Another week on the books means another weekend to grab some popcorn, curl up on the couch, and watch whatever’s new on the best streaming services. But with so many great movies coming and going each week, figuring out what to watch can be a headache.
So let us here at Tom’s Guide do the hard work for you. We’ve rounded up all of the hits and none of the duds to make your next movie night one to remember. While the release schedule has slowed in recent weeks, you’re not hurting for quality flicks this weekend. Leading the pack is “Monkey Man,” Dev Patel’s high-octane action movie in the style of “John Wick,” on Peacock along with one of the most visually distinctive horror movies of the year so far, “I Saw the TV Glow,” on paid video-on-demand services.
Meanwhile, Netflix has a new animated superhero film that looks fun for the whole family with “Ultraman: Rising,” one of the best 007 movies (“Casino Royale”) just landed on Paramount Plus, and you can find the heartfelt stop-motion dramedy “Anomalisa” on Prime Video.
So without further ado, here are all the top movies that just arrived on streaming. If you’re looking for even more streaming recommendations, be sure to check out our round-up of the best new TV shows to watch, too.
‘Monkey Man’ (Peacock)
The directorial debut of Oscar-nominated actor Dev Patel finally landed on streaming platforms this week. A violent revenge thriller a la “John Wick,” “Monkey Man” stars Patel as an unnamed protagonist who moonlights as a monkey-mask-wearing combatant in an underground fighting ring.
But the nightly pummeling is just a means to an end, as he seeks revenge against the city’s leaders who caused a traumatic event in his childhood and continue to oppress the poor and powerless. With his sights set on bringing down the city’s ruling class, he carves a bloody path through the people who took everything from him. “Monkey Man” is a high-octane action movie showcasing some of the best fight sequences you’ll see this year, with deeply personal stakes that give every action scene extra grit.
Watch it now on Peacock
‘I Saw the TV Glow’ (PVOD)
While I haven’t gotten a chance to check out “I Saw the TV Glow” yet, it’s the one horror movie this year so far that’s intrigued me the most. Its trailer alone was enough to pique my interest with its “V/H/S” and “Channel Zero” vibes, but now that I see critics hailing its distinctive visual style and how it tackles queer themes, you can bet I’ll be watching it this weekend.
Jane Schoenbrun’s psychological horror drama stars Justice Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine as two young friends who become captivated by a mysterious late-night TV show that offers them glimpses of a surreal and sinister supernatural world. As Owen (Smith) becomes more and more obsessed with what he sees on the screen, his grasp on reality begins to slip, leading to ever darker consequences.
Buy or rent now on Amazon
‘Ultraman: Rising’ (Netflix)
Netflix is rebooting the decades-spanning “Ultraman” series for a new audience with this animated feature of the popular Japanese hero. “Ultraman: Rising” follows Ken Sato (voiced by Christopher Sean in the English dub), an egotistical baseball star who lives a secret life as the giant superhero Ultraman.
After an attack by giant monsters sees him return to Tokyo, his life becomes even more complicated when he adopts a baby kaiju after defeating its mother. Alongside reluctant parenthood, Ken must navigate a strained relationship with his estranged father and thwart the schemes of the Kaiju Defense Force, which plans to exploit the baby kaiju for nefarious purposes.
Watch it now on Netflix
‘Casino Royale’ (Paramount Plus)
The start of Daniel Craig’s 007 era is almost universally considered to be one of the best James Bond movies of all time. Not to mention one of the best action movies of the 2000s. “Casino Royale” is a sort of reboot, one that sees the newly licensed-to-kill British Secret Service agent set off on one of his first missions. This time around, he faces off against a truly iconic villain in the bloody-eyed Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen).
The two cross paths after Bond goes to Madagascar, but before the real fighting can begin, they must first play poker in a series of tense scenes that puts Craig and Mikkelsen’s acting chops on display. There’s one holdover from the previous era of Bond films — Judi Dench reprises the role of M — but for the most part, Craig’s 007 boldly pushes the franchise forward.
Watch it now on Paramount Plus
‘Anomalisa’ (Prime Video)
“Anomalisa” is a heartbreaking exploration of what it means to be human…through stop-motion puppetry. It’s an artistic choice (and an eerily beautiful one at that) that’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea, but whether you vibe with the premise or not, I encourage you to suspend your disbelief for a little bit. If only not to miss out on this all-too-human story about the unbearable loneliness of being and how our connections with those around us can change our very fabric.
David Thewlis voices Michael Stone, an English author and motivational speaker on a business trip to Cincinnati to promote his latest book. Michael’s day-to-day is a monotonous routine of endless days and sleepless nights until he meets Lisa (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a kind but timid woman who brings a spark to his dull existence. He’s instantly captivated by her, but their growing bond is threatened by Michael’s insecurities.
Watch it on Prime Video starting on June 16
‘BRATS’ (Hulu)
In 1985, a New York magazine article coined the term “Brat Pack” to describe the young stars of that generation — Andrew McCarthy, Molly Ringwald, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Demi Moore and Judd Nelson, among others. That nickname — a nod to the midcentury label of the “Rat Pack” — ended up defining the actors in lasting, and in some cases, detrimental ways that McCarthy explores in this documentary. He sits down with fellow Brat Pack-ers, some of whom he hasn’t talked to in decades, as well as the author of the article, David Blum, to dig into how labels, reputation and image can make or break careers in Hollywood.
Watch it now on Hulu
‘In the Fade’ (Hulu)
While Diane Kruger may be best known for her roles in “National Treasure” and “Inglourious Basterds,” her work in the German drama “In the Fade” has been hailed as a seminal performance of her career. She plays Katja, a mother and wife whose life falls apart in the blink of an eye when her family is killed in a bombing believed to be the work of Neo-Nazis.
Wracked with grief and with little support from her hard-hearted mother-in-law, she turns to drinking and drugs to deal with the pain. But things take a turn when the two suspects behind the bombing are arrested and stand trial for murder. For Katja, however, the line between justice and revenge is hazy.
Watch it now on Hulu
