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Streaming this week: 'Maleficent,' 'Teen Spirit' and 'The General'

This week comes an encouragement to go way back to watch a great movie - all the way to 1926. Buster Keaton's "The General" is considered ahead-of-its-time and it counts Quentin Tarantino as a fan.

Here's a collection of what's arriving on streaming services this week.

"The General" and "The Great Buster"

Saturday night, make a date with TCM to watch Brad Bird's latest "Essential," Buster Keaton's "The General," a silent stunner from 1926 set around the Civil War. It wasn't very well-received when it came out but has in the past century been re-evaluated by some of the best for the ahead-of-its-time dark comedy and amazing set pieces. And if you hang around afterward, TCM is also showing Peter Bogdanovich's terrific documentary "The Great Buster," where you can watch Quentin Tarantino talk about why "The General" is a great action movie, too.

"Teen Spirit"

While we wait for Elle Fanning's new Catherine the Great series, why not catch up with the underseen charmer "Teen Spirit," available on Kanopy. It's the stylish directorial debut of "The Handmaids Tale" actor Max Minghella (who is also the son of the late Anthony Minghella) about a small-town teen who gets a shot at pop stardom with a local singing competition. All you need is a public library card or university ID to access Kanopy films for free.

"Maleficent: Mistress of Evil"

Or perhaps you'd like a more family-friendly Fanning. If so, "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil" comes to Disney Plus Friday. It's far from great, but there are some worthwhile elements to be had in this sequel. And AP Film Writer Jake Coyle wrote that it's Fanning's performance ("a welcome dash of naturalism") that saves the film from a worse fate.

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