Hulu has no shortage of buzzy originals and popular titles like The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox, but sometimes the best shows are the ones flying just under the radar.
Whether you’re in the mood for a clever comedy, a stylish period drama or a spine-tingling thriller, the streamer has options you might have missed the first time around.
That’s where Watch With Us comes in — we’ve pulled together three underrated shows that deserve a spot in your watchlist.
This underrated comedy stars Irish comedians Aisling Bea and Sharon Horgan as two sisters trying to figure out life. Áine (Bea) is recovering from a nervous breakdown that put her in a rehab facility, while Shona (Horgan) seems to have it all together — a great job and a great boyfriend — but is considering cheating with a female colleague.
If Hulu is your streaming service of choice, you have plenty to look forward to when it comes to fun and engaging television series this summer. Whether you’re turning up the heat in the kitchen on The Bear or fantasizing about the summer compound of your dreams on Beach Hunters, the platform has plenty of […]
As the sisters navigate relationships, careers and mental health, one thing’s for certain — they’ll have some zippy one-liners along the way. Poignant and hilarious, this two-season comedy is the perfect quick weekend binge.
A period drama with some serious bite, Dope Girls takes place at the end of World War I and is inspired by the life of drug queenpin Kate Meyrick. Loosely based on the nonfiction book Dope Girls: The Birth of the British Drug Underground by Marek Kohn, the series follows housewife Kate Galloway (Julianne Nicholson), who sets up an underground nightclub to provide for her daughters.
She soon runs afoul of drug dealers, gangs and the police, but she rises to the occasion to become just as ruthless as her foes. Sadly canceled after one season, Dope Girls is still worth a watch — it’s a gritty and smart period crime drama.
Watch With Us is always keeping an eye on the drama series on Amazon Prime Video — that way we can recommend you the best of the best. This month, we’ve added one of the hottest cop shows on TV, as well as an underrated period fantasy drama with a literary twist. From Josh Hartnett and […]
This relentlessly spooky and clever horror drama is based on the works of Stephen King, including Cujo, The Green Mile, The Shawshank Redemption and many more. It revolves around the town of Castle Rock, Maine, where mysterious things always seem to happen. The two seasons feature different casts telling interconnected stories, but they all have the same creepy tone and reverence for the source material.
The casts of seasons 1 and 2 include Melanie Lynskey, André Holland, Bill Skarsgård, Sissy Spacek, Lizzy Caplan and other veteran actors, all of whom deliver the chills you’d expect from any King work.
By now, Amazon Prime Video subscribers should be used to seeing some of the best movies ever made among the streamer’s library of films.
August was a particularly great month for movie lovers, with Oscar-winning films arriving alongside fan-favorites.
To help you narrow down your viewing options, Watch With Us has selected the five best Prime Video movies to watch in August, as ranked by Rotten Tomatoes.
Surprisingly, this list has two very different boxing movies at No. 1 and No. 2 and the Amazon debut of a film from one of 20th Century Studios’ famous sci-fi franchises.
If Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is the worst movie on a list, then it’s only because the films in front of it are so incredible. The fourth installment of the modern reboot series takes place hundreds of years after War for the Planet of the Apes. Caesar is gone, and if you watch closely, you’ll notice hints of a new war between humans and apes on the horizon.
In the meantime, an ape named Noa (Owen Teague) and his newfound friend, Raka (Peter Macon), make a startling discovery when they meet Mae (Freya Allan), a young human woman who hasn’t lost her intelligence or her ability to speak. This unlikely trio has a common enemy in Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand), an ambitious ape tyrant who has enslaved his own kind alongside humans. Noa has a personal stake in freeing his people from Proximus’ control. However, Mae’s hidden agenda may cost them everything.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is streaming on Prime Video.
Even more so than Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction is the movie that put Quentin Tarantino on the map, gave John Travolta his comeback and turned Samuel L. Jackson into an iconic star. Tarantino’s own role in the movie isn’t the best part of the movie, but it’s part of a memorable side story for assassins Jules Winnfield (Jackson) and Vincent Vega (Travolta).
Tarantino juggles multiple narratives and shows them to the audience out of chronological order. That non-linear technique is more common today, but few films have ever utilized it as well as this one.
As unbelievable as it sounds now, director Martin Scorsese really believed that Raging Bull was going to be his last movie. That’s why Scorsese spent a great deal of time on this adaptation of boxer Jake LaMotta‘s life story. Robert De Niro plays Jake, and his performance won him a well-deserved Oscar for Best Actor.
The film starts early in Jake’s career and chronicles his rise to the top. It also depicts Jake’s rapid descent after making a lot of bad life choices. This movie is considered to be a cinematic masterpiece, and its legacy is secure.
Joel and Ethan Coen have made a lot of great movies together, but none greater than their Oscar-winning adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s No Country for Old Men. Josh Brolin stars as Llewelyn Moss, an ordinary man who comes into possession of an extraordinary amount of money from a drug deal gone bad. He should have known that someone would come looking for it, but Llewelyn is completely unprepared to deal with Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem), one of the most memorable villains of the 21st century.
Chigurh has a cruel streak and a tendency to murder his victims with a captive bolt pistol that’s typically used to slaughter cattle. Llewelyn isn’t simply going to give up the money, and it’s left to the aging sheriff, Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), to make sense out of the violence they leave in their wake.
No Country for Old Men is streaming on Prime Video.
Apollo Creed had no children in the original Rocky films, and yet the premise for Creed perfectly fits in with the franchise’s underlying themes of rising up from nothing. Michael B. Jordan steps into the title role as Adonis “Donnie” Creed, the illegitimate son of Apollo, who never knew his father before he passed. The weight of that legacy is a lot for Donnie to handle while following in his father’s footsteps, especially without a corner man he can trust.
Amazon Prime Video isn’t taking a break as summer winds down and school starts back up again. The streamer has lined up a terrific slate of past and present TV shows and movies that make it difficult for most subscribers to resist. Among the highlights in August are the Eddie Murphy/Pete Davidson comedy The Pickup, […]
That’s where Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) reenters the story. As Apollo Creed’s form rival-turned-best friend, Rocky feels a fatherly bond towards Donnie. He’ll be in Donnie’s corner, but Rocky needs his own corner guy when facing a health battle that he may not win.
Eenie Meanie isn’t a masterpiece, but it is an entertaining B-movie that’s elevated by Weaving’s performance, a strong supporting cast and some old-school action that still works well in 2025.
To make our case, Watch With Us has put together three reasons you should watch Eenie Meanie on Hulu.
Great movies are a dime a dozen on Hulu, so much so that it can be difficult to decipher which are worth a watch and which are, well, duds. Never fear, Watch With Us is here to make your decision-making process easier with our list of can’t-miss recommendations. This August, the streamer’s bingeworthy new additions […]
Samara Weaving Is a Natural Action Star
Samara Weaving in Eenie MeanieHulu / courtesy Everett Collection
The name of the movie kind of works against Eenie Meanie, especially since it’s a nickname that Edie (Weaving) doesn’t really use. That title also suggests something very different than an R-rated action flick like this one. Thankfully, Weaving carries the movie on her shoulders without stretching credulity to its breaking point.
Edie never does anything that Weaving can’t physically do herself, and this isn’t a movie that relies on hand-to-hand fights. Edie’s talent lies behind the wheel of a car as a getaway driver, rather than anything she can do with her fists.Weaving’s face also very expressive, so much so that the audience can understand what she’s thinking during her scenes. She’s largely an open book to us, and a relatable ordinary woman. Weaving probably won’t pass for a martial artist any time soon, but her refreshingly normal screen persona could carve out a place for herself in this genre.
The Car Chases Are Thrilling
Temper your expectations for non-stop car carnage on the way into this flick. This isn’t the Fast & Furious franchise. Having said that, the car chases and action sequences in this film are terrific, and the movie gets the most out of what it has. While promoting the film, Weaving confessed that she had to learn how to drive for the role. Edie’s daredevil antics on the road are pure movie magic, but at least Weaving looks convincing behind the wheel.
Liam Neeson is winding down his action movie run, but Hulu subscribers can see how it all began in August. Taken has come back to Hulu this month, and that’s the movie that led to over a decade of Neeson action movies. Meanwhile, Rami Malek may be starting an action era of his own with […]
Eenie Meanie‘s lack of excessive car action may be one of the reasons it went straight-to-streaming. But it’s also clear that writer and director Shawn Simmons and the rest of the production team put everything they had into these moments. Their commitment to practical effects over CGI is appreciated.
‘Ennie Meanie’ Has Some Great, Tarantino-esque Dark Humor
Karl Glusman in Eenie MeanieHulu / courtesy Everett Collection
This is a movie that wears its influences on its sleeve, and apparently, the movies of Quentin Tarantinowere among them. Eenie Meanie isn’t able to completely replicate the tone and feel of a Tarantino flick, but some flashes of brilliance evoke them. Randall Park‘s all too-brief cameo as Leo the card counter and Marshawn Lynch‘s over-the-top turn as a rival driver, Perm Walters, would be right at home in a Tarantino movie.
The story of the movie revolves around Edie, a former getaway driver who is attempting to leave her criminal past behind. However, her ex-boyfriend, John (Karl Glusman), drags her back into the life when he’s indebted to a crime lord, Nico (Andy Garcia). Although Nico forces the lapsed couple into his casino heist, he displays genuine warmth and affection for Edie.
Are you on the edge of your seat wondering what thrillers we’re recommending on Hulu this month? Well, strap in, because the thrill ride is about to begin. In August, Watch With Us has added some great options to our list of suspenseful flicks on the platform. Fan-favorite drama-thriller/fashion showcase A Simple Favor is available to […]
As for John, he’s the perfect character you’ll love to hate. He’s just good enough that you may see why Edie has lingering love for him. John’s also the world’s biggest screw-up, and his bad decisions come back to haunt Edie. There’s a darkness in John’s character that wouldn’t be out of place in a Tarantino film. And it makes the ending of this movie a lot less predictable.
Netflix‘s lineup of new movies in August has been very strong, thanks to some carefully selected films from other studios.
Whoever makes the movie choices at Netflix apparently has some fantastic taste in cinema, because these are impeccable films among them.
Watch With Us has included some of August’s fresh arrivals as well as established classics to come up with this list of the five best Netflix movies ranked by IMDb.
From the Oscar-winning drama The English Patient to the hilarious comedy Groundhog Day, you can’t go wrong with any of these selections. We promise!
Evan Rachel Wood had a breakout role in Thirteen as Tracy Freeland, a troubled teenager who suffers from severe depression. Tracy’s mother, Melanie Freeland (Holly Hunter), has problems of her own and largely allows her daughter free rein. Melanie comes to regret that when Tracy falls in with a popular girl from school, Evie Zamora (Nikki Reed).
Tracy and Evie enable each other’s vices, and the former gets in serious trouble for the first time. By the time Melanie realizes that she’s lost control of Tracy, it’s too late to force her apart from Evie. The two girls aren’t done pushing each other to extremes, no matter the consequences for either of them.
Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to watch this nearly 30-year-old action masterpiece that hasn’t gone out of style. The Brian De Palma-directed movie remains the popular series’ best due to a great supporting cast that includes Oscar winners Jon Voight and Vanessa Redgrave, Ving Rhames, Brat Packer Emilio Estevez and Kristin Scott Thomas. The action is pretty awesome, too.
After most of his team is killed during a botched mission and all the blame is pinned on him, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) goes into hiding and recruits other disreputable spies to help him clear his tarnished name. That’s easier said than done, as whoever engineered the plot to frame Ethan also wants him dead. It’s a race against time as Ethan and his team must find the mysterious figure behind Ethan’s downfall before it’s too late.
Seinfeld‘s Elaine Benes (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) famously hated this 1996 Oscar-winning drama, at one point chastising the movie for its impractical use of a bathtub as a place to have sex. She has a point there, but we disagree with her negative critical review of this sweeping, epic love story. It’s a masterpiece, with stunning cinematography and a moody, swoon-worthy score.
Ralph Fiennes stars as the titular patient, László, who tells his sad story of a doomed love affair with the married Katherine Clifton (Kristin Scott Thomas) to a kind nurse, Hana (Juliette Binoche). Slowly, Hana finds out how he met Katherine, fell in love with her and lost her during World War II. Meanwhile, Hana begins her own flirtation with the mysterious Kip (Lost‘s Naveen Andrews).
