What to watch: new movies and TV shows to stream this week
The best shows and movies to stream on Netflix and beyond.
Welcome to the WatchList, the ultimate what to watch guide. Each week our TV and movie experts curate a list of the best things to watch on the small - and sometimes big - screen.
This is the place to find what you should be streaming at the weekend and beyond.
Each week our esteemed group of TV and movie reviewers impart their expert knowledge of all things streaming and boil it down to a handful of things you really need to be watching, going through hours of episodes to hep you make the most important decision of the week: what to watch in your down time.
As you will read, we look at all the new shows that have landed on Netflix, Prime Video, NOW, Apple TV Plus, Disney Plus and Paramount Plus and more, then give our verdict.
In short: if it's in the WatchList, then you know it is going to be good.
After our recommendations of the week, we have links to all of our essential streaming guides - the rankings of which are voted by our readers, so if you haven't done so already then give them a click and have your say.
And if you are still stuck with what to watch, then we have kept all of our previous recommendations so you can have a read.
Happy viewing!
The Perfect Couple
A detective show based on a hit novel. Nicole Kidman and Live Schreiber star as a wealthy couple living by Nantucket’s coastline. Their son is about to get married, but the supposedly happy event is derailed when a dead body is found on the beach nearby. Dark secrets are unearthed, and the veneer of this family’s rich and glossy life begins to crack. Plenty of twists are there to pull you through the six episodes.
Slow Horses season 4
One of the best shows on streaming is back for season four. It kicks off in dramatic style, as a bomb detonates in a shopping centre. But the appeal of the show is the same as ever: what’s going on in Slough House, where Jackson Lamb and co try to get to the bottom of a new conspiracy. Hugo Weaving stars in this season, and let’s just say he’s not a particularly nice guy in this one.
English Teacher
Brian Jordan Alvarez stars as Evan, the English teacher of the title. He’s gay, and under investigation after a parent complains about seeing him kiss his boyfriend. But this is no weighty and worthy show. It’s a comedy, and a genuinely funny one at that. Alvarez writes and directs. If you can’t quite place where you’ve seen him before, it may be from YouTube, where he’s found viral success for a decade.
Untold: Hope Solo vs U.S. Soccer
Hope Solo was a star of women’s football years before it was really put under the spotlight. But the story of her life outside of the pitch is even more eye-opening than her career. Goalkeeper Solo was suspended from play following charges of domestic violence, and has also been arrested for drunk driving. A flawed character, but one of the greatest goalkeepers in the women’s sport.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice
36 years after the original, Tim Burton is back with another slice of off-kilter gothic comedy with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. The alarming part: the main cast is back too, including Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara and, of course, Michael Keaton. After all these years, that Beetlejuice flavour is still in-tact. And, a must for the fans, those shrunken head guys return too.
Out now in cinemas...
We have spent A LONG time watching things on all these streaming services. So, if you want more of an in-depth look at the shows and movies you can stream the please head to the following guides.
- The best Apple TV Plus shows, revealed
- The best Netflix shows and best movies on Netflix
- The best Amazon Prime Series and best movies on Amazon Prime Video
- The best Disney Plus shows and best Disney Plus movies
- The best NOW TV shows and best movies on NOW TV
- The best Paramount Plus shows
Previously on The WatchList...
Terminator Zero
The Terminator series isn’t exactly in rude cinematic health. But outside of the movies, it’s doing alright. Terminator: Resistance has become a cult video game favourite, and new animated series Terminator Zero is probably the best reviewed Terminator content since Terminator 2. This is an anime project from one of the key animation houses of the art form. It’s violent, and features the classic trope of a warrior (a woman this time) sent back in time to try to avert the robot-apocalypse. The first eight episodes are available to stream now. Netflix hasn’t confirmed follow-up seasons yet, so wrap your eyeballs around this one, stat, to give it the best chance of a renewal.
Kaos
Picture this: Jeff Goldblum is a greek god. And not a figurative one, either. He’s Zeus, the King of gods and master of thunder. That’s Kaos’s whole deal. The greek gods have been transposed onto modern times, terrorising current-day Greece with natural disasters and the like as their family dysfunction overflows. Some reviews say it’s a comedic masterpiece. Others aren’t quite so persuaded. Give it a go for yourself. Eight episodes, roughly 50 minutes a piece.
