Another week in the books means another weekend to look forward to. But with that comes the same haunting question in this age of endless streaming options: What to watch?
Thankfully, the best streaming services just got a new shipment of hit movies, including some of this summer’s hottest blockbusters fresh off their theater run. Leading the pack this week are “The Boy and the Heron” and “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” on video-on-demand services, two of the best movies released in the past six months. Meanwhile, Netflix has a new rom-com, “A Family Affair,” with a stacked cast that includes Zac Effron, Nicole Kidman, and Joey King. Over on Apple TV Plus, last year’s Oscar frontrunner for Best Actress Lily Gladstone returns for the emotional road trip that is “Fancy Dance.” And Hulu adds the haunting thriller “Somewhere Quiet” to its library.
So without further ado, if you’re looking for something to watch this weekend, these are the top movies new to streaming. For even more recommendations on what to watch, be sure to check out our list of this week’s best new TV shows.
‘The Boy and the Heron’ (PVOD)
I saw “The Boy and the Hero” in theaters, and it’s definitely one of the weirder entries in Hayao Miyazaki’s oeuvre. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a visual delight, and I can understand why it earned the famed animator his second Oscar. But here’s my word of advice: Once you strap in for a more “Alice in Wonderland” style wild ride, you’ll find the journey much more enjoyable.
Inspired in part by Miyazaki’s own life, “The Boy and the Heron” follows 11-year-old Mahito Maki who moves to the countryside with his father and new stepmother after his mother dies in a hospital fire. Still grappling with the loss and struggling to adjust to his new life, he crosses paths with a strange gray heron. Tucked away in a neglected corner of the property is an ancient tower that the heron lures him to with the possibility of bringing back his deceased mother, which sends Mahito through a portal into a dreamlike world full of magic, giant sea critters, and man-eating parakeets.
Watch it now with purchase on Amazon or Apple
‘Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga’ (PVOD)
It’s time to get your war boys (and girls!) together and witness “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” from the comfort of your own home. After just over a month in theaters, the “Fury Road” prequel barely managed to make its $168 million budget back despite generally good reviews (it’s hovering at a 90% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes). But a streaming debut could be just the kick this high-octane origin story needs to find its audience.
Anya Taylor-Joy stars as a young Furiosa living in the still-thriving oasis known as the Green Place of Many Mothers before it became the wasteland we saw in “Fury Road.” Her world is violently uprooted, however, when raiders led by the warlord Dementus (Chris Hemsworth) take her prisoner when she’s out scavenging for food one day.
Still grappling with his own family’s death, Dementus adopts an unwilling Furiosa as his daughter, but following a bloody battle with the War Boys led by Immortan Joe (Lachy Hulme), he hands Furiosa off as a peace offering. As Furiosa rises through the ranks of the Citadel, she bonds with her driving partner Praetorian Jack (Tom Burke), and the two begin to plan their escape just as Dementus explodes into her life once more.
Streaming now with purchase on Amazon or Apple
‘A Family Affair’ (Netflix)
This airy rom-com may be just the escape we need right now after last week’s frankly depressing presidential debate. In “A Family Affair,” Joey King (best known for her role as Gypsy-Rose in “The Act”) stars as Zara Ford, a frustrated personal assistant for Hollywood heartthrob Chris Cole (Zac Efron). When his ego finally becomes too much for her, she quits, unwittingly setting the stage for him to cross paths with her widowed mom, Brooke (Nicole Kidman).
It becomes immediately clear that the two have chemistry together, and Efron gets to flex his comedy chops as the laughably self-absorbed movie star tries to shoot his shot. Brooke is incredulous at first but eventually caves to his charm, and the two begin a tryst that drives Zara up the wall.
Watch it now on Netflix
‘Somewhere Quiet’ (Hulu)
“Somewhere Quiet” wasn’t on my radar before, but after watching its trailer, it seems to share enough DNA with the likes of “The Invisible Man,” “Barbarian” and “The Strangers” that my interest is well and truly piqued.
After being held captive for a brutal six months, Meg (Jennifer Kim) manages to escape and make her way back home at the film’s onset. Understandably, she struggles to readjust to everyday life after such an ordeal, so her husband Scott (Kentucky Audley) brings her to his family’s beach house to try to soothe her rattled nerves. It’s the off-season, and he promises they’ll remain undisturbed during their stay.
That quickly goes out the window when it’s revealed his cousin Madeline (Marin Ireland) is staying in another nearby family home. The two butt heads, but Meg’s more concerned by the hallucinations and other mental issues that are manifesting in the aftermath of her trauma. More concerning still is how unfazed Scott seems to be by all the strange happenings. It all begins to fray at both Meg’s sanity and trust in her husband, leaving viewers constantly guessing at who to believe.
Watch it now on Hulu
‘Fancy Dance’ (Apple TV Plus)
Hot off her Academy Award-nominated performances in “Killers of the Flower Moon,” Lily Gladstone stars in Native American filmmaker Erica Tremblay’s directorial debut for Apple TV Plus. And people are already raving about it, with “Fancy Dance” currently sitting at a 95% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Gladstone delivers another stunning performance as Jax, a young woman who assumes care for her niece Roki (Isabel DeRoy-Olson) after her sister goes missing. Local police officers argue the reservation they live on is outside their jurisdiction, leaving Jax largely on her own to uncover the truth behind her sister’s disappearance.
Between her investigation, managing the family’s meager funds, and preparing her niece for an upcoming powwow, she’s stretched impossibly thin. With her estranged father threatening to take custody of Roki, the two set out to track down Roki’s mother in time for the powwow.
Watch it now on Apple TV Plus