The late Harold Ramis delivered his masterpiece in Groundhog Day, a film he co-wrote and directed. Bill Murray finds the hidden depths of his character, Phil Connors, even if it takes several lifetimes to do so. Phil came to Punxsutawney for the daily Groundhog Day event. And every day has been repeating for him since he arrived.
Phil doesn’t know why he’s been trapped in an endless time loop, but his responses range from anger to madness and despair. Even falling in love with his producer, Rita Hanson (Andie MacDowell), can’t free Phill from this purgatory. If he wants out, Phil needs to dig even deeper into himself and determine who he wants to be.
In 2006, director Martin Scorsese adapted The Departed from a Hong Kong film called Infernal Affairs. In the modern era, both films could have been streaming hits. However, only The Departed had star power up and down the cast. Leonardo DiCaprio takes the lead as William “Billy” Costigan Jr., an undercover cop who has sacrificed everything to infiltrate the crime family of Frank Costello (Jack Nicholson).
Frank has a spy of his own among the cops in Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon), a man he groomed to be loyal from an early age. Neither Billy nor Colin knows that they’re the rats in each other’s teams, and they can’t allow anyone else to find out. For Billy, there are only a few who can even prove he’s undercover. Once they’re gone, there may not be any coming back for him.
Superheroes and horror movies may be overpowering theaters this summer, but streaming services like Netflix and Prime Video have some stone-cold sci-fi classics just waiting to be watched.
Sometimes, it’s purely by chance that the major streaming services give sci-fi fans a movie lineup that’s worthy of a binge-watch.
Since this month is one of those occasions, the Watch With Us team has selected three underrated sci-fi movies you should watch in August.
Our picks this month include a big-budget blockbuster, a film that kind of cribbed its entire premise from two other movies and a very timely choice that has a stacked cast of performers.
Have you ever watched a sci-fi movie from the past that was eerily correct about the way our lives have unfolded in the future? It’s actually not that surprising, as scientists have often cited the futuristic technology they saw in science fiction stories for inspiring them to come up with a way of making those […]
‘Pacific Rim’ (2013)
Pacific Rim came out so long ago that it actually takes place in an alternate version of 2025. Director Guillermo del Toro had a blast with this wildly underrated sci-fi movie about giant robots (Jaegers) beating up giant aliens (Kaiju) from another dimension.
Charlie Hunnam stars as Raleigh Becket, a former Jaeger pilot who is coaxed out of retirement by Marshal Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba) to serve on Earth’s last line of defense. In order to pilot a Jaeger, Raleigh needs to find someone who is “drift compatible” with his mind. The only suitable choice is Pentecost’s adoptive daughter, Mako Mori (Rinko Kikuchi), but she has a lot of psychological damage to unpack before she and Raleigh can try to save the world one last time.
Before they brought Independence Day and other sci-fi disaster movies to the big screen, Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin combined elements of Star Wars and Indiana Jones in Stargate. Most of Stargate‘s best moments came in the TV franchise it spawned years later, but the original film is very solid and exciting in its own right.
Kurt Russell leads the cast as Colonel Jack O’Neil, an Air Force operative who reluctantly accompanies archeologist Daniel Jackson (James Spader) through a recently recovered Stargate that can open a wormhole to another world. What they discover is a planet full of humans enslaved by an immortal alien tyrant known as Ra (Jaye Davidson), who seems very interested in destroying Earth for daring to attack his empire from afar.
In Time envisions a future where time itself has become the ultimate commodity in place of money. Naturally, the rich have become effectively immortal and eternally young while everyone else scrapes by on hours and days in a fruitless struggle to survive.
An ordinary factory worker named Will Salas (Justin Timberlake) is gifted an immense amount of time by a suicidal and very wealthy man. That leaves Timekeeper Raymond Leon (Cillian Murphy) convinced that Will killed the man who helped him. To remain free, Will takes Sylvia Weis (Amanda Seyfried) hostage. But despite her vast wealth, Sylvia turns out to share Will’s desire to bring down the system and restore time to the people who really need it.
Among the underrated movies worth watching this weekend are The Silence of the Lambs prequel Red Dragon with Anthony Hopkins, the action thriller Haywire with Michael Fassbender and the real-life political drama Fair Game with Naomi Watts.
You’ve seen The Silence of the Lambs, but have you watched Red Dragon? The star-studded prequel brings back Anthony Hopkins’ boogeyman Hannibal Lecter for a twisted new take involving a new serial killer who is somehow more terrifying than Buffalo Bill (Ted Levine).
There’s a dearth of compelling new movies at the theaters this week. Fortunately, Hulu has a stellar library full of hits, classics and everything in between. Watch With Us prefers to spotlight under-the-radar films, and there are three criminally underrated movies on Hulu you should watch this weekend. The indie hit The Brothers McMullen is […]
FBI agent Will Graham (Edward Norton) needs Lecter’s help in snagging a serial killer named the “Tooth Fairy” who kills entire families during full moons. With another full moon fast approaching, Will becomes increasingly desperate, which allows Lecter to fully exploit the situation. If Will’s not careful, he could inadvertently free a dangerous sociopath while trying to catch another.
Is Red Dragon as good as Silence? No, of course not — few films are. But it’s a decent serial killer thriller with a great cast that includes Mary-Louise Parker as Will’s increasingly stressed-out wife and Emily Watson as a potential Tooth Fairy victim. Best of all is Conclave’s Ralph Fiennes as the murderer everyone wants to catch; he’s creepy in ways that startle Lecter, and that’s saying a lot.
Mallory Kane (Gina Carano) is a black ops specialist who works for an organization that helps people out of difficult situations. Yet Mallory soon finds herself in her own pickle when she is set up for a client’s murder. On the run, Mallory must discover who wants her in jail — or worse — and why. All clues lead back to Kenneth (Ewan McGregor), her ex-lover and head of the organization, but is he guilty? Or is there something — or someone — more sinister lurking in the shadows?
Haywire is an enjoyably pulpy B-action movie that’s packed with A-list stars like McGregor, Michael Fassbender, Michael Douglas, Channing Tatum and more. As Haywire’s hardened heroine, Carano kicks ass with the best of them; you can see her taking on Scarlett Johansson’s Black Widow and easily winning. The movie’s climactic battle on a beach is wonderfully satisfying and gives one character a comeuppance they richly deserve.
No, we’re not recommending the Cindy Crawford action movie of the same name from 1995. As hilariously bad as that movie is, we’re suggesting you check out 2010’s Fair Game, which is based on an incredible — and infuriating — true story. Valerie Plame (Naomi Watts) works for the CIA and is married to Joseph Wilson (Sean Penn), a diplomat and former U.S. ambassador to Gabon. When Joseph writes a New York Times op-ed about America’s involvement in the Iraq War, seemingly using information he could’ve only obtained via his wife’s CIA connections, it proves to be disastrous for both of them.
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Fair Game is a fascinating portrait of two lives where the political and the personal become intertwined, much to the detriment of both husband and wife. Valerie loses her job and faces unwanted public scrutiny while Joseph realizes his actions have alienated his wife.
Both Penn and Watts are convincing as a power couple who find out their relationship is both weaker and stronger than they once thought. Fair Game is also a fascinating snapshot of a time in politics when ethical concerns about the integrity of the White House were of interest to both sides of the ideological spectrum. Imagine that.
Our Times is a Spanish sci-fi rom-com starring Lucero and Benny Ibarra as a married pair of scientists, Dr. Nora Cervantes and Dr. Héctor Esquivel. In 1966, Nora is a genius, but the only way to publicize her findings is through her husband. She’s the one who successfully figured out how to time travel, and both of them jump to the present when their experiment goes awry.
Nora loves living in 2025, as she is finally accepted by her peers and recognized for her brilliance. Héctor isn’t as thrilled about it, and he finds himself feeling increasingly jealous and bitter when his wife gets all of the adoration. When it comes time to go back to where they came from, Héctor’s ready to leave and Nora doesn’t want to go.
Noirvember isn’t on any list of official holidays, but the informal, social-media-driven movement where cinephiles watch and discuss noir movies in November is picking up steam with streaming services. Criterion Channel, Kanopy, and Tubi are all programming month-long waves of noir films this year, and plenty of localarthouse and repertory theaters are getting in on the act. And for the physical media fans, there are Noirvember sales to consider as well.
Even for Noirvember fans, though, picking a single movie to watch out of 80 years of cinema can be difficult — the noir movement started in the 1940s and continues to this day. Polygon is happy to help narrow down the choices: Here are a few favorites we’d suggest as some of the best movies to stream in Noirvember 2024 and beyond. (And if you want more suggestions, check out last year’s list as well.)
Image: Warner Bros. via Everett Collection
Where to watch: For digital rental/purchase on Apple TV
The great Joan Crawford gives one of her finest performances in this film from Casablanca director Michael Curtiz. Mildred Pierce follows the complicated relationship between a divorcée (Crawford) and her selfish, status-driven daughter (Ann Blyth), who feels ashamed that her mother has to work as a baker to support her family.
This noir is heavier on social drama than crime (even with the framing device of a murder), and it’s anchored by Crawford’s outstanding performance, which earned her a well-deserved Oscar — the only one she won. Many years later, the great Todd Haynes also adapted the original novel, this time into an HBO miniseries starring Kate Winslet. —Pete Volk
Image: United Artists via Everett Collection
Where to watch: YouTube, various free Roku channels, or (probably) at your local library
Alfred Hitchcock’s first American movie is also one of his best, and that’s an extraordinarily high bar to clear. Adapted from Daphne du Maurier’s moody novel, which came out just two years earlier, Rebecca stars Laurence Olivier as a widower and Joan Fontaine as the new wife he’s moving into his vast estate. But the shadow of his first wife, Rebecca, looms large over the grounds, as does the mystery surrounding her death. —PV
Image: Warner Bros. via Everett Collection
Where to watch: For digital rental/purchase on Amazon or free with ads on Tubi
Alfred Hitchcock’s 1951 masterpiece Strangers on a Train sits perfectly at the intersection of noir and horror, as amateur tennis star Guy Haines (Farley Granger) meets a strange man named Bruno (Robert Walker) during a train ride. Guy is struggling to divorce his promiscuous wife, so Bruno proposes a deal: Bruno will kill Guy’s wife and Guy will kill Bruno’s oppressive father, with each man establishing an airtight alibi during the other man’s murder, and taking advantage of the lack of connection between them to ensure that both murders will remain unsolved.
The deal comes off as a dark joke, but as Guy quickly learns, Bruno is a sociopath who considers their train conversation a sacred pact, and has every intention of carrying it out, whether Guy is on board or not. —Austen Goslin
Image: British Lion Films via Everett Collection
Where to watch: Prime Video or free with ads on Tubi
No noir has ever been so great as The Third Man about exploiting noir’s love of consequences for characters who stick their noses where they don’t belong. The movie follows an American writer, Holly Martins (Joseph Cotten), who travels to Vienna in search of his friend Harry Lime (Orson Welles). Lime, the writer is told, was killed in a traffic accident just a few days before. But Martins smells something fishy, and he starts following the scent all the way down a vast conspiratorial rabbit hole that leads him through crimes, cops, and the underside of war-torn Vienna. —AG
Image: MGM via Everett Collection
Where to watch: For digital rental/purchase on Amazon or free with ads on Tubi
The Asphalt Jungle is a spiraling story about a conspiratorial gang of crooks assembled to pull off a robbery. When things go bad — because they always do in films like this — the movie chronicles each member’s attempt at an escape. Beautifully shot by noir master John Huston (who went on to take a major role in the neo-noir masterpiece Chinatown), The Asphalt Jungle feels like a perfect cementing of the various types of criminals who exist in noir.
It’s like Huston has stripped the noir genre down to better examine each part: There are heart-of-gold thugs who can’t let themselves catch a break, hotheads who are destined to go out guns blazing, and criminal masterminds who always keep their hands clean. And somehow it all adds up to one of the most beautiful and tragic of the classic noirs. —AG
Image: RKO Pictures via Everett Collection
Where to watch: For digital rental/purchase on Amazon, YouTube, Apple TV
One of the classic ür-noirs, Out of the Past touches on practically every noir staple you can think of: the weary PI who falls for the dame he’s supposed to investigate, the double-dealing femme fatale who plays him for a chump, the complex storyline where everyone gets a chance to betray everyone else, and the twists that come fast and furious. But it’s also the kind of movie where everyone talks with a smirk, delivering a series of memorable one-liners as they keep revealing more motivations and deeper layers.