The Rings of Power Season 2
A top candidate for the most expensive TV show ever made is back. The Rings of Power season 2 sees Sauron reprise his evil antics as he continues forging the rings of power that got Middle-Earth into such a pickle in the classic Lord of the Rings story. This second season is darker and more doom-laden, with more complex plotting than the first season. Review scores are all over the shop, a stellar 92% Rotten Tomatoes score obscuring quite how mixed opinions are on this one.
Worst Ex Ever
Netflix is back to its true crime shenanigans with no. 1 TV hit Worst Ex Ever. It’s a four-part series that examines abuse within relationships. Each episode focuses on a different couple. There’s fake identities, emotional abuse, an attempt to effectively steal someone’s child and more. All true stories, with some potentially triggering content in tow. It’s a typically no-nonsense Blumhouse production, and the one case per ep means there’s no bloat or fat to these stories.
Only Murders in the Building season 4
One of the most-loved comedy-mysteries on streaming is back for a fourth season. Some reviewers are calling this season a return to form. But last time we checked, there wasn’t a dud season of this show. Martin Short, Steve Martin and Selena Gomez return to bumbling about and solving mysteries. The trio continue to lock into their winning rhythm, and the series showing no signs of letting up just yet.
The Frog
This Korean series follows two storylines at once, set twenty years apart. Two innocent strangers invite someone into their lives, and find theirs upended as a result. It’s part horror, part thriller, and the story unravels over right episodes. The pacing is a little uneven, so some patience is required. But it all comes together in a satisfying way in the show’s second half.
Pachinko season 2
Missed the first season of Pachinko? You’ve missing out on one of the best shows in all of streaming. It’s the tale of a Korean family that moves to Japan, charting their lives across four generations from 1915 to 1989. We can only hope we get a third season to fully adapt the original 2017 novel. The show has been almost universally praised for its acting, cinematography and storytelling.
GG Precinct
This Taiwanese show combines a serial killer story with… comedy. It’s a very, very silly show, but somehow manages to pull the oddball combination off. 20 years ago, a teacher murdered his students. And now a copycat killer is on the rise, linking his murders to word games. Check out the trailer to get a sense of whether you’ll get on with GG Precinct's unusual flavour.
Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War
Cowboys can feel like the stuff of fictional legend, but they were actually real. Wyatt Earp and the Cowboy War is a docudrama that lifts the lid on the iconic lawman Earp and his struggles against outlaws out west. The show includes the famous gunfight at the O.K. Corral, and blends interviews and archive footage with more movie-like acted-out scenes. It’s a fun look back into a a part of American history it’s all too easy to have a murky, part-fictional take on.
Arcadian
After a limited theatrical run earlier this year, Nic Cage vehicle Arcadian has come to NOW. It’s a post apocalypse thriller in which Cage and his two sons try to stay alive in a remote farmhouse. And that’s made somewhat more difficult by the horrifying creatures that start trying to kill them at night. Contrary to what you might expect, Cage puts in a pretty restrained performance in this effective low-budget horror.
Incoming
What happened to all those high school comedies? They’re still around, but tend to take a different approach, as in Bottoms. Incoming takes more of an old-school approach, focusing on a bunch of idiot teenage boys. It’s led to comparisons to Superbad, although you shouldn’t approach Incoming with hopes for another minor classic like that. However, if you have a penchant for toilet humour, it should go down a treat.
Emily in Paris season 4
The first half of Emily in Paris season 4 is here. Gabriel is in love with Emily, and it’s set to cause all kinds of havoc, especially with Gabriel’s ex Camille just out of frame. This first half of the season is comprised of five episodes, with the other five due on 12 September. Some reviews have begun to tire of the Emily in Paris formula, but others say it’s just a joy to slip back into Emily’s somewhat unhinged world.
Bad Monkey
A comedy series starring Vince Vaughn sounds like a magnet for mediocre reviews but Bad Monkey is a real critical hit. He’s no wedding crasher here, starring as a detective who has become a restaurant inspector after being demoted. However, he finds a severed arm while on duty, pulling him into a mystery. Also stars Rob Delaney and Michelle Monaghan. But the charm of Vaughn’s performance is the lead draw here.
