

Often referred to as punk's Spinal Tap, the film is far from being derivative, and Hard Core Logo is must-see viewing for any self-respecting punk.

Soundtrack punk cred: Teenage Head, Ramones

Where to stream it: Hard Core Logo is not currently available on any streaming services.

Library streamers: Hoopla

#2: Repo Man (1984)

Two years before Sid and Nancy, recent UCLA grad Alex Cox wrote and made his directorial debut, which (IMO) is the best film of his career. Emilio Estevez stars as an L.A. punk who gets a job repossessing cars with Harry Dean Stanton. And chasing down a '64 Chevy Malibu that might be connected to E.T.

The film initially had a rather brief cinema run. But thanks to the killer soundtrack, it crawled back into theaters and pulled in almost $4 million at the box office, on its way to becoming a cult classic and must-see film. And #2 on our list of the best punk movies.

Soundtrack punk cred: Iggy Pop, Black Flag, Circle Jerks, Suicidal Tendencies, The Plugz, Fear

Where to stream it: Incredibly, Repo Man is not streaming anywhere. But it's available to rent almost everywhere, including Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, and Vudu.

#1: Suburbia (1984)

Penelope Spheeris, whose The Decline of Western Civilization is the definitive American punk documentary, was also at the helm of the definitive 80s punk movie.

Produced by Roger Corman, the coming-of-age film revolves around suburban punk squatters and the L.A. punk scene of the early 80s. Spheeris chose to have street kids (rather than actors) play most rolls, and one of the punks is a young Flea, before he joined the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

The film includes live performances by D.I., T.S.O.L., and The Vandals. Read more about the movie in this Georgia Straight interview with Spheeris from 2018 to further understand why this is our pick to top the best punk movies ever made.

Soundtrack punk cred: D.I., T.S.O.L., The Vandals, The Germs

Where to stream it: Fandor, Night Flight Plus

FASTs: Tubi, Vudu Free, Shout TV, Freevee, Plex

Dishonorable Mentions

Our list of the best punk movies doesn't include 2 movies that commonly come up in the conversation. And that's because they don't meet our first criterion. But if you're looking for movies centered around campy Hollywood versions of punks, check out Class of 1984 (released in 1982) and The Return of the Living Dead (1985).

Class of 1984 stars Perry King from 80s detective show Riptide and the original Melrose Place, as well as Roddy McDowall, Canada's "King of Kensington" Al Waxman, and a pre-Family Ties Michael J. Fox. Filmed in Toronto, the highlight is a cameo performance by local Canadian punk legends, Teenage Head. The film's non-punk theme song, I Am the Future, is by a very non-punk Alice Cooper.

The Return of the Living Dead follows the formula of most of the films in the franchise genre, but this time the group of humans frantically trying to save their brains from being devoured are, you guessed it, punkers.

Predictability aside, it's one of the best in the series and a personal zombie flick favorite. It even did alright at the box office, bringing in $14 million on a $4 million budget. Roger Ebert even gave it 3 out of 4 stars. Soundtrack highlights include tracks by The Cramps, TSOL, The F.U.'s and The Damned.

Which streaming service is the most punk?

Based on the number of movies from our list of best punk movies, with its historically edgy HBO library, Max is the most punk streaming service out there. Obviously being owned by megacorporation Warner Bros. Discovery takes a bite out of its punk cred, but we live in a world where punk rock stars are worth $100 million.

Was Crass right when they declared Punk is Dead all the way back in 1978, or do you side with The Exploited and agree that Punks Not Dead? Either way, it's hard to argue with Jello in those opening lines of Chickenshit Conformist...

Punk's not dead, it just deserves to die

when it becomes another stale cartoon...

- Jello Biafra

Featured image photo by Viktor Forgacs on Unsplash

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