Robert Mitchum stars as the detective dispatched to chase the runaway thief girlfriend (Jane Greer) of a disgruntled mobster (Kirk Douglas): Their story plays out in two timelines over two jobs, as the past and present collide. The sheer number of switchups can be dizzying, but director Jacques Tourneur (Cat People) pulls it off with style. —TR
Image: Warner Bros. via Everett Collection
Where to watch: For digital rental/purchase on Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango
Humphrey Bogart had a reputation as one of the noir era’s signature weary, cynical tough guys, but this mesmerizing crime thriller is a reminder that he wasn’t a big man, or even necessarily a physically commanding one: He usually dominated the screen with calm and charisma. Here, Bogart plays an Army vet trapped in a hotel with a group of mobsters who’ve taken the residents hostage while waiting to lock down a deal. Locked into a situation that compromises both his safety and his dignity, he keeps his cool and finds ways to help other people. It’s another John Huston classic built around fantastic tension and slow-burn suspense that pays off in satisfying ways that look nothing like the way this story would play out in the post-Die Hard era. —TR
Image: MGM via Everett Collection
Where to watch: Free on Tubi, Plex, or Xumo, with a subscription on MGM Plus or Fandor
Tay Garnett’s 1951 noir melodrama, based on an earlier radio play, lays out a nightmare scenario on a small, personal scale: After World War II, young wartime bride Ellen (Loretta Young) finds her husband’s physical and mental health disintegrating, to the point where he decides she’s poisoning him and that he’s justified in killing her. When he writes a letter accusing her of plotting his death, and she unwittingly mails it, she has to figure out both how to recover the letter and how to deal with his dangerous paranoia and the fallout from his attempt on her life.
There’s a Hitchcockian edge to the way writers Mel Dinelli and Tom Lewis contrast Ellen’s desperation and her high-stakes situation with the banal day-to-day of a ’50s suburb. Desperately trying to stop the letter in transit while trying to keep up a cheery all-is-well front, Ellen feels like a precursor to every dark-suburban-secrets thriller of later decades, and a wry pushback against the clichéd image of 1950s Americana. —TR
Image: RKO Pictures via Everett Collection
Where to watch: For digital rental/purchase on Apple TV
The great director Nicholas Ray (Rebel Without a Cause) made many great noirs — They Live by Night, In a Lonely Place, even a “Western noir” in the fantastic Johnny Guitar — but one of my favorites is the thorny 1951 drama On Dangerous Ground. Starring Ida Lupino (herself a great director, and the first woman to direct a mainstream film noir, The Hitch-Hiker) and Robert Ryan, it follows a violent police officer (Ryan) sent away from his district due to his behavior, and a blind woman (Lupino) he meets during an investigation. It is, essentially, a movie about trust, pairing a bitter man unable to trust anyone with a woman forced to trust everyone. The movie is one of Martin Scorsese’s favorites, and was a big influence for Taxi Driver. —PV
Image: Paramount Pictures via Everett Collection
Where to watch: For digital rental/purchase on Apple TV
Barbara Stanwyck was a singular Hollywood star, transitioning from Broadway to the movies when sound was introduced to the form. One of my favorites of hers is this paranoid noir thriller about a woman who accidentally overhears a murder plot on her phone. A predecessor to similar movies like The Conversation and Blow-Up, it’s a fantastic showcase for Stanwyck’s unique star power, and it earned her a fourth Best Actress nomination at the Academy Awards. —PV
Image: United Artists via Everett Collection
Where to watch: Prime Video or free with ads on Freevee
Robert Altman’s beloved 1973 neo-noir The Long Goodbye feels like one of the genre’s first small steps into revisionism, with all the familiar tropes twisted into creative new forms for a changed era. The film follows Raymond Chandler’s classic private detective Philip Marlowe (Elliott Gould). Here, he’s every bit as smooth-talking as the noir heroes that came before him, but sleepier and a little lazier, without an ounce of their ambition. It’s a perfect ’70s evolution of the version of the character Humphrey Bogart played in The Big Sleep.
There’s no chip on Marlowe’s shoulder in this iteration of the character, and he isn’t pursuing the femme fatale (Nina van Pallandt) who involves him in the movie’s messy case. He’s just trying to make a living, and everything else is unfortunate circumstance. All these changes let The Long Goodbye feel like a classic noir that simply got the wrong protagonist, which makes the whole thing fun, even when Marlowe stumbles too far into the deep end of a criminal venture, a fate not even a neo-noir PI can avoid. —AG
Image: Paramount Pictures via Everett Collection
Where to watch: Fubo TV or for digital rental/purchase on Amazon
Chinatown might be the most perfect, prototypical neo-noir. It stars Jack Nicholson as the kind of slick-talking, smarmy private eye who could have walked onto the 1974 set directly from the ’50s: The world seems to have quietly passed him by. Instead of personal conspiracies and small-time scams, Nicholson’s character stumbles into private tragedy, and the realization that powers larger than he can imagine might be rigging the whole system against people like him. Chinatown is bigger, darker, and queasier than the noir movies that came before it, ushering the genre into the cynical paranoia of 1970s cinema. —AG
Image: 20th Century Fox via Everett Collection
Where to watch: Criterion Channel, or for digital rental/purchase on Amazon, Apple TV, YouTube
Nobody does neo-noir like the Coen brothers: They operate in a lot of different modes, from black-and-white throwback (The Man Who Wasn’t There) to genre-redefining updates (last year’s neo-noir pick Blood Simple, or the PI-reimagined classic Fargo) to deliriously weird comedy (Raising Arizona). In each case, their knack for specificity in characters and dialogue gives their films a snap no one else can match. Miller’s Crossing is one of their all-time greats, and at the same time one of their more conventional, play-it-straight crime movies: Set in 1929, it follows a rivalry between gangster clans, with Gabriel Byrne in an all-time-best role as a flunky caught in the middle. It’s packed with memorable double-crosses and double-dealings, all leading up to one of the most memorable finales in the neo-noir canon. —TR
Image: Focus Features via Everett Collection
Where to watch: Starz, or available for digital rental/purchase on Fandango, Apple TV, or Google Play Movies
Secretly one of the best neo-noirs of the past decade, Graham Moore’s criminally underseen 2022 directorial debut The Outfit gives the lie to the old saw “They just don’t make ’em like that anymore.” This crime drama is set in the 1950s, and feels like it could have been made during that era: There’s no modern flash or action, just a twist-packed, character-focused script that keeps the surprises coming, and a superlative cast pulling it all off.
Quiet, dignified Chicago tailor Leonard (the ever-reliable Mark Rylance) operates a shop that mostly services the Irish Mob, and serves as one of their cash drops. When a mobster shows up with a bullet in him and a stolen FBI recording pointing to a rat in the organization, Leonard has to navigate the dangerous face-offs that follow, between distrustful, violent career criminals pointing fingers (and guns, naturally) at each other. It’s a classic game of “Who’s the Martian?” with Leonard and others caught in the crossfire, and enough nested reveals to keep anyone guessing. —TR
Image: Filmways Pictures
Where to watch: Fubo TV or free with ads on Tubi
Brian De Palma’s 1981 neo-noir follows a foley effects artist, Jack Terry (John Travolta), who’s capturing ambient sound outdoors when he accidentally records the sound of a politician’s fatal car crash. While he’s able to save the girl in the candidate’s car, the politician himself drowns. On top of that tragedy, the sound Jack recorded suggests the crash might not have been an accident.
Travolta’s character is far from a real detective, but Blow Out slots him into the noir canon perfectly as one of its sharpest and most fascinating characters. Blow Out continues the trend of neo-noirs of the 1970s, moving the genre’s conspiracy and paranoia out of the personal realm and into the public one. Among noirs about the seedy, steady degradation of society, there’s never been one quite so bleak as Blow Out, a movie that starts with a political assassination conspiracy, then throws in a serial killer who’s more than willing to work for whichever political party will have him. —AG
Image: Sony Pictures
Where to watch: For digital rental/purchase on Apple TV
This scintillating neo-noir captures Denzel Washington during the era when he was ascending the mountain of movie stardom in a brilliant story about postwar racial tensions in Los Angeles, featuring some of the best cinematography of the 1990s.
Denzel is Easy Rawlins, a veteran between jobs, just looking to make enough money to keep paying his mortgage. When he’s recruited by a seedy PI for what seems to be simple work, Easy gets pulled into a tangled web of lies and deception that proves phenomenally difficult to break out of. With incredible supporting performances from Don Cheadle, Tom Sizemore, and Jennifer Beals, Devil in a Blue Dress is a gem of a mystery thriller that does the excellent original novel justice. —PV
Image: Warner Bros via Everett Collection
Where to watch: For digital rental/purchase on Apple TV
Gene Hackman, in one of his best performances, stars as a private detective and former football pro who gets hired to find the missing daughter of a former Hollywood star. As he digs into the case, he finds much more than he bargains for. The movie simultaneously pulls off “neo-noir mystery” and “taut character study of one really sad man,” eschewing the era’s more paranoid direction in favor of a vibe more akin to extreme depression. Sometimes, it’s good to have a bad time at the movies. Night Moves is one of those times. —PV
Halloween is over, and you know what that means. That’s right, we only have… *checks calendar* 363 days until next Halloween! While we wait in the meantime, there’s still a bunch of exciting new releases on the horizon to look forward to, including Gladiator II and Wicked! If you’re looking for the best movies new to streaming in November, however, you’ve come to the right place.
This month, we’ve got a smorgasbord of terrific films to watch from the comfort of your home, including a underseen Coen brothers classic, a beautiful sci-fi drama starring Brad Pitt and Tommy Lee Jones, and an Oscar-winning psychological drama starring Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons. Not to mention Gladiator — yes, it really is that good and you should watch it, even if you have already!
Here are the movies new to streaming services you should watch this month.
Editor’s pick: Barton Fink
Image: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Where to watch: Criterion Channel Genre: Black comedy Director: Joel Coen Cast: John Turturro, John Goodman, Judy Davis
The Coen brothers have built a long successful career on irreverent tragicomedies and pseudo-period pieces rife with beleaguered protagonists and oddball characters. Barton Fink is both of those things and yet something more: a satire of the artifice of studio-era filmmaking and a scathing condemnation of artistic self-delusion.
Playwright Barton Fink (John Turturro) travels to Los Angeles to write scripts for a film studio in Hollywood. What he experiences there shakes him to his core, forcing him to confront not only the limitations of his chosen profession, but that of his worldview and self-conception. Anchored by powerful supporting performances by John Goodman and Judy Davis, not to mention a phenomenal climax sequence that must be seen to believe, Barton Fink is one of the oddest and most extraordinary films in the Coen brothers’ entire oeuvre, and that’s really saying something. —Toussaint Egan
Image: Sony Pictures Classics
Genre: Psychological drama Director: Damien Chazelle Cast: Miles Teller, J.K. Simmons, Paul Reiser
Is Damien Chazelle’s 2014 psychological drama a movie about an abusive musical instructor molding an impressionable student into his ideal player, or a story about what it takes to be the best in your chosen field? Wherever you land by the end of the movie, what’s clear is that Whiplash is one of the most impeccably crafted films of the 2010s. Miles Teller stars as Andrew Neiman, an aspiring jazz drummer who is terrorized by Terence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons), a ruthless and highly respected instructor at a prestigious conservatory in New York City.
The dynamic between the two is the driving force behind the film’s story and emotional arc, as Fletcher’s increasingly conniving and psychologically manipulative tactics push Andrew to his breaking point again and again, forcing him to abandon all other considerations apart from his drive to become a better drummer and finally earn his mentor’s approval. The music by Justin Hurwitz is scintillating, the cinematography is electrifying, and the performances rank as some of the best in Simmons and Teller’s respective careers to date. Whiplash is a cinematic tour de force that’ll grab you by your shirt collar and refuse to let go, right up to the exhilarating crescendo of its climactic finale. —TE
Image: Buena Vista Home Entertainment
Genre: Sci-fi drama Director: James Gray Cast: Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, Ruth Negga
Ad Astra never got the respect it deserved. This sci-fi masterpiece from director James Gray follows astronaut Roy McBride (Brad Pitt), who gets sent to a far-away solar system in search of his missing father, who made the same journey 30 years earlier and now seems to be threatening the universe.