The Tyrant
If there’s a non English language country whose productions you should pay attention to, it’s South Korea. The Tyrant is about a virus developed by the country, one designed to give people enhanced abilities. It’s intended to give the country an edge, but the US finds out about it, after the virus is stolen. And it causes an international incident. This show is written and directed by Park Hoon-jung, who wrote I Saw the Devil. Unusually, there are just four episodes in this series. You can plough through them in a weekend.
The Union
This Netflix movie stars Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry. Wahlberg is Mike, who has an ordinary job. He’s a construction worker, but is pulled into a world of espionage and danger by his old high school girlfriend, Roxanne. She’s played by Berry. It lasts under two hours. Plenty of action. Silly premise. Sounds like the perfect movie for weekend streaming to us.
Homicide Life On The Streets
We usually highlight brand new movies and TV shows in our What to Watch round-up, but this one is special. Homicide Life on the Streets is a 1990s police procedural show led by the brilliant Andrew Braugher. There are seven seasons, and this is one of the best shows you’ve probably never seen. It’s also even remastered in 4K and HDR. What a treat.
- Stream now at Peacock (From August 19)
On the big screen…
Alien: Romulus
Could this be the best Alien film since Aliens? That’s what some think. It takes elements from all the previous mainline instalments, and amps up the horror to max out the impact of the alien’s presence. We absolutely recommend going to see it. But we also recommend going in not expecting the headline some — including us just now — have given it. That this is the best Alien flick since 1986. It’s too much weight for what is really just a pleasantly brutal time at the movies.
Out now in cinemas
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder
Netflix’s latest big hit is A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder, based on a book by Holly Jackson. Pip Fitz-Amobi is a 17-year-old who begins to think a local murder may not have gone as everyone else thinks it did. Five years before, Andie was murdered. It was concluded her boyfriend did it. But he took his own life after the crime. But perhaps the truth isn't that simple. An engaging 6-part series.
Umbrella Academy season 4
The fourth and final season of The Umbrella Academy is here, finishing off the show after five years. There are just six episodes. And this is by far the least well-received of the seasons so far. But, hey, it's good to once see a fan-favourite show get a proper send-off rather than a classic brutal Netflix cancellation. The Hargreeves crew are back to tackle a world-ending event, and have to collapse a bunch of alternative timelines in order to restore the universe.
The Instigators
Damon and Affleck in a heist comedy? This would once have been the stuff of big box office earnings. But this is 2024, and we're talking Casey Affleck, not Ben, whose career has been on the rocks since 2010 when he was accused of sexual harassment. The Insitigators is still a major project, though, an Apple TV+ movie from Doug Liman, who also directed the brilliant Edge of Tomorrow, the fun American Made and Amazon's Road House. It’s not Liman’s best, but we’ve seen far worse streamer original movies
Cowboy Cartel
This documentary series from Apple TV is about how a violent Mexican drug cartel used horse racing to launder millions and millions of dollars. Or, more to the point, it's really about how a team of agents at the FBI managed to bring them to justice. Without getting killed in the process. It’s a 4-episode series, and all four are thankfully available to watch now.
Love is Blind: UK
Love it or hate it, trashy reality TV is big news on streaming. And Love is Blind is contemporary trash royalty. We’ve had six US seasons since 2020. Now it's the UK's turn. Missed this show so far? The premise is pretty wild. Couples go on dates and get engaged without ever actually seeing each other, while the men and women live in Love Island style tribes to keep the chat flowing. It's not for everyone, but is binge gold for the right viewer. Presented by Matt and Emma Willis.
The Influencer
Now here’s an odd one. A real curio. The Influencer is a South Korean show, a reality TV competition in which real influencers across TikTok, YouTube, Instagram duke it out. They compete for the attention of the public, in real influencer-style tasks, and wear neck bands that show their follower numbers. The Influencer has been compared to The Hunger Games. And, yep, there are some real dystopia vibes here. But can we really say our influencer culture is that much better?
Joe Rogan: Burn the Boats
Love him or hate him, Joe Rogan has become a major cultural figure. This is his third Netflix special, and features the kind of incendiary topics you might expect from the world-famous podcast host. The reviews say, as most of us know, Rogan isn't exactly as world-class a comic as his cultural stature might suggest. But, hey, whether you’re a fan or merely curious, you may want to dip into Burn the Boats.
