Another weekend means a fresh crop of great new movies debuting across the best streaming services. But with so many great options, narrowing down what to watch can become a task and a half.
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. Leading the pack this week are two riveting thrillers with unique premises: M. Night Shyamalan’s divisive “Trap” on Max and “Don’t Move” on Netflix. If you’re more in the mood for a family drama a la “Parasite,” you can catch “Shoplifters” on Tubi. There’s also the latest “Kung Fu” panda movie making its way to Netflix as well as a gruesome slasher about a killer pumpkin called “Carved” on Hulu.
So without further ado, here are the best new movies on streaming to watch this weekend. For even more recommendations on what to watch, check out the 5 new movies you should stream this Halloween.
‘Trap’ (Max)
Like many M. Night Shyamalan movies, “Trap” has divided audiences despite being a box office hit. Now you can see for yourself whether it’s one of the legendary director’s best, as some fans are saying.
Josh Hartnett stars as Cooper, by all appearances a typical suburban dad who lives a double life as a serial killer. But he stumbles into a trap when he takes his teen daughter, Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to a concert and realizes it’s been overrun by law enforcement trying to capture him before he leaves. With delightfully over-the-top performances, some wild twists and a surreal and campy narrative, “Trap” is a wholly unique film that makes for a fun watch if nothing else.
Watch on Max now
‘Kung Fu Panda 4’ (Netflix)
Po (Jack Black) and the Furious Five are back in “Kung Fu Panda 4,” the latest installment in Dreamworks’ beloved animated series In “Kung Fu Panda 4,” our hero Po is at a crossroads: To become the spiritual leader of his hometown, the Valley of Peace, he must relinquish his title as the Dragon Warrior. But finding a suitable successor is no easy task.
Things take a turn for the worse when a new villain, the shape-shifting Chameleon (Viola Davis), crashes the party. The Chameleon can take the form of Po’s past enemies, even mimicking their formidable fighting styles. With the help of a new ally, a cunning fox named Zhen (Awkwafina), Po sets out on a mission to thwart the Chameleon’s nefarious plot before she can steal the kung-fu abilities of every material arts master in China.
Watch on Netflix now
‘Don’t Move’ (Netflix)
Netflix has been on a roll with original movies, and its latest thriller “Don’t Move” continues the trend. From directors Adam Schindler and Brian Netto, and producer Sam Raimi, it plays out in real-time as a grieving mother named Iris (Kelsey Asbille) sets out on a hike and comes face-to-face with a sadistic killer stalking the remote forest.
She crosses paths with a stranger (Finn Wittrock) who seems friendly at first, but his insidious true intentions come to light when he injects Iris with a paralytic agent. With only a precious few minutes before her body shuts down completely, she attempts to escape her tormentor, but that’s easier said than done when the only thing you can movie is your eyes. In this chilling nightmare scenario, Iris may be able to hide — but running is out of the question.
Watch on Netflix now
‘Shoplifters’ (Tubi)
If you liked “Parasite,” you need to check out “Shoplifters” from Japanese writer and director Hirokazu Kore-eda. Like the Kims, the Shibata family lives together in poverty, barely scraping by. After losing his job due to an injury, patriarch Osamu (Lily Franky) along with his son Shota (Kairi Jō) regularly resort to shoplifting to survive, even coming up with their own system of hand signals to communicate their marks.
Despite their meager means, the Shibatas decide to take in Yuri (Miyu Sasaki), after discovering what they believe to be signs of abuse. But it’s not long before the family uncovers that she’s a missing child at the center of a much larger plot. More meditative than Parasite, “Shoplifters” earned praise for its nuance and subtlety.
Watch on Tubi now
‘Carved’ (Hulu)
Tis the season of slasher movies, and Hulu does not disappoint with “Carved.” This comedy-horror movie leans into its wackiness and gore while using classic 90s-style film techniques like puppets and practical effects that make it a fun feast for the eyes.
It follows a group of friends who are trapped in a Halloween reenactment village being hunted down one by one by a mutated killer pumpkin, which seems designed for maximum gross-out factor with vines trailing from its eyes and mouth. If you’re looking for an easy, spooky watch to throw popcorn at, “Carved” is everything you could want from a Halloween b-movie.
Watch on Hulu now