While it was originally billed as a cross between a sci-fi epic and Apocalypse Now in space, the truth is that Ad Astra is a much quieter, more thoughtful film than that description might suggest. It’s more about the relationships between fathers and sons in adulthood than it is about laser gunfights or the human heart of darkness, though both of those things are certainly in there too. With the correct expectations, it’s easy to appreciate just how incredible Ad Astra really is. —Austen Goslin
Image: Warner Home Video
Genre: Gangster drama Director: Martin Scorsese Cast: Robert De Niro, Ray Liotta, Joe Pesci
One of Martin Scorsese’s most celebrated and memorable films, and possibly his last unimpeachable classic, Goodfellas charts the rise and fall of a wannabe gangster who works his way into the Mob in 1950s Brooklyn, then finds the organization’s focus and fortunes changing radically over the decades that follow.
Packed with storytelling devices that Scorsese went on to repeat over and over — particularly the monologue voice-over introduction of a whole pack of colorful gangster characters who don’t much matter — Goodfellas is full of indelible dialogue and familiar comic bits (“I’m funny how? I mean funny like I’m a clown? I amuse you?”). It’s the sprawling saga of a criminal watching the world change around him until he doesn’t recognize it anymore, made before any of these tropes, lines, and devices became clichés because so many people imitated Goodfellas. —Tasha Robinson
Image: Warner Home Video
Genre: Historical epic Director: Ridley Scott Cast: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen
For more than two decades, Gladiator II has felt like a mirage; it was the far-off promise of a sequel to a turn-of-the-century classic that we’d never actually see. But then Paul Mescal happened and Ridley Scott, history’s most prolific 86-year-old director, decided the moment was finally right to give us the story of Lucius, son of Maximus. But we’ve still got about three weeks until that movie hits theaters, so it’s time for you to catch up on or revisit the original movie.
It’s hard to contextualize the original Gladiator today, but the good news is you don’t really have to. In the nearly 25 years since its release, Gladiator has aged wonderfully into an era-defining Hollywood epic. Scott photographs the grandeur and beauty of his cinematic Rome wonderfully, and watching this it’s easy to remember why Russell Crowe was the biggest movie star in the world in the early 2000s. So whether you’ve seen it or not, the sequel is the perfect excuse to return to the arena to witness Maximus’ glory. —AG
After a long wait, we finally got to watch the third season of Heartstopper and it was worth it. It’s a fact that Nick and Charlie have stolen our hearts, and the only thing we want for them is happiness. However, in this season, we realize that love is way more than just saying “I love you.” In each episode, there’s something new to learn about life, relationships, sexuality, family, love and mental health. We think that, by far, Heartstopper season three is the one that left us feeling the most. We cannot help but think about what we learned from this beautiful show.
Content Warning: In this article, we are going to discuss serious topics such as mental illnesses, body dysmorphia, and eating disorders. We at The Honey Pop encourage everyone reading this to check the trigger warnings before watching the TV show, reading the comics, and reading this article.
Also, be aware that there are many spoilers in this article. Please don’t say we didn’t warn you!
Love Can’t Cure Mental Illness
During his vacation in Menorca, Nick has a meaningful conversation with his aunt. He talks about how worried and frustrated he feels about Charlie, who is going through a lot. Nick feels useless because he wishes he could help Charlie how he wants to. His aunt, who’s also a psychologist, tells him that it is understandable to feel frustrated. However, it’s important to know that love can’t cure mental illness, and Charlie needs professional help. But Nick can help Charlie in different ways, like by being with him, asking him how he could make him feel better, and supporting him.
Image Source: Daniel Escale for Netflix
There’s Always Help, Even When You Don’t See It
Sometimes life gets hard, and things may seem terrible. This season, we see Charlie going through a lot, and his mental health isn’t the best. The truth is that there’s a lot of trauma in Charlie’s life and asking for help is hard for him. His relationship withhis parents is not the best, and he doesn’t want to make Nick feel bad for him. Charlie feels like a burden to everyone around him.
After a lot of encouragement, Charlie speaks with his parents about how he truly feels. It’s a realistic conversation that shows us a vulnerable Charlie who wants to get better. The best thing for Charlie was getting into a psychiatric hospital for a while. We watch his journey to this place, including discussions with his therapist, Geoff, and getting diagnosed with OCD and anorexia nervosa. If you are feeling bad or don’t know how you’re feeling, please speak up, because there’s always someone who will help you.
Image Source: Samuel Dore for Netflix
Take Your Time
Being a teenager isn’t easy, and believe us when we say we know about it. Each character in Heartstopper is going through something, but we want to highlight Tara’s process of getting into uni. When you’re finishing high school, everyone is thinking about the future, and that’s one of the most stressful times in life. Tara is struggling with her future because she isn’t sure where she wants to go or what she wants to study. She feels pressured because she doesn’t want to disappoint those around her. Teenagehood is difficult. The reality is that life isn’t a race – and if it were, you’re the only one running – so take things slowly.
Image Source: Samuel Dore for Netflix
Sexuality Is A Spectrum
One thing that Heartstopper will never fail to do is portray different sexual orientations, which is so important. In season 3, Isaac comes out as asexual and aromantic, a sexuality that isn’t very well represented in the media. Because of that, having a character like Isaac allows us to learn that there are people who don’t feel romantic attraction to anybody, and that’s perfectly fine. With Isaac’s plotline of getting to know himself, we learn that sexuality is unique. Every day of your life, you are learning something new about yourself. For example, Imogen realizes that even though she thought for most of her life that she was heterosexual, she never really liked a boy. Her story also shows that sexuality is dynamic.
Image Source: Samuel Dore for Netflix
Having a TV show like Heartstopper is crucial nowadays. People worldwide are watching these characters’ stories and feel seen. We are sure that this Netflix show is going to last for a long time in the memories of those who found a safe place in Nick’s and Charlie’s story. For us, the beauty of Heartstopper season three was all the things that made us think about life and how we should be living it to the fullest!
Image Source: Samuel Dore for Netflix
Who was your favorite character this season? Let us know in the comments below or by tweeting us @TheHoneyPop! You can also visit us on Facebook and Instagram!
Each week on Polygon, we round up the most notable new releases to streaming and VOD, highlighting the biggest and best new movies for you to watch at home.
This week, Blink Twice, the new psychological horror movie from actor-director Zoë Kravitz, is available for purchase and rent on VOD, after its theatrical premiere last month. There’s also the horror thriller Cuckoo, starring Hunter Schafer, which is also available to rent and purchase on VOD. If neither of those interest you, don’t worry; there’s tons of other new releases to stream this week, like Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw the TV Glow on Max, Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers, the Norwegian horror mystery Handling the Undead on Hulu, and more!
Here’s everything new that’s available to watch this weekend!
Genre: Drama Run time: 1h 41m Director: Azazel Jacobs Cast: Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, Elizabeth Olsen
This family drama follows three estranged sisters who reunite during their ailing father’s final days. The tension between the three is further exacerbated because one of them is not biologically related to the rest. Old animosity flares up, but the three must overcome their differences in order to spend their final moments with their father.
Where to watch: Available to stream on Netflix
Image: Sony Pictures
Genre: Adventure comedy Run time: 1h 41m Director: Mark Dindal Cast: Chris Pratt, Samuel L. Jackson, Hannah Waddingham
It’s Chris Pratt! As Garfield! The lazy orange cat reunites with his long-lost father, Vic (voiced by Samuel L. Jackson, of all people). Along with Odie, Vic and Garfield plan a heist of a farm so that they can steal a lot of milk in order to appease the Persian cat crime boss that Vic works for. The movie comes by way of director Mark Dindal, best known for The Emperor’s New Groove.
Where to watch: Available to stream on Hulu
Image: Neon
Genre: Horror drama Run time: 1h 37m Director: Thea Hvistendahl Cast: Renate Reinsve, Anders Danielsen Lie, Bahar Pars
There’s tons of horror movies about the dead coming back to life. None of them are quite like Handling the Undead, though. Based on John Ajvide Lindqvist’s 2005 novel, the film follows the story of three families living in Oslo whose loved ones all mysteriously rise from the dead as semi-sentient corpses. How will they handle this new phenomenon, and is it a second chance to say goodbye… or a curse?
Where to watch: Available to stream on Max
Image: A24/Everett Collection
Genre: Psychological horror Run time: 1h 40m Director: Jane Schoenbrun Cast: Justice Smith, Brigette Lundy-Paine, Helena Howard
If you somehow haven’t yet had the opportunity to watch Jane Schoenbrun’s critically acclaimed psychological horror drama, don’t worry: There is still time, especially now that the film is available to stream on Max. Justice Smith stars as Owen, an isolated teenager who forms a bond with an older classmate, Maddy (Brigette Lundy-Paine), over a television series called The Pink Opaque. As the years wear on, however, it gradually becomes clear to Owen that there’s more to the show — and his own reality — than meets the eye.
Where to watch: Available to stream on Prime Video
Image: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures/YouTube
Genre: Sports drama Run time: 2h 11m Director: Luca Guadagnino Cast: Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, Mike Faist
Luca Guadagnino’s sensual sports drama, about a love triangle in professional tennis, has set certain circles of the world on fire since its release in late April, and it is one of the best movies of the year. Now, you can enjoy it at home.
That script is a terrific three-course meal for Faist and O’Connor. They get to trade off face and heel roles from scene to scene and era to era, as Art and Patrick help and hurt each other in equal measure. But it’s an absolute smorgasbord for Zendaya, who even in starring roles has never been given this much room to stretch. Tashi is a gratifyingly rich character, both righteously angry over the thwarting of her ambitions and cruelly angry at all the men who have the nerve to keep on playing the game that was taken away from her. She’s hungry for affection and withholding it at the same time, by turns sensually curious and coldly dispassionate, ambitious and exhausted, conflicted and confident. She’s the kind of character that media master’s theses are made of, and unpicking Tashi’s conflicting motives and how she integrates them is likely to become a pop culture obsession in the months to come.
Where to watch: Available to stream on AMC Plus
Image: IFC Films
Genre: Drama Run time: 1h 53m Director: Nicole Riegel Cast: KiKi Layne, Thomas Doherty, Melanie Nicholls-King
KiKi Layne (If Beale Street Could Talk) stars in this musical drama as Dandelion, a struggling singer-songwriter who travels the country performing gigs, all the while yearning for a career breakthrough she fears will never happen. After striking up a romance with Casey (Thomas Doherty), a fellow disgruntled musician, their love proves to be the inadvertent catalyst for Dandelion’s discovery of an authentic artistic voice all her own.
Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and Vudu
Image: Neon/Everett Collection
Genre: Horror Run time: 1h 42m Director: Tilman Singer Cast: Hunter Schafer, Dan Stevens, Jessica Henwick
Hunter Schafer (Euphoria) stars in this horror movie as Gretchen, a teenager grieving the recent loss of her mother. After being forced to move to the Bavarian Alps by her father and stepmother, she is hired to work for Herr König (Dan Stevens), the owner of the hotel her parents have been hired to help build. However, Gretchen soon discovers there’s something far more sinister going on under the surface of this idyllic resort.
Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and Vudu
Image: Amazon MGM Studios
Genre: Psychological thriller Run time: 1h 42m Director: Zoë Kravitz Cast: Naomi Ackie, Channing Tatum, Christian Slater
Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut is a psychological thriller about a cocktail waitress named Frida (Naomi Ackie) who gets whisked away to a private island by a tech mogul for a lavish partying getaway. But Frida begins to notice that something strange is happening with the female guests. Fun fact: The film’s working title was Pussy Island, but the Motion Picture Association had an issue with that.
Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and Vudu
Image: Magnolia Pictures
Genre: Sci-fi drama Run time: 1h 47m Director: Bernardo Britto Cast: Mary-Louise Parker, Ayo Edebiri, Carlos Jacott
Omni Loop premiered at 2024’s South by Southwest festival. It’s a science fiction drama about a Florida woman named Zoya (Mary-Louise Parker) who partners up with a scientist in order to solve time travel, because of the black hole growing inside of her chest. It’s not just time travel but a time loop and a whole lotta timey-wimey funk happening as Zoya confronts her life and her regrets.
Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and Vudu
Photo: Glen Wilson/Sony Pictures
Genre: Sci-fi horror Run time: 1h 24m Director: Chris Weitz Cast: John Cho, Katherine Waterston, Havana Rose Liu
Remember Smart House, that 1999 sci-fi comedy about a fully automated house voiced by Katey Sagal that goes haywire? Well, imagine if that movie was a horror thriller instead and you’ve got the gist of Afraid, the new film from director Chris Weitz (The Golden Compass, The Twilight Saga: New Moon) starring John Cho and Katherine Waterston.
When a happy family decides to test out AIA (Havana Rose Liu), a commercial artificial intelligence designed to help them better organize their home life, they couldn’t be happier with the results. That is, until the AI starts psychologically manipulating the family and harming people close to them in its twisted desire to be a part of the family.
Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and Vudu
Image: Bleecker Street Media
Genre: Sci-fi thriller Run time: 1h 48m Director: Mikael Håfström Cast: Casey Affleck, Laurence Fishburne, Emily Beecham
This sci-fi thriller stars Casey Affleck (Manchester by the Sea) as John, an astronaut aboard an experimental spacecraft designed to make a years-long mission to Saturn’s moon Titan. When the passengers aboard the ship begin to suspect that the mission has somehow been compromised, John must work alongside the ship’s captain (Laurence Fishburne) in order to find a solution and survive.
Each week on Polygon, we round up the most notable new releases to streaming and VOD, highlighting the biggest and best new movies for you to watch at home.
This week, The Boy and the Heron, the latest animated fantasy from acclaimed anime auteur Hayao Miyazaki, finally comes to streaming on Max. That’s not all, as Rebel Ridge, the new action thriller from director Jeremy Saulnier (Green Room) starring Aaron Pierre (Old, The Underground Railroad), premieres on Netflix this week too. We’ve got plenty more exciting releases to choose from, including a new film based on the hit anime Spy x Family on Crunchyroll, a brutal martial arts thriller set in 1980s Hong Kong, and a hilarious coming-of-age comedy on Prime Video.
Here’s everything new that’s available to watch this weekend!
Photo: Allyson Riggs/Netflix
Genre: Action thriller Run time: 2h 11m Director: Jeremy Saulnier Cast: Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson, AnnaSophia Robb
This thriller follows an ex-Marine who uncovers corruption in a small town. After local law enforcement unjustly seize the money he carried to post bail for his cousin, he partners up with a court clerk to expose the corruption — and get that bail back for his cousin. Rebel Ridge comes from True Detective season 3 director and executive producer Jeremy Saulnier.
Where to watch: Available to stream on Netflix
Image: Barn 12/Utopia
Genre: Comedy drama Run time: 1h 45m Director: Ally Pankiw Cast: Rachel Sennott, Olga Petsa, Jason Jones
Rachel Sennott (Bodies Bodies Bodies) stars as Sam, a stand-up comedian living in Toronto who takes on a nannying job in order to earn some cash. After the young girl she was caring for goes missing, Sam is stricken with PTSD and no longer performs comedy, haunted by the loss of her charge and her own helplessness.
Where to watch: Available to stream on Max
Image: GKIDS
Genre: Fantasy drama Run time: 2h 4m Director: Hayao Miyazaki Cast: Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda, Aimyon
After more than a decade, Hayao Miyazaki has returned with a new fantasy follow-up to his 2013 historical drama The Wind Rises. Inspired by Miyazaki’s favorite childhood novel, as well as his own experiences growing up in post-WWII Japan, The Boy and the Heron follows Mahito, a young boy who loses his mother in a tragic fire. After moving to the countryside with his newly remarried father, Mahito crosses paths with a mysterious anthropomorphic bird that entices him with the promise of being reunited with his mother.
And after you’re finished watching The Boy and the Heron, you should check out Hayao Miyazaki and the Heron, the 2-hour documentary chronicling Miyazaki’s return to directing anime and the film’s seven year production.
On the surface, all of this is par for the course for a Miyazaki film, with trace elements from Spirited Away,My Neighbor Totoro, or Kiki’s Delivery Service. The confusion starts when viewers try to square that with the parakeets, causality-breaking out-of-time characters, and the heron turning out to be a small gnomelike man wearing a living bird like a suit. Could all those elements be purposeful trolling from a director known for his, to put it delicately, acerbic personality? Maybe, but there seems to be a statement behind the madness: It’s as if Miyazaki is declaring, “This is my life’s work. I don’t care if you’ve enjoyed it. Goodbye.”
Where to watch: Available to stream on Prime Video
Image: Paramount Home Entertainment
Genre: Coming-of-age comedy Run time: 1h 52m Director: Adam Carter Rehmeier Cast: Conor Sherry, Gabriel LaBelle, Mika Abdalla
Travel back to 1991 in this comedy that follows a pair of teenage boys who work at the snack shack of a local pool in Nebraska. When a new lifeguard shows up, both boys instantly fall for her, putting their friendship in question.
Filmed entirely in the multiplayer survival game DayZ, this documentary follows the filmmakers as they interview a group of players before and during COVID lockdowns in 2020. Exploring the respective philosophies and viewpoints of the game’s playerbase, Knit’s Island opens an exciting and insightful window into the “real” lives of people who look to a post-apocalyptic world of survivalists for escapism from the challenges of their day-to-day lives.
Where to watch: Available to stream on Starz
Photo: Parrish Lewis/Lionsgate
Genre: Horror thriller Run time: 1h 44m Director: Jeff Wadlow Cast: DeWanda Wise, Taegen Burns, Pyper Braun
This supernatural horror film from director Jeff Wadlow (Kick-Ass 2) follows the story of Jessica (DeWanda Wise), a children’s book author who returns to her childhood home with her new family. Jessica’s stepdaughter Alice forms a bond with her old stuffed teddy bear, and things quickly grow out of hand when she starts committing gruesome acts on behalf of her new imaginary friend.
It’s tempting to try to read into this labyrinth of digressions to try to find some kind of meaning or intention, but Imaginary never makes that feel worthwhile. There isn’t a single character in the movie who feels worth rooting for, and the performances are entirely devoid of charisma. The script, written by Wadlow, Jason Oremland, and Greg Erb, is full of wooden dialogue that’s stiff and often feels almost completely nonsensical. Characters sometimes introduce new information like it’s a fact the audience has known forever.
Spy x Family Code: White, the first feature film based on the hit action-comedy anime franchise, centers on the Forger family: Loid Forger, a spy working undercover in the nation of Ostania on behalf of the neighboring country of Westalis; Yor Forger, Loid’s wife and a former assassin known as the “Thorn Princess”; and Anya Forger, their adopted daughter who is secretly telepathic. When Loid is ordered to be replaced on his assignment, he hatches a plot to help Anya on a school assignment that could prevent his replacement. However, this scheme inadvertently triggers a domino effect that threatens to tip the world into conflict.
As a TV show, Spy x Family expertly handles these tone changes. Having 20-plus episode seasons means a nice balance of both the sillier and the more serious episodes — and because the episodes clock in at half an hour, it never feels like too much focus on one thing. But as a movie, Spy Family Code: White can’t strike that balance. Each half of the movie represents a different aspect of Spy x Family’s appeal, and each half is quite good for what it’s supposed to be. They just don’t gel together at feature length. When the tone shifts, it locks in and doesn’t really have as much give as the show. Still, no matter what type of Spy x Family fan you are, you’ll enjoy at least half of the movie.
Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In
Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and Vudu
Image: Well Go USA Entertainment
Genre: Crime action Run time: 2h 6m Director: Soi Cheang Cast: Louis Koo, Sammo Hung, Richie Jen
Set in 1980s Hong Kong, this martial arts action film centers on Chan Lok-kwun, a refugee amateur fighter who steals drugs from a ruthless local crime boss in a desperate bid to seek a better life. Hunted by the boss’ enforcers, Lok-kwun has no choice but to hide out in Kowloon Walled City — the infamous fortified enclave that serves as neutral territory among Hong Kong’s criminal syndicates. When the search for Lok-kwun inadvertently reignites long-simmering tensions between Kowloon’s power players, he’ll have to find a way out alive before the dangers of the Walled City tear him apart.
Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and Vudu
Image: Utopia
Genre: Comedy drama Run time: 1h 36m Director: Robert Schwartzman Cast: Nick Jonas, Brittany Snow, David Arquette
The Jonas Brothers’ very own Nick Jonas stars as an emotionally distant writer returning to Cleveland, Ohio for his mother’s funeral, after years of avoiding his complicated family. He forges some new relationships and confronts some old ones, and eventually must face his grief — and family drama — head on. The Good Half first premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film festival.
Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and Vudu
Image: IFC Films
Genre: Thriller Run time: 1h 36m Director: Austin Peters Cast: Elizabeth Banks, Lewis Pullman, Luis Gerardo Méndez
In Skincare, Elizabeth Banks plays Hope, an aesthetician, who’s about to take the next big step in her career: launching a skincare line. But things start to go awry, when a rival beauty shop pops up across the street and begins to steal her customers. Hope begins to think that someone’s out to get her and destroy her career. She enlists her friend to help her investigate.
Where to watch: Available to rent on Amazon, Apple, and Vudu
Image: Focus Features
Genre: Coming-of-age drama Run time: 1h 33m Director: Sean Wang Cast: Izaac Wang, Joan Chen, Shirley Chen
Set in the late 2000s, this coming-of-age drama follows Chris Wang (Izaac Wang), a 13-year-old boy enjoying his last summer vacation before entering high school. Simultaneously enticed and intimidated by the opportunities and challenges that come with adolescence, will Chris find a way to grow up on his own terms? If you enjoyed Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade or Jonah Hill’s Mid90s, Dìdi should be right up your alley.
Few stories in the history of the world are as famous or have been told as many times as the tale of Sun Wukong. In fact, a new adaptation of the story, Black Myth: Wukong, is currently taking the world by storm, racking up record-breaking numbers on Steam. The game is a gorgeous retelling of the Chinese legend, complete with some of the best action-RPG gameplay of the year so far. But if playing the game has left you curious about the other ways this particular legend has been told, there are plenty of movies that fit the bill.
We’ve collected a list of some of the best retellings of the Sun Wukong legend, as well as a few other movies that make a perfect thematic match for Black Myth, so you can stay in this legendary world long after you’ve finished the game.
For more movies with mythical fantasy vibes, check out our list of movies like Elden Ring. And for more adaptations of Chinese folklore, check out our list of donghua to watch — many are based on Chinese mythic tales.
Monkey King: Hero is Back
Image: United Entertainment Partners via Everett Collection
What it is: A crowdfunded animated movie that became China’s highest-grossing animated film of 2015, Hero is Back follows Sun Wukong’s fall from power and his road trip with a child monk obsessed with the monkey king’s famous feats.
Where to watch it: Free with a library card on Hoopla, free with ads on Tubi, or for digital rental/purchase on Amazon
Image: Choi Sing Film Company
What it is: The great action-comedy star Stephen Chow gets his turn at Sun Wukong in this loose adaptation of Journey to the West. It’s a two-parter – Pandora’s Box and Cinderella, followed by a much delayed Part Three in 2016.
Where to watch it: Netflix, for free with ads on Tubi or Plex, or for digital purchase on Amazon
What it is: Chow wasn’t content with just one Journey to the West adaptation – after starring in A Chinese Odyssey, he directed Conquering the Demons and it’s sequel, The Demons Strike Back. As usual for Chow’s movies, it balances slapstick humor and big set pieces for an entertaining time.
Where to watch it: Prime Video, for free with a library card on Kanopy, free with ads on Tubi and Pluto TV, or for digital rental/purchase on Amazon and Apple
What it is: Director Soi Cheang’s (SPL 2: A Time for Consequences; Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In) trilogy of Sun Wukong movies. The first stars Donnie Yen, while the latter two star Aaron Kwok. The first one isn’t Cheang’s best work, but they are high budget modern adaptations of the story and the series gets better as it goes along.
Where to watch it: Free with a library card on Hoopla, free with ads on Tubi and Plex, or for digital rental or purchase on Apple and Amazon. The Monkey King 2 and 3 are both on Prime Video.
What it is: The rare “Hollywood wuxia,” Forbidden Kingdom stars Jet Li as the Monkey King and Jackie Chan as Lu Yan. It is also primarily about a kid from Boston who is obsessed with Journey to the West and wuxia, so your mileage may vary.
Where to watch it: For free with ads on Pluto TV and Freevee, or available to rent on Amazon and Apple
What it is: Adapted from a different 16th-century Chinese novel, Ne Zha was a smash hit at the Chinese box office and spawned a sequel, Legend of Deification. The movie follows a boy with great powers who is the feared protector of his community, and features stunning action sequences.
Where to watch it: Free with a library card on Hoopla, free with ads on Plex, or for digital rental/purchase on Amazon and Apple
What it is: A 2021 Chinese fantasy action-adventure about a writer whose fantasy novel seems to be having a mysterious impact on the real world, and the man who has been sent to kill him.
Where to watch it: Streaming on iQiyi, free with ads on FreeVee and Tubi, or available to rent on Google Play and Amazon.