Women in Blue
This show is about the first female police force in Mexico City. It’s set in the early 1970s, making it ripe for representations of sexism an order of magnitude worse than what we see today. And this female squad ends up on the hunt of a serial killer. It’s based on real-life events, in a typically very loose way. However, it really works as a thriller, and is tinged with horror in parts.
Futurama season 12
25 years in, Futurama is on its 12th season. This latest bunch consists of 10 episodes, but with one released a week on stream, it’s just like watching back in 1999. We’ve had a chance to see the first couple of episodes, and they feature Futurama-themed skewerings of NFTs and Squid Game. It’s fun comfort viewing.
Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie
25 years (again) after the first SpongeBob Squarepants episodes, the brand is apparently sill so strong it can power a spin-off. Sandy Cheeks gets her own Netflix movie. Bikini Bottom is scooped right out of the ocean, and the gang needs to head to Texas in order to get it back. So, yeah, while this may be a Sandy Cheeks movie, it still absolutely features everyone’s favourite sea sponge.
Batman: Caped Crusader
We’re in a golden era of animation, particularly if you loved the 90s shows that proved formative for so many millennials. Batman: Caped Crusader revives the spirit of the 1990s cartoons, pitching the superhero as a noir detective. If you need more proof it’s worth a watch, just check out its perfect 100% Rotten Tomatoes rating (at the time of writing, anyway).
Fantasmas
This unusual comedy show came to the US in June but has just arrived in the UK courtesy of Sky’s NOW. It comes from a former SNL writer and has received mixed reviews, in the best kind of way, with write-ups ranging from perfect scores to stinkers. Which side will you fall on? Well, how of you feel about talking puppets? This is part sketch show, part full narrative, and is packed with creativity. There are just six episodes, 30 minutes a piece, with cameos from Paul Dano, Emma Stone, Steve Buscemi and more.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare
What’s wrong with a good old-fashioned action movie? The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare takes us back to a time when even stories based on serious history could be almost entirely irreverent. This movie is directed by Guy Ritchie and stars Henry Cavill as part of a team charged with taking out the German U-boat fleet during World War II. It’s silly, fun, and action-packed. But not not one for the up-tight history sticklers.
The Decameron
The Black Death isn’t the most obvious fodder for comedy, but that’s The Decameron’s deal. A bunch of rich folks escape the city of Florence as the plague breaks out, and it all gets a bit debauched. While this show is very roughly based on a series of 14th century short stories by Giovanni Boccaccio, The Decameron’s feel is absolutely up-to-date.
Time Bandits
Trying to adapt one of Terry Gilliam’s most beloved works is a tall order, thanks to the auteur’s specific style and sense of comedy. The original was a film. This is a 10-episode series headed up by Jermaine Clement, Taika Waititi and Inbetweeners writer Iain Morris. An 11-year-old boy teams up with a bunch of young thieves in a time-travelling troupe led by Lisa Kudrow’s Penelope. Reviewers are split on whether it stacks up to the original, but the more positive ones love it.
Doom Scroll: Andrew Tate and the Dark Side of the Internet
Andrew Tate has become a figurehead of the negative forces impacting younger generations of men and boys, and with good reason. He’s a bad egg. But it’s not just the message that has entranced so many people. The ways people are stewarded towards his content though social media algorithms are to blame too. This documentary looks at both sides of this.
Elsbeth
2009’s The Good Wife really did have legs. Despite ending in 2016, its legacy lives on. First we had The Good Fight, a spin off that ran from 2017. And now we have Elsbeth. Its creators say this isn’t a strict The Good Wife spin off, but it does feature a character from the original show’s universe. It’s a detective series starring Carrie Preston, from the original series.
Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam
Today we know NYSNC and the Backstreet Boys as some of the most successful US boybands of all time. But did you know there was a scam behind them? It was the work of Lou Perlman, who generated a Ponzi scheme out of their success. This is the disturbing story of that era. The documentary itself is controversial, through the use of AI techniques to alter the presentation of some of the talking heads. But the story itself is interesting and alarming.
And on the big screen...
