Entertainment
Nicolas Cage's Hard R 90s Thriller Is So Controversial It's Scarce On Streaming
By Robert Scucci
| Published
Growing up with unrestricted access to the internet in the late 90s and early aughts, my friends and I were no strangers to the kind of leaked videos and images you’d see on sites like Rotten, along with video series like Faces of Death that traumatized us well into adulthood. When 1999’s 8mm was making its rounds on the movie channels, it wasn’t nearly as shocking as it should have been for a bunch of preteens who had already been exposed to the worst corners of the internet. I’m not saying this as a brag, but to frame why adults paying to see 8mm in theaters were probably left with a terrible taste in their mouths given the film’s subject matter. They didn’t grow up with the same access to disturbing content that desensitized an entire generation way too early.
One of the reasons I’ve taken so long to revisit 8mm as an adult is because it’s not readily available on streaming, and the list of Nicolas Cage films I still haven’t seen keeps growing. The man is a movie-making machine. You simply can’t watch everything all the time, and on-demand purchases are a strong enough barrier for most people to avoid throwing down cash for a rental when they could just fire up Netflix or Max instead.
Telling a story about a detective investigating a snuff film that may or may not be real, 8mm is one of those films Roger Ebert gave three out of four stars for its willingness to go fully hardcore with its premise. He even stated it likely would have received an NC-17 rating for its content if it hadn’t been released by a major studio like Sony Pictures Releasing. While it’s a genuinely unsettling film that explores underground exploitation in graphic detail, 8mm is also a masterclass in suspense and tension thanks to Nicolas Cage’s lead performance and Joel Schumacher’s direction.
If you’re the type who can take or leave Nicolas Cage because of some of his more questionable roles, 8mm is one of those films that will make you reconsider your stance. He goes all in here, and it’s an absolute joy to watch, even when the subject matter feels overwhelmingly heavy.
Fact Or Fiction? Tom Welles Is On The Case
8mm centers on Nicolas Cage’s Tom Welles, a private investigator hired by wealthy widow Mrs. Christian (Myra Carter) and her attorney Daniel Longdale (Anthony Heald). While reviewing her late husband’s estate, Mrs. Christian discovers what appears to be a snuff film hidden away in a private vault and tasks Tom with determining whether it’s real. She can live with the possibility that her husband had a disturbing fetish he kept secret, but her real concern is whether the tape documents an actual murder.
Unsettled by what he sees and offered a life changing amount of money to trace the tape’s origin, Tom says goodbye to his wife Amy (Catherine Keener) and infant daughter Cindy before embarking on a journey that will permanently change him. Once he starts digging into the case, Tom’s investigation leads him to a missing person report involving 16-year-old Mary Ann Mathews (Jenny Powell), who he believes may be either the actor or the victim in the film. This trail leads him to Mary Ann’s mother Janet (Amy Morton), who isn’t sure she wants answers if the truth is as bad as Tom suspects.
Taking a classic noir approach, 8mm sends Tom Welles to Los Angeles to explore the seedy underground pornography circuit in search of any tangible connection to the tape. Along the way, he teams up with video store clerk Max California (Joaquin Phoenix), who serves as both a guide and moral sounding board as Tom sinks deeper into depravity. Together they navigate back-alley swap meets and shadowy contacts populated by some of the most disturbing people Tom has ever encountered.
Hoping to finally break the case and give both Janet and Mrs. Christian some form of closure, Tom meets with talent scout Eddie Poole (James Gandolfini) and notorious underground filmmaker Dino Velvet (Peter Stormare). Both men point him toward an elusive figure known only as Machine, a name whispered with enough fear to suggest Tom may be getting closer to something he can’t walk away from.
Fantastic Neo-Noir Crime Thriller Regardless Of Subject Matter
As a father with kids of my own, 8mm was an unsettling watch for me as an adult, but it’s still an incredibly solid film for any crime thriller fan, heavy subject matter notwithstanding. At its core, it’s a classic private eye story that drags its protagonist into increasingly depraved territory as he slowly loses his grip for reasons that feel completely justified. Like an unsupervised millennial in the 90s hunting for shocking images online, Tom is exposed to things he desperately wishes he could forget, but keeps pressing forward because it’s his job to find the truth.
While Tom becomes increasingly desensitized in his pursuit, he’s driven by a moral obligation to see the case through, even as it strains his marriage back home. He has a daughter of his own, and that personal connection fuels his determination to stop the people he’s tracking from hurting anyone else. I agree with Roger Ebert’s stance on the film. If it had been released by a smaller arthouse studio, 8mm likely never would have reached a mainstream audience.
Potential license issues notwithstanding, it makes sense that 8mm remains hidden behind a paywall. It’s a gruesome film that refuses to soften the depravity it condemns, choosing instead to confront the audience with it.