Image: Toei Animation via fancaps.net
What it is: It’s Dragon Ball, duh. But it’s an excuse to say Son Goku is based on Sun Wukong.
There’s something about a good whodunnit that instantly reels me in — especially when it’s got those classic Nancy Drew vibes. The highly anticipated adaptation of Holly Jackson’s young adult thriller A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder has finally hit our screens, and fans everywhere are buzzing with excitement. Since its publication in 2019, the novel has captivated millions, selling around seven million copies worldwide and earning a massive following on TikTok. It’s no wonder this story was destined for the screen.
As someone who devoured the book, I couldn’t wait to see how the TV adaptation would bring the mystery to life. And trust me, it was worth the wait.
The story centres on 17-year-old Pip Fitz-Amobi (Emma Myers), who is determined to uncover the truth behind a murder that shook the picturesque UK town of Little Kilton five years ago. The victim, Andie Bell (India Lillie Davies), was the town’s golden girl, beloved by everyone. Her boyfriend, Sal Singh (Rahul Pattni), took the blame after a supposed confession and subsequent suicide. However, Pip isn’t convinced that Sal was the killer. Teaming up with Sal’s brother, Ravi (Zain Iqbal), she embarks on a quest for justice under the guise of a school project.
Right from the start, the show asks you to suspend some disbelief. Why doesn’t anyone, except Pip’s mother (Anna Maxwell Martin), find it strange that Pip is so invested in this old murder case? Pip’s somewhat questionable methods — stalking Ravi, harassing grieving witnesses, and even breaking into Andie’s room — are glossed over, just as they were in the book. But you know what? That’s exactly what makes the story so addictive, and why I binge-watched all six episodes in one go.
Accepting the series as an adaptation of a cosy crime novel rather than gritty realism is key to enjoying it. The plot is tightly woven with twists that keep you guessing about what really happened between Andie and Sal. It’s this page-turning quality that makes the TV series so compelling.
Stan
Staying True to the Story
The adaptation of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder does justice to Holly Jackson’s novel, faithfully bringing its essence to the small screen. For fans familiar with the mystery book, watching the plot unfold and seeing the characters come to life is a satisfying experience, as the series stays remarkably true to its source material.
Pip’s journey to unravel the mystery behind her classmate Andie’s disappearance mirrors the book’s sequence of discoveries, but with a creative twist for television. The show cleverly integrates social media and online investigation, reflecting the way modern technology influences today’s detective work.
What really stands out about the series is its meticulous attention to every little detail. Little Kilton comes alive with a blend of small-town charm and an underlying sense of mystery that keeps you guessing. The cinematography skillfully captures the town’s picturesque yet slightly eerie ambiance, pulling you deeper into the heart of the story.
The dialogue stays faithful to Holly Jackson’s writing, allowing each character’s personality to shine through their interactions. Pip’s unwavering determination and sharp intellect shine brightly in every scene, making her a protagonist you can’t help but root for. Meanwhile, Ravi’s initial skepticism evolving into a solid partnership with Pip adds layers to their dynamic, exploring themes of trust and resilience along the way.
Verdict?
With its gripping storyline and characters you can’t help but root for, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder keeps you hooked right until the last scene. Dolly Wells’ direction ensures that every twist and turn leaves you on the edge of your seat.
The series, ideal for young adults, explores themes like identity and determination through Pip, a sharp-witted protagonist. Her relentless pursuit of truth not only drives the narrative but also resonates with viewers looking for a strong female lead who isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo.
As the first mystery reaches its climax, the show tantalisingly leaves doors open for future investigations. With lingering questions and new suspects in the mix, the prospect of a second season promises even more thrilling adventures and unexpected revelations.
Ultimately, A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder succeeds with flying colours. It understands and executes the perfect formula for a gripping page-turner. Fans of mysteries and coming-of-age tales alike will find much to love in its charmingly binge-worthy storytelling. This girl’s guide receives an emphatic seal of approval.
How to Watch A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder In Australia
The full first season of A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder is available to stream on Stan.
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Life can be a whirlwind, can’t it? Sometimes, all you need is a reliable comfort show to hit pause on the chaos and bring some cosy vibes into your day. You know, those series that feel like a warm hug or a familiar chat with an old friend. Whether you’ve had a tough day, are feeling a bit down, or just want to unwind, comfort shows are like a gentle escape to a world where everything feels right.
From classic sitcoms that never fail to make you laugh to heartwarming dramas that tug at your heartstrings, and even those delicious cooking shows that inspire you to whip up something tasty, there’s a treasure trove of feel-good TV out there. These shows aren’t just about entertainment; they’re like a mini-vacation for your mind, reminding you of life’s simple pleasures — laughter, camaraderie, and a good story.
Whether you’re in need of a good laugh, a nostalgic trip down memory lane, or simply some feel-good vibes, these shows are akin to a warm blanket on a chilly evening — comforting, familiar, and oh-so-satisfying. Below, find the best comfort shows to lift your spirits.
Best Comfort Shows to Watch When You Need a Pick-Me-Up
Emily In Paris
Emily in Paris is like taking a stylish, romantic vacation to the heart of Paris without leaving your couch. It follows Emily, this upbeat American marketing exec, as she tries to figure out life and love in the City of Lights. You’ve got picturesque settings, chic fashion, and Emily’s adventures navigating through cultural quirks, making new friends, and maybe finding romance along the way. It’s perfect for when you want to unwind and soak in a bit of Parisian charm from your living room.
This series follows a young woman through a transformative beachside summer filled with deep friendships, juicy secrets, and romance under the sun. So, are you Team Conrad or Team Jeremiah? Experience the nostalgia and pick your favourite beachside heartthrob in this captivating coming-of-age tale.
Relive those awkward college days with four freshman women navigating life on their own in this Mindy Kaling-produced comedy series, featuring Queen Renée Rapp and Timothée Chalamet’s sister. Just a heads-up: If you have college-age kids, you might find yourself wondering what they’re really up to away from home.
Comedy legends Martin Short and Steve Martin team up with Selena Gomez as a trio of amateur sleuths-turned-crime-podcasters in this charming cosy mystery series set in a stunning New York apartment building. Get ready for laughs, intrigue, and unexpected twists as they unravel mysteries right from their own doorstep.
Nothing is better than spending time with old Friends. This beloved sitcom remains some of the best comfort viewing, given its simple premise and sweet comedy, the familiarity we have with each of the main six cast members and their storylines, and how easy it is to dip back into the story time and time again.
Where to watch: Netflix
Sex and the City
Similarly, there’s something so easy about a Sex and the City rewatch. It’s like catching up with your most fun girlfriends, the ones with the best stories, the best gossip and an incredible wardrobe. We don’t have to include And Just Like That if we don’t want to, but the original six seasons of Sex and the City are such fun comfort television. So breezy to watch at 30 minutes per episode and so enjoyable. We’ve never regretted a Sex and the City re-watch.
Where to watch: BINGE
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
A precinct filled with eccentric detectives led by the endearing Captain Holt makes Brooklyn Nine-Nine a joy to watch. With its witty humour, diverse cast, and strong sense of camaraderie, this comedy series delivers laughs while celebrating friendship and justice.
Where to watch: Netflix
Parks and Recreation
Leslie Knope’s unwavering optimism and her team’s misadventures in Pawnee make Parks and Recreation a feel-good series. Full of humour, heart, and memorable characters, this show celebrates small-town quirks and the power of friendship.
Follow high-school student Otis as he gets an unexpected education in, well, sex. Don’t worry, it’s not as scandalous as it sounds. With his sex therapist mom (played by the iconic Gillian Anderson), Otis ends up knowing more about respectful and safe practices than his own experiences would suggest. It’s British, it’s funny, it’s timely — definitely worth a watch!
Where to watch: Netflix
Bob’s Burgers
The Belcher family’s misadventures in running their burger joint are a delight for animation lovers. Bob’s Burgers combines quirky humour, endearing characters, and heartfelt moments, creating a feel-good animated series that’s perfect for unwinding.
Where to watch: Disney+
Ted Lasso
Ted Lasso is a heartwarming comedy about an American football coach who moves to England to coach a soccer team, even though he knows nothing about the sport. What makes it special is its celebration of kindness, teamwork, and positivity. With Ted’s optimistic and empathetic approach, the show is full of humour and uplifting moments. It’s perfect for unwinding and getting a feel-good boost that leaves you smiling.
Where to watch: Apple TV
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This weekend sees the release of not one, but two sci-fi epics in the form of Dune: Part Two and Rebel Moon Part Two: The Scargiver on VOD and streaming. If neither of those strikes your fancy, don’t worry; we’ve once again descended into the backlog of Netflix’s streaming library to bring you a trio of the best sci-fi movies to watch in April.
This month’s picks include John Carpenter’s 1984 sci-fi body-horror romance starring Jeff Bridges, an underrated post-apocalyptic blockbuster about mobile city fortresses duking it out for resources, and an anime adaptation of a cult-classic cyberpunk manga.
Let’s take a look at what this month has to offer!
Editor’s pick: Starman
Image: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Director: John Carpenter Cast: Jeff Bridges, Karen Allen, Charles Martin Smith
The pitch “John Carpenter’s version of Close Encounters” conjures a far different image for fans of the Halloween director than what his 1984 film Starman turned out to be. The film kicks off with a sleek spaceship descending upon Earth in a frame not too far off from the opening of The Thing. There’s even a bit of body horror: When the alien creeps into the home of the recently widowed Jenny (Karen Allen), the entity uses bits of DNA of her deceased husband to recast his corporeal self — growing from baby to toddler to teen to adult Jeff Bridges in mere seconds. It’s sick! Then Carpenter gets all mushy in his most romantic film to date.
Starman is a sci-fi film through and through — the alien visits our planet after intercepting Voyager 2’s golden disc, and its arrival sparks a classic Spielbergian cat-and-mouse game between bumbling feds and the on-the-lam ET — but in having the alien assume the form of Jenny’s dead husband, Carpenter burrows deeper into human mortality than these screen stories tend to go. Allen, spiraling in an impossible situation, and Bridges, mixing his alien’s hyperintelligence with childlike wonder, have the chemistry to make a silly story sing. Jenny knows the man in her passenger seat isn’t her husband, but he is a second chance. Carpenter mines the dreamlike premise for all the sap, leaning on Jack Nitzsche’s unforgettable score to swell at just the right moments. Starman is pure Hollywood romance, and proof that boxing a director into one genre is the quickest way to limit greatness. —Matt Patches
Mortal Engines
Image: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Director: Christian Rivers Cast: Hera Hilmar, Robert Sheehan, Hugo Weaving
An underrated post-apocalyptic blockbuster from many of the people who made the Lord of the Rings movies, Mortal Engines was a box-office bomb but deserved much better. Set in a future where cities are mobile and big cities hunt smaller ones, the story follows a young assassin (Hera Hilmar) who seeks to take out a power-hungry leader (Hugo Weaving). Along the way, she finds allies (Jihae) and maybe even a bit of love (Robert Sheehan).
But the characters or narrative aren’t Mortal Engines’main selling point (although Weaving does fully and delightfully commit to an over-the-top villainous performance). Instead, it’s the fantastic production design and creative world-building that make Mortal Engines feel like a breath of fresh air in the sequel/prequel/remake-heavy sci-fi blockbuster landscape. Now that it’s newly on Netflix, check out one of the 2010s’ most undeserved flops. —Pete Volk
Blame!
Image: Polygon Pictures/Netflix
Director: Hiroyuki Seshita Cast: Takahiro Sakurai, Kana Hanazawa, Sora Amamiya
Alongside the likes of H.R. Giger and Shinya Tsukamoto, Tsutomu Nihei is one of the most prolific artists associated with the subgenre of posthuman science fiction, emphasizing horrific man-machine hybrids and massive, desolate worlds set in the far future.
Nihei’s 1997 manga Blame! is inarguably his magnum opus — a post-apocalyptic cyberpunk saga about a mysterious warrior known as “Killy” wandering the metallic wastelands of an Earth overrun by a techno-organic virus. Adapted into a feature-length anime by director Hiroyuki Seshita (Knights of Sidonia), Blame! streamlines the manga’s story into a single adventure in Killy’s quest to find a means of undoing the virus that has reshaped the world and endangered humanity’s last remaining descendents.