Deadpool & Wolverine
Are you ready for the big one? Deadpool & Wolverine is finally here, a last attempt to bridge the gap between eras of the MCU. In case you’ve been avoiding the hype, the film sees two superhero luminaries team up for an all-the-fall comedy-action adventure. Reviews are mixed. It’s either seen as a blast or a cynical corporate exercise. Go in with an open mind and see how you feel.
In cinemas now
Lady in the Lake
Natalie Portman stars in this seven-part adaptation of a novel by Laura Lippman. She’s a bored housewife who becomes a crime investigator, looking into a murder in 1960s America. Ambitious and sumptuous, this is a classic Apple TV production. Reviews range from impeccable to irritated, but the best are positively luminescent. This also happens to be Portman’s TV debut.
Cobra Kai season 6
The last season of Cobra Kai, based on The Karate Kid, has arrived on Netflix. It starts on a light note, but we can already sense the tension starting to mount in this sixth season. Netflix is trying an unusual release schedule for this one too, to really max out on the beloved show’s swan song. It’s coming in three parts. The first five episodes are out now. The second five are due in November. The last aren’t out until 2025. So while we’re on the final season, it’s almost as if there are two more coming. Each part consists of five episodes.
For Those About To Die
Looking forward to Gladiator 2? You won’t want to miss this show. It’s a brutal and violent look at the lives of gladiators back in the Roman Empire days. Anthony Hopkins stars as emperor Vespasian, chewing up the scenery, while Ian Rheon is Tenax. He is a crime boss who has his eyes on power. It’s pulpy rather than truly realistic, but good fun.
Laliga: All Access
What timing. Fresh off a Euros win for Spain, Netflix has release Laliga: All Access. It’s a behind-the-scenes documentary series about the inner workings of the Spanish football league. We get to follow the events of the 2023/2024 season, with a partial focus on Barcelona.
Mr Bigstuff
Danny Dyer has become an unlikely UK national treasure in recent years. But in Mr Bigstuff he goes full comedy. It’s a show about two chalk-and-cheese brothers. Dyer plays one, an alpha drug addict. Ryan Sampson plays the other, the anxiety ridden Glen, who is just trying to live a normal life.
Iron Claw
Could this be Zac Efron’s best performance of his career? Iron Claw sees Efron play Kevin, one of the Von Erich brothers. They were a real professional wrestling family, who performed in the 1970s. This powerful film charts the brothers’ lives through three decades, and is an affecting biopic worth checking out. And, yep, an interest in wrestling is absolutely not required.
Vikings: Valhalla season 3
It’s the end of the road for a show long-running enough to be a minor institution. Valhalla is a spin-off to the original Vikings, first broadcast in 2013. Its third and last season has been released, bringing the story to a close. Some of the loose ends get tied up in a slightly rushed fashion, but we’ll take that over a swift cancellation and a cliffhanger ending any day.
Mastermind: To Think Like a Killer
This documentary series looks into the minds of some of the most infamous killers. It centres around Ann Burgess, who was one of the leading figures in criminal profiling. She worked in the FBI as a profiler and researcher from the late 1970s. It’s a three-part series that looks into her career. And, in doing so, we get a look on the changing view on serial killers and dangerous criminals.
Vikings: Valhalla Season 3
Vikings: Valhalla puts up its axe with season three, which has just landed on Netflix. This is not just the end of an offshoot series, but the whole Vikings saga, which began more than a decade ago. The vikings are diminishing, and it’s time to tie off some of these long-running storylines.
Receiver
Netflix has a history of producing great documentary series that let you get behind the scenes of some of the most popular sports. F1: Drive to Survive, anyone? Receiver does the same for the NFL. It’s also the sequel to Quarterback, the well-regarded 2023 series. As the name suggests, though, we’re looking at folks who play in different positions this time. Players featured include George Kittle, Davante Adams and Deb Samuel.
Sausage Party: Foodtopia
The original Sausage Party was an unlikely 2016 hit. An R-rated comedy that looks like the black sheep offspring of Pixar and Dreamworks? Well, it did work, picking up great reviews and even solid box office numbers. They’ve done it again, with a TV show sequel that, mostly, still slaps. Well, as long as you can handle the sheer crassness and rough-n-ready production values. Seth Rogen and Kristen Wiig return to lead the cast too.