Still, 8mm is a stunning exercise in cinema that only Nicolas Cage could convincingly pull off, supported by a cast that never treats the material lightly. If you’re looking for a thriller that will stick with you for days, you owe it to yourself to rent or purchase it digitally through Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV+, or Fandango at Home.
Entertainment
How to watch Bayern Munich vs. PSG online for free
TL;DR: Live stream Bayern Munich vs. PSG in the Champions League for free on RTÉ Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Bayern Munich vs. PSG would have made an amazing Champions League final, but we should be happy that we’re getting two matchups between these electric teams. The first leg finished 5-4 to PSG. We’re not expecting the same again, because that was probably one of the best games of all time. If we get half that level of entertainment in the second leg, we’ll be delighted.
Expect more of the same from the likes of Michael Olise and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as these teams battle it out for a spot in the showpiece event. The winner will meet Arsenal at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest.
If you want to watch Bayern Munich vs. PSG in the Champions League from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Bayern Munich vs. PSG?
Bayern Munich vs. PSG in the Champions League kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on May 6. This fixture takes place at the Allianz Arena.
How to watch Bayern Munich vs. PSG for free
Bayern Munich vs. PSG is available to live stream for free on RTÉ Player.
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RTÉ Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock RTÉ Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Bayern Munich vs. PSG for free by following these simple steps:
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Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
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Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
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Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland
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Watch Bayern Munich vs. PSG for free from anywhere in the world
$12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee)
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn’t a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Bayern Munich vs. PSG (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.
If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming services from around the world, you’ll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPn for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.
What is the best VPN for RTÉ Player?
ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RTÉ Player, for a number of reasons:
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Servers in 105 countries including Ireland
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Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
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A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).
Live stream Bayern Munich vs. PSG in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.
Entertainment
AI stocks are cooling — this ChatGPT trading tool keeps delivering
TL;DR: A ChatGPT-powered investing platform that helps you find and manage stocks with clearer signals—lifetime access for a one-time $54.97.
Credit: Sterling Stock Picker
The AI trade has seemingly had its moment — big runs, big headlines, big expectations. The AI fun is not over by any means. But now that things are settling, the real question is what comes next?
Instead of chasing whatever’s trending, Sterling Stock Picker leans into a more grounded approach: using a ChatGPT-powered assistant (Finley) to help you understand what’s actually happening inside a stock. You can ask questions about companies, sectors, or your own portfolio and get explanations that are tied to real data — not just surface-level summaries.
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It also handles the heavy lifting most people avoid. The platform analyzes financials, growth metrics, and risk, then surfaces signals like whether a stock is worth buying, holding, or avoiding. There’s even a “North Star” system that simplifies that call into something actionable.
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If you’re building from scratch, there’s a done-for-you portfolio builder that aligns with your risk tolerance. If you already have positions, it can suggest adjustments based on your portfolio’s performance.
One thing that stands out is how it balances guidance with transparency. You’re not just handed picks — you can see the reasoning behind them, which matters if you’re trying to build a repeatable process.
Have a lifetime way to pressure-test your judgment — especially in a market that’s moving past hype and into something more selective.
Get lifetime access to the ChatGPT-driven Sterling Stock Picker while it’s on sale for a one-time $54.97 payment (reg. $486) through May 10.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Get 2TB encrypted cloud storage and collaboration tools for just $112.49
TL;DR: Lifetime access to 2TB of secure Drime cloud storage is on sale for a one-time $112.49 (reg. $299.99) through May 10.
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Cloud storage is one of those things that quickly turns into a monthly bill you forget about. That’s what makes a lifetime option like Drime worth a closer look.
You can currently get 2TB of storage for a one-time $112.49 (reg. $299.99), which means no ongoing fees just to keep your files accessible.
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But this isn’t just a place to dump files and forget about them. Drime leans more toward being a full workspace. You can upload, sync, and access files across devices, but also edit documents, leave comments, and collaborate with others without switching tools. It’s useful if you’re juggling projects, clients, or even just shared folders with family.
Security is a big part of the pitch. Files stored in the encrypted Vault are protected by end-to-end encryption, and everything is hosted in Europe in compliance with GDPR standards. This means your data isn’t floating around unsecured, and you have more control over who sees what.
There are also a lot of small quality-of-life features that make a difference over time — like version history for restoring older files, advanced link sharing with passwords and expiration dates, and even built-in e-signature tools.
It’s a simple way to get more control over your files without adding another monthly expense.
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Get lifetime access to 2TB of Drime Cloud Storage for a one-time $112.49 (reg. $299.99) through May 10.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
How to watch Bayern Munich vs. PSG online for free
Manchester City look to extend win streak, take on Everton