While the film loses some of the evocative, wordless melancholy of the manga in its translation from page to screen, it lacks none of the scale and depth of its world-building and vistas. The action is punishing and electrifying, as Killy contends with monstrous killer androids and a ruthless antagonist hellbent on killing as many impure humans (i.e., everyone) as possible. Blame! is a worthy adaptation of the source material, as well as a worthwhile watch for anyone who considers themself a fan of dark sci-fi animation. —Toussaint Egan
Can we all just collectively exhale a big sigh of relief that March is finally over? Seriously, it felt like a never-ending rollercoaster of chaos. Well, fear not because April is here, and we’re officially declaring it the month of relaxation. Below, find what to watch in April.
Picture this: cosy blankets, your favourite snacks within arm’s reach, and a whole lineup of binge-worthy shows and movies just waiting to be devoured. Yup, that’s what we’re talking about! So, consider this your personal invitation to join us on a journey through the best of what’s streaming this April.
From heart-pounding thrillers to feel-good comedies, we’ve got something for everyone to kick back and unwind with. So, let’s press play, escape reality for a bit, and recharge those batteries. Trust us, your future self will thank you for it.
What to Watch in April
“Heartbreak High”, Season 2
Get ready to dive back into the drama-filled halls of Hartley High because “Heartbreak High” is returning with Season 2 this month. Our beloved heroes are back for term two, but don’t expect things to quiet down anytime soon. With fresh faces, including new hotties and a mysterious assailant, peace and tranquility are nowhere to be found. As if that’s not enough, the race for school captain is heating up, and dirty tactics are being deployed left and right. Are you ready for the rollercoaster ride? It’s time to see what Hartley High has in store for us this season.
Premiere date: April 11 Where to watch: Netflix
“Sullivan’s Crossing”, Season 2
Get ready for another round of heartwarming drama in Season 2 of “Sullivan’s Crossing”. Maggie’s back in her Nova Scotia hometown, caring for her dad Sully after a stroke. Meanwhile, Cal’s torn between his feelings for Maggie and worries about holding her back from Boston. With Chad Michael Murray and Morgan Kohan leading the cast, it’s bound to be a rollercoaster of emotions.
Premiere date: April 15 Where to watch: Stan
“Música”
“Música” is a heartfelt coming-of-age love story written, directed, and starring musician and internet sensation Rudy Mancuso. Meet Rudy, a dreamer with big aspirations of becoming a creator, who also happens to have synesthesia, allowing him to hear music in everyday sounds. As he navigates the complexities of his future, his love life, and his cultural identity, he finds himself captivated by Isabella, a Brazilian girl played by Camilla Mendes.
While it might sound like a vanity project, “Música” promises to be a charming tale, especially since Rudy and Camilla are a real-life couple!
Step into the intriguing world of early 1960s New York with “Tom Ripley”. This isn’t your average tale – it’s a journey through the intricate mind of Tom Ripley, a grifter whose life takes an unexpected turn when he’s tasked with persuading a wealthy man’s son to return from Italy. But what begins as a seemingly straightforward assignment soon evolves into a tangled web of deceit, fraud, and even murder.
Based on Patricia Highsmith’s acclaimed novels, “Tom Ripley” promises to deliver a gripping narrative filled with suspense and unexpected twists.
Premiere date: April 4 Where to watch: Netflix
“Such Brave Girls”
“Such Brave Girls” is a British sitcom that’ll have you laughing out loud. Josie, Billie, and their mum Deb are in for a wild ride after their narcissistic father leaves them with a mountain of debt. But amidst the chaos, this dysfunctional family finds humour in the madness.
As Deb navigates single motherhood and dips her toes back into the dating scene, she encounters the equally quirky Dev. Meanwhile, the sisters are entangled in their own romantic misadventures. Trust me, this show delivers British self-deprecating humour at its finest.
If you’re a fan of “Derry Girls” and “This Way Up” and craving your next binge-worthy comedy fix, “Such Brave Girls” is exactly what you need.
Premiere date: April 18 Where to watch: Stan
“Loot”, Season 2
Get ready for more laughs as Maya Rudolph’s comedy returns with new adventures for Molly Wells. A year after her public divorce, Molly focuses on her thriving foundation and embarks on a wellness journey, with her assistant Nicholas by her side. But when her charismatic architect friend Isaac shows up, things take an unexpected turn. With Sofia Salinas running the foundation, get set for hilarious mishaps and unexpected romances in this comedy rollercoaster.
Imagine a world where mutated monsters roam, hand-crafted weapons gleam, and silver-streaked power armour stands as a beacon of hope. From the intense violence to the comedic undertones, “Fallout” will transport you to a post-apocalyptic America frozen in the 1950s.
Created by the masterminds behind “Westworld”, Lisa Joy and Jonathon Nolan, along with Todd Howard from Bethesda, this adaptation promises to capture the essence of the beloved video game franchise.
Premiere date: April 11 Where to watch: Prime Video
Other Notable Things to Watch in April 2024
“Vanderpump Villa” — April 1, Hayu
“American Horror Story: Delicate” Part 2 — April 2, BINGE
“How to Date Billy Walsh” — April 5, Prime Video
“Good Times” — April 12, Netflix
“The Circle” season 6 — April 17, Netflix
“Rebel Moon – Part Two: The Scargiver” — April 19, Netflix
“The Big Door Prize” — April 24, Apple TV+
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April is nearly here and spring has sprung, which means it’s time to comb through the best movies leaving streaming services at the end of this month and plan accordingly.
This month’s lineup is an eclectic assortment of classics, crowd-pleasers, and cerebral gems. Jonathan Glazer’s 2000 debut, Sexy Beast starring Ray Winstone and Ben Kingsley, is a top priority; you must watch that if you haven’t already. Other picks include the sci-fi horror film Underwater, starring Love Lies Bleeding’s Kristen Stewart, Kathryn Bigelow’s elusive cyberpunk thriller Strange Days, a classic martial arts action film starring the inimitable Sonny Chiba, and more.
Whatever you’re looking for, there are options for you, with the added urgency of “you won’t be able to watch this here next month.”
Here are the best movies you should watch before they leave streaming this March.
Editor’s pick
Sexy Beast
Image: FilmFour/Fox Searchlight Pictures
Director: Jonathan Glazer Cast: Ben Kingsley, Ray Winstone, Ian McShane Leaving Criterion Channel: March 31
Earlier this month, Jonathan Glazer took home the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film for The Zone of Interest, his first Oscar win in his 30-plus-year career. Glazer has only directed four features in that time, each one more cerebral and astounding than the last. His first film, Sexy Beast, is arguably his most “commercial” effort to date — and even that qualifier feels like a stretch: It’s a black comedy crime drama that plays out with the nail-biting tension of a horror thriller.
The film centers on Gary “Gal” Dove (Ray Winstone), a career criminal happily whiling away his retirement in Costa del Sol with his wife and friends. Gal is suddenly plagued by a visit from Don Logan (Ben Kingsley), a former associate who has come to recruit him for a upcoming heist. Don is a foul-mouthed, emotionally manipulative sociopath who delights in incessantly berating those around him and bending people to his whim, so when Gal refuses his offer, Don makes it his mission to make Gal’s life a living hell until the job is done.
Glazer’s stellar direction and Ivan Bird’s dreamlike cinematography are what set Sexy Beast apart from other crime movies of its era. So does Kingsley’s scene-stealing performance as a malevolent agent of chaos, who blows in like a bad omen to wreak emotional and physical havoc on anyone and anything unfortunate enough to be close to him. That’s not even mentioning the score, which includes contributions from U.K. trip-hop outfit Unkle, who Glazer previously collaborated with on the music video for their 1998 single “Rabbit in Your Headlights.” Sexy Beast is an exhilarating, thorny, and terrifying case study in emotional manipulation that also happens to be a superb heist movie, and you should absolutely make it your priority to see it if you haven’t already. —Toussaint Egan
One of the most influential action movies ever made, The Street Fighter is a gloriously violent display of Sonny Chiba’s unique star power, as he rips and tears his way through a bunch of gangsters and lowlifes. Decades later, Chiba’s son Mackenyu (One Piece) is carrying that legacy forward… albeit in a slightly less violent fashion.
The first movie to receive an X rating in the U.S. because of violence, The Street Fighter not only inspired the title of the fighting game series, it also introduced the idea of X-ray fatalities, directly influencing Mortal Kombat. If you’re a fighting game fan and you’ve never seen The Street Fighter, this is your chance to fix that. —Pete Volk
Movies to watch on Hulu
Underwater
Photo: Alan Markfield/20th Century Fox
Director: William Eubank Cast: Kristen Stewart, Vincent Cassel, Mamoudou Athie Leaving Hulu: March 31
Underwater is a lean genre project with B-movie flair and solid execution. Sometimes, that’s all you need.
Kristen Stewart stars as the mechanical engineer of a research and drilling facility at the bottom of the Marianas Trench. When disaster strikes and part of the facility is destroyed, she joins the remaining survivors in their attempt to make it out alive. With a strong cast (with the exception of T.J. Miller, who is graciously killed very early in the movie), solid direction by William Eubank (who just directed the solid action thriller Land of Bad), and a tight script from Brian Duffield (No One Will Save You), Underwater is a fun popcorn sci-fi thriller. And with Love Lies Bleeding now out in theaters, why not check out an underrated Kristen Stewart project? —PV
Movies to watch on Max
Strange Days
Image: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Director: Kathryn Bigelow Cast: Ralph Fiennes, Angela Bassett, Juliette Lewis Leaving Max: March 31
Strange Days is a cult classic whose reputation is defined in no small part by how difficult it has been to watch on streaming. Max added the movie to its platform in January 2023, but not all good things last.
Set in a futuristic Los Angeles just two days before the end of the 20th century, Strange Days follows Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes), a black-market broker dealing in an illicit technology that allows the user to record their own memories and physical sensations and experience them after the fact. When Lenny comes across a recording that threatens to implicate the LAPD in a high-profile murder, he’s forced to turn to his old friend Lornette “Mace” Mason (Angela Bassett) in order to uncover the origins behind the recording while staying one step ahead of a mysterious killer that wants him dead.
Conceived by producer James Cameron and inspired by the 1992 LA riots that erupted in the wake of the infamous Rodney King trial, Strange Days is a pitch-black sci-fi thriller that touches on institutional racism, voyeurism, societal collapse, and sexual violence, the latter of which is focused primarily on women and Black people. It’s a hard watch — but nevertheless a worthwhile one that rewards its audience with a trio of terrific performances and a strikingly original vision of a bygone alternate future. —TE
Movies to watch on Prime Video
The Swordsman
Image: Well Go USA Entertainment
Director: Jae-Hoon Choi Cast: Jang Hyuk, Kim Hyeon-so Leaving Prime: March 31
There’s no shortage of terrific Korean action movies. If you’re specifically looking for one that’s a stylish, emotional historical drama with fast and frenzied swordplay, I would highly recommend The Swordsman. Set in the aftermath of the Joseon dynasty, the movie follows the story of Tae-yul, the former bodyguard of King Gwanghaegun, who lives in seclusion with his daughter, Tae-ok.
Taey-yul has been afflicted with a condition that threatens to rob him of his sight, and in order to cure it, he’ll need special herbs afforded only to the most well-connected of families. Desperate to help her father, Tae-ok accepts an offer to serve a wealthy family in exchange for the medicine, but when she is inadvertently kidnapped as part of a larger conflict, Tae-yul is forced to come out of hiding to come to her rescue.
Joe Taslim of The Raid and Warrior fame shines as Gurutai, a sneering slave trader and Qing emissary who serves as the film’s primary antagonist. The action itself is terrific, but what really elevates The Swordsman as a whole is Tae-yul grappling with his rapidly diminishing eyesight and the unfolding tragedy of his backstory conveyed through flashbacks. At an hour and a half, it’s a perfect action film to pop on and watch over the weekend. —TE
There’s plenty of great thriller films to watch on Netflix. But if you prefer your stories to be more procedural, there’s just as many fantastic TV series to choose from on the service.
We’ve put together our conspiracy corkboards, crunched the numbers, and followed the money to bring you our list of the top suspects for the best thriller TV series to watch on Netflix. From modern classics like David Fincher’s Mindhunter and You to pulse-pounding murder mysteries like Erased and more, Netflix has a selection of thriller TV just waiting to become your next obsession.
Here are the best thriller series you can watch right now on Netflix. Our latest update added The Diplomat as our editor’s pick.