Spent
Mia is a model whose career is coming to an end. She is out of cash and low on opportunities. Spent is a smart comedy that looks into how this character squares the first half of her life with… whatever’s coming next. It’s written by and stars Michelle de Swarte, who based the show on her own experiences as a model.
Sunny
Rashida Joenes is Suzie, an American woman in Kyoto whose family disappears in a plane crash. She is granted a domestic AI robot to fill the void. But as she gets to know the thing, she starts to uncover details on what really happened to her husband and son. This high-concept thriller comedy could have gone either way. But it’s actually great, bringing a more thoughtful edge to a typically light 30-minute format. What else do you expect from A24, the studio famous for its brilliant arthouse movies?
Exploding Kittens
TV and movies gets made using all kinds of inspirations. But a card game? That’s an unusual source. Exploding Kittens is roughly based on the card party game, which is a bit like Russian Roulette. This is one to approach with morbid curiosity rather than excitement, as it has picked up some pretty dreadful reviews. The Guardian called it “infuriating and life-sapping,” although others enjoyed Tom Ellis as the cat that considers itself to be god.
Beverly Hills Cop - Alex F
40 years on from the original movie, Eddie Murphy is back as Axel Foley in a brand new Beverly Hills Cop film. His daughter’s life is in danger, which sees him return to his old stalking ground. He also teams up with both old associate Billy (Judge Reinhold) and a new partner, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
The Mole season 2
People can’t get enough of games of deception these days. The Mole sees a team of players head out to Malaysia to complete tasks and build up their prize money. But one of the players, The Mole, is charged with messing up the whole enterprise. You may enjoy this show if you are a fan of The Traitors.
Supacell
This TV show gives the tired superhero genre a shot in the arm. A bunch of ordinary black people from South London suddenly develop superpowers. There’s nothing particular that links them, but they’ll have to get together in order to make a difference. This one has picked up great reviews, and has a totally different feel to the kinda to superhero shows you’d see on Disney Plus.
The Bear Season 3
One of the best-reviewed TV shows of a generation. But is season 3 as good? Is has received by far the most mixed reviews we’ve seen for The Bear to date. But even those say that, at its heights, this is one of the best TV shows on broadcast right now. However, it goes without saying that if you’ve loved the first two seasons you need to bite into this one when you build up the confidence/appetite.
My Lady Jane
A period drama of a different kind. My Lady Jane is based on the story of Lady Jane Gray, but loosely. She is known for lasting on the throne for just nine days before being executed. This adapation of a YA novel reworks the facts, and injects supernatural animal transformations, and adds more ass-kicking and sass. It’s a good-time watch.
The Man with 1000 Kids
A documentary that breaks out of the true crime mould, The Man with 1000 Kids is about a serial spern donator in the Netherlands. Lax enforcement means he manages to radically go beyond the limits of a sperm donor. To the extent there are worries about involuntary incest. Yikes. It’s a three-episode series that, well, is kinda horrifying.
House of the Dragon season 2
The Game of Thrones spin-off is back for season 2. And the quality level hasn’t dropped. It enters on the verge of civil war, as House Targaryen is riven in two. Dramatic stuff. There are only eight episodes in this season, compared to 10 in the first, and they are being drip-fed onto streaming
Cult Massacre: One Day in Jonestown
This three-part documentary series looks into the Jonestown massacre. In the late 70s, hundreds of cult members drunk a mixture of cyanide and grape juice, ending their lives. This is where the “drink the Kool-aid” saying comes from. The doc uses archival footage to tell the story of the days surrounding the deaths of 918 people. If you don’t know much about cult leader Jim Jones, once part of the pop culture vernacular, this series is worth watching.
Trigger Warning
Ever wondered why you have’\t seen Jessica Alba in a while? She’s back in Trigger Warning, a revenge thriller action movie. Is it any good? Not really. But these largely unoriginal action movies seem to go down a treat on streaming. Alba is a commando who takes down a gang menacing her hometown after she takes over her father’s bar.
