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Looking to settle in with a good movie? Me too. That's why I've pored over release schedules to bring you the best original and new-to-streaming movies you can watch on Netflix, Prime, Max, Hulu, and other streaming platforms.
My dual picks of the week are Oscar heavy-hitters Wicked, which was nominated for 10 academy awards and took home two (Best Costume Design and Best Production Design) and Anora, this year's Best Picture winner.
Wicked (2024)
While many would prefer watching Wicked in a movie theater crowded with super fans singing along, there's something to be said for enjoying it in your home, where only trained voiced are raised. An adaptation of the smash hit Broadway musical, Wicked is an unabashedly over-the-top blockbuster prequel to The Wizard of Oz that tells the story of "good witch" Galinda's relationship with Elphaba, aka the Wicked Witch of the West. Wicked's cast is packed with big names, the score is packed with bangers, and the screen is packed with imaginative sets and costumes. Peacock is also streaming a "sing-a-long" version of the movie, should you want to bother your neighbors.
Where to stream: Peacock
Anora (2024)
Director Sean Baker's radical empathy shines in Anora, a romantic comedy about a sex worker who hooks up with the son of a Russian billionaire, to the great displeasure of his family. In other words, this is no Pretty Woman. Mike Madison turns in a brilliant, nuanced performance in the title role, while the film likewise refuses to simplify the complex interplay between love, money, and power, all while foregrounding the humanity of its characters. There's a reason this movie killed at Cannes, wowed critics, and won so many Oscars (including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Director).
Where to stream: Hulu
Sing Sing (2024)
Sing Sing earned near universal acclaim for its depiction of Sing Sing prison's Rehabilitation Through the Arts (RTA) program, in which hardened prisoners stage dramatic productions from behind bars. Colman Domingo won an Oscar for his portrayal of John Whitfield, a real person imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit. Much of the rest of Sing Sing's cast is made up of former convicts playing versions of themselves, which gives Sing Sing a raw, almost documentary feel. This unique and powerful film belongs at the top of your must-watch list.
Where to stream: Max
The Twister: Caught in the Storm
For my money, tornadoes are the most visually interesting natural disaster, and this documentary takes full advantage of their awesome cinematic power. The Twister: Caught in the Storm tells the story of the massive tornado that tore apart the town of Joplin, Missouri in 2011, stitching together interviews with survivors and tons of harrowing footage shot by people who were right freakin' there when disaster struck.
Where to stream: Netflix
Last week's picks
The Parenting
Max original horror/comedy The Parenting features a stacked cast that includes Brian Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Dean Norris, Edie Falco, Parker Posey, Nik Dodani, and Brandon Flynn. Dodani and Flynn play a young couple who plan a weekend getaway so their parents can meet and they can announce their engagement. Tensions between the future in-laws flare, but that's the least of the family's problems. The malevolent poltergeist that haunts the isolated country house is a much more serious issue, especially when it starts possessing people.
Where to stream: Max
The Electric State
Based on the acclaimed graphic novel by Simon Stålenhag, The Electric State is a sci-fi comedy set in a retro-future version of America in the years after a war between humans and robots nearly wiped out humanity. Most people, understandably, don't trust robots, but main character Michelle, played by Millie Bobby Brown, is traveling with a pair of mysterious 'bots, searching for her lost brother. Also on hand: a drifter named Keats, played by Chris Pratt. The Electric State's big stars and intriguing premise make it a must-watch.
Where to stream: Netflix
Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna
When a movie quality camera is pointed at a shooting, you'd think it would be obvious who's to blame, but the story of Alec Baldwin shooting cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the movie Rust is way more complex than that. Through interviews with people who were there, police interrogation videos, and behind-the-scenes footage from the movie set, Last Take goes beyond the sensational headlines to tell the real story of the day everything went so horrifically wrong.
Where to stream: Hulu
American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden
Remember Osama Bin Laden? This suspenseful documentary tells the story of how he was tracked, caught, killed, and had his corpse dumped in the sea. Featuring rare archival footage and interviews with the CIA agents who were there, American Manhunt: Osama bin Laden gives viewers an inside look at one of the most complex and extensive manhunts in history.
Where to stream: Netflix
Control Freak
This Hulu original horror movie stars Kelly Marie Tran as a successful motivational speaker whose life is close to perfect, until her head starts itching. The maddening itch gets worse, but it's not lice. It's a parasitic infection, a malevolent creature that begins to take control of her mind and body. If you're into body horror, you should definitely check out this squirmy, suspenseful flick.
Where to stream: Hulu
Bill Burr: Drop Dead Years
Bill Burr's new special showcases the honesty, anger, and wit that brought him to the top of the stand-up comedy heap. Age hasn't softened Bill at all: In this deeply personal hour of stand-up, Burr focuses on subjects like aging, death, and male sadness with his unique, don't-give-a-fuck style.
Where to stream: Hulu
O'Dessa
I don't know whether O'Dessa will be good or not, but this Hulu original is the kind of movie that takes such a huge swing, it's bound to be entertaining, even if it falls apart. It's a sci-fi rock opera in which Sadie Sink plays a farm girl who ventures out into a post-apocalyptic wasteland to save the world through song, so it's bound to be either a classic or a cult-classic. Either way, I am so on board.
Where to stream: Hulu
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