A throwback to the kind of plot-heavy political thriller that used to run television (and the screwball comedies of days gone by), The Diplomat is a delightful star vehicle for Keri Russell. She is Kate Wyler, a whip-smart career diplomat whose plans are thrown into disarray when her upcoming assignment in Afghanistan is changed to what seems to be a cushy post as the new U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom. For Kate, who loves her work and is very good at it, this is a clear downgrade, but the more power-focused people in her life (including her conniving husband Hal, played by Rufus Sewell) are delighted by the new role. What follows is a whirlwind of intrigue and mystery, with snappy dialogue, strong chemistry between the leads, and plenty of twists and turns.
After courting many viewers for its first season, The Diplomat will return for a second. We can’t wait, especially after the first season’s cliffhanger ending. —Pete Volk
Babylon Berlin
Image: X Filme Creative Pool
Bad things are coming to 1929 Berlin. We know this, of course — with the vantage point of history, the Weimar Republic era was marked by economic insecurity and the beginning of the Nazi Party. But the ’20s in the world of Babylon Berlin exist just before that horror, when the degeneracy from all that economic downturn could give way to roaring ’20s clubs just as easily as unending darkness.
That tension is captured in Babylon Berlin by two protagonists: Gereon Rath (a soft and strong Volker Bruch), a vice inspector on a secret mission to take down an extortion ring, and Charlotte Ritter (Liv Lisa Fries, all vinegar and chutzpah), the new police clerk who moonlights as a sex worker. Together they provide two very distinct vantage points on the Weimar Republic’s waning days, exposing the rot of what’s to come at the same time they find hope in what could’ve been.
Babylon Berlin’s trick is by not getting ahead of itself. The show is perhaps one of the slower boils on this list; the thrills of the mystery, such as they are, come from meticulous pacing. Answers don’t come easy, and a whole country’s politics don’t change overnight. Babylon Berlin is a web of history and conspiracy, and by taking those elements equally seriously and methodically, you get a twisty, hardboiled detective story for the ages. —Zosha Millman
Bodies
Image: Netflix
Solving a murder is hard enough, but how do you go about apprehending a culprit whose crime literally transcends space and time?
Bodies is a terrific cerebral whodunit with an excellent ensemble cast whose stories weave into one another effortlessly as the series builds and the mystery deepens. Created by Paul Tomalin (Torchwood) and based on Si Spencer’s 2014 comic, this sci-fi crime thriller follows four detectives living in different time periods of London who find themselves investigating a strange murder. What’s so strange about it? Well, the victim’s body appears — and reappears — in each time period in the exact same location. What’s even stranger is that the victim was last seen alive in 2053, despite being seen dead both in that year and as early as 1890.
A engrossing drama that feels like a mashup between Class of ’09, Dark, and Alex Garland’s Devs, Bodies is one of Netflix’s most compelling releases this year and wholly deserves to be added to your watchlist. —Toussaint Egan
Erased
Image: A-1 Pictures/Aniplex of America
This sci-fi mystery thriller miniseries from 2016 centers on Satoru Fujinuma, a 29-year-old delivery man who is inexplicably sent back in time and reawakens in his 11-year-old body. Determined to save the lives of his mother and his elementary school classmate, who died and disappeared, respectively, under mysterious circumstances, Satoru must combine his knowledge of the future with his ability to change the past in order to apprehend the culprit and bring them to justice.
Erased is a compulsively watchable thriller anime, filled with enough twists and turns to keep audiences guessing right up to the series’ exhilarating conclusion. —TE
Ganglands
Image: Netflix
French action cinema is having a bit of a renaissance, and one of the leading figures is director Julien Leclercq. He made the very good Olga Kurylenko thriller Sentinelle, the Jean-Claude Van Damme-led The Bouncer, and my favorite movie of his, the tense crime thriller Braqueurs (also known as The Crew).
Six years later, Leclercq took his talents to television with the Netflix series Ganglands (also known as Braqueurs). It shares the same name, lead (the excellent Sami Bouajila), and general vibe, but is not technically a sequel or a remake. In Ganglands, a crew of expert armed robbers are drawn into a gang war: They’re so dang good at crimes, everyone wants to hire them, even the people they rob.
Leclercq and writer Hamid Hlioua have created a muscular little thriller anchored by strong leading performances and the director’s tension-filled style of building action and conflict. The second season was recently released on Netflix, and both seasons are very much worth your time. —Pete Volk
Lupin
Image: Netflix
The thrill of the heist — there’s just nothing like it. Ask Assane Diop (Omar Sy). He’s been working as a con artist and thief for years, drawing his inspiration (and moniker) from an obsession with the literary gentleman thief Arsène Lupin. His thrills are hard-won, but they’re also smoothly meticulous. For Assane, the art of the heist — even with a priceless diamond necklace worn by Marie Antoinette — is a given.
What comes less naturally is revenge. Lupin’s first season follows his quest to seek vengeance on the rich family that wronged his father, and the show is full of twists and turns as his mission starts to bleed from his gentleman thief persona back into his real life.
The French series was a breakout hit when it premiered on Netflix, thanks in large part to Sy’s performance. He is magnetic as he makes con artistry look easy, with the sort of natural charm that makes you believe he can fake his way into any vault or safe in France (and that’s all before we get into his thieving skills and connections). With a heist, the end is, typically, self-assured. Sy’s performance ensures Lupin has the same confidence, and makes every step of the ride along the way its own thrill. —ZM
Mindhunter
Image: Netflix
David Fincher’s exacting vision is applied to the television format in one of the best shows Netflix has ever produced. Over two seasons, odd-couple FBI agents Holden Ford (Jonathan Groff) and Bill Tench (the terrific Holt McCallany) interview serial killers in the burgeoning field of criminal psychology.
In a nice twist on conventional character tropes, it is the young agent who is often cold and emotionally removed, and the older one who worries about the consequences of their actions. Their chemistry, as well as Mindhunter’s deep study of our culture around serial killers and the approach to stopping them, makes the show excellent, and it never veers into the exploitation of its peers in the genre.
How exacting is Fincher’s vision? Take a look at this mind-blowing VFX reel from the show, which literally changed how I watch modern cinema. —PV
Monster
Image: Madhouse/Viz Media
If you’re a fan of the 1960s crime drama series The Fugitive, you’ll likely love the 2004 anime adaptation of Naoki Urasawa’s psychological thriller manga. After all, the series was inspired by it! Set in Germany before and after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Monster centers on the story of Kenzo Tenma, a Japanese brain surgeon living in Düsseldorf. After being implicated in the murders of his superiors, Kenzo must go on the run to clear his name by tracking down the real culprit: a young man he once treated.
Spanning 74 episodes, Monster is a labyrinthine drama filled with a rich cast of characters and enough harrowing twists and revelations to fill a Matryoshka doll. —TE
The Night Agent
Photo: Dan Power/Netflix
Sometimes, you want a “light brain” thriller — something not too deep that might be perfect for a bucket of popcorn or for background viewing while you fold some laundry. The Night Agent is Netflix’s quintessential plot-heavy popcorn thriller, elevated to solid fare thanks to the surprising chemistry between its two leads.
Adapted by The Shield creator Shawn Ryan from the novel, The Night Agent stars Gabriel Basso as an FBI agent who has been relegated to watching a phone that never rings in the basement in the White House. When that phone does ring one night, he and the person on the other end (Luciane Buchanan) are brought into a vast conspiracy that threatens to unravel everything he knows. —PV
You
Image: Netflix
No one is doing it like Joe Goldberg (Penn Badgley). The man is in a league of his own when it comes to stalking women and obsessing over them. This is the double-edged sword of watching You and following Joe in his unethical exploits: He is outright the villain of his own story.
Luckily, You is very aware of this, taking the initial premise of the first season — boy meets girl, boy stalks girl, boy manipulates her whole life to a dangerous degree — and continues flipping it over, putting Joe through his paces, letting him scramble to cover his ass as he gets in deeper and deeper. Each You season is a flavor unto itself, switching locales and ladies and letting Joe make the worst kind of case for himself.
You is not a show for the faint of heart, but it’s also not a thriller that rests easily on its underlying darkness. Joe may be an absolute piece of shit (even Badgley thinks so, and would really like it if you did too), but the show knows how to keep him engaging as it turns the screws on him. Each of the four seasons challenges him in new ways, and it makes for a snaky and startlingly good time. With You there’s only one thing you can always expect: for Joe to go to extreme and violent lengths to prove he’s not the bad guy. Also a plexiglass vault. —ZM
As POPSUGAR editors, we independently select and write about stuff we love and think you’ll like too. POPSUGAR has affiliate and advertising partnerships so we get revenue from sharing this content and from your purchase.
Can you believe it’s already March? Time just seems to be sprinting ahead! But hey, there’s a silver lining — a new month means a fresh batch of great films and awesome TV shows hitting our favourite streaming platforms. Below, find a rundown of what to watch in March.
So, if you’re like us and find yourself endlessly scrolling through options, trying to decide what to watch next, we’ve got you covered.
From highly anticipated premieres to buzzworthy releases, we’ve handpicked the standout shows and movies you won’t want to miss this month. Get ready for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour movie, Adam Sandler’s latest cinematic endeavour “Spaceman”, and Millie Bobby Brown’s thrilling action fantasy “Damsel.”
What to Watch in March
“Spaceman”
Adam Sandler stars in this gripping adaptation of the novel “Spaceman of Bohemia”, portraying a Czech cosmonaut embarking on a solitary mission to investigate a mysterious celestial phenomenon. Joined by Paul Dano as an enigmatic extraterrestrial companion, Sandler’s character confronts both outer space mysteries and inner demons in this thought-provoking journey.
Premiere date: March 1 Where to watch: Netflix
“Ricky Stanicky”
In their youth, Dean (Zac Efron), JT (Andrew Santino), and Wes (Jermaine Fowler) conjured up an imaginary companion named Ricky Stanicky. Fast forward 25 years, the three best friends still use the nonexistent Ricky as a handy alibi for their immature behaviour.
Premiere date: March 7 Where to watch: Prime Video
“Damsel”
Millie Bobby Brown shines in this imaginative fantasy film that subverts traditional fairy tale tropes. When Princess Elodie finds herself facing a perilous fate at the hands of her royal family, she must rely on her courage and resourcefulness to forge her own path. With a stellar supporting cast including Angela Bassett and Nick Robinson, this is one adventure you won’t want to miss.
Premiere date: March 8 Where to watch: Netflix
“Beautiful Wedding”
A sequel to the popular “Beautiful Disaster”, this film follows Abby and Travis as they navigate the aftermath of an impromptu Vegas wedding. So, join them on a wild and chaotic honeymoon adventure filled with twists, turns, and plenty of romance. Starring Dylan Sprouse and Virginia Gardner, it’s a feel-good flick perfect for date night.
From the mind of acclaimed author Liane Moriarty comes this gripping suburban thriller, which unravels the secrets lurking beneath the surface of a seemingly idyllic family. When a mysterious stranger disrupts their lives, a chain of events is set in motion, revealing hidden truths and testing familial bonds. With a stellar ensemble cast led by Annette Bening and Sam Neill, it’s a must-watch for fans of psychological drama.
Premiere date: March 14 Where to watch: BINGE
“Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (Taylor’s Version)”
Disney+
Whether you missed out on her Taylor Swift’s Aussie Eras Tour or simply want to relive the magic, this concert film is a must-watch. Featuring dazzling performances and behind-the-scenes insights, it’s a celebration of Swift’s iconic career that’s sure to delight audiences of all ages. So, grab your sequins and get ready to sing along to your favourite hits.
Premiere date: March 15 Where to watch: Disney+
“Palm Royale”
Transport yourself back to 1969 with this stylish comedy set in the glamorous enclave of Palm Springs. Follow the ambitious Maxine as she navigates the social hierarchy of the era, determined to ascend to the upper echelons of society. With a stellar cast that includes Kristen Wiig, Laura Dern, and Allison Janney, expect plenty of laughs and a retro chic vibe.
Jake Gyllenhaal takes centre stage in this high-octane remake of the cult classic “Road House”. Packed with adrenaline-pumping action, explosive set pieces, and a dash of celebrity cameos, it’s a wild ride from start to finish. Whether you’re a fan of the original or simply craving some heart-pounding entertainment, this one’s sure to deliver.
Premiere date: March 21 Where to watch: Prime Video
Other Notable Things to Watch in March 2024
“The Gentlemen” — March 7, Netflix
“Population 11” — March 7, Stan
“Girls5Eva”, Season 3 — March 14, Netflix
“Celebrity Ex On The Beach” — March 20, Paramount+
“Shirley” — March 22 on Netflix
“The Beautiful Game” — March 29, Netflix
“Renegade Nell” — March 29, Disney Plus
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