Five Nights at Freddy’s
A horror movie based on a mobile game? This one got absolutely slammed at review, but Five Nights at Freddy’s is a gaming phenomenon some kids won’t want to miss on streaming. It’s rated PG-13, making this far fore suitable for a slightly younger audience than the average horror movie. This is definitely one for fans of the games rather than a general audience. But it’s nice to see Josh Hutcherson on our screens again. It’s been a while since he played Peeta in the Hunger Games movies.
The Boys season 4
One of Prime Video’s most beloved shows is back for what we now know to be the penultimate season. This fourth run shines a light on the current political scene in the US, in characteristic The Boys fashion. That means there’s plenty of violence, satire and gore. Oh, and those corrupt superheroes you know and love. And kinda hate.
Hit Man
Hit Man stars Glen Powell as a man who poses as a hired killer in order to bust people for the New Orleans police department. But the plan goes off piste when he is hired by Madison (Adria Arjona) who asks him to kill her husband. This Richard Linklater-directed movie is written by Linklater and star Glen Powel. It combines real thriller chops with comedy to great effect, and is flat-out enjoyable.
Remembering Gene Wilder
To the onlooker, Gene Wilder was a wild and unsettling ball of energy, a screen presence like no other. This documentary provides a closer look at the real character of the man, who died back in 2016. It’s a gentle watch, a documentary filled with love for its subject rather than one looking to dig into whatever darker recesses there may have been. But perhaps that’s a good fit for this movie-making icon.
The First Omen
Horror sequels have a bad reputation, one formed from decades of rubbish follow-ups. The First Omen is surprisingly great. It’s a prequel to the original Omen movie from 1976, telling the tale of the beginnings of this demonic conspiracy. This is also easily the best movie in the now six-film franchise, bar the original. Tense, gory and with surprising weight and texture, you should check this one out.
Presumed Innocent
In 1990 a film of Scott Turow’s 1986 novel Presumed Innocent was released. It starred Harrison Ford, and was pretty good. There’s now a TV adaptation, starring Jake Gyllenhaal in his first major TV role. He plays Rusty Sabich, a prosecutor sent to investigate the murder of his co-worker, who was also his secret lover. This TV version hasn’t quite eclipsed the movie, but is a solid watch and, like most Apple TV+ shows, looks great.
Bridgerton
The second half of the third season of Bridgerton is out, letting us discover what happens to Colin and Penelope. But there’s also a major story switcheroo ahead for Francesca. The critics can’t agree whether this second half of the season marks a tightening up of things from the first, or it going a wee bit off the rails. So why not give it a watch and make up your own mind?
Under Paris
Horror, gore and sharks fans take note. Under Paris is a movie you should not miss. It’s a classic shark movie, set in Paris. A mutated shark is terrorising the waters of the Seine, and a triathlon is about to begin. It’s up to a grieving scientist, played by Bérénice Bejo, to avert tragedy. This one doesn’t let up. It’s in French, but don’t fear the subtitles. Fear the shark.
Godzilla Minus One
Not seen Godzilla Minus One? After 70 years of Godzilla movies, this one dukes it out with the very first for the title of the best of the lot. It’s that good. Our protagonist was a kamikaze pilot during World War II, and he is one of the first people to witness Godzilla, before it emerges from the ocean to wreak havoc upon Japan. This is a more human story than that of the average monster movie, and looks fantastic despite, in Hollywood terms, costing pennies.
Sweet Tooth season 3
Critically lauded fantasy series Sweet Tooth comes to an end with season 3, an eight-episode run. While not without its rough spots, this is a fitting end to a brilliant series. Also, if you’re the kind of person who only digs into a series when you know it’s not going to get cancelled, leaving you on a cliffhanger, it’s time to start Sweet Tooth season one.
The Acolyte
Disney Plus has another slice of Star Wars pie for the faithful. The Acolyte is set long before the events of the main line Star Wars films. Jedis are going missing, and it’s up to a Padawan and her Jedi Master to get to the root of the mystery. In doing so, they find the conspiracy that goes deeper than they ever imagined. It’s no Andor, but is better than some of the recent Star Wars efforts.
The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live
This spin-off of The Walking Dead sees a return to one of the series’s classic storylines. Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira star as Rick and Michonne, reprising the love story that was a key feature of the show before Lincoln left the main The Walking Dead series in 2021. If you miss having Andrew Lincoln in the show, this is a sweet coda for his